Queer theology represents a voice within the liberation theology movement that works to understand Jesus’ incarnation in relationship with ‘other.’ This voice is constructed from, among other things, love that sits outside the boundaries of societal constructs.
For many queers, the Church has been an outspoken enemy. It is has been a significant force of oppression and hatred that is masked in God’s name and power. This oppression pushes queers to live outside of social constructs and provides a unique opportunity to hold a mirror to them; looking from the outside in. For queer Christians, living authentic lives can be a challenge. Reconciling Christianity and queerness can be a struggle for some.
Liberation movements in Western culture
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He calls queer “a questioning of settled or fixed categories.” He does not accept the given order and asserts that there must be critical analysis of the power structures that claim to be ‘normal.’ Thus queer theology anticipates ways to speak outside of and challenge binary categories of sexual and gender identity. Queer theology speaks to LGBTQ peoples and allies based on, among other things, a belief in the instability of identity. It uses a theological method intended to expose and give voice to those whose voices have been oppressed and thus not heard. This challenges classic Christian theology that sits within defined categories, notably those that are gender or identity based, and seeks to erase categories based on traditional concepts of divinity and humanity that have guided theological thinking. It encapsulates the idea that theology is a process as opposed to a destination. Christian theology itself is fundamentally a queer undertaking because it challenges us to open God to new constructs. Althaus –Reid calls this the idea of the “third” in theological processes. Categories of self and of God that on the surface seem fixed or unchangeable are “disrupted by someone else who confesses a difference.”
Queer theology provides ways of approaching biblical perspectives with new insight. Scripture has historically been used as a means to oppress queer expressions of love. This tradition is now challenged by recognition of different cultural contexts. Further, specific readings that have been used to oppress: notably the Sodom and Gomorrah story; now seen in association with hospitality as opposed to
In said section, Gomes analyzes the Bible verses that Christians believe to have homosexual implications. Eventually, Gomes uses his personal interpretation of what the verses could mean along with historical context, to explain that the Church should not harbor any hatred or negative opinions to those practicing homosexuality. The other sections of, “The Use and Abuse of the Bible”, give In, “True and Living Word”, Gomes introduces the readers to a variety of topics and attempts to explain how the Bible relates to them. These topics are: The Bible and... The Good Life, Suffering, Joy, Evil, Temptation, Wealth, Science, and Mystery.
The lecture hall filled with the audience members’ conversations in the gymnasium-sized room, which the microphone on the podium in center stage amplified. Through the double door entrance to the hall walked a conference attendee named Adam Moore, who found his seat in the last of many perfectly aligned rows of folding chairs. He began reading the brochure handed to him as he arrived and “homosexuality” being on the list of discussion topics intrigued him because he is an openly homosexual member of the Episcopal Church. After all the discussions had concluded and the ministers and clergy answered every question, Moore approached Father McAllister and asked him to explain some of the Catholic Church’s teachings to him. Father McAllister happily agreed and they both returned to the lecture hall to have their conversation. Father McAllister sat next to Moore, who reclaimed his conference seat. Moore explained that although there were many topics he did not fully understand in Catholic Church teaching, there was only one he wanted to discuss with him. He sought to understand what the Catholic Church taught on the topic of homosexuality and what the Church’s opposition was to homosexual relationship...
“For the Bible Tells Me So,” is a documentary about religion and homosexuality. Primarily, the film depicts the struggles of several individuals as they realize they are gay, and how this affects their relationship with faith and family. The film illustrates how devastating the suffering some gays face and the struggles some Christian families encounter when a family member is gay. It is heartbreaking to watch moments of hate-mongering and discrimination against homosexuals, especially when done by family members or in the name of one’s religion.
They mention the transition of “the closet,” as being a place in which people could not see you, to becoming a metaphor over the last two decades of the twentieth century used for queers who face a lack of sexual identity. Shneer and Aviv bring together two conflicting ideas of the American view of queerness: the ideas of the past, and the present. They state as queerness became more visible, people finally had the choice of living multiple lives, or integrating one’s lives and spaces (Shneer and Aviv 2006: 245). They highlight another change in the past twenty years as the clash between being queer and studying queerness (Shneer and Aviv 2006: 246-7). They argue that the active and visible contests over power among American queers show that queers now occupy an important place in our culture. They expand on the fact that queerness, real, and performed, is everywhere (Shneer and Aviv 2006: 248). This source shows the transformation in American culture of the acceptance of queerness. It makes an extremely critical resource by providing evidence of the changes in culture throughout the last two decades. Having the information that queerness is becoming more accepted in culture links to a higher percentage of LGBTQ youths becoming comfortable with their sexual identity. However, compared to the other sources, this
In this essay, authors J. Michael Bailey and Kiira Triea try to disprove the “feminine essence theory” which they consider to be a misconception of transsexuals. Using research from Ray Blanchard, a University of Toronto professor and sexologist who performed extensive studies on male-to-female transsexuals, the authors explain transsexuals are being part of two separate groups. According to them, a transsexual may either be a homosexual transsexual or an autogynephilic transsexual. Autogynephilia is a term coined by Ray Blanchard and is defined as “inner-directed heterosexuality. That is, autogynephilic males are like heterosexual men, except that their primary sexual attraction is to the image or idea of themselves as women” (Bailey). The authors associate this condition with other paraphilias such as masochism. The authors argue that if you are not homosexual then you are most certainly autogynephilic (Bailey). This essay is relevant to my research because it contradicts the majority of what I have read concerning the “feminine essence theory” and because it summarizes much of Blanchard’s research. However, I do not necessarily agree with this research because it appears that only sexual orientation was taken into consideration towards their concept of gender identity.
Seidman, Steven, Nancy Fischer , and Chet Meeks. "Transsexual, transgender, and queer." New Sexuality Studies. North Carolina: Routledge, 2011. . Print.
Instead of reclaiming “queer,” one must nullify or completely get rid of it because “the hate, the pain, the violence is locked in that word forever” (Brontsema 49). The opponents of the reclamation of “queer,” or any related word for that matter, according to Brontsema, are “those who have directly suffered” from the unforgettable abuse caused by the use of “queer” in an offensive context by the out-group – heterosexuals (Brontsema 49). The older generation homosexuals who have lived through the 1960s and experienced the obnoxiousness of “queer” feel miserable when someone uses that word around them because the emotional history attached to the word reminds them of their related hate-filled memories that can convince them that they are mentally ill in the eyes of the society.
In Daniel Karslake’s documentary, For the Bible Tells Me So, he examines the intersection between Christianity and homosexuality. Karslake uses parallelism, appeal to emotion, and appeal to logic to highlight how the religious right has used its interpretation of the bible to stigmatize the gay community. With the use of these rhetorical devices, he is able to auspiciously convey his argument that there can be a healthy relationship amongst the opposing side of this belief. He attempts to enlighten the viewer with the thought that Christianity's homophobia represents a misreading of scripture, a denial of science, and an embrace of fake psychology. The families call for love.
"EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
The first feature related to queer perspective is same sex doubles, where God and Peter John have similar characteristics, and this sexual similarity is considered traditional because of its basis is within religion. The reader is presented with an image of Peter John as divine as God, with the same power of the Holy Spirit within him that God possesses and has power over. “…shall be necessary henceforth for whoever shall wish to save himself to believe in the works of the Holy Spirit given to Friar Peter John…words are all the works of the Holy Spirit” (Mennetus 289). While the similarity of characteristics between these two characters allows for a queer interpretation in a
In the debate over homosexuality, Christian ethicists have many authorities to draw from. From the mixture of biblical sources, traditional authorities, empirical and descriptive accounts, and cultural norms, Cahill chooses general biblical themes and modern culture as the primary authorities for her ethic. This departure from traditional Roman Catholic teaching implies some flaw in the connection between the Holy Spirit, the church, and common believers. Cahill’s decision is her method of fixing this disconnect and reuniting Christ’s message with all believers.
The LGBTQIA community has faced strong opposition from groups falling outside this minority for years, primarily conservative and religious groups. This phenomenon is not particular to the United States, but spans hundreds of countries across the world. Religious leaders in varying religions not only oppose the act of marriage, but often times oppose the actual act of homosexual behavior. Often religious oppositionist will cite religious text, like the Bible as a means of opposing the LGBTQIA lifestyle. One of the most blatant oppositions to homosexual b...
In this essay, I will explain how religion is sometimes used to mobilize against LGBT people, how some people’s religious and personal doctrines conflict regarding LGBT issues, and how religious belief and community can be a positive force for the LGBT community.
Halwani, Raja, Gary Jaeger, James Stramel, Richard Nunan, William Wilkerson, and Timothy Murphy. What Is Gay and Lesbian Philosophy? 2008. MS. Oxford, UK. San Diego Mesa College Academic Databases. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
This quote addresses directly the primary difficulty of the issue. The terms gay and lesbian are useful in literature in that they allow a group of people who have been marginalised and even persecuted to become visible. They enable a way of life and a set of identities, harmonious or conflicting, to be presented, to be questioned, to be understood and accepted. As categories they create ‘space’ in which there may develop a more evolved understanding of texts and they also create a genre within which many lesbian and gay writers are comfortable with being placed. A gendered reading of a text can reveal undercurrents and depths which might otherwise not be apparent. These categories also make ‘space’ for the author within the text which leads to a closer tie between the author and the reader in the reading process.