Posts Tagged ‘Faith and Identity’
To Heal the World We Must Heal Ourselves: Reflections on MLK Day
Martin Luther King’s actual birthday is January 15th, and I believe if MLK were alive today he would be well pleased with Ava DuVernay’s film “Selma.” Many people working for justice today stand on the shoulders of Martin Luther King Jr and what he achieved in Selma. But I believe King’s vision of justice is often gravely…
Read MoreWalking In Two Worlds: A Queer Spiritual Journey
I walk in two worlds. As a queer person of faith, my lived experience is a series of negotiations between contexts that affirm either my Queerness or my Faith Walk. It is not unusual for a context that is life-giving to one of these facets of my being to not make much room for the…
Read MoreGod Made Me Transgender, And God Does Not Make Mistakes
It is always a tragedy when anybody takes their own life, doubly so when they are so young. This week Leelah Alcorn took her own life. In her note, she mentioned various reasons for her course of actions, from not thinking she would be able to pass as female to the lack of acceptance from…
Read More7 Reasons To “Queer” The New Year
So, you’ve probably noticed the word “Queer” being used more and more. Do you find yourself wondering, “why to use the word, Queer?” Maybe you’re LGBTQ and wondering why Queer matters in your community. Well, get your party hats on, because this post is a celebration of all things Queer, and you’re invited! 1. It…
Read MoreNew Show Sends Dangerous Message
Almost every professional medical association condemns “reparative therapy” as both dangerous and ineffective when applied to changing a person’s sexual orientation. Recently the practice became banned and illegal in California, New Jersey and Washington D.C. with pending legislative actions against its practice in a number of states. I experienced first hand almost six months of…
Read MoreOpen The Locks With Love
My hope is that by being openly-transgender, people will see our truths more clearly. How sad that any young person would not be able to believe they can be their authentic self. My heart is broken but my resolve is re-doubled again. I hate the ignorance and the religious intolerance that precipitates actions like the…
Read MoreThe Dawn Light Of Christmas
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5 The gospel writer John captures his vision of Christmas in this poetic verse. He offers the hopeful image of Jesus as a saving light, rescuing us from threatening darkness. Matthew and Luke add dramatic stories to complete the familiar picture:…
Read MoreFrom The Pulpit: The Names We Must Speak In Church
A few weeks ago, I had the honor of preaching at my home congregation in Pittsburgh, PA. As it was the first Sunday in Advent, I knew that my topic would have something to do with looking to what the Biblical text said about the return of Jesus to inform us about waiting for His…
Read MoreCelebrating International Human Rights Day & The Jakarta Declaration
It was an idea whose time had come. For two decades, Rev. Dr. Stephen Suleeman, lecturer at Jakarta Theological Seminary, held fast to a dream for an LGBT-affirming faith conference in Indonesia. His dream was realized with the International Consultation on the Church and Homophobia, November 23 – 26 at Jakarta Theological Seminary. When Stephen…
Read MoreStories Of Resilience From Queer Christian Women
After coming out in her evangelical church, Rachel Murr searched for others who have held onto faith after coming out in non-affirming Christian environments. Using memoir, research, and interviews, she wrote Unnatural: Spiritual Resiliency in Queer Christian Women. Here’s our interview with her: 1. What prompted you to research the experiences of queer Christian women?…
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