Research overview - Queering Affirmation: How Scholars and Clergy Advance the Case for LGBT+ Inclusion
Background:
Historically, Christianity has been stereotyped as a homophobic religion, as it has condemned same-sex relationships in the past. However, nowadays there is a plurality of views within Christianity. Some are LGBT+ affirming, while others say the homosexual is not a sinner per se, but acting on the desire is the issue, in other words, “love the sinner hate the sin”. At the same time, even others consider homosexuality itself to be disordered.
LGBT+ inclusion seems to be a relatively new thing within Christianity, so secular society in some way is confused by the new LGBT+ affirming strand of Christianity which is becoming more prevalent. The historical association of Christianity with homophobia is a strong one, with the result that secular society considers ideas of a “gay Christian” to be incoherent, oxymoronic, and even “doublethink”.
Therefore, this report is necessary, as it aims to clear up some confusion, by pointing out the arguments in favour of LGBT+ inclusion and the genuine devotion of LGBT+ affirming clergy and academics.
Topics to consider:
How Christianity can be LGBT+ affirming is truly diverse. On one hand, there is Queer apologetics. This is a way of arguing in favour of LGBT+ inclusion that tends to focus on rebuttal to biblical condemnations of homosexuality. It can be stereotyped as saying “the bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality after all”. Queer theory as Queer theology is a more complex way of doing LGBT+ affirmation. It argues in favour of LGBT+ inclusion from the perspective that gender and sexuality are social constructs, which are harmful and ought to be challenged.
This report will argue that both approaches face issues. Queer apologetics is not theologically rich and can be easily counterargued. Queer theory’s use of anti-binary ways of thinking (although it is interesting) may result in heterodox or even heretical ways of thinking about Christianity that may seem more like a distortion than a reinterpretation.
However, this report will present a new way of thinking about LGBT+ inclusion. One which tries to be an intersection of these two approaches, taking on their advantages while discarding their disadvantages. This report calls this approach Normative theology. This approach at times makes use of anti-binary ways of thinking, as more of a tool to reiterate traditional and creedal Christian beliefs, while also arguing in favour of LGBT+ affirmation that is theologically rich.
Methodology:
Reading lectures, articles, and books from various sides of the debate, including Queer theorists such as Linn Marie Tonstad, and Patrick S. Cheng, as well as theologians who we would not consider as Queer theologians such as Rowan Williams, and Sarah Coakley who are presented as normative theologians.
This report was written over several weeks and consisted of reading the previously mentioned literature, as well as creating draft reports and critically discussing them.
Bibliography of the report:
Althaus-Reid M. (2002) Indecent Theology. 1st ed. London: Taylor and Francis.
Augustine (1998) Augustine: The City of God against the Pagans. Edited by R.W. Dyson.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought).
Brownson JV. (2013) Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships. 1st ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Cheng PS. (2011) Radical love: an introduction to queer theology. New York: Seabury Books.
Coakley S. (2015) The New Asceticism. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing UK.
Elliott, N. (2008) The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans in the Shadow of Empire. Paul in Critical Contexts. Minneapolis: Fortress.
Loughlin G. (2007) Queer theology rethinking the western body. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Olyan, SM. (1994) “‘And with a Male You Shall not Lie the Lying Down of a Woman’: On the Meaning and Significance of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.” Journal of the History of Sexuality, 5(2), pp. 179– 206.
Tonstad LM. (2018) Queer theology: beyond apologetics. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books.
Williams, R., 1989. The Body's Grace. Unpublished lecture. [PDF] Available at: https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/the-bodys-grace.pdf [Accessed 22 June 2024].
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