Queer Theology

As we come to the beginning of Hanukkah, Brian invites us to reimagine the Festival of Lights as a celebration of resistance, resilience, and the sacred spark within every queer body. When queering Hanukkah, we can explore how the Hanukkah story itself is rooted in defiance against erasure, and how its rituals can be reclaimed as affirming practices that honor queer joy, creativity, and survival. Resources: Learn more about Rituals for Resistance & Resilience here Join us and be part of Queering Advent! Find more info here. The post Queering Hanukkah  appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we dig into why leaving harmful churches isn’t enough, you also have to unlearn the bad theology you absorbed along the way.  We talk about how lingering fear, shame, reactivity, or discomfort around sex, Scripture, or Christian community can reveal where old beliefs are still running the show, even for folks who’ve left evangelicalism, Catholicism, or grew up in progressive spaces without learning how to engage the Bible for themselves. We get into what unlearning actually looks like and why arguing on evangelical terms keeps you stuck. You gotta be able to rebuild your faith (or recognize when to walk away from it) with grounding, nuance, and liberation. We also answer listener questions about the 1946 documentary and where to begin when returning to faith after fear. Resources: Join us and be part of Queering Advent! Find more info here. The post Moving Past Terrible Theology appeared first on Queer Theology.

Queering Advent is a guided audio experience for this time of waiting, dreaming, and preparing as we hope for and work toward liberation and salvation. Rituals and liturgical seasons like Advent are invitations for us to re-center on what is most important to us. This winter, journey with us through Advent to deepen your awareness of and commitment to the connections between queerness and faith. Learn more and register at queertheology.com/advent An Advent practices that enriches your December, rather than stresses you out Brian & Shannon will offer a deeper reflection each Sunday of Advent—a mix of teaching, queer insights, and questions to consider. Then, during the week, you’ll get a short audio guide—shorter readings, reflections, prompts, and experiments— delivered right to your podcast app or available in our community hub. So that you move through this season with intentionality and contemplation. Feel steadied and reassured in these trying times. And a greater inspiration for how our faith can speak a good word to your personal life and our communal systems. All for $25 — that’s just one dollar for each day of Advent. Register here: queertheology.com/advent The post Preview: Queering Advent appeared first on Queer Theology.

Father Shannon kicks off the Advent season with a solo episode where he reflects on the meaning of Advent as both a spiritual and practical season of preparation. During this time of rising threats for trans, non-binary folks, and immigrants, uncertainty and fear hangs over us. Fr. Shannon offers some grounding reflections about community, care, safety, resistance, and showing up for one another. You’re encouraged to bring your journal to this one! The Christian story calls us to co-create a more just and compassionate world, and we encourage listeners not only to reflect, but to take action in their communities.    Takeaways: We’re asking this question not out of a sense of doomsday prepper. What do I need to do right now, right where I am? Creating the kind of community I long to live in. Building a world that will protect the most at risk. The importance of personal responsibility in community building. Resilience is key in facing challenges. Safe spaces are essential for vulnerable populations. Community building requires active participation. We must think about our actions in the present moment. Creating supportive environments is a collective effort.   Resources: Join us and be part of Queering Advent! Find more info here. The post An Advent Reflection for Uncertain Times appeared first on Queer Theology.

This episode dives into Matthew Chapters 14-16 and the rich political, communal, and spiritual tensions woven throughout. We unpack the death of John the Baptist, the feeding miracles, Jesus walking on water, debates about purity, the encounter with the Canaanite woman, and Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah. These stories are especially revealing as they challenge Empire, center outsiders, and call followers into risky, justice-oriented solidarity. We get into what treasonous acts we may be called to take up when confronting power, and what it really means to “take up your cross” today.   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   The post Called to Treason, Matthew Chapters 14-16 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re diving into one of their most asked-about topics: sex, relationships, and faith. Building on years of listener questions like, “Is it okay to masturbate?” “What does the Bible say about premarital sex, polyamory, or kink,” we explore why so many of us seek definitive answers and how that impulse comes from an evangelical mindset that treats the Bible like a rulebook. As always we invite y’all to move beyond arguing Bible passages toward a deeper, embodied understanding of faith, sexuality, and ethics that is grounded in consent, respect, and self-awareness. Queerness, desire, and faith are not at odds. God’s love is not conditional, and living faithfully means embracing complexity, doing inner work, and claiming your inherent goodness.  Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology The post Still Scared About Sex and the Bible? appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, Fr. Shannon talks with the Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis. He is an assistant professor and director of the Social Transformation program at United Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Interdisciplinary Studies in addition to a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary. We explore Justin’s journey as a transgender man of faith, his groundbreaking contributions to trans theology, and the evolution of queer and trans thought within the church and academia. Justin shares the inspiration behind his influential book on trans theology, and reflects on the growing richness and diversity of trans religious scholarship. The conversation also delves into the intersections of art, spirituality, justice, and education, highlighting how creative expression and community-centered leadership can transform theology and the world. Find more of Rev. Dr. Justin at: https://www.unitedseminary.edu/academics/faculty/justin-sabia-tanis/ Grab a copy Trans-Gender: Theology, Ministry, and Communities of Faith Injustice at Every Turn A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology The post Gender is a Calling with Justin Sabia Tanis appeared first on Queer Theology.

For this episode, we’re diving into the Gospel of Mark. We unpack why Mark was likely the first Gospel written, who it was written for, and what was happening politically under Roman occupation. Drawing on scholarly interpretation, we look into how Mark’s storytelling and its urgency, as well as its focus on common people, challenge the Empire and center the marginalized. This perspective also redefines discipleship as active resistance through themes like repentance, liberation, and community transformation, showing how Mark’s “good news” remains a radical call to action for today’s world. Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology The post The First Gospel appeared first on Queer Theology.

We had the pleasure of speaking with activist and author, Edafe Okporo. Edafe was born in Warri, Nigeria. He migrated to the United States in 2016 as an asylum seeker and is now a refugee of the United States. He is a global gay rights activist, the founder of Refuge America, and one of the country’s most visible voices on the issue of displacement. We spoke about the issues of detainment for immigrants in the US, especially difficult for trans people seeking asylum and LGBTQ people. Edafe’s story is inspiring and powerful, reminding us that our work for equality must include marginalized people in the immigrant community. Edafe is the author of the book “ASYLUM: A Memoir and Manifesto.” He brings a personal commitment to his refugee work and the premise of his book- that home is not where you feel safe and welcome only but also how you make others feel safe and welcome.   Learn more about Edafe: Web: https://www.edafeokporo.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/edafeokporo IG: https://www.instagram.com/edafeokporo Order your copy of ASYLUM, A Memoir & manifesto: https://www.edafeokporo.com/book To learn more about the immigration detention system in the U.S: https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/ https://www.refugeamerica.org/   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   The post Angelic Troublemakers: Edafe Okporo appeared first on Queer Theology.

For this interview, we are excited to talk with Millie, more well known as Milli Not So Vanilli on social media. She is a 34-year-old Jewish mother and “accidental” TikTok creator. We learn how her grandmother has inspired her to speak out and how she is her greatest source of inspiration; her grandmother had been a Holocaust survivor and her grandfather was a victim of McCarthyism. We discuss how important it is for Christians to learn about their own history, to learn about Jewish history, and why this will help end prevalent misconceptions about Judaism and Jews. She also explains how anti-Semitism is accepted and widespread throughout Christian belief teachings and what Christians can do to unlearn and reframe these damaging beliefs in order to be a good ally for Jews. Millie reminds us how important and relevant this work is today and what you can do now to be a Christian without spreading anti-Semitic rhetoric. Millie celebrates Jewish diversity and advocates for a more inclusive and accepting Jewish community. She believes in Jewish empowerment through knowledge and awareness of Jewish history and believes a better understanding of Jewish history and who Jews are as a people is the best way to fight antisemitism. Learn more about Millie at: IG: https://www.instagram.com/milli_not_so_vanilli/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milli_not_so_vanilli https://linktr.ee/milli_not_so_vanilli Links from the episode: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/ https://www.rabbisandralawson.com/   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology The post Celebrating Jewish Empowerment and Teaching the Masses with Milli Not So Vanilli appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re revisiting our interview episode with the remarkable Dr. Christena Cleveland. Dr. Cleveland is an author, activist and a founder and director of the Center for Justice + Renewal as well as its sister organization, Sacred Folk. Tune in as Fr. Shay talks with Dr. Cleveland about her journey to find the Black Madonna and the Sacred Feminine, what that means for her view of the white, male god and her evangelical upbringing, and how wisdom and the Sacred Divine can be found within ourselves. Grab a copy of her book: God Is a Black Woman Liberating the Mind Body course Dr. Cleveland Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cscleve Website: https://www.christenacleveland.com/ https://www.justiceandrenewal.org/   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (9s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G. Murphy. And I’m Father Shannon TL Kerns. We’re the co-founders of queer theology.com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news, LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. I’m so, so, so excited. Dr. Christina Cleveland PhD is a social psychologist, public theologian, author and activist. She’s the founder and director of the Center for Justice and Renewal, as well as its sister organization, sacred Folk, which creates resources to stimulate people’s spiritual imaginations and support their journeys toward liberation. (50s): An award-winning researcher and, and former professor at Duke University’s Divinity School. Christina lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Today I’m this episode Father Shea talks with her about her extensive work as well as her book, God as a Black woman looking at her pilgrimages to visit black Madonna’s. And so much insight in this one. I cannot wait for you to, to hear it. Enjoy. Well, we’ve already read your fancy bio, but I would love to start by asking, like if we were at a cocktail party, a fun cocktail party, and someone asked you to introduce yourself and what you do, how do you, how do you explain yourself and your work? (1m 33s): I usually tell people that I’m an artist who stimulates spiritual imaginations, and I’m someone that curates and gathers adventurous people who wanna go beyond what they think they know about spirituality. Hmm. That’s amazing. I love that. I, I am obsessed with your book. It’s so, so, so good. And one of the things that I, I was really struck by is like, you write so beautifully about finding God in the particularity of your and her experience as a black woman. And then you also open that up to sharing how finding that is not just for black women. (2m 17s): And I, and I think so often people assume that theologies from the particulars are just for people who share those particulars. And I wonder if you can start out by sharing a little bit more about why it matters that people who aren’t from those particulars learn from seeing God in this way. Hmm. Well, I can tell you why it’s been so important for me to learn from theological viewpoints that are really different from my own. I don’t think I could have gone on my journey, to be honest, without Palestinian liberation theology about seven or eight years ago when I was first getting connected to liberation theology. (2m 59s): Of course, I was reading the Black Liberation theologians, both male and female and non-binary. But it was so powerful for me to hear, like read Nama Te, who was talking about Samson as the first suicide bomber. And just that just stimulated my,

We welcome Miryam Kabakov to the podcast this week. Miryam is a national leader who has worked for more than three decades on the inclusion of LGTBQ+ individuals in the Orthodox world. She is Executive Director and ​co-founder of Eshel, @eshelonline, a national organization that supports LGBTQ+ Orthodox individuals and their families. Prior to being a leader at Eshel, Miryam was the New York and National Program Director of AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, Director of LGBT programming at the JCC Manhattan, Social Worker at West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, and was the first social worker at Footsteps.  She founded the New York Orthodykes, a support group for lesbian, bisexual and transgender Orthodox women, and is the editor of “Keep Your Wives Away From Them: Orthodox Women, Unorthodox Desires,” a collection of writings about the challenges and joys of LBT Orthodox Jews and winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award. In this conversation, Miryam shares her journey of growing up in a modern Orthodox community while grappling with her LGBTQ identity with Brian. She discusses the challenges of acceptance within her family and the broader Orthodox community, and how these experiences led her to found Eshel, an organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ Jews. Miryam emphasizes the importance of community, rituals, and the ongoing work to create inclusive spaces within Orthodox Judaism. She also reflects on the evolving landscape of LGBTQ acceptance in religious contexts and the power of obligation and connection in fostering supportive environments.   Takeaways Miryam’s upbringing in a modern Orthodox community shaped her understanding of faith and queerness. The importance of community in navigating LGBTQ identity within Orthodox spaces. A-Shell was founded to create supportive environments for LGBTQ Jews and their families. Coming out is a continuous journey, especially in Orthodox contexts. Family acceptance can take time, but patience is key. Creating inclusive rituals is essential for LGBTQ individuals in Orthodox life. The future of queer Judaism holds hope for greater acceptance and understanding. Obligation to care for one another is a core value in Jewish tradition. Retreats provide a safe space for LGBTQ individuals to connect and share experiences. Communication and connection are vital for bridging gaps between communities.   Chapters (04:38) Growing Up Orthodox and LGBTQ: A Personal Narrative (08:58) The Formation of A-Shell: Building Community (13:31) Navigating Dual Identities: Coming Out Experiences (18:05) Creating Inclusive Spaces: The Work of A-Shell (22:31) Ritual Innovations in the Orthodox Community (24:11) Navigating Orthodox Jewish Law and Queer Identity (27:36) The Intersection of Gender and Ritual (29:26) Faith and Acceptance in Queer Identity (32:27) Challenges of Inclusivity in Orthodox Communities (34:24) Retreats: A Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Jews (37:12) The Attraction of Orthodoxy for Queer Individuals (40:57) The Power of Obligation and Community Support   Resources: Learn more about Miryam and Eshel here: www.eshelonline.org  Follow Eshel on IG @eshelonline Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (10s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here Today on the podcast, we have a really special interview. Miriam

In this week’s throwback episode, we return to the final episode of our eight-part series on Matthew. And here is where we come to crucifixion and resurrection.. The End… but really, the Beginning! It’s important for us to call out and recognize in these texts the significant polemic against the Jewish leaders, even if most of Matthew’s audience still considered themselves to be Jewish. The context is crucial here for us to not continue the anti-semitic rhetoric that “the Jews killed Jesus”, but underline that the Roman Empire killed Jesus. We have stories of the anointing of Jesus, the last supper, his betrayal, the trial, and subsequent punishment of death. From the story of the resurrection, we really look at who Jesus entrusted the continued work of discipleship. It is not to perfect angels that this work is given to continue, but to the doubting, flawed, messy, complicated people. How can we embrace that same call to follow Jesus today?   Resources: Journey Into the Bible part of Spiritual Study Hall  Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (1m 56s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts From Genesis to Revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how tuning Each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hello. Hello. And welcome back to the Queer Theology Podcast. Can you believe that we are at the final, the final section of our deep dive into the gospel of Matthew? I can hardly believe it, to be honest. (2m 37s): This has been a ride. Yeah. You know, before we dive into these final things, I just wanna say, you know, Brian, you And I have talked about how over the years of doing the lectionary that revisiting these texts, even texts that we were super, super familiar with, that we learned and discovered new things about the stories about ourselves because that we were different from the time that we had revisited them. And I, And I have to say that doing this deep dive and reading this kind of in order all along, like I’ve learned so many new things, even though I already, I felt like I already knew a lot. And I’m wondering what this experience has been like for you. (3m 17s): It you feeling that too? Like what’s, what’s kind of standing out for you? Yeah, I also feel like I am learning new things. Finding new things. You know, I think that a few weeks ago I said something like, it just scripture’s kind of like a, like a, a fruit where you, or an orange where you can, like, there’s always sort of like more that you can, you can squeeze out of it. And so returning to some of these texts, some, some of that we’ve covered on the podcast, some that we, that I just sort of know outside of the podcast in my own personal life, I definitely am finding new, like completely new information about them as I’m, you know, reading commentaries on it and reading my, like looking at the notes in the study bible and, and learning from you. (3m 58s): I’m like, oh, I, like, there’s a, there’s some some facts that I didn’t know that enriched my understanding of the text. And then there’s an element of just sort of like experiencing the text in a different way and relating to it in a different way. And, and maybe like, I knew everything, quote, you knew everything, but different things are sticking out to me or I’m making new and different connections from the text to my own life. And I think there’s also be

What was your upbringing regarding your belief in Satan or the Devil? How were you taught (or scared) growing up about the fallen angel, the demon, the serpent, Beelzebub, and the many other names? In this throwback episode, we will discover where our idea of Demon or Satan comes from and see how your beliefs or ideas about the devil line up with what scripture says. Satan in the Hebrew Bible: Numbers 22:22 Satan in the Garden of Eden as the serpent: Ezekiel 28:12-19 Where the term “fallen archangel” come from: Isaiah 14:12 Pop-cultural resources about The Devil: Inferno by Dante Aligheri Paradise Lost by John Milton The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis A few images depicting Satan Florence Baptistry mural Detail of Satan from Hans Memling’s Triptych of Earthly Vanity and Divine Salvation Devilish propaganda William Blake’s depiction of Lucifer in Paradise Lost   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (10s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts From Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how tuning Each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hey Friends, and welcome back to Queer Theology Podcast. You know, we’ve been doing this work for a really long time and over the years we’ve amassed just a trove of episodes. And so we are gonna throw it back today to one of our favorite episodes, which is part of a larger series, which is called The Scary Things Series, scary Things You Might Have Learned in Church. (53s): And today’s episode is The Devil and His Many Names we’ve found from lots of talking to lots of folks over the years that a lot of people are really afraid of Satan and the devil and demons and have heard a lot of different things about those entities. And so we wanted to tackle them and talk about them and talk about why you might not need to find them. So scary. So thanks for tuning in and enjoy this throwback episode. Welcome to the second episode of Scary Things that You might have been taught at church. Today we are gonna be looking at Satan and I did all the research on this episode. (1m 34s): And so this episode is sort of, I’m Coplay as the host of You’re Wrong About Maintenance Space. Two of my favorite podcasts Shay has. Normally we have, we both know what we’re talking about, but I’ve, I’ve given Shay no information and I’m going to take us on a journey And I will either be very excited at how this goes or it will be a dumpster fire train wreck. So hopefully, hopefully this goes. Well, Shay, before we get started, there’s this famous quote, the greatest trick the devil, devil devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. Do you know who said that? (2m 16s): CS Lewis from screw tape letters. That is what I thought. It is not in CS Lewis’s screw tape letters. Oh, interesting. So actually where it is most popularly, I that’s exactly what I thought so too, it’s from the Usual suspects. Kaiser Soce says it in the 1995 film, but actually it was first said in Quakerism Explains by John Wilkinson in 18 36, 1 of the artifices of Satan is to inducement to believe that he does not exist. And then a number of other people throughout the years said different versions of it. And eventually it ended up in the 1995 film, the Usual Suspects, and then it got implanted into bor and MA’s memori

We are queering the whole chapter of Isaiah 58 in this week’s episode. There is so much in this chapter, especially when we look at themes of justice, community, and personal reflection. It’s especially interesting to look at how this chapter resonated with our younger selves and how we view it today. There is emphasis on the importance of treating marginalized individuals with care and the communal nature of faith. We feel called in this chapter to foster growth and imagination, focusing on our own unique gifts that come with queerness.  Takeaways Isaiah 58 calls for justice and community care. Personal faith should reflect how we treat others. Communal restoration is a key aspect of faith. Revisiting scripture can lead to personal growth. Navigating privilege is essential in faith discussions. Sabbath is a time for rest and reflection. Imagining a better world is crucial for progress. Articulating a collective dream is necessary for change. Community support is vital for individual growth. Engagement with scripture fosters deeper understanding.   Chapters (02:59) Personal Reflections on Faith and Justice (06:02) The Communal Nature of Faith (09:12) Revisiting Scripture: Growth and Reflection (12:07) Navigating Privilege and Safety (14:49) The Importance of Sabbath and Rest (18:04) Imagining a Better World (21:03) Articulating Our Collective Dream (24:00) Conclusion: Community and Next Steps   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts From Genesis to Revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tune in each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. (2m 49s): Hello, Hello, Hello and welcome back to the Queer Theology Podcast. Today we’re gonna go back to our roots yet again, and we’re gonna queer a passage from scripture. Today we’re gonna be looking at Isaiah 58, the whole chapter. Shay’s gonna read it for us in just a moment from the common English Bible. If you would like to pull up your Bible and read along, we would love to have you otherwise. Here is Isaiah 58. Shout loudly. Don’t hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Announce to my people, their crime, the house of Jacob, their sins. They seek me day after day, desiring knowledge of my ways, like a nation that acted righteously, that didn’t abandon their God. They ask me for righteous judgements, wanting to be close to God. (3m 30s): Why do we fast? And you don’t see why afflict ourselves, and you don’t notice yet on your fast day, you do whatever you want and oppress all your workers. You quarrel and brawl, and then you fast. You hit each other violently with your fists. You shouldn’t fast as you’re doing today. If you wanna make your voice heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I choose? A day of self affliction, of bending one’s head, like a read and of lying down in morning clothing and ashes? Is this what you call a fast day acceptable to the Lord? Isn’t this the fast I choose? Releasing wicked restraints and tying the ropes of a yolk, setting free the mistreated and breaking every yolk, isn’t it sharing your bread with the hungry and bringing the homeless poor into your house, covering the naked. (4m 14s): When you see them and not hiding them and not hiding from your own family, then your light will break out like the dawn and you’ll be healed quickly. Your own righteousness will

This week we’re celebrating Brian’s new book, “Love Beyond Monogamy,” which comes out this month! In this book, he explores the themes of polyamory, spirituality, and the importance of love in various forms. Brian shares insights on how the book addresses both monogamous and non-monogamous audiences, emphasizing the sacredness of ALL relationships. The conversation also touches on the societal stigmas surrounding queerness and non-monogamy, and Brian reads an excerpt from the book that illustrates his perspective on spirituality and connection. This book is not just for poly folks or queer folks, it has so much for everyone.    Takeaways The book is about polyamory and spirituality. It addresses love in all its forms, not just romantic. Spirituality is a key theme in understanding relationships. The book aims to celebrate connections beyond monogamy. Brian emphasizes the importance of pre-orders for authors. Polyamory is often misunderstood as solely about sex. The book is for both monogamous and non-monogamous readers. Brian shares personal experiences with queerness and spirituality. The book includes a reading about finding God in community. Brian hopes the book will serve as a healing balm for readers.   Chapters (01:17) Exploring the Essence of the Book (04:57) The Role of Spirituality in Relationships (08:24) Reading Excerpt: The Polyamorous God (13:11) Dreams and Aspirations for the Book (15:43) The Gifts of Polyamory (21:15) Addressing Skepticism Towards Polyamory (24:26) Logistics and Upcoming Events Resources: Get Brian’s book, Love Beyond Monogamy: How Polyamory Can Enrich Your Spirituality, Faith, and Relationships Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (9s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hello. Hello. Welcome back to The Queer Theology Podcast. This is a conversation I have been very much looking forward to because today we are gonna talk all about Brian’s new book, Love Beyond Monogamy, which comes out on September 18th. So as you are listening to this, if you’re listening to it the day it comes out or around the day it comes out, there is still time to pre-order. (55s): And I, I just wanna say, I, I know we’ve said this a million times, we’re gonna keep saying pre-orders are so, so, so, so important, especially for books from marginalized authors. So if you even feel like you might have the most passing of interest In this book, go and pre-order it, it would also be great if you could recommend that your local library picks up a copy. And also that your local bookstore stocks it. We love supporting indie bookstores, so order it from there. And today we’re gonna, we’re gonna kind of dive into to talking about this book. So Brian, I wanna start with probably every author’s worst nightmare of a question, which is like, if you had to describe this book in just a couple of sentences for folks that maybe this is the first time they’re hearing about it, they don’t really know what it’s about. (1m 47s): Like what is this book and who do you think it’s for? Yeah, when I stood out to write the book, I set out to write a book about polyamory in spirituality, And I called it Love Beyond Monogamy. And then when I finished the book, so then in my mind I was, I was sort of like focusing on like

We’re going back to our roots and queering scripture for this week’s episode! We look at Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 where we explore themes of faith, community, and the importance of engaging with marginalized groups, particularly those who are incarcerated. We reflect on the radical message of this passage, and how it emphasizes the call to hospitality and solidarity. We also discuss the complexities of building relationships with those who are different from us, but the absolute necessity of doing so. We must be willing to be vulnerable, trust others, and practice embodied love in our interactions with others.   Takeaways The lectionary provides a framework for exploring faith and community. Hospitality is a divine encounter that can change lives. Solidarity with the incarcerated requires deep empathy and understanding. Trust and vulnerability are essential in building relationships. Engaging with marginalized communities can be uncomfortable but necessary. Solidarity is not just about charity; it’s about deep relationships. Practicing love means showing up for others in tangible ways. The messiness of life is part of the journey of faith. We must be willing to step outside our comfort zones. Engagement with others can lead to transformative experiences.   Chapters (02:43) Radical Hospitality and the Divine in Strangers (05:29) Solidarity with the Incarcerated: A Call to Action (08:04) Practicing Vulnerability and Trust in Community (10:47) The Cost of Solidarity: Embracing Messiness (13:48) Transformative Relationships: Beyond Charity (16:42) Engaging with the Uncomfortable: A Journey of Faith   Resources: Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (9s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hello. Hello. Hello. Today is Sunday, August 30th, and the reason why that date matters is because we are kicking it old school style here in the podcast, and we’re gonna get back to our roots and queer, one of the passage, us from this week’s lectionary. If you have been a listener for only the past few years, you might not know that for the first like eight or so years, we went through the Christian Lectionary every week for those eight, eight years. (56s): So it’s a three year cycle. So we went through it almost entirely three times. Obviously we had a lot aqua to do, so we’ve been doing topics and deeper dives into whole books and interviews and things like that for the past few years. But we just really love the Bible. And there’s something about pulling up the week and seeing what speaks to us. This is also practice that Jews do through the weekly Torah portion. They, they, we go through the first five books of the Bible, the, the Torah, the first five books, ofm, Moses, Genesis, EXUS, Leviticus, numbers, and Deuteronomy on a yearly cycle. And so there’s something about like, it’s, it’s kinda like akin to pulling tarot cards where you just sort of, you pull the card and you see what comes up for you in that moment. And so this week we’re looking at Hebrews 13, one through eight, 15 through 16. (1m 41s): We’ll be reading from the common English Bible as is our practice. Keep loving each other like family. Don’t neglect to open up your homes to guests because by doing this, some have been hosts to a

Fr. Shannon has a new book coming out soon, “Come and See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter with Jesus,” which is a devotional aimed at youth and young adults. We talk about the role of traditional devotionals in shaping young people’s faith, especially how our experiences with devotionals have impacted us. We get into the limitations of these devotionals and their practices, and the importance of understanding how limiting they can be- especially since they often leave out the Bible’s context. Shannon shares his motivations for writing the book, emphasizing accessibility, justice, and the need for young people to engage with scripture meaningfully. This book is aimed for a younger audience, but anyone can engage with this as a means for deepening a personal understanding of scripture and faith.    Takeaways Devotionals are often seen as a proxy for faith. Many youth devotionals lack depth and context. Understanding the Bible requires recognizing its complexity. Devotionals can reinforce harmful theology if not critically engaged. There are various ways to engage with spirituality beyond devotionals. Shannon’s book aims to provide tools for understanding scripture. The book encourages readers to ask questions and wrestle with faith. ‘Come and See’ is designed to be accessible for young people. The book includes journaling prompts for reflection and discussion. Engaging with the Bible can be a communal experience.   Chapters (00:53) Devotionals: A Personal Journey (10:36) Alternatives to Traditional Devotionals (14:05) Introducing ‘Come and See’ Devotional (17:41) Understanding the Bible: Context Matters (21:09) Target Audience for ‘Come and See’ Resources: Pre-order “Come And See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter With Jesus” by Fr. Shannon TL Kearns Check out books about faith and the Bible that we recommend  Rituals for Resistance and Resilience Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (9s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hello. Hello. Hello and welcome back today. I’m so excited because we are talking about Shannon’s new book and See An Invitation to a Radical Encounter With Jesus. This is a Devotional, specifically intended for youth and young adults. And along the way, I think we’re gonna talk about some of our own experiences with Devotionals, maybe some of the highlights and some of the horror stories in our growing up era and how we approach Devotional and other sort of contemplative practices around scripture and faith. (1m 4s): So that’s, that’s where we are today. Shannon, like Devotionals, gimme your sort of history with Devotionals and, and youth, youth Devotionals in particular, I suppose. Oh man. I feel like Devotionals were such a popular thing when I was in elementary and high school. Yeah. And I feel like, especially in high school, right? I feel like we came of age, and I’m a little bit older than you, but I, so I really came of age in the moment when contemporary Christian pop culture was really, really, really hitting its sth, right? Like yeah, there were, you know, the stadium tours and the merch and the branded everythings, and, and, and like, there were huge Christian bookstores like all around, even in the kind of small town that I gre

Rev. Mark E. Fowler from the @tanenbaumcenter joins us this week and discusses his journey from a Presbyterian upbringing to becoming an interfaith minister. Rev. Fowler guides Tanenbaum to the fulfillment of its mission to promote justice and build respect for religious difference by transforming individuals and institutions to reduce prejudice, hatred, and violence. He is a graduate of the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, is an ordained Interfaith/Interspiritual minister, and is a Dean of second-year students at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. In this episode, he explores the concepts of interfaith and interspirituality, emphasizing the importance of community and understanding among different faiths. Rev. Fowler shares insights from his work at the Tannenbaum Center, which focuses on combating religious prejudice and promoting justice. He reflects on personal experiences with spirituality, the impact of wounds from religious traditions on peoples’ spiritual journeys, and the intersection of faith and activism.    Takeaways Reverend Mark Fowler emphasizes the importance of community in interfaith work. Interfaith work involves knowing one another as neighbors and supporting each other. Interspirituality transcends traditional interfaith concepts, focusing on shared humanity. Tannenbaum Center aims to combat religious prejudice and promote justice. Personal experiences with religion can shape one’s spiritual journey significantly. Wounds from past religious experiences can influence current spiritual exploration. Christian privilege can be an invisible barrier to understanding religious diversity. Engagement in interfaith work can lead to healing and community building. Joy can be found in spending time with family and friends. The importance of investigating the relationship between culture and religion.   Chapters (04:23) Understanding Interfaith and Interspirituality (09:13) Personal Journey and Spiritual Background (18:21) The Role of Tannenbaum Center in Interfaith Work (27:31) Navigating Privilege and Spiritual Identity (33:12) Finding Joy and Community   Resources: Tanenbaum Center: https://tanenbaum.org/ Mark E. Fowler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fowler-9468b36  Follow Tanenbaum Center on IG: @tanenbaumcenter Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community    If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology   This transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or omissions. (9s): Welcome to the Queer Theology Podcast. I’m Brian G Murphy. And I’m father Shannon, T l Kearns. We’re the co-founders of Queer Theology dot com and your hosts from Genesis, revelation. The Bible declares good news to LGBTQ plus people, and we want to show you how Tuning each week on Sunday for conversations about Christianity, queerness and transness, and how they can enrich one another. We’re glad you’re here. Hello. Hello. I’m excited to bring you another guest interview on the Queer Theology Podcast. Today we are talking to Reverend Mark E Fowler, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Tannenbaum, a secular non-sectarian nonprofit, providing thought leadership, innovative trainings and comprehensive solutions that foster respect for religious and non-religious beliefs and practices. (52s): Its mission is to promote justice and build respect for religious difference by transforming individuals and institutions to reduce prejudice, hatred, and violence. As CEO, Reverend Fowler is responsible for all of tenant bomb’s departments, the design and implementation of all tenant bomb trainings and the expansion of tenant bomb programs nationally and internationally. Reverend Fowler is a sought after keynote speaker and facilitator in all of tenant bomb’s core program areas, and has addressed organizations globally on issues of equa

We’re showcasing another throwback episode for this week and this one is the beginning of a series we did on the Gospel of Mark. Mark is one of our favorite books of the Bible. There is so much richness to the history in Mark and for this first episode in the series, we look at the context and time in which this gospel was written. We had such a good time diving deep into this sacred story, and trying to pull out new insights for today. There is so much relevance that can be carried into our own lives from these ancient texts.    Resources: Listen to the full series on Mark Week 2: What’s the Deal With the Pigs? Week 3: Healing and Oppression Week 4: When Empires Crumble Join our online community at  Sanctuary Collective Community  If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology The post Throwback: The First Gospel – Mark  appeared first on Queer Theology.