Religion is a Queer Thing

Book excerpt: The last ten years have witnessed a sea-change amongst lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Christians. Many are no longer content to beg a place at the pre-existing table of the institutional Churches. Rather they have found a new confidence in their ability to define their own experience and think theologically about it. Queer theology is emerging as a distinctive, radical and explosive theological tradition of which all in the churches will eventually have to take notice. This theology exposes the heterosexist thought patterns and assumptions that underlie many Christian doctrines and practices and rescues parts of the tradition helpful to queer Christians which may have been lost along the way. Most importantly of all, it fashions Christian theologies untainted by homophobia and heterosexism. This book makes queer theology available and accessible to a general reader and encourages the reader to become part of the ongoing development of this theology. It is aimed primarily at queer people who are either new to Christianity or those who are interested in reflecting upon their Christian faith from a queer perspective. It is a study guide which can be used by groups and by individuals and contains exercises and liturgies as well as explanations of queer theology. Subjects covered include the bible, salvation, Christ, body theology, God, the church, death and ethics. Christian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered support groups, churches, individuals