Today I’m joined by Dr. Ish Ruiz for a conversation about queer theology—what it means to “queer” theology itself, and how that moves us beyond questions of simple inclusion into deeper questions about scripture, doctrine, tradition, and power. We explore what shifts when theology is approached from the margins rather than assumed centers, and how queer theology opens up more liberatory and expansive ways of understanding God and the Church.

Dr. Ish Ruiz is an assistant professor of Latinx and Queer Decolonial Theology at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. His work sits at the intersections of queer theology, Catholicism, Latinx theology, sexual ethics, liberation, and ecclesiology, shaped by both academic scholarship and years of ministry alongside LGBTQ Catholics. In this conversation, we also discuss his theological vision for the Church, his two recent books—LGBTQ+ Educators in Catholic Schools: Embracing Inclusivity, Synodality, and Justice and Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions—and the pastoral importance of remembering the inherent dignity and belovedness of LGBTQ people.
To learn more about Dr. Ish Ruiz and his work, visit his website here: https://www.ishruiz.com/