Queer Theology

Don’t write off this passage as being another silly, outdated exhortation to simply “not say bad words.” Rather, it’s an important reminder that words matter and that they have powerful effects.

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My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, because we know that we teachers will be judged more strictly. We all make mistakes often, but those who don’t make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. Like a bridled horse, they can control themselves entirely. When we bridle horses and put bits in their mouths to lead them wherever we want, we can control their whole bodies.

Consider ships: They are so large that strong winds are needed to drive them. But pilots direct their ships wherever they want with a little rudder. In the same way, even though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts wildly.

Think about this: A small flame can set a whole forest on fire. The tongue is a small flame of fire, a world of evil at work in us. It contaminates our entire lives. Because of it, the circle of life is set on fire. The tongue itself is set on fire by the flames of hell.

People can tame and already have tamed every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish. No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we both bless the Lord and Father and curse human beings made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn’t be this way!

Both fresh water and salt water don’t come from the same spring, do they? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not, and fresh water doesn’t flow from a saltwater spring either.

The post Words Matter – James 3:1-12 appeared first on Queer Theology.

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Jesus left that place and went into the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know that he had entered a house, but he couldn’t hide. In fact, a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him right away. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was Greek, Syrophoenician by birth. She begged Jesus to throw the demon out of her daughter. He responded, “The children have to be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

But she answered, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

“Good answer!” he said. “Go on home. The demon has already left your daughter.” When she returned to her house, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

After leaving the region of Tyre, Jesus went through Sidon toward the Galilee Sea through the region of the Ten Cities.  Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and they begged him to place his hand on the man for healing. Jesus took him away from the crowd by himself and put his fingers in the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. Looking into heaven, Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up.” At once, his ears opened, his twisted tongue was released, and he began to speak clearly.

Jesus gave the people strict orders not to tell anyone. But the more he tried to silence them, the more eagerly they shared the news. People were overcome with wonder, saying, “He does everything well! He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who can’t speak.”

The post Immigrants are healed & Jesus changes his mind – Mark 7:24-37 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re on summer vacation! The Queer Theology podcast has been “on air” for 4 years and over 200 episodes. All summer long, we’re releasing a throwback episode that looks at the upcoming week’s lectionary.

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and inside of Sanctuary Collective. We’ll see you with new episodes in September!

Jesus gets a little snarky in this week’s Gospel reading and Brian and Fr. Shay respond. What happens when Jesus makes demands of the people following him? What does that have to do with us today? In this podcast we talk about solidarity, living on the margins, and more.

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Many of his disciples who heard this said, “This message is harsh. Who can hear it?”

Jesus knew that the disciples were grumbling about this and he said to them, “Does this offend you? What if you were to see the Human One going up where he was before? The Spirit is the one who gives life and the flesh doesn’t help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. Yet some of you don’t believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning who wouldn’t believe and the one who would betray him. He said, “For this reason I said to you that none can come to me unless the Father enables them to do so.” At this, many of his disciples turned away and no longer accompanied him.

Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are God’s holy one.”

The post Does this offend you? John 6:60-69 #throwback appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re on summer vacation! The Queer Theology podcast has been “on air” for 4 years and over 200 episodes. All summer long, we’re releasing a throwback episode that looks at the upcoming week’s lectionary.

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and inside of Sanctuary Collective. We’ll see you with new episodes in September!

Why does it matter that Wisdom is personified as a woman? What can we learn from this passage? Who have been the people who have spoken wisdom into your life? Brian and Fr. Shay talk about all of this and more.

Read the transcript (PDF)

Wisdom built her house;

The post Wisdom is a Woman – Proverbs 9:1-6 #throwback appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re on summer vacation! The Queer Theology podcast has been “on air” for 4 years and over 200 episodes. All summer long, we’re releasing a throwback episode that looks at the upcoming week’s lectionary.

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and inside of Sanctuary Collective. We’ll see you with new episodes in September!

In this week’s passage Brian and Fr. Shay talk about admitting that you’re not okay and what it means to take care of yourself. What does self care look like? What are the messages we’ve been taught in our churches about mental health and depression? All that and more in this week’s podcast.

Read the transcript (PDF)

He himself went farther on into the desert a day’s journey. He finally sat down under a solitary broom bush. He longed for his own death: “It’s more than enough, Lord! Take my life because I’m no better than my ancestors.” He lay down and slept under the solitary broom bush.

Then suddenly a messenger tapped him and said to him, “Get up! Eat something!” Elijah opened his eyes and saw flatbread baked on glowing coals and a jar of water right by his head. He ate and drank, and then went back to sleep. The Lord’s messenger returned a second time and tapped him. “Get up!” the messenger said. “Eat something, because you have a difficult road ahead of you.” Elijah got up, ate and drank, and went refreshed by that food for forty days and nights until he arrived at Horeb, God’s mountain.

The post It’s Okay to Not be Okay – 1 Kings 19:4-8 #throwback appeared first on Queer Theology.