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Talking About Love: Song of Songs, Radical Love, and Moving Past Purity Culture
Here we go with week 3 of the Faith Made Welcome, a progressive podcast on faith brought to you by Commonwealth Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
This episode is the third installment in our “What The World Needs Now” series. This four-week “study” of sorts features discussions and reflection sparked from a special activist sermon series CBC and several other congregations are taking part in this month. Each week in August, an activist preacher is giving us their take on the theme.
Today’s episode is based upon a sermon of this series, which you can watch on our Youtube Channel, preached by Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons, who is ordained in the United Church of Christ, and serves as the Faith Director for Many Voices: A Black Church Movement for Gay and Transgender Justice. Rev. McQueen-Simmons argues that today, what the world needs is radical love.
In this episode of the podcast, Kelley Wool, a hugely talented member of the CBC choir, joins Pastor Robin Anderson and Cheri Spiegel discuss this excellent sermon, and chat about Song of Songs, radical love, and the effects of purity culture.
About Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons
Rev. Melissa N. McQueen-Simmons is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and a first-generation college graduate. She is a mother to a charismatic toddler, Camdyn McQueen-Simmons, and the spouse to the beautiful and graceful Vondalyn McQueen-Simmons. She is a sister, an aunt, a friend, and Iraqi-Veteran. Melissa was born into Generation X, the demographic cohort between Baby Boomers and Millennials. She earned her Master of Divinity (M.Div.) with an emphasis in Pastoral Care at Howard University.
Rev. McQueen-Simmons coordinates panel discussions relevant to social justice issues regarding the LGBT community and the Black Church. She conducts necessary research on the Black church, community, and ongoing sources regarding biblical scholarship and sexuality. She also assists with helping pastors and religious leaders address social and theological opposition in the Black community towards LGBT equality. She helps institutions create radically inclusive faith spaces.
About Our Guest, Kelley Wool
Kelley Wool (she/her) is a proud member of CBC and enjoys singing for Sunday services. She is passionate about theology, LGBTQ and anti-racist activism, and all things nerdy (seriously, she has a Lord of the Rings tattoo). Kelley writes about the intersection of faith and sexuality in her blog "Queerly Christian." Kelley lives in Alexandria with her husband Zak, as well as a rescue dog, cat, and bearded dragon.
Scripture Mentioned this Episode
We skipped the Bible drill reference this week, but if you’re looking to dig deeper, here are the scriptures mentioned this episode:
- Song of Songs 8: 6-7 (but, just go ahead and read the whole book)
Additional Materials Mentioned this Episode
- Tara Brach: We mention her book Radical Compassion.
About This Podcast
This podcast was envisioned as means to foster spiritual growth and conversations about faith, both within and beyond the faith community at Commonwealth Baptist Church. At the open of this episode, we discuss what spiritual formation means to our CBC pastors and the role community plays in our concept of faith.
Got a question or want to reach out to the Faith Made Welcome team? You can reach us at [email protected].
Faith Made Welcome is produced by Cheri Spiegel, Paul Fitzgerald and This Most Unbelievable Life.
A Note on the Links in these Shownotes
Where possible the links to books mentioned in this episode direct to Old Town Books. We’re not sponsored by this bookstore; we just believe in supporting our local community! If you’re not an Alexandrian, we hope you’ll check these out at your local bookstore!
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By faithmadewelcome
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Here we go with week 3 of the Faith Made Welcome, a progressive podcast on faith brought to you by Commonwealth Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
This episode is the third installment in our “What The World Needs Now” series. This four-week “study” of sorts features discussions and reflection sparked from a special activist sermon series CBC and several other congregations are taking part in this month. Each week in August, an activist preacher is giving us their take on the theme.
Today’s episode is based upon a sermon of this series, which you can watch on our Youtube Channel, preached by Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons, who is ordained in the United Church of Christ, and serves as the Faith Director for Many Voices: A Black Church Movement for Gay and Transgender Justice. Rev. McQueen-Simmons argues that today, what the world needs is radical love.
In this episode of the podcast, Kelley Wool, a hugely talented member of the CBC choir, joins Pastor Robin Anderson and Cheri Spiegel discuss this excellent sermon, and chat about Song of Songs, radical love, and the effects of purity culture.
About Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons
Rev. Melissa N. McQueen-Simmons is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and a first-generation college graduate. She is a mother to a charismatic toddler, Camdyn McQueen-Simmons, and the spouse to the beautiful and graceful Vondalyn McQueen-Simmons. She is a sister, an aunt, a friend, and Iraqi-Veteran. Melissa was born into Generation X, the demographic cohort between Baby Boomers and Millennials. She earned her Master of Divinity (M.Div.) with an emphasis in Pastoral Care at Howard University.
Rev. McQueen-Simmons coordinates panel discussions relevant to social justice issues regarding the LGBT community and the Black Church. She conducts necessary research on the Black church, community, and ongoing sources regarding biblical scholarship and sexuality. She also assists with helping pastors and religious leaders address social and theological opposition in the Black community towards LGBT equality. She helps institutions create radically inclusive faith spaces.
About Our Guest, Kelley Wool
Kelley Wool (she/her) is a proud member of CBC and enjoys singing for Sunday services. She is passionate about theology, LGBTQ and anti-racist activism, and all things nerdy (seriously, she has a Lord of the Rings tattoo). Kelley writes about the intersection of faith and sexuality in her blog "Queerly Christian." Kelley lives in Alexandria with her husband Zak, as well as a rescue dog, cat, and bearded dragon.
Scripture Mentioned this Episode
We skipped the Bible drill reference this week, but if you’re looking to dig deeper, here are the scriptures mentioned this episode:
- Song of Songs 8: 6-7 (but, just go ahead and read the whole book)
Additional Materials Mentioned this Episode
- Tara Brach: We mention her book Radical Compassion.
About This Podcast
This podcast was envisioned as means to foster spiritual growth and conversations about faith, both within and beyond the faith community at Commonwealth Baptist Church. At the open of this episode, we discuss what spiritual formation means to our CBC pastors and the role community plays in our concept of faith.
Got a question or want to reach out to the Faith Made Welcome team? You can reach us at [email protected].
Faith Made Welcome is produced by Cheri Spiegel, Paul Fitzgerald and This Most Unbelievable Life.
A Note on the Links in these Shownotes
Where possible the links to books mentioned in this episode direct to Old Town Books. We’re not sponsored by this bookstore; we just believe in supporting our local community! If you’re not an Alexandrian, we hope you’ll check these out at your local bookstore!