How To Read The Bible (with fresh eyes!)
Learning to read the Bible with fresh eyes is one of the most important things you can do to deepen your faith.
You can learn to fall in love with the Bible all over again and not have to leave your queerness/transness to the side.
Learning to read the Bible in a new way was the #1 thing that transformed my faith life. It helped me to not only become okay with my queerness and transness, but also to see how deeply integrated my queerness and reading of Scripture could be.
Whether you’ve still got questions about those pesky clobber passages or you have questions about how to get started reading the Bible from a new perspective, we’ve got you covered!
Want some extra support and incredible community to hype you up? You’re invited to Sanctuary Collective.
You got this. We got you.
STEP ONE
Clobber The Clobber Passages
There's so much more to the Bible than these passages, but if they are a block for you, start here.
Learn how the clobber passage are misinterpreted & find liberating messages instead
Are you sick of defending yourself or your loved ones against the Bible? Maybe you even have some doubts yourself?
In this workshop, we go over all the “clobber passages” (including the ones used against transgender folks) and show how they’ve been twisted and misrepresented — they don’t condemn LGBTQ people.
But then we go two steps further showing you how even these passages might have a liberating message and how to use everything you’re learning to have more effective conversations with people still on the journey.
Your presentation really captured my imagination.
STEP TWO
Journey Into THe Bible
Refuse to surrender the Bible! Reclaim the Bible from those who would use it to oppress and discover liberating messages that are relevant to you today
Whether you grew up as a Bible quizzer, sitting in the pews some Sundays, or outside of the church entirely you’ve probably absorbed a bunch of things about what the Bible says. You might be struggling to read it on your own or to engage with it now that you’re affirming of LGBTQ+ people.
In this self paced course, you get the tools you need to really engage with the Bible and understand it. More than just a “here’s what it says and here’s what it means”, this course is all about giving you the tools to find that out for yourself.
You’ll learn about historical and political context, types of literature, and so much more. So dive in and learn how to love this incredible book!
What Do We Do With The Bible?
It all seems pretty straightforward, right? Read the Bible, understand everything about God.
But it’s not quite that simple. The Bible can be confusing. It’s sometimes disturbing. It doesn’t always say things clearly. And that’s just reading it at face value. What about the historical context? The differences in social traditions and morals? The problems with language and with translations?
Since the Bible is the book that so often shapes our conversations about what it means to be a Christian we need to start by understanding what the Bible is…and what it isn’t.
Building a Bible-Based Faith That Isn't Terrible
Conservatives talk a lot about being “Bible believing” or about having a “Bible-based faith”
Too often that’s code for “My interpretation of Christianity is right and everyone who doesn’t measure up is sinful and going to hell.”
While I think it’s entirely possible to be an upstanding, moral person without ever turning to the Bible (or even believing in God!), I’m not ready to let go of this sacred text.
Pocket Bible Study
Each week on the Queer Theology Podcast, we merge queerness with Christianity. Here a few highlights that take a look at the importance of understanding Scripture in its context. Reading the Bible critically can make it more meaningful, not less. Combine your head and heart and see what’s possible!