If there is one question we get alot it’s: where to find an LGBTQ+ Affirming translation of the Bible? Like, we get this question ALOT alot. So we’re going to get into it on this week’s episode! If you are deconstructing or seeking a more expansive view of God, it can lead you to question the Bible translation you are using. And that is actually really great! What we want to emphasize is that the problem lies not in the Bible itself, but in the lens through which it is read. We encourage readers to unlearn and RELEARN how to approach the Bible. And to do that you have to go deep. But we’ve got some great resources for you to help you do that!

Takeaways

• The problem is not the Bible itself, but the lens through which it is read.
• Readers must unlearn and relearn how to approach the Bible in order to understand its message.
• Specific translations, such as the Common English Bible and the New Revised Standard Version, can be helpful in reading the Bible from a more inclusive and expansive perspective.
• Books about the Bible, such as Rob Bell’s ‘What Is the Bible?’ and works by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, can provide valuable insights and help readers engage with the text in new ways.
• Engaging with the Bible is an ongoing process that allows readers to make it their own and find resonance with their own experiences.

Chapters 

(01:11) The Assumptions Behind the Question

(07:40) The Responsibility of Readers

(09:08) The Work of Reading the Bible

(10:17) The Bible as a Complicated Collection of Books

(13:04) Unlearning and Relearning

(15:37) The Joy of Foundations

(19:21) The Challenge of Finding Progressive Resources

(20:50) Specific Bible Recommendations

(22:48) Books About the Bible

(26:32) Making the Bible Your Own

(29:50) Additional Resources and Courses

Resources:

• Learn more and sign up for the workshop, From Affirmation to Liberation at queertheology.com/class 
• Join the  Sanctuary Collective Community
• “What is the Bible” by Rob Bell 
• Any of the books Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan have written together.
• Our Bible App
• Bible recommendations
  • Common English Bible
  • New Revised Standard Version
  • Oxford Standard Bible for an academic version 

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT