Queer Bible Study
I am pleased to announce that I am partnering with Chloe Selles to lead a new Queer Bible Study group. This group is intended for people under the age of 50 who identify as queer and who want to study the bible in a supportive setting. The group will meet via Zoom and use an online Moodle platform to supplement their discussions.
For this round, we will be studying four books from the Old Testament and Apocrypha.
RUTH – We examine this short but compelling story that addresses the question: What does it mean to belong? After the death of her husband, Ruth (a non-Israelite) takes the bold step of following her beloved mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel. Ruth is able to integrate into Israelite society by marrying her suitor/redeemer, Boaz. We consider: how does the work of belonging impact our identity and sense of self?
JONAH – The Israelite Jonah is called by God to proclaim a warning to Israel’s enemy, Nineveh. We will examine this brilliant short story, with particular attention to this question: What happens when God calls us to do things that we do not want to do, and to love people who have harmed us?
AMOS – God calls a temple sheepherder in middle management to proclaim God’s word of justice for the poor. The prophet Amos does not hold back: using every gift of imagery, poetic form, and ironic sarcasm, Amos asserts the cause of economic justice in words that still ring true over 2,700 years later. We examine Amos’ commitment to truth, the craft of his message, and the meaning of social justice for those who love God.
JUDITH – Moving into the Apocrypha, we look at the story of Judith — a widow who saves her city after the men give up. Judith presents us with a different image of faith-in-action, as she takes matters into her own hands and delivers her people from danger. What does it mean to have faith in God in times of danger? Does the faithful believer wait for God’s deliverance, or take unilateral action based on their own understanding of what God wants?
