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Stop Homophobia in the ChurchesYou may have heard about our Queer & Christian campaign through our pamphlet, ‘Stop Homophobia in the Churches.’ You can download the pamphlet and read more below. < Back to Queer & Christian page
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“Homophobia affects me a great deal… Just because we go to a Catholic school does not mean that we can keep this hidden in a closet. Remember God loves you for your true self.” (Catholic high school student) Homophobia - the fear and hatred of ‘queer’ people (a term reclaimed by les/bi/gay and trans-identified communities) - takes many forms. The most pernicious form has been, and continues to be, of a religious nature. Whether you are queer and questioning your place in the church, or just want to know what the Bible says about same-sex relationships, we hope this pamphlet will dispel the myth that Christianity is inherently against homosexuality. As queer-friendly Christians, we proclaim God’s love and acceptance of all people, and oppose homophobia as a blasphemy and sin. We hope also to provide a place of hope, encouragement and blessing. “There are no seats in the pews for me, my beautiful partner, or others like us. Not as we are….How hard will we fight to resurrect what is left of the good in the church?” (Caitlin Neufeld, Geez Magazine) Queer & Christian Without Contradiction About the Campaign In 2006, the Student Christian Movement of Canada launched a four-year national campaign to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth in and out of the churches. We invite all students to join the campaign, which offers resources, Bible studies, national gatherings and other creative materials to get our message out: “Queer & Christian Without Contradiction!” “Loose the chains of injustice … Set the oppressed free.” (Isaiah 58:6) The Hebrew Bible and New Testament are central to the Jewish and Christian religious traditions respectively. But the Bible is far from being simply a book of ‘right’ moral conduct; to many, it is a source of wisdom, inspiration, guidance, liberation, revelation and hope in the face of hopelessness. The Bible is, in fact, a library of books written at different times and contexts, and as such have always been—and will continue to be—interpreted in various ways. Interpretation is the soul of the Biblical tradition; it is its inner life. Unfortunately, the Bible has been misused and abused by some who claim to have the ‘one’ definitive interpretation. During the time of slavery in the American South, for instance, the letters of St Paul were used to justify slavery. Other passages have been wrongly used to justify anti-Semitism, sexism, the Crusades, white supremacy, the pillaging of the earth, and homophobia. However, the Bible’s prophetic tradition, out of which Jesus’ ministry stems, is full of liberating messages that can radically challenge religious corruption and the ideological distortion of our sacred texts used to demonize others. It rests upon the two central experiences in Jewish and Christian traditions: the Jews’ Exodus from slavery, and the power of Christ’s Resurrection. When the Bible becomes a tool of persecution, its prophetic voice is lost. An authentic reading of the Bible is one with the life-giving potential to transform people and society. Doesn’t the Bible condemn homosexuality? Many biblical scholars now agree that the handful of passages used to discriminate against queer people have been misused, taken out of context, or even mistranslated. Often, scriptural references to homosexual acts are actually about sins of excess, infidelity or cruelty, and have nothing to do with sexual orientation or consensual love-making. These Bible passages are often used to condemn homosexuality Genesis 18: 16-19 The sin in this story is not homosexuality at all, but inhospitable and abusive behaviour (rape) towards strangers. Leviticus 18:22 & 20:3 Romans 1:26-27 Our scriptures are, at core, about relationships—with God, and with others. The depth of our desire for those we love reflects our yearning for the Mystery that is God. While the Bible is sometimes used as a weapon to oppress, it contains stories which continue to inspire Jewish and Christian gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-identified people as they struggle against exclusion and seek spiritual wholeness. Ruth & Naomi (Ruth 1-2) and David & Jonathan (1Sam18-20, 2Sam1:26) are examples of biblical same-sex relationships which, though not explicitly sexual, are beautiful symbols of passionate attachment between people of the same gender. The sacred values of covenantal intimacy and mutuality are present in ways echoing biblical depictions of man-woman commitment. For instance, Naomi “clings” to Ruth (Ruth 1:14), the same word used in Genesis 2:24 to describe the bond between husband and wife.
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