Queer theology or queer theology is a theological movement that considers theology from the point of view of the queer community ( LGBT people - gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders ).
Despite the emergence of various new religious movements and churches focused on LGBT people , the vast majority of queer theologians belong to traditional faiths , within which they fight for the recognition of LGBT people.
The methods of reading and interpreting biblical texts condemning homosexual behavior by representatives of queer theology can be carried out within the framework of ideological criticism and be marginal [1] .
Content
Self-determination
Queer theology defines itself as a theology in which people with homosexual behavior are not seen as sinners . This direction of theology is related to theology of liberation and uses a similar methodology [2] . Like liberation theologians, queer theologians believe that the Bible proclaims liberation, not only in the spiritual, but also in the social sense: from the yoke of social stigma and discrimination .
Liberal Christians include homosexuals as a group discriminated against by society. For example, Desmond Tutu , a former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate , described homophobia as a “ crime against humanity ” and “ no less injustice ” than apartheid . [3] In particular, he says: [4]
| We fought against apartheid in South Africa, supported by people from all over the world, because blacks were considered creatures reproached and created to suffer for something we could not do anything about: this is our natural skin. The same thing happens with sexual orientation. This is something given ... We treat them [gays and lesbians] as pariahs and push them out of our communities. We make them doubt that they are also children of God, and this must be considered close to extreme blasphemy. We blame them for being what they are. |
However, unlike the classical theology of liberation , in which the “correctness” of heterosexuality was never questioned and gender issues were practically not addressed, queer theology goes further and represents the theological struggle of a new subject that falls outside the scope of classical liberation theology, namely queer subject. American theologian Robert Goss, whose 1993 Jesus ACTED UP! Work was considered one of the first works on queer theology, considers queer theology a critical development of classical liberation theology.
It should be noted that not all queer theologians see the emergence of queer theology from the Latin American theology of liberation . So, the theologian Marcella Althaus-Reid ( English Marcella Althaus-Reid ) proposes to replace the term liberation through the concept of transgression , proposed by the French philosopher Georges Bataille .
Tasks and Methods
A pioneer in this direction is the American historian and theologian John Boswell . In Boswell's understanding, queer theology is the domain of general queer research .
Queer theologians deny the use of religious arguments as grounds for discrimination against homosexuals, as well as the justification of phenomena such as sexism and heterosexism , as well as slavery , segregation and racism . From the same positions of exemption from discrimination and stigma, they advocate the full inclusion of homosexuals in church life, and also support movements for their rights in society. [5] [6] [7]
See also
- Bible and homosexuality
- Christianity and homosexuality
- Theology of Liberation
- Queer Studies
Notes
- ↑ “Ideological criticism is a quite diverse reading strategy. It is employed by the many liberation theologies (Latin American, Black, feminist, postcolonial, queer), which all seek to take the experiences of the oppressed group they represent as the critical principle for hermeneutics, the marginal position from which the biblical texts are read. ”- Kevin J. Vanhoozer , Craig G. Bartholomew , Daniel J. Treier, Nicholas Thomas Wright Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. - Baker Academic, 2005. - P.314
- ↑ J. R. Levinson. Hermeneutics of Liberation // Jacob Krotov Library
- ↑ Desmond Tutu. Homophobia equals apartheid (Eng.) // Afrol News, 07.07.2004
- ↑ Vanessa Baird, Amnesty International. Foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu // Sex, Love and Homophobia: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Lives. - Amnesty International UK, 2004. - 152 p. - ISBN 1873328575 , ISBN 978-1-873328-57-6 . (eng.)
- ↑ Same-Sex Marriage Legislation a Win-Win Solution Archived May 26, 2011 to Wayback Machine // The United Church of Canada, 02/01/2005
- ↑ Stances of Faiths on LGBT Issues: United Church of Christ Archived November 9, 2013 at Wayback Machine // The Human Rights Campaign
- ↑ Would Jesus Discriminate? // Metropolitan Community Churches
Literature
- Wolfgang Schürger: Nicht Jude noch Grieche, (...) nicht Homo oder Hetero, sondern alle eins in Christus (German)
- Deryn Guest, Robert Goss, Mona West and Thomas Bohache: The Queer Bible Commentary , SCM Press, London, 2006. (English)