Showing posts with label Christians and gender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christians and gender. Show all posts

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Lessons From the Tale of a Queer Parson



Rebecca Parson is an American Patriot, a Woman, a Christian, and Queer.

Parson’s tale represents in one person several ways in which Christians are a House Divided in 2020. That is, Christians are divided by political party, sexist policies, religious beliefs, and their response to people who identify as LGBTQIA+. By learning about her position, Christians can clarify their own stance even if they strongly disagree. Parson has posted her agenda on her website, so it is easy to see what she is for and against.

Patriotism, Male Privilege, Sexism, Genderism

It is no secret that the US flag and the military have strong support among Republicans. However, Democrats have a long history or supporting the flag and the troops most evident during WWII. No party can claim to be more American. People have always interpreted the US Constitution in different ways. Parson supports the constitution.

It’s axiomatic that women do not experience equality in most nations. Despite capturing the right to vote a century ago in western societies, women have only recently approached equality in national leadership. The largest democracy, the US, still has not had a woman president or vice president. That could change soon.

The leaders of large religious groups are often in lockstep with their national leaders when it comes to cultural values. In the US, the secular state leads the religious bodies when it comes to women’s rights. Only a few religious groups ordain women and within that restrictive set of the faithful, only a few women hold high positions of leadership. Ironically, theologically conservative Pentecostals have a history of women in the pulpit and in education albeit, male support for respect and equality has an uneven history. And, as is well known, there are no women priests in the largest Christian group, the Catholic church, which is Parson’s church.

Support for the rights of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ is also uneven. Although the US Supreme Court ruling allowed same-sex marriage, most religious groups do not support same-sex marriage. People who identify as gay or lesbian are outsiders when it comes to leadership in most churches. Parson identifies as queer.

Now a Parson is running for office.

 Rebecca Parson is an American patriot, a woman, a Christian, and Queer.

 Her story is worth reading to understand a less well-known perspective on patriotism and faith (See Singh, 2020).

 What about women’s’ rights? Parson is an advocate- no surprise there.

 Some conservative Christian leaders openly oppose what they view as the LGBTQIA+ agenda (See for example Franklin Graham’s election concerns for 2020). Parson does not hide her view about gaining rights for people who identify as LGBTQIA+. Her agenda is public.

 Learn more about Parson’s position on the issues of 2020 at her website.

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Saturday, July 18, 2020

GAY & CHRISTIAN Matthew Turner

 Matthew Paul Turner offers a glimpse at his struggle when he announced that he is gay on Friday 18 July 2020. Turner is a Christian and a prolific author. In his Facebook post he also notes that he and his wife Jessica are ending their marriage but remain friends.

 His emotions are noteworthy and may be helpful to understand a little of his inner distress:fear, shame, and self-hatred... sadness and grief.”

 The duration and scope of his experience express the deepness of his pain: “I’ve lived many days overwhelmed…”

 His Christian spirituality has evolved as he deconverts from “fundamentalist/evangelical churches” to an unspecified theology but an experience of embracing “freedom, hope, and God as a gay man.”

 In a House Divided: Sexuality, Morality,and Christian Cultures, I present research and interpretations of biblical texts on same-sex attraction and relationships. Christians view gay men differently from being full affirming to more traditional views that one cannot be gay and Christian or other views that one can be gay but must remain celibate.

 The painful transition experienced by Matthew and shared by Jessica offer a current illustration of the struggles with spiritual and gender identity. Obviously, the struggles become more complex when there is a marriage and children as well as a professional career linked to Christian consumers who may have a more traditional view of same-sex orientation and relationships.

 Read the comments from the Turners below. I have also included links to their statements.

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From Matthew Turner’s public post:

Dear friends, I have difficult news to share. After much thought, prayer, and counseling, Jessica and I have made the decision to end our marriage. While we’re best friends and thoroughly love doing life, parenting, and pursuing our dreams together, ending our marriage is necessary because I am gay.
▪️
Being gay isn’t a new discovery for me. However, as someone who spent 30+ years in fundamentalist/evangelical churches, exploring God through conservative theologies, I’ve lived many days overwhelmed by fear, shame, and self-hatred. Though my own faith evolved long ago to become LGBTQ+ affirming, my journey toward recognizing, accepting and embracing myself took much longer. But for the first time in my life, despite the sadness and grief I’m feeling right now, I can say with confidence that I’m ready to embrace freedom, hope, and God as a gay man.
▪️
I would not be able to say that without Jessica’s undying grace and support. I fell in love with her 17 years ago and still love her deeply. Despite her own grief and pain, she has loved and encouraged me to be fully me. Many of the steps I’ve taken recently wouldn’t have happened without Jessica walking beside me, helping me through every fear. Jessica is and will always be my hero. She’s brave, strong and showcases love like nobody I know.

Matthew Paul Turner

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Jessica Turner’s public p perspective on her blog July 17, 2020

How do you write the most vulnerable, hardest post you’ve written in 14 years of being online?

My husband, my best friend has bravely shared his deepest truth this past year. He is gay. While this doesn’t change how much we love him, it does change our relationship. We are moving forward with ending our marriage, while remaining deeply committed to our family and each other.

We have worked for more than a year on trying to make our marriage work, even in light of Matthew’s truth, but it wasn’t healthy or fair to us or our children. We feel confident that this is the next right step for each of us and our family.

Our three incredible children have taken the news remarkably well. We are all adjusting to a new normal, with our home now extended under two rooftops. I am so grateful for the way we love each other and the deep belief that God is with us. We are both grieving the loss of what we had and taking hope in what is to come.

It is really important to me that you know that nothing you have seen on my social media or blog has been a lie. I have always loved Matthew, and he me. I will always champion him and his writing. You will continue to see him on my social media.

Jessica N. Turner

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My Books  AMAZON          and             GOOGLE STORE

 

FOLLOW   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

 

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Sunday, April 22, 2018

Barbara Bush and Christian Culture

Barbara Bush/ Source Bing Free to Share and Use Images
People celebrating the life of Former U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush referred to her as classy and down to earth—a difficult combination for many to portray. Many celebrants also noted her faith. Barbara Bush was a Christian. And her funeral service was held in her local church—St. Martin’s Episcopal Church of Houston, Texas. The NY Times referred to the church as her “spiritual home.”

The relevance of her story to Christian Culture is her contribution to helping people connect to others while respecting diversity. Outsiders may not realize the incredible diversity that exists amongst those who claim an identity as Christian.

Mrs. Bush' story is also relevant because of the widespread respect she has received from people linked to conservative and liberal religious and political groups.

Not surprisingly, some Christians do not consider other groups as Christian. In the book, AHouse Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures, I make a point of describing some of the commonalities of Christians reflected in the early creeds as well as noting some beliefs that set the faithful apart as members of various subgroups.

The Episcopal Church traces its origins to the second century when Christianity arrived in England. The Church of England was established in British North America during colonization and became the Episcopal Church following independence. Today Episcopalians are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Although often associated with Protestants—likely because they are not Catholic—Anglicans are not necessarily tied to the doctrinal protest movement of leaders like Martin Luther.


A glance at the official statements of beliefs confirms what one would expect from a group identified as Christian. But amongst protestants, Episcopalians are considered part of the mainline Christian groups and not a part of the Evangelical groups. Evangelicals, especially those holding fundamentalist perspectives, consider Episcopalians as “liberals” largely based on their social values. (Relevance: A House Divided Chapter 1).

BUSH, EPISCOPALIANS, & CHRISTIAN CULTURES

Episcopalians differ from other Christian Cultures in ways relevant to several chapters in A House Divided.

GENDER

Women may have a prominent role as clergy and as bishops. This sets them apart from Catholics where only men are priests and from various Evangelical groups, which hold to a traditional interpretation of the biblical texts that excludes women from church leadership. One unusual finding is the ordination of women in some Pentecostal groups such as the Assemblies of God—a group, which is a part of the National Association of Evangelicals. 

Barbara Bush was known as a wife, mother, and grandmother yet she supported women’s rights—as one article reports, her views on women were “complicated” (USA Today, 2018). (Relevance: A House Divided Chapter 10).

LGBT

Episcopalians welcome those who identify as LGBT as children of God. They have an explicitly inclusive position. Clergy may identify as LGBT. And marriage is not limited to a man and a woman. For Barbara Bush’s compassionate view, see The Atlantic article (2018). (Relevance: A House Divided Chapter 9).

SEXUAL HARASSMENT & GENDER BIAS:

Following the #metoo movement, the House of Bishops met to begin a process of working to change the culture of the church with respect to the important concerns of those who have been harmed by sexual harassment and sexual violence. (Relevance: A House Divided Chapter 11).

ABORTION

The Episcopal Church views human life as sacred from conception to death. The church supports a woman’s right to an abortion with specific limitations (Church archives). 

Barbara Bush wrote “I hate abortion” but also believed abortion should not be a political platform issue (Slate, 2018). (Relevance: A House Divided Chapter 7).

Discussions of A House Divided have been well-received in conservative and liberal settings--in churches, universities, and a seminary.  The book is free to professors as an exam copy from PICKWICK. The publisher - PICKWICK- also offers group discounts.

A low cost Discussion Guide can be found on AMAZON.

Buy as an eBook on AMAZON and at other bookstores.



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