Queerness and the Quran

Since graduating from Divinity School, my faith journey has only continued to expand and test my commitment to the Journey.

When I moved to Boston the summer after graduation, I felt God put on my heart the invitation to explore LGBTQIA+ issues in conversation with faith.  During Divinity School, I had met many wholehearted Christians who were gay, or allies of the queer community.  I have always been a believer in God's Progressive Revelation--take issues of circumcision, Kosher diets, and slavery, for example--and I was firm in needing Scripture to be source of Life rather than Death, for the "letter of the law killeth."

I now only worship in open and inclusive spaces, and for me it is not only a matter of personal principle, but of integrity and responsibility towards my friends who have been oppressed by Christian theology.  If my friend would not feel welcome in a certain church setting, then I will also stand in solidarity with them by not setting foot in a service.

When I moved to New Haven, my good friend Ted had asked me to come back with some answers over gay Christians.  He and I had both grown up in conservative settings, and we both wanted to be faithful to Scripture but kind to our brethren.  So he gave me the challenge of exploring this topic.  The other thing he gave me was a Quran, which he had gotten from someone during college.  "Use it for reference," he said.  "It'll go to waste sitting on my shelf."

Since moving back to California, I have been attending an interreligious seminary and working for an interfaith nonprofit.  For some Christians, this is the "work of the Devil"--but I don't see it as compromising my faith.  I'm letting my "light shine before all men," and I am bearing witness to some truly amazing social justice work among diverse religious leaders.  It's humbling, and it makes me live with more gratitude and joy.

This is the life of faith--we step out into the water, and sometimes we feel like we're going to drown in uncertainty, especially when the majority of our friends stayed on the boat where it's safe, but if we call out of Jesus, he will make sure we're all right.  I've been close to drowning several times in the last year, but I'm all right.  I'm still here.