Christianity

Queering advent hope.

Queering Advent: Reflections On Hope

By pwsbuilder / December 2, 2016 /

During the season of Advent, when Christians around the world prepare for the coming of Christ, our families and communities come together to reflect on our spirituality and our beliefs. This year at Believe Out Loud, we’re queering the season of Advent, considering traditional Advent themes as we reflect on our work ahead toward justice…

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A small plant growing on a wooden deck.

Divine Doubt; Hope Abundant

By pwsbuilder / December 2, 2016 / Comments Off on Divine Doubt; Hope Abundant

“They tried to bury us; they didn’t know we were seeds” —Mexican Proverb Advent is that particular liturgical season in the Church when there is a focus on the coming of God, incarnate. For many LGBTQIA folks, the Church is not the place where they come for hope or participate in the anticipation of God…

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A painting of a woman holding a heart.

Queering Mary Magdalene

By pwsbuilder / December 1, 2016 / Comments Off on Queering Mary Magdalene

Many of the revolutionary women in my Holy Women Icons Project identify as queer in some way. Many are emboldening straight allies. And there are many whose sexuality we know nothing about. When it comes to some of the women in scripture, reading their stories through the lens of queer theory, or “queering” their stories,…

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A stained glass church with a transgender flag on it.

10 Transgender Christians Share Their Journey Stories—Part III

By pwsbuilder / November 18, 2016 / Comments Off on 10 Transgender Christians Share Their Journey Stories—Part III

As we honor and celebrate Trans Awareness Week, we pause today to honor the journeys of transgender and gender nonconforming people of faith by sharing the 10 journey stories below. These blogs are all written by transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, Two Spirit, and gender nonconforming people of faith, a majority of whom identify as Christian. While…

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The Lord’s Prayer For Transgender Awareness

By pwsbuilder / November 16, 2016 /

This week is Transgender Awareness week, a week when we turn our attention to understanding the experiences and needs of the transgender community. It’s also a week that concludes with the Transgender Day of Remembrance this Sunday, on Nov. 20th. As people of faith, we need to educate ourselves this week on how we can…

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This christian votes for immigration justice.

Christians Vote For Immigration Justice

By pwsbuilder / November 7, 2016 / Comments Off on Christians Vote For Immigration Justice

Growing up in the Haitian immigrant community in Philadelphia, PA, I saw so many of my vulnerable neighbors living in fear. They worried, because at any moment their undocumented status might be revealed. For a time, my own family also lived with these anxieties. My mother often worried about her physical safety because she was…

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This christian votes for disability justice.

Christians Vote For Disability Justice

By pwsbuilder / November 5, 2016 / Comments Off on Christians Vote For Disability Justice

Micah 6:8 a verse that I meditate on and try my best to reflect in my life. The part that I want to focus on in this message is “to act justly.” That requirement from God is all-inclusive. It does not say, “To act justly except for LGBTQ people” or “to act justly except for…

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This christian votes for reproductive justice.

Christians Vote For Reproductive Justice

By pwsbuilder / November 5, 2016 / Comments Off on Christians Vote For Reproductive Justice

At its core, Reproductive Justice is about autonomy and self-determination. It’s about more than parenting decisions—it’s about trusting individuals and families to make informed and prayerful decisions about their lives. This is why we know Reproductive Justice is an LGBTQI issue! Defined by the Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective SisterSong, Reproductive Justice is “the human…

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A silhouette of two hands making a heart shape.

Honoring The Wisdom Of Our Bodies

By pwsbuilder / October 27, 2016 /

As a young girl I grew up believing God had created humans perfectly in His image (Genesis 1:27). God made me with brown eyes, olive skin, small hands and feet, a soft heart and a quirky personality. I grew up believing that God saw me, his creation, as good. And therefore, so did I.  I…

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A row of wooden pews in a church.

When Christians Erase My Bisexuality

By pwsbuilder / September 27, 2016 /

It’s hard on the heart to realize you’re invisible. That realization has fallen on me in all too many spaces: At school and work, among friends, and within the confines of the church. I am bisexual, and I have largely been blessed with accepting people surrounding me. I have only rarely been subject to violence…

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