In the interest of clarity and transparency, I want to make a few things very clear. You can agree with me, or you can disagree with me, but I refuse to be accused of being wishy-washy or not clearly stating my position.
I support, affirm and stand with individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. I personally fall in this large, diverse umbrella. Even if I personally did not, that would not change my view that everybody – everybody – contains that same divine essence.
I also want to make it clear that I identify myself as “Christian,” for better or for worse. I do understand that there are plenty of Christians who do not support or affirm LGBTQ+ rights. Although I vehemently disagree with them, even these people contain that same divine essence, and so I uphold the Quaker testimony of equality, even toward the very people who would weaponize it.
I am an ordained member of a certain “ministerial association,” through which my ministry credentials are recorded. I do not run a church or meeting, however I do use my ministry credentials to spearhead a few specific spiritual endeavors including this blog, a corporate/business training organization, and a Christian dance education program (I know it sounds weird. Weird can be good.) This ministerial association does good work in promoting various spiritual ideals, service to the community, etc. Of course I do not agree with this point in their theology, but I also know that I am called to love them. When it is brought up, I make my position clear, as well as my thought processes, rationale and theology behind my position. To date, they have not thrown me out.
I do, though, want to highlight a few questions that you can find on their ordination application and ordination renewal application that are cause for concern and further exploration. These questions were placed there after I was already admitted, and so I did not assent to them (nor would I have.)
Item #1 – Gender
One of the first selections you must make on the minister ordination application is your gender. If you were a cis male, you would select the option saying “Male – I certify that this was my gender at birth, and that God does not make mistakes assigning gender.” Okay – a lot to unpack here. I’m going to do it concisely, though. The main flaw here for me is assuming that there are only two genders. We understand that gender, scientifically expressed, comes from various chromosome combinations within a person. However, those don’t always match up with a person’s gender expression or gender identity. While I AGREE that God does not make mistakes assigning gender, I disagree with our narrow-minded perception of sex and gender expression. I don’t believe that a cis male with XY chromosomes is any more intentional a transgender female with XY chromosomes. I don’t believe that either of these are God “making mistakes.”
Item #2 – Conceptions of God/Jesus/Salvation/Etc.
The next section of the application asks a potential ministerial candidate to evaluate their understanding of God, Jesus and salvation/damnation. Now, as Quakers, we believe that truth comes from all directions, even those we are not familiar with. You can find Quakers who do very much hold these more “orthodox” Christian views on Jesus and salvation. You can also find Quakers who would refer to themselves as “non-theist” or “heterodox,” meaning they stray from more commonly accepted Christian views and positions.
This diversity of belief is part of what makes Friends strong. We don’t believe that God can be limited to one conception or one view. We don’t believe that, even if we do hold specific views of God, that our views are the only correct one, or even the correct one at all. I personally think it foolish (arrogant) even, to think that what I believe about God – the way I think about God – is the one true way. My personal beliefs do tend in the direction of these more orthodox Christian views, with a few very important and notable exceptions, including my stance on LGBTQ+ persons, and people of other/no religions.
Item #3 – Sexual Sin
This is where I start to really struggle. One of the final sections of the ministerial application ask the applicant to consider various types of “sexual sin” recorded in the Bible. These “sins” include:
- Sex outside of marriage
- Sex with divorced persons or by divorced persons
- Masturbation
- Sex with someone of the same gender
As you can imagine, I personally don’t view any of these above actions as inherently wrong. I do believe that sex is best expressed as a result of a loving and consensual union. I do not believe that this necessarily means it is between a cis man and cis woman, married to each other. I think that God is so much more than that. I believe that the writers of the Bible, doing their best to respond to both the spirit of God inside them, as well as the political and cultural influences of their specific setting, set down the words of the Bible, in a good faith attempt. I don’t believe the Bible is “absolute” or “inerrant.”
It’s also noted that the type of same-sex relationships that we have now didn’t exist in biblical times. More often, these were relationships based on an imbalance of power, finances or influence. These weren’t the same life-giving, loving and consensual relationships that we see today, and so they can hardly be compared.
All of that to say that I stand with and affirm all individuals, including those people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, queer, gender-fluid, etc. I do not exclude anyone, as there is “that of God” in each and every one of us. I affirm the Quaker testimonies of peace, equality and integrity as I keep these things in mind.
As always, if you ever need anything, you always have a Friend in me. I will do my best to help you and support you in any way I can. You can use the Contact page to get in touch with me.
If you are in a current crisis, please reach out to Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741 (or “AYUDA” for Spanish language speakers).