Note: Since 2010, Trans Day of Visibility has existed to celebrate transgender identity separate from media coverage of the very real violence observed on Transgender Day of Remembrance, “while still acknowledging that due to discrimination, not every trans person can or wants to be visible.”
So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27, Amplified Bible) This verse is often used against transgender and gender expansive/diverse people. Bigots wave this back and forth,
The Genesis 22 story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac is a rather popular story for various reasons. Even Immanuel Kant used the story in his understanding of the moral imperative. However, I believe there are hints in the story that indicate more cultural nuances than
There are ways to talk about the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch as told in Acts 8:26-40, such as addressing the theme of breaking boundaries. But now we’ll use that same piece of scripture to outline ways that allies can support LGBTQIA+ communities and
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14 NIV) Society has a problem with gender differences. People whose
If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. (John 15:18 NASB) They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to
Five years ago, I would not have thought I would be celebrating Pride month. Having spent my life trying to ignore the person I am, I had gotten good at defending LGBTQ exclusion from the Church. My non-acceptance of myself wasn’t about the select passages
Editor’s note: The Hillsong Church referenced in this essay is the same global megachurch network recently rocked by the firing of Stephen Carl Lentz, pastor of its New York City congregation, for “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”
Fear of others is a powerful emotion. It is a very human response toward the unknown. An unknown group of people or community can create this emotion in us. Fear creates an internal warning system in each person to keep the individual from doing things
God’s community comes to one like me On a recent Sunday I had the opportunity to preach on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) at First Christian Church of Decatur (Ga.), where I am serving as an intern as part of my seminary studies at Candler School