Gender Identity and Faith

Something to reflect on during this season of Lent.

"Our q***r identities, if we can understand and embrace them, they don't only break down walls of our gender and sexuality, they start to break down every wall in every area of our life." (Brit Barron)

https://whosoever.org/pope-francis-transwomen/

Pope Francis' Community Of Transwomen To a small and isolated community of transwomen, Pope Francis can uphold monthly the mandate in Matthew 25:31-40 concerning food for the poor and welcome all.

Something important to remember for the holidays

We have so many amazing pastors, priests, reverends and theologians among our friends in European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups. We would like to use their competence and experience by inviting them to share a short reflection.

So here is a short Christmas reflection fby Kerstin Söderblom from Germany:

Jesus birth was complicated and his biological origins were disputed. According to the evangelists Luke and Matthew, his mother was the underage and not married Mary from Nazareth. Her partner was the carpenter Joseph. But Joseph was not Jesus' biological father. When he heard of Mary's pregnancy, he wanted to leave her. It was only when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream and explained everything to him (Luke 1:35) that Joseph calmed down and stayed with Mary.

Jesus was born in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem because Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for a census in their home town (Luke 2, 1-6). They did not have a place to stay. Joseph became the social father of Jesus. And God was somehow part of the family. As the son of God and the adopted son of Joseph, Jesus' birth and childhood were endangered. The family feared King Herod's soldiers, who wanted to murder Jesus, because of his assumed power and authority.

Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the newborn child on a donkey. Jesus grew up in a patchwork family. He was a person of color, a Jew, a poor refugee. And God, the mysterious figure beyond images, beyond gender identities, and beyond any human categories and boxes belonged to the family. The Holy Family q***red any normative family concepts. Xmas is a q***r thing indeed, and invites each and every one of us to celebrate Xmas joyfully and proudly - regardless of the color of skin, ethnicity, age, gender identity, disability and sexual orientation.

I finish my thoughts with a poem that I wrote a couple of years ago.

Holy Night
Light in the darkness
On the way to a stable in Bethlehem
Shepherds, ox and donkey bear witness
Something special happened
Something different.

Continues in comments.

What is European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian groups?

The European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups is an ecumenical association of LGBTI+ Christian groups in Europe. The European Forum aims to achieve equality and inclusion for LGBT people within and through Christian churches and other religious bodies and multilateral organisations.

With over 40 member groups from more than 20 countries in Europe, the European Forum works for freedom of religion for LGBT people, for human rights, for the dignity of LGBT people, and for an affirmative discourse on human sexuality.

⭐ Conference ⭐
Each year the European Forum has a conference meeting, mostly (but not always) around Ascension Day. The conferences take place in different European cities every year and gather over 100 Christian LGBTI+ people from all over Europe.

⭐ The board ⭐
The organization is run by a board that is elected by the AGM (annual general meeting) that takes place during the yearly conference. The member groups sends their delegates who have the right to vote.

⭐ Working groups ⭐
Below the board there are seven working groups that each focus on a specific area; communications, youth, roman catholic, orthodox, eastern Europea/Central Asia, World council of churches and political advocacy.

⭐ Member groups ⭐
The European Forum has over 40 member groups in more than 20 countries spread all across Europe. From Norway in the North to Malta in the South, from UK in the West to Armenia in the East.

Our LGBTQIA/SOGIE refugee cousins are crying out from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. They need us to see them. They need us to see their dead and help them fight for the ones who are still alive.

Q***r Community Initiative Kakuma Nina Babs They/Them on LinkedIn: LGBTIQ THEIR LIVES IN KAKUMA REFUGEE Lives of lgbtiq those who were lose their lives in kakuma refugee camp and Kenya at large⁦⚰️⁩⁦🙏🏼⁩⁦🏳️‍🌈⁩⁦❤️⁩🧡💛💚💙💜

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5-pYXh3i6E

An interview with q***r Christian musician Semler 🎵💜 🔆 Semler's links🔆 https://linktr.ee/gracesemlerbaldridgehttps://www.semlermusic.com/https://www.instagram.com/gracebaldridgehttps://twitter.com/GraceBaldri...

A quick celebration post:

Bigot Down! Pat Robertson's Dead Y'all! - All Out Bible Ministry A nice Pride 2023 gift for us all. Here are a couple of memes to celebrate!

"Like Adam, transgender and gender-expansive people are created in the image of a Creator and are invited to participate in the ongoing act of Creation. We are given agency to name, shape, and bring about the flourishing of ourselves and our world."

Transition as an Act of Co-Creation in Partnership with the Divine: A Reflection by Micah Melody Taberner - Pacific School of Religion This Pride Month, MDiv student Micah Melody Taberner shares how a Transgender Christian Ethic of Liberation can give all individuals the agency to co-create their bodies, and the world, toward greater flourishing and abundant life.

You Do Not Have to Stay in a Place that Does Not Love You - Q***r Theology “My church isn’t affirming.” “My dad won’t use the right pronouns for me.” “My pastor keeps preaching anti-gay sermons on […]

"It's actually more painful to not know who you are. I would rather be really trying hard to survive than to look in the mirror and not see myself." - Cecilia Chung

https://sojo.net/magazine/june-2023/trans-christian-sid-high-welcoming-church

Why This Trans Christian Teen Worships from Home “Trying to strip people's rights is the opposite of love, and the opposite of what Jesus would do.”

La Identidad Transgénero la Diversidad de Género — Q Christian Fellowship Manual de AfirmaciónLa Identidad Transgénero la Diversidad de Géneropor Taj Smith   Ya seas transgénero o aliado/a cisgénero, este manual pretende ofrecerte recursos para alcanzar la afirmación y la consolación espiritual.Independientemente de tu afiliación eclesial o tus inclinaciones pol...

'Pushed out': Two-Spirit student leaves St. Labre Indian School The school is a private, faith-based school that now serves around 270 students from day care through 12th grade just outside the Northern Cheyenne Reservation

May I be a reflection of God’s love today 💗

https://alloutbible.com/basic-questions-who-are-you/

Basic Questions: Who Are You? - All Out Bible Ministry This line of questions inspired by the book “If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I?” By Dr. Angela

https://alloutbible.com/genesis-4-murder-cries-out/

Genesis 4:1-26 Murder Cries Out - All Out Bible Ministry “4 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to