Rough notes from retreat

Here are some very rough notes from my time with Glasser. I think I have more somewhere.
Seriously, they're very rough, and may only make sense to me, I couldn't be bothered with sentences. I was the only person actually taking notes, but I always feel that I should.


NOTES
Far more danger in Jews accepting Gentiles in 1st century church than in churches accepting LGBT people today. God was not just the God of the Jews anymore. This was a far more profound shift.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit dissolved walls - strangers hearing the Gospel in their own language (queer language now?)
Jesus, the Christ was about welcoming people who were not welcomed in the Temple

Jesus, the great physician, provided healing to the spiritually abused.

Unplanned exclusion => a church sign read ‘’Family Worship Sunday” but what about those without families?

Must extend inclusion, build connections, to to where the excluded are, to their space.

Seeing Bible as an open conversation, not a monolithic story. A set of conversations to which we’re invited.

Jesus as stranger meets disciples walking to Emmaus, they were expecting more of Jesus “cursed are they who hang on a tree.”
They are feeling disappointed in jesus, sad at losing a friend. The disciples meet stranger Jesus and he opened up scriptures to them. They thought they knew scripture, but through the meal they see the Risen Christ, their hearts are open, the scriptures are open, and they gain a new experience of God (not a punitive parent).
Scriptures need to be opened to LGBTQ people and the church. Need a new experience of God. Need to rescue Bible from being a target (of homos) or a weapon (by the church).
Use scripture as a seashell, pick up Bible, hold it to the ear.
Dialogue about God
Dialegomai through word.. Dia logos

My word will not return to me empty. The Word became flesh, the word was written on human hearts. We have a fleshy word, not a stoney word.
Through the Spirit working in the body of Christ, we seek the mind of Christ. Thus we can respond in a way different than Biblical writers might.

Ex-communicable offense to lend money at interest until 12th century. Thought unnatural to gain money (through interest) without earning it.

Most positive relationships in scripture are same sex relationships (although not necessarily sexual)
The Beloved disciple was affectionate with Jesus. Being redacted out in later translations because of homophobia and fear of intimacy with God.
Dan Brown reads his own heterosexuality into Davinci… effeminate figure must be a woman.
The greek word for marriage in the NT signifies a woman under a man, is this an image we want to uphold?
The early Christians were not of one mind. They understood Jesus and God in different ways. We say we want unity but is this necessarily a good thing? Can’t diversity be a good thing? Even within our own culture there is diversity about who Jesus is.
Christianity is not a cult because there is diversity of opinion. Monolith of opinion is hallmark of cults.
A huge sea change took place in early church, welcoming Gentiles into small Jewish faith communities.
Barbara Brown Taylor in Leaving the Church writes it’s the church of common prayer, not the church of common belief.

Positive Scriptures
Acts 10:11 Unbaptized Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit
Ephesians - trying to blend Jewish and Gentile Christians… In Christ there is no dividing wall to separate Jews and Gentiles (temple dividing wall).
Pivotal Scripture Genesis - Adam and Eve story (factory workers are not in this story either, not just Steve)
2 different purposes of marriage 1 mutuality, 2 procreation. Both of which are open to LGB people.
Jesus was asked a question about a woman who married 7 brothers… in the resurrection whose wife will she be?
God is God of the living not of the dead, then attacks their hypocrisy - but you allow divorce. People use this to show Jesus affirms only hetero marriage. Use same scripture they set aside to allow divorce.
Jesus not defending the institution of marriage (when did Jesus ever defend institutions over people?) but was defending woman who was divorced and left destitute.

Israelites had to wonder in the wilderness because it took them 40 years to lose the mindset of slavery.
Homosexuality is just not a theme of scripture.

3 Macrostories of Scripture
1) Exodus (defined Jewish people)
2) Exile (divide and conquer so they can’t rebel)
3) Atonement ((we sin, we sacrifice, we are reconciled to God)(no longer have to sacrifice animals))

2 of 3 involve movement.
No dramatic movement involved in Atonement, more passive. Most Christian Churches only focus on atonement. We are passive recipients to our spiritual detriment. By focusing on first 2 we can draw more people in, especially LGBT people. Seeing spirituality as movement.
Joseph’s coat of many colours was actually a coat with long sleeves which signified that he was not to work
Embracing the exile - GLBT something to learn from this exile. People are going to desert to pray and discern one’s own spirituality. The Bible is about movement not about remaining static.
If we open the scripture, we intrigue more people.

Queering Theology - criticism from the perspective of an outsider
Stories that would appeal to GLBT
Cornelius
Naomi and ruth
Zaccheus
Joseph/coat/Rainbow
Prodigal Son
David and Jonathan
Good Samaritan (priest and levite)
Eunuch’s Inheritance
Jesus’ silence on homosexuality
Martha and Mary - regard for women… don’t bother doing women’s work, get over here and receive gospel. They didn’t need to be passive kitchen folk
Lazarus
Love neighbour

No group of people has been more willing to change than sexual minorities... to the point of even trying to change sexuality.
No group of people has been less willing to change than Christian conservatives... to the point of not even considering changing an opinion.