BIGay,Lesbian&QueerTheologies

Patriarchyreliesonstronggenderdelineations(Socialconstruction,eg?)
Iriguraypatriarchalcultureishomosexual;allowswomannoidentitywhichis
notmaledefined.
CarterHeyward:femininesexualdesiremarginalizedfromtheologicaltexts;use
oferostodesignateGodsworkinhumanrelationships.
Bulter(infl.ByFoucault)Queertheologyascriticismoffenderbinariesto
suppressdeviantsexualdesires;challengednormativeheterosexualityas
idolatrous;diversityofdesire&expressionasnotparticipatinginGods
redemptivepurposes.
EugeneF.Rogers:Triuneperichoresisofpersons.
Butler:~hetero/homobinary&male/femalegenderroles.
Gendernotnaturalbutinstitutedbyrepeatedperformance.
Rudy:Christiansexualethicsshouldnotbebasedonthesebinariesbuton
Christianvaluesthatdelineatemoral&amoralpractices,notsexualidentities.

Horner:MiddleEasternBackground(SetHornerupasoutdatedmethodology)
MalehomosexualitywasrampantinMEinBiblicalTimes(Patai)
EpicofGilgamesh:PeoplesofcityUruklamentGilgameshsexcessivelibido;
MothereartncreatesEnkidu,anandrogynousman(1617);HarlotleadsEnkiduto
Gilgamesh,theyfightandgetbusy.
Friendshipsostrong,evenIshtor,Godoffertilitycannotseduce.
GilgameshmournsEnikidusdeathexcessively(18)
Cf.AchillescomparisonofPatriarchywithgirl.
2Samuel1:1726.
Ruth&NaomiRuth1:17
SurelyBiblicalsexualitywasinfluencedbyBabylonians,Hitties,Aramaeans,
Philistines,Assyrians,NeoBabylonians,Greeks&Romans,allpartialtothegay?
(~Tajfelsocialidentity)
Homosexualintercoursesocommon,lawsagainstitwereregulatorycfHittites
forbadefathertohavesexwithson.
Onlygaypractitionersweretheeffeminaterentboys;homo/heterowasotherwise
notusedasIDmarker.
Phrygian,Davidictimes&classicalGreece,homosexualityokbuteffeminacy
bad(catamites);becausenotheroic&noblesuchasHercules(whostillhaderotic
attachmentsto2men)
Commonsexualoutletformen?Nosomuch;wives1st,marriedmenstillengaged
insodomy;however,nocontemporaryanalogoustermforbisexualbecause
statusquo
Sodomnotagainsthomosexualitybutmalerape.
1Cor6:9referstopimpsratherthanallhomosexuality?

Cf.GodwrestlesJacob,Gen32:2333.

Horner:JC&Sexuality
JCmadenopublicpronouncementonhomosexuality.
o ~JCdidnotmakepronouncementsonallthings
~~Hepresumablymadepronouncementsonthingshethought
relevant&wasveryvocalabouthisattitudestosexcf.Mt5:2728.
o ~Jn8:211Go&sinnomoretoadulterouswoman
~~notfoundinoldesttexts&&neitherdoIcondemnthee.
Montefiore:JChadhomosexualtendencies:hungaboutwithprimarilymen&not
married.
SecretGospel(MortonSmith):JCimpartsmysteryofGodatnighttodisciples
cladonlyinlinencloth,C2evidenceinletterofClementofAlexandriacf.119.
Bodilycontactinhealingscf.Mt9:20.
Jn13:23adiscipleleansonchestofJC+beloveddisciple.
Highregardforwomansuggesthomosexuality?(Taylor)
Homocenturion,lovedslave?Mt8:513
Mt19:1012Eunuchsassumedtotakesubmissivegayrole;iecatamites.
o AlsoActs8:2630EthiopianEunuch
JCsreferencetoSodom(Mt10:15)againstinhospitality,notbuggery.
Sexualitynotonagenda
o Cf.JnscriticismofHerod(Mk6:13)notreplicatedbyJC;Jn4:430
Samarianwomanatwell;Mt22:30nomarriageinheaven.
Driver&Tillich:sexlosesitspoweringospels;nolongerameansofsocietal
control.
Furthernotes:
Hornerisapologetic;moveawayfromthistofullyfledgedQueerHermenetic.
Moxnesdefinition&useofterm&exampleinessay
ReadfromQueertheologybook.
DiscussuseinTanzaniancontext.
Stone,QueerPerformativity(mainlyonButler)StartwithQ:isthereeverone
definitiveinterpretation?PoMo.
Relationshiptospeechacttheory(Butler)Bibleasdoingratherthanbeing.
Sex(biological)vsgender(social/psychological).Genderassocialcategory
imposedonasexedbody.
Wittig:binarycategoriesofsexconstitutefoundationofallsubordinationof
women&heterosexualizationofsociety.
Althoughwehavebiologicallysexedbody,ourperceptuallyperceivedbody
isdeterminedbyculture&society.

Butler:Genderisdoing,notbeing;Genderisnotanoun;genderis
performativelyproduced;stylizedrepetitionofacts.
Performativespeechact;constantivevs.performative,eg.Wedding
ceremony.
Derrida:citationality/generaliterability;actsmustberepeatableiftheyareto
becomeformative;successfullyperformedactsrelyonthis.
Canundermineanddestabilizehegemonicformsofgenderbyusing
unexpectedgendercitations.
DiversityofhermeneuticswithlimitssetinsubstantivefoundationofBible;
diversityofgenderswithlimitssetinsubstantivefoundationofphysical
sexualdifference.
~PerceptuallyperceivedBible;Biblehasnorealsubstantivenature?
ThereforeThesubstantiveeffectofBibleisperformativelyproducedand
compelledbytheregulatorypracticesofBibleperformanceBibleisalways
adoingThereisnoBibleidentitybehindtheexpressionsofBible;that
identityisperformativelyconstitutedbytheveryexpressionsthataresaidto
beitsresults.
Bible,likegender,maybestbeunderstoodassomethingotherthananoun.
ListofBibleacts,p.7.
TheseverityofBiblicalinterpretation:Themostdangerousone,theonethat
hasbeenendowedwiththepowertokill(Bal)
Biblequotedbyantigay&progaypractitionersalike.
Mustconstantlyquestiontheroleofpowerinconstitutingthefieldof
intelligibleobjects(Butler)
Eg.Textualcriticismquicklyunderminesillusionthatthereissingle,stable
Bible.
HCquestionsnotionofherteronormativeaccountsoftheBible;cannotmerely
readforprooftexts;anystableaccountfailstoaccountforalldetails.(Very
PoMo)
HeteronormativeBiblesexistresultingfromcitationsofnorms:normsfor
selection,translation,reading.ButQueerreadingscreatetheirownnormas
thatexistinanalyzablerelationshiptocontext&convention
Thatis,QueerreadingsdonotundootherheteronormativeBiblesbutmakeit
possibleforotherBiblestocomeintoexistence.
Example:CreationTexts&QueerPerformativity(Gen13)
o Valorizationofgenderbinary&heterosexuality(Adam&Eve,not
Steve)
o Patristicssawaccountsasbattlegroundforcompetingviewson
asceticism,celibacy&marriage.CfJerome&ChrysostomclaimA&E
werevirginginEden,noneedforsexualintercourse.
o Othercommentatorsseestorymoreaboutfoodthansex;displays
wealthofdifferentaccounts.

o Otherancientinterpretersseenogenderbinary.Harmonize2creation
storiestoclaimAdamisandrogynousatfirst.(Boyarin).Philo::first
creationwasspiritual&androgynous,secondwasembodied♂
midrashictraditionssayfirstaccountisembodiedbuthumankindwas
hermaphroditelaterrefashioned.
o Nowrongorrightaccount,allcontingent&possibleinterpretations.
Conclusions:mustembracePoModiversityandBibles>Bible.