Queer Theology (Rev'd Dr Charlie Bell, 28 April 2024)

Inclusive Theology Lecture by Rev'd Dr Charlie Bell.
St Paul's Cambridge www.stpaulscam... is a member congregation of the Inclusive Church network www.inclusive-...
This talk is part of a series on Inclusive Theology, organised by the Inclusive Church Group at St Paul's.
The series reflects our commitment to hearing a variety of voices on a range of theological issues.
You are most welcome to mail [e-mail] to contact or get involved with the Inclusive Church Group.

[@drewdavis9656]

I'll open by saying that I do not hold myself to be any better than the creators of this lecture, but that I, as I'm sure they are, am just trying to live my life the way Jesus intended. I may have theological disagreements and agreements with them, but this is not the basis of their worth, nor my love for them. They are valued and loved because God made them in His image, and I will follow God in that.
I legitimately tried to watch this video to understand the position of the 'Progressive Theology' movement in the modern church, in contrast to the more conservative theological circles I have grown up in. I found it extremely difficult, because Charlie Bell presents himself as so deeply anxious and terrified to make any real claim.
He says, around minute 12, that in our theology we should stop worrying about offending God because God can just 'put up with it'. Simultaneously, he projects a deep sense of terror of offending any people group. It makes me wonder who Dr. Bell truly believes he is accountable to. I, for one, am fully aware that my rebellion and sin pose no real threat to God, yet I do my best to run from rebellion and sin because I truly love God, and He will hold me accountable. If I love someone, and claim to follow them, why would I want to offend them, just because it doesn't pose them legitimate threat. Where is the reverence? The healthy fear of God?
Bell then moves into his next section, where he begins to probe and interrogate what questions we ask of the Scriptures. He claims that we come to the Scriptures, asking 'what does the bible say about homosexuality', and in that we have already projected the categories 'homosexual' and 'heterosexual' onto the text. Bell sees these categories as constructed anyway, rather than inherent and produced by God, so they cloud our vision of the true, deeper meaning of the Scriptures' thoughts on relationship.
Bell sees these passages, like Ephesians 5, as primarily being about God and our relationship with Him, using human relationships as the guidestone. With that, I completely agree! The problem with Bell's argument, however, is that God Himself is a being with real and concrete characteristics, however complex. When depicting/reflecting these characteristics through human relationships, that inherently projects categories, boundaries, and limitations onto what our human relationships look like.
Therefore, if certain discrete things are true about God, then certain discrete things are true about human relationships! Thus, the bible does indeed already bring certain categories about relationships (i.e. married vs. unmarried, Lord and servant, homosexual and heterosexual, prophet and priest), before we even come to the text. These different relationships have specific definitions and requirements, because they are representing specific qualities about God and His relationship to us.
^^ ( a great resource on this would be the Theology of the Body, given by Pope John Paul II. I am not Catholic, and don't advocate for all of it, but it's a beautiful and incredible resource that widened my view of human physicality and relationship)
I will hopefully come back and watch more of this and try to get a better understanding, and perhaps jot down a couple more thoughts and questions. To God alone be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

[@mrman2415]

Pure filth. May God have mercy on these people and through his grace bring them to an understanding of their wickedness and to repentance.

[@werejusdoinit8083]

Good morning, I would like very much to subscribe to your twitch channel. I am not finding a video button to click onto. Thank you 🙏

[@stpaulschurch180]

Thank you for asking. Our Twitch channel is here: www.twitch.tv/stpaulscam

[@internetenjoyer1044]

blatant heresy