Sean Major-Campbell | Pride month and Christian pride

June as Pride Month is celebrated by some Christian communities around the globe. Here in Jamaica, the fear of universal human rights is an open secret for many churches. What does your church or pastor teach about universal human rights?  

Over the years many have taken offense at the United States Embassy displaying a rainbow flag on its premises. Recently, some took issue with the German Embassy displaying the rainbow flag.  

In my view, in a free and democratic society, any embassy should be free to fly any flag that does not bring harm to anyone. One would not for example expect a swastika flag to be flown where antisemitism and white supremacy are abhorred.  

It is long overdue for the space and experience of church to recognise that people of every race and culture in every time, have known themselves to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, two spirit and so on. I do not have to understand these terms. I just need to understand that these are people on the broad spectrum of gender and sexual diversity. Their complex mix of biology, expression, and attraction is as unique to them as are our varied biographical data. Gender identities and sexual orientations apply to all human beings. God made them who they are.  

While an understanding limited to binary lenses makes for an easier way to process human sexuality, the fact remains that we are all so much more diverse than we may care to process. Flying the rainbow flag therefore becomes an affirmation of God’s diverse creation marked by coats of many colours. No colour is to be excluded. God made them all special in their own way. Jesus loves all the children of the world, and everybody’s beautiful in their own way.  

I still feel a bit embarrassed that it takes foreigners/embassies to be carriers of the message of universal human rights. Politicians know that it is not politically correct to speak for LGBT rights. Churches also know that keeping silence on LGBT rights is a tool for holiness-signaling. Homophobia is promoted as a ticket to heaven. Like racism, it gives one set of privileged folks the snug feeling of being superior to another, simply based on identities over which people have no control.  

There comes a time when an unequivocal stance must be made in the face of Jim Crow Laws; in support of the Montgomery Bus Boycott; in support of the Birmingham Campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; in support of the August 1963 march on Washington; in celebration of the 1964 Civil Rights Acts; in support for the 1965 Voting Rights Act; and in support of the 1969 Stonewall Riots which advanced support for LGBT concerns. The Stonewall resistance gave rise to the modern Pride Movement observed by advocates for universal human rights. 

  Ultimate symbols of inclusion

In the Bible, eunuchs represented a sexual and gender minority who were despised, marginalised, and rejected by the community of faith. However, an evolution in theological thought eventually saw them as being the ultimate symbols of inclusion. A reminder that theological thought is a human endeavor. In Deuteronomy 23:1, the word states, “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.”  

The prophetic tradition saved the day. In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 56:3-5, the word declares, “Let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree’ For thus says the Lord: 

“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and

hold fast My covenant, I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.” Wow!  

In the Acts of the Apostles, Philip engages the Ethiopian Eunuch, who becomes one of the earliest converts to Christianity. Apparently, God has the capacity to work with people across the broad spectrum of gender and sexual diversity. Interestingly, the root expression for YHVH (also represented as LORD) from which we get Yahweh when vowels are added has no gender. Would God’s preferred pronoun be ‘they’?  After all, in the creation narrative (Genesis 1:26), God said, “Let us make mankind in our image…” ‘Us’ is a plural pronoun. Strictly speaking then, God cannot be limited to a particular gender.  

Three-step methodology

Meanwhile, in church circles some interesting development has been noted by EXTN New: “A Vatican synod study group’s final report includes testimony from two men in civil marriages with other men and calls for a listening-based approach to difficult doctrinal and pastoral questions.” To be clear there is no change in Catholic doctrinal teaching. However, giving voice to LGBTQ+ persons in a Catholic document is significant. It goes on to state, “It is the first time a Vatican text has given voice to this group in such detail. One testimony is from a man in Portugal who said he suffered a deep wound when a spiritual director suggested he could have been married to a woman to “find peace” and “use my gifts,” minimizing the affective dimension of marriage. The man said the suggestion was painful because “it was a suggestion to harm a woman by robbing her of the chance to be completely loved and desired, all to fulfill a social expectation.” From that point, he said, he began excluding his relationship and affective life from his prayer.” 

A 32-page report has been presented to Pope Leo for study. EWTN News notes that “Drawing from the testimonies, the Synod study group says the first account describes “the devastating effects of reparative therapies aimed at recovering heterosexuality” and “contradictory advice” such as suggestions to marry a woman in order to “find peace.”” 

Are Christians in general ready for this three-step  methodology?  “Conversation in the Spirit”: listening to ourselves, paying attention to reality, and summoning various forms of expertise.  

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human rights and dignity. Please send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and seanmajorcampbell@gmail.com