A Conversation with Brandan Robertson

In this insightful sermon, Pastor Dan welcomes Brandan Robertson, author of “Queer and Christian,” who shares the profound evolution of his views on the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and Christianity. Brandan explains that his latest book, his tenth, shifts the focus from reinterpreting a few Bible verses to a more fundamental critique of conservative Christian understandings of God, the Bible, salvation, and humanity, which he identifies as the root causes of homophobia and transphobia. He introduces the concept of “queering faith,” drawing on Bell Hooks and the Apostle Paul, as an invitation to all Christians to resist systems and structures that demand conformity and instead embrace their authentic selves as God’s diverse creation.

Brandan elaborates on the central paradigm shift from a fear-based religion to one centered on God’s love, arguing that traditions rooted in fear and punishment are devoid of God’s presence. He critiques the concept of eternal hell as a fear-tactic used by institutionalized Christianity to control people, noting that many follow Jesus out of fear of hell rather than being compelled by His message. Brandan also addresses the six “clobber passages” often used against LGBTQ+ people, explaining that they refer to non-consensual exploitative sexual behaviors in the ancient world, not loving, consensual same-sex relationships. He discusses the historical mistranslation of “homosexual” into English Bibles around 1946 and advocates for reclaiming the Bible and faith to liberate LGBTQ+ Christians, empowering them to “build their own damn table” rather than begging for a seat at existing ones, and inviting allies to “queer” their own faith by challenging traditional doctrines.