Looking for recommendations on theory to read re Christianity / LGBTQ / equality for women

[angelinwellies]

Hi, Im interested in christianity (COFE in particular) and LGBTQ and equality for women. I am fed up being bible quoted at by those who are against all forms of equality and rather tiredly wish to have some modern sources to respond with.

Im looking for some decent, reputable sources either online or book form. Whether they find them decent or reputable will be debatable no doubt but its got to be worth a try...!

Op your church sounds a difficult place to be. I'd be very uncomfortable in that conservative environment.

Two Christian feminist writers I particularly appreciate are Elaine Storkey and Lucy Peppiatt (the latter has done some amazing work on women in leadership in the Bible.) There are many more excellent writers out there.

As for judging, I agree with pp about people who judge other churches. I think it goes both ways though; people judge say alpha courses when many are run by very forward thinking and open to question churches. I've been involved in a load and found nothing remotely homophobic or sexist at all. I appreciate though that is to do with the leaders rather than the course itself, so it can be tricky to find somewhere which will present things more openly and compassionately.

Rachel Held Evans is interesting on reconciling church and American evangelicals. I’m enjoying her book Searching for Sunday at the moment.

I have never experienced homophobia or misogyny in my years as a Christian. I have also never experienced the judging that is mentioned here. Only love and forgiveness (thankfully as I am far from perfect!).

I wouldn't want people reading this to get the wrong impression of what it's like and means to be a Christian. It is a loving caring religion that does do much good in society.
Not perfect of course but neither are atheists!

I would encourage anyone reading this to go along and try a church service/ try it for yourself and not be put off by what you read on the Internet. Make your own unbiased judgement.

Thanks for this thread op znc many with useful comments and suggestions for reading. I've just had another dispiriting Sunday feeling at odds with Church and not knowing what to do about it. I tried leaving last year or giving myself some time to look for a new church with little success. There's nowt else locally that isn't just dying. I really missed the community of my church. But the views on gender equality I find hard and the literal bible interpretation I just can't get on with since coming back. You are so right with the notion that once you see it you can't unsee it. It took me some time to decode what was actually being said. Now I have.
I thought I could still attend but be clear I have some theological differences. But it feels like I'm being frozen out because of it. People are still nice to my face but I feel like they've been warned off me. Even though I'm quiet about my disagreement except in bible studied when I ask the odd uncomfortable question.

I just feel really sad about it all now.

I haven’t read it myself, but I’ve heard good things about a book called Living it Out by Rachel and Sarah Hagger Holt. It’s about being homosexual and Christian.

Sorry I can't help with reading suggestions but I just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear that any woman is made to feel marginalised in any church on the basis of their sex.

I belong to an evangelical CofE church and we have women preachers (of astounding intellect), women on the PCC and in all areas of leadership, although the current vicar is male. So in my experience the current evangelical church doesn't have to go hand in hand with misogyny. I suspect it is more to do with the flawed individuals in leadership in individual churches than any particular movement within the church.

I hope you don't feel so disenfranchised that you leave. We need strong, faithful women to change the church from the inside out. And as a previous poster said, reading Jesus' words and actions towards women is always helpful.

Thanks for the reading suggestion. I'll check it out. And for the support. It means a lot to hear my views aren't totally beyond ghe pale even for evangelical churches.
There's lots of great women in church. They do lots and are really strong warm people. But the leadership is male and I think that's intentional as it's 'biblical'. There's been stuff said in sermons and announcements about our city needing more churches - gospel centred churches. I think that means that other churches aren't really churches. They don't work across denominations let alone across faiths on social causes. In fact involvement in social caused is very limited.
I thought maybe I would have a gentle questioning role and that might be ok. It's great socially, everyone is local and I've had a huge amount of practical support and kindness from this church. However since coming back I feel a little like I'm treated as suspicious although maybe im reading it wrong. But meetings up seems much thinner on the ground.
Increasingly I find I come home on Sundays irritated rather than refreshed or thoughtful or with a sense of having worshiped praised or been with God. Yesterday Paul and the Athenians got turned into a sermon on how to evangelise. "Talk to people and ask questions before introducing them to Christ and don't worry you are right". Not a peep about how the idea of God Paul outlines is so different from not only that in ancient Greece but maybe even what we often fall into where God is outside rather than surrounding us and inside.
On women: I was reading the passage about Jesus and the woman at the well. I love how they talk and was trying to read around it. Found lots of interesting stuff but was depressed to realise my church would probably focus on she's been divorced so she's a sinner and Christ is just telling her she needs saving.
Sorry going on and on. I thought I'd made my peace with this but clearly not.

I've read this thread with enormous interest. I did Alpha in my late teens soon after it came out, and credit it at least partially with a decade of turning away from faith. I was just realising that I was gay and the answers to my "hypothetical" questions were not reassuring or loving. And it was pretty obvious just from looking at who did what that they were heavily into complementarianism.

I am incredibly lucky to have found a church that I love and that I feel loves me back. I've been going for two years with DD. It's about as high as it's possible to get but that suits me perfectly. I've felt nothing but welcomed there.

lasttimearound your church sounds a hard place to be. Elaine Storkey (her web site is here ) is a great example of a feminist theologian who comes from the Evangelical tradition. Paula Gooder is another wonderful writer and speaker from that tradition. It sounds as if your church is quite closed in but there are different ways of being church out there - and many of them more open to women's gifts to speak and write.

Wiggy that is wonderful. I love the sound of your church.

Thanks for the links niminy.
wiggy that sounds amazing. Currently Church makes me feel there's something wrong with me. I'm so sad about it because initially when I became a Christian this same Church helped me understand grace and gods love for me and that was incredibly healing. And this now feels horrible. I don't understand why I'm so difficult. I sat there throughout whole sermon being narky in my head becsuse I just can't stand it. At the same time I know nowhere will be perfect and why can't I just agree to disagree over the theological stuff.

I think I'd have an issue being part of any church of any flavour that wasn't involved in some kind of social action tbh.

Ours works with other churches to provide debt counselling, food banks, people trafficking awareness, toddler groups, etc and that's just for people who are not part of the church. There's loads more support and activities (like youth groups) for the members and supporting people on mission in the UK and abroad.
I understand your frustration on this.

One of our recent sermons was on Hannah and her prayer for a son. This has the potential to have a lot of misogynistic interpretations. I was pleasantly surprised that the white, middle aged, middle class, male lay preacher actually started by examining the 'worth' of women and mothers in the Middle East at that time, how we view women through our own cultural lens and, in contrast, how we are valued in the eyes of God. There were a few tears from women that day.

That's not to say that every evangelical church has it right. I belonged to a Baptist church in my student years where women were only valued for their hosting and catering skills.

Anyway I'm rambling. I actually came on to suggest the bible project videos (on YouTube). If you like the social side of church but the sermons are leaving you cold, these could be an alternative. They are very well researched, humorous animations that give an overview of bible books or themes. I usually rewatch them a few times over as they are so rich in detail but accessible to non theologians like me.