The Christian church has a long history when it comes to its relationship with the LGBTQIA+ community. In the early days of Christianity and in the Judeo-Christian understanding of the old testament it was quite clear or atleast it was perceived to be quite clear that there was to be a clear distinction between the male and female sexes and genders. A male was definitively male with no ambiguity or doubt and vice versa for the female sex. Even clothing was to be distinct for each sex. For a large part of Christian history and also the world history any person or community not adhering to these distinctions were immediately and easily marginalized. The long-term effects of this wilful marginalisation are still seen in developing countries like India where inter-sex/transgender children are abandoned by parents right at birth and with society not giving them the respect and opportunity and are left with no option but to beg on the streets.
The beauty of God’s amazing creation i.e. “Us” human beings is that we evolve. Not just physically but intellectually. Not just in isolation but as a society/community. The result of this evolution has been the idea that we cannot and should not marginalize a person or a community simply because they do not adhere to our definition of gender and sexuality. One cannot be deprived of their rights and opportunities simply because they are “different” according to our definition of “normal”. And as we have evolved in the scientific, physiological and psychological understanding of the human body and mind there is evidence to suggest that perhaps sexual orientation, formation of the sexual organs of human beings are very much beyond our control. If that is true then going by the very Christian teaching of loving thy neighbour it is unacceptable to deprive a community opportunity not just in their professional and social lives but also in their spiritual Christian life. Every person, no matter who they are, deserves to be welcomed and celebrated at Christ’s table. Yet, far too often our churches are neither welcoming nor honouring of LGBTQIA+. The mindset that since Christianity has not accepted the LGBTQIA+ community as part of the Christian church till now, hence we need to continue in the same way in the future is no longer an acceptable solution. If today we know more than our predecessors then definitely the church cannot be ignorant and close its eyes to the reality that in a fallen world, the fallen human nature does not have full control over everything, and a lot of it is evidenced by the various sciences.
As members of the church in 2020 we need to evolve and act based on the knowledge that we have without compromising on our foundation i.e. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ himself always questioned the status quo. To be a person associated with women 2000 years ago, in his time is momentous than accepting the LQBTQIA+ community today. In the Judaic history women were constantly marginalised and considered inferior. In fact, one of the famous Jewish liturgical prayers starts with “Thank you God that I am not a gentile, a woman, or a slave” to question and challenge any such marginalisation is an example that Christ himself has set before us.
This webinar aims to explore and understand gender diversities, to help our youth create safe and inclusive churches for everybody. Everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves to be honoured as a beloved child of God.
Our panelists Father Thomas Ninan and Dr. Preety Kamble shared their opinions and experiences on the topic from both theological perspective and expert lens whilst Ms. Inba Ignatius who herself represents the transgender community, shared her experience as a transgender in Christian community. Dr. Salgo Merin Ricky moderated the webinar along with the help of Wanda Christy. Follow the video for more details.
SACYN will be organizing a monthly webinar on the first Saturday of each month starting from August 2020 until the situation gets better. We hope to keep in touch with the youth across South Asia through this online platform. The next webinar is scheduled on January 9, 2020 in the following timezones: