Reflecting on Heavy Burdens
Last summer Knox hosted two study groups to read and discuss Bridget Eileen Rivera’s book, Heavy Burdens. These book study groups were a place for people to learn and grow together and ask some challenging questions about the posture that Christians hold towards 2SLGBTQ+ people and how the church can be a place of care and inclusion, rather than a place of harm.
Jerusha Retnakanthan, one of the participants in the study group, shares here some learning and reflections with our church community. Read her thoughts below and continue to the end for information on an upcoming opportunity for continued exploration of important topics in faith community.
—Natasha Chandler
What was the study group book about?
Each chapter of Heavy Burdens opens with a real-world experience shared by a member of the Christian LGBTQ+ community. Our small group who read through the book this summer often felt disturbed by these painful stories. I felt particularly sick reading one story, in which a pastor is satisfied with apparently “saving the soul” of one trans woman before driving her to suicide (Rivera, 135). But my feelings could pale in comparison to what many 2SLGBTQ+ peoples live through and hold regularly. In fact, Rivera writes that “for most people, religious involvement reduces the risk of suicide. But when gay and lesbian college students engage more heavily in their faith communities, their risk of suicide goes up” (Rivera, 16). Our study group hoped to better understand the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ people inside the church.
What kind of questions did the book help you explore?
I think the most urgent, anguishing question for me is how is it possible for one group of people, who claim to follow Jesus and who find new life and renewal in a loving God, to create an environment that leads another group of people to death? The book study group explored the simple answers that are often given, like “the Bible is clear” - which shut down conversations about scholarly interpretation of scripture.
Now, I definitely do not have the scholarly background to get into what the true meaning of Greek or Hebrew words are, and what the theological implications may be. However, considering the original languages, contexts, and multiple translations that we have received the Word of God in, we need to be much more aware of the debates that Biblical scholars are having regarding interpretation and application, on both sides of any topic. Rivera writes, “Ultimately, the only thing that ends up being ‘clear’ is that it’s a complicated conversation from start to finish, regardless of the conclusions we ultimately reach” (95).
Without understanding the history and culture of both Biblical times and our more recent past, we may be unknowingly interpreting what we read in Scripture through the influences of secular thinking. For example, traditional notions of masculine character and the derogatory conception of effeminacy have their root in Roman and Anglo-Saxon values (Rivera, 115) – not necessarily Biblical ones. For me, this raises the importance of considering Scripture outside a Western lens, and the harms that can arise when one worldview is forced upon others and globally exported.
Another theme that the study group explored was the double standards that are so present in our lives. One of Jesus’ teachings that rings most true to me is when he asks, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3, NRSV). He expounds upon hypocrisy in Matthew 23, the passage where this book got its title. Interestingly, this is shortly after high priests are questioning him on how to interpret and apply the Law regarding marriage and the afterlife. In today’s age, why is it that some Christians are so quick to tie salvation for 2SLGBTQ+ people to behaviour, when everyone else is assumed to have sanctification and grace as freely received from God? If we can have grace over legalism for ourselves in learning how to faithfully live out our sexuality – whether in contraception, divorce, or gender roles – we need to hold that grace for everyone.
What is a key takeaway for you from the study?
Bridget’s writing gave me hope that we can share our love from a posture of humility and a desire to understand. It encourages the church to confront our avoidance of hearing about the hurt we’ve caused or delving into complex questions we don’t have the answers to. Instead, let’s continue the Reformed tradition of always considering, always praying for clarity, and always recognising that none of us are reaching the end of our lives without sin, or with a perfect understanding of God. Our faith is meant to be communal and in dialogue, including with our 2SLGBTQ+ friends.
Knox continues to pursue growth in this area. Recently, the pastors and elders of our church completed the Posture Shift training course, which equips Christian communities of faith and homes to be the safest places for LGBTQ+ family and friends, by enhancing church inclusion, increasing family acceptance, protecting against victimization, and nourishing faith identity in LGBT+ lives. If you’d like to hear more about steps Knox is taking in this area, please reach out to Natasha, Nick or any of our elders (contact information here).
Upcoming discipleship opportunity
Mark your calendar for March 5 and 26, 2023, when Knox will be hosting a 2-part series of expert-led discussion focused on another important topic: mental health (what it is, why it matters in the church, and how to care for yourself and others in challenging times). Register here.