Feeling Queer: Holy Grief, Rage, Tenderness, & Joy

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Too often, religious communities treat emotions as a liability, a distraction that will pull our hearts away from God instead of the Holy Spirit moving within us. This is particularly true for LGBTQIA+ people, who are frequently told that our inborn identities, desires, lusts, and longing are sinful. And, even when they’re not demonized, emotions aren’t treated as worthy of deep intellectual engagement, nor fertile ground for theology. In this 4 week series, Rev. Benjamin Perry will guide participants through a theology of embodiment, helping to discern when and how God speaks to us through our emotions. Through engaging biblical study and queer theory, we’ll give our feelings the attention they deserve. In each week, Angela Martenez will lead participants through a somatic exercise, helping to take what we learn and move it from our heads into our bodies.

This group will center the experience of LGBTQIA+ people, but all are welcome and invited to join. The experience will build on itself and build community, so we encourage attending all weeks if you are able.

June 6: Grief
June 13: Rage
June 20: Tenderness
June 27: Joy

Rev. Benjamin Perry is the minister of outreach and media strategy at Middle, and the author of Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter. An award-winning writer, his work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Slate, Vox, Bustle, Religion News Service and more.

Angela Martenez is a member of Middle Church, writer, documentary maker, mediator & facilitator. A specialist in facilitating difficult conversations, she helps people harness the power of their own stories and build empathic connections and community.