Sean Major-Campbell | Biblical pride in diversity, equity, inclusion

IT IS no longer surprising that columns addressing faith and sexuality receive the most responses from readers of Family and Religion. The negative responses are spread publicly across social media. The positive responses are sent to me personally.

Internationally, many are appreciating the conversations and expressing thanks for the opportunity to facilitate such conversations in their faith spaces.

A eunuch is a sexual minority, since he does not represent a dominant group. Even though Jesus, in addressing his disciples in a conversation on divorce, referred to eunuchs, there are many today who understandably find it difficult to process. Jesus, in Matthew 19, observed, “…For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others – and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

OF THE DEVIL

I made reference to this text in 2009, when I wrote a piece in The Gleaner titled ‘God’s Semenya’, in reference to Caster Semenya. The condemnation for that piece was heavy, since many dear Christians were at the heights of such ‘holiness’ that they declared Caster Semenya to be of the devil.

If you choose to be a religious person who takes vows of chastity, you have chosen to live outside traditionally established gender roles. The same applies if you choose to remain single and chaste. These are not easy choices. However, they are made by people who are no less human than the sexually prolific ones. In fact, some of the greatest contributors to the development and flourishing of human society are among the ‘eunuchs’ in every age.

Maybe these conversations are difficult, for various reasons, to include the need to condemn those we consider different. Do you realise how difficult it is for some Caribbean men to accept that in a context of same-gender love, David says to Johnathan something a Caribbean man dare not ever say to another man? The New International version puts it this way in 2 Samuel 1:26: “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.” The Berean Standard Bible puts it this way: “I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.” If we are honest, this language easily invites a cultural call to ‘bun fire pon dem.’

While there is nothing in the text to suggest an amorous relationship, denying the depth of the language and love described would be a stretch.

ANCHOR BABY

You remember Ruth and Naomi. Another example of same-gender love in which two women in need of the protective authority of a man, found refuge in the security of an arrangement with Boaz. Ruth was not in love (in our Western understanding) with Boaz. She was directed by wise Naomi regarding how to get the attention of Boaz. After the anchor baby was born, the women in the community sang that Naomi has a son! In Ruth 4:16-17, “Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” We are socialised to read the Bible through heteronormative eyes, so these details are easily missed.

Caribbean matriarchs have long advised daughters how to attract a man’s attention, in the interest of adjusting economic, geographic and even complexion concerns; with the ‘love’ myth being secondary. Even the religious text notes the presence of this sensitivity in ancient times.

The Bible is not a collection of perfect and spotless folks. Not only does Obed makes it to the genealogy of Jesus, the five women mentioned had something taboo about how they would have been seen in society. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary all had challenging situations which affected their social status.

Tamar had to navigate the power structures of a man’s world even though she belonged to the royal household. When her brother raped her, King David, her father did not even show some pity. Every Bible reader remembers ‘Rahab the prostitute’. This sex worker is a testimony of how she too was used in the service of God’s will and purpose. Women in challenging life situations are included in the blood line of the Messiah!

Today the Church, though filled with messed-up lives, is often given to presenting an image of perfection, while the hypocrisy of powerful men (and women, to a lesser extent) parade a façade of pious preaching and condemnatory platitudes. But all is not lost.

Imperfect members of the Body of Christ – the Church – are recognising the need to decolonise the journey of faith. Some recognise that they are no less because they have a child out of legal wedlock, like Mary and Joseph. And some are realising, like Rahab, that God will use whomsoever God chooses to use. Still, others like the Ethiopian eunuch are discovering that their gender and sexual minority status is not an issue in God’s kingdom.

The Christan prayer still holds true:

All to Jesus, I surrender

All to Him, I freely give

I will ever love and trust Him

In His presence daily live.

The Jesus story is indeed one of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Come to Christ, and Christ consciousness will do the rest. Amen.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human rights and dignity. Please send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com.