Abstract
My essay is an attempt to read the life of Jesus Christ through the lens of Queer theory to demonstrate how such a reading could be used to rebut current societal trends of homophobic beliefs and behaviors especially in Christianity. First, I show how a misreading of the biblical story of Onan, historically and continuing today, creates the conditions for individual and social harm. Examining this misreading creates the opportunity for re-reading the life of Jesus as a potentially queer life in at least three ways: the Roman centurion, his relationship to Judas, and positing Lazarus as the Beloved Disciple. Paralleling these arguments I also show that Jesus’s involvement at the Wedding at Cana demarcates the possibility of Jesus as bisexual. However, my focus is not on sex or sexuality, but rather on eroticism as a way to argue for a more dynamic rendering of Jesus and a clear extension of his love to all people regardless of their particular orientation to the world.
Presenters
Clint JonesFull-time Faculty, Religion and Philosophy, Capital University, Ohio, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Jesus, Queer Theory, Social Theory, Art, Aesthetics, Christianity, Biblical Interpretation
