Diversity of the images of God: Lecture on Gender and Religion in Gmünd!

Diversity of the images of God: Lecture on Gender and Religion in Gmünd!

Gmünd, Deutschland - On July 22nd at 7 p.m. in the Gmünder Volkshochschule "Biblical pictures: male - female - diverse?!" If Dr. Gabriele Theuer, a committed Catholic theologian and Bible scientist from the Pedagogical University of Schwäbisch Gmünd, enters the stage, awaits visitors a critical examination of the often one -sided male representations of God in the Christian tradition. The event is not only an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the variety of biblical images of God, but also an invitation to discuss the implications that this has for queer people in church and society. By the way, admission is free and it is part of the supporting program of the exhibition "Wish You Were Queer" in the museum in the preacher, which can be seen until October 26th.

critical voices for the common story emphasize that the biblical tradition is strongly heteronormative and patriarchal. Many people live in various partnerships today or identify themselves as a non-bobage. "The discussion about sexual diversity in faith and church is driven by the synodal path as well as the #Uutinchurch initiative," says Andreas Krebs, professor of ancient Catholic and ecumenical theology. A re -evaluation of existing biblical texts is necessary to expand the view of gender and sexuality, and this is exactly where Queere Exegese comes in. It wants to offer new perspectives and that caused tensions to dissolve by patriarchal interpretations.

queer theology as an answer

But what is Queerer theology? The term "queer" originally comes from English and was a swear word that is now being reinterpreted as positive. Queere Theologies reflect the experiences of people who have experienced exclusion due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. They are diverse and context -related, always with a critical look at social norms. It is not only important to look at the few Bible spots that are directed against homosexuality, but also to focus on the image of God of all people, as described in Genesis 1,27.

A particularly exciting example from biblical history is the relationship between David and Jonatan, which is increasingly erotically interpreted and shows that old readings have to be questioned. Another example is Sodom's narrative that is often used in the Bible, which is in the discussion about homosexuality, but is not increasingly concerned with mutual homophilic relationships. Such new evaluations are necessary to promote a more comprehensive understanding of images of God in today's society.

Invitation to discussion

dr. Theuer invites you to discuss the topics during the lecture and would like to create a space in which the participating thoughts and questions can bring in. At a time when the discussion about gender and sexuality is more and more open, it is important that the Church also faces these challenges. The lecture and the exhibition call not only to look at the old stories, but also to find and recognize the place of the queer identities in the religious story.

sounds exciting? Certainly, and we hope that many interested parties will find their way to the adult education center to get involved in the discussion and maybe share their own perspectives.

Further information can be found in the reports of Schwäbisch Gmünd , katholisch.de and evangelisch.de .