To celebrate the October 2021 release of her new book—Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church (Brazos Press)—Bridget Eileen Rivera led our community in a three-session discussion to grapple with how LGBTQ people are treated in the Body of Christ and consider what we need to chart a better path forward. The central question—indeed quest—of the book is this: How can the church be a place of flourishing, faith, and family for everyone—regardless of sexuality, gender, race, or ability?
You can access both the recordings and Rivera’s slides from each session, and we encourage you to do so!
Session 1: Double Standards
In what ways does the church apply one set of standards for cisgender, heterosexual people and another for queer people? What needs to change? (download slides from session 1)
Session 2: An Interconnected Struggle
How is discrimination against queer people related to the discrimination experienced by people with other vulnerabilities? (download slides from session 2)
Session 3: Good News on the Ground
How can we nurture a body that is home for all its members, regardless of where they land theologically on same-sex marriage, for example? What do the recommendations in Heavy Burdens actually look like on the ground? (download slides from session 3)
