If this book doesn’t make you reconsider – or at least reconsider reconsidering – your anti-queer stance, then I fear it’s more willful ignorance – or intransigence – that’s keeping you stuck.

If we can wrap our brains around the fact that the Bible has been used to oppress and suppress people and ideas in the past, why are we unwilling to acknowledge it could still be happening?

Bible teachers often reminds us not to scream where Scripture whispers, or whisper where Scripture screams.

With the scientific, historical, and linguistic evidence – to say nothing about Imago Dei and common fucking decency - all pointing towards the Bible not saying a whole lot about committed, loving, consenting same-sex relationships, why are we still screaming?

People intent on retaining power don't decide who God loves and accepts.

Out just in time for Pride Month! I found this book to be so terribly interesting. If you are a Christian who thinks queer people are sinners for simply being who they are, maybe read this and challenge that belief. Even if your mind remains unchanged, it is always important to consider other opinions. I have very complex thoughts on this book that are likely too difficult to summarize in a short review.

My favorite section of the book is Part 2 where Robertson spends time debunking common “clobber passages” that people often cherry pick to vilify gay people. There is no explicit mention of homosexuality in the Bible. The author adds historical and lingual context to these verses that help you understand more likely what the authors intended in their time.

In Part 3, the author did start to lose me when he was saying certain people in the Bible could have been queer. While I can see how that would be helpful for a queer person to read and identify with, I think it odd to assign sexuality to people, especially Jesus.
There is such a thing as platonic love, which the author seems to overlook.

Some people are calling Brandan Robertson a heretic and blasphemer, and I do not think I know enough to weigh in on that, but I can see why this book would make readers feel polarized and uncomfortable. I am fairly liberal and still had some issues when confronted with the author’s interpretation of certain verses. I was particularly uncomfortable with his mention of being on Grindr; I do not believe a pastor should be using hook-up apps (sorry?).

Many chapters read like mini sermons, which I am sure is intentional. I could see this book being used in a Bible study group to challenge beliefs that maybe aren’t the accurate interpretation of the text.

Ultimately, I believe there is room for everyone in Christianity. There are conservative “Christians” who have bastardized the words of Jesus, use his name in vain, and have nothing but hate and vitriol in their hearts. They give God and the Bible a bad rap, but they are often the loudest voices. I think this book was a very compelling read and worth reading— even if your takeaway is that it’s not true. Any belief you hold that you cannot defend when challenged is not a belief worth having.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This book is nothing at all like what I expected.

I can not in good conscious recommend this book.

It is full of mistruths and twists the scriptures to the message it wants to convey

One star for me.

I am not one who cares for the term 'queer' because of negative way it has been used. But in reading this book. and with the expalnation of the word provide by the author, my feelings have changed. I found this book to be a very good and informative book on scripture and the way we have misuunderstood it through history. The author provided a significant yet easily accessible and understandable explanation of how we misread/misinterpet scripture when we ignore the time it was written, who it was written for, and how different life is for us in the 21st century. An excellent boook to introduce queer theology.

It's safe to say that no one will ever accuse noted TikTok pastor and social activist Brandan Robertson of holding back when it comes to celebrating queer faith.

Let's be honest. You likely know right away if Robertson's "Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table" is for you. For Robertson, there's no denying that every word in "Queer & Christian" is designed to embrace Jesus' radical message of inclusion and to counter the longtime weaponization of the Bible to exclude LGBTQ+ individuals. For Robertson, it's simple - he envisions a faith where all are unequivocally embraced.

As is so often true for individuals who are LGBTQ+, Robertson was ostracized at school and actively sought out a place to belong. For Robertson, that place was in church - where he truly believed he'd found a place of belonging until realizing that Christians were just as intolerant as his peers. After years of trying to repress his true identity and even surviving the horror that is conversion therapy, Robertson's own deep dive into Scripture led him to conclude that God's table always had a place for him.

If you don't believe this central concept in "Queer & Christian," that there's a place for those who are LGBTQ+ at God's table, then there's likely little reason for you to pick up "Queer & Christian." Truthfully, I'd imagine that Robertson is absolutely fine with that as there's little effort here to cater to those who believe the Bible is inerrant and those who embrace a more "literal" interpretation of Scripture. Robertson's writing first and foremost for those who are LGBTQ+ with "Queer & Christian" followed closely by those who embrace a more progressive theology.

For those who understand the roots of the word "queer," and it's not what you've been taught or led to believe, "Queer & Christian" will be a breath of fresh air as Robertson offers evidence-based counter arguments to respond to the usual "clobber verses" and also dives into biblical figures he refers to as the "queer saints within the Bible." There's much within the pages of "Queer & Christian" that will have you opening the Bible, researching these figures, and wanting to learn more even in those moments when you disagree (and yes, there were times in "Queer & Christian" when I disagreed with Robertson's conclusions).

While "Queer & Christian" isn't for everyone, that's an intentional approach by Robertson to create a safe space for queer folks and allies who've long not had a safe space within Christianity's theological walls. Toward the end of "Queer & Christian," Robertson addresses a handful of commonly asked questions that cements the thoughtful and sensitive way he approaches his faith and how he shares it. It's these questions, at least for me, that became the heart and soul of "Queer & Christian" along with the wealth of resources with which he follows them.

With "Queer & Christian," Robertson indeed aims to serve as a beacon of hope and encouragement for those aiming to reclaim the Bible, embrace faith, and discover that God's table is longer and wider than we've ever imagined and there's a place for all.