Theological Perspectives Regarding LGBT, Essay Example

Theological perspectives regarding LGBT groups have been slow to emerge, yet these conversations are beginning to take precedence throughout Christianity. These factors demonstrate the importance of achieving new perspectives that have an impact on society and the LGBT population as a whole. However, these conversations are only beginning to take hold and represent a new wave of discussion in Christianity that supports new approaches to theological terms. Lowe writes that “Queer theorists and biblical scholars do not seek timeless meaning in the Bible. Instead they argue that meaning emerges from the interaction between text, reader, and the broader discourses in which the meaning-making process occurs. They also reject the commonly held beliefs that gender has a fixed meaning, identity is stable, and all people should be heterosexual. Queer theorists argue that truths about gender and sexual identity are constructed, just like all other meaning and truths.” These statements demonstrate that there is much to learn regarding queer theology and how it impacts society and its people, as these perspectives remain relatively new and often misunderstood. The principles of theology represent a means of creating an environment that embraces change, rather than to accept an environment that is too traditional and unwilling to accept other ideas. This is a negative response to the reality of LGBT beliefs, and therefore, requires further consideration and evaluation.

The developments associated with understanding LGBT literature and biblical interpretations are less understood because they remain a challenging component of society that is difficult to overcome due to stigma and controversy. Nonetheless, these conversations are beginning to take place, which sheds much light on this relatively unknown subject. Goss’ interpretation of Ahthaus-Reid’s approach to theological discussion is enlightening because it supports a greater understanding of an area that has been unexplored by the mainstream for many years, yet appears to have so much going for it with respect to its perspectives regarding the need for additional insight towards creativity and strength in supporting the objectives of a liberal point of view that has often been ignored and untouched.

Unique approaches to sexuality have been largely instrumental in supporting new conversations in the public mainstream. Goss’ interpretation of Althaus-Reid is enlightening because it represents an opportunity to explore an entirely different dimension of theology using a somewhat controversial approach of queer beliefs and perspectives. This is an important reminder of the values and judgments that individuals in modern society place on different approaches and that support new types of conversations that did not exist in the past. These perspectives are instrumental in shaping conversations and in supporting an opportunity to explore theological points of view more openly and without hesitation. This process is instrumental because as society changes, new ideas continue to emerge, including those that are directly related to sexuality and LGBT core values. This issue is largely influential and provides a greater sense of support for the diversity that exists throughout society, rather than only accepting that which is purist and traditional.

In another sense, Goss supports a more open-minded view of LGBT values and sexuality as a sign of the times and the desire for full acceptance and change in all parts of society. These factors demonstrate the importance of taking new approaches to existing ideas and adapting them to meet current objectives. This process is largely instrumental in supporting conversations that have a unique impact on society and how people view the world of theology through new interpretations. These factors are essential to the discovery of new techniques that have a unique impact on how individuals react or respond to different events in such a way that they have a positive impact on acceptance of all persons in society. This level of acceptance is grounded in new versions of historical perspectives that have an impact on society and its people in different ways. These factors also demonstrate the need to develop a more open-minded approach to LGBT perspectives, including those grounded in theological beliefs.

The concept of “queer theology” is represented by Schneider and Roncolato in such a way that it opens new doors to interpretation and focus. For example, the authors note that “queer theologians tend to argue that Christianity has long been queer, particularly evident in incarnational and Trinitarian reflections that show that Christ always stood outside the norm, troubled the categories, and essentially queered the world.” With this perspective in mind, it is widely evident that queer theology has opened new doors to discussion and also to controversy, particularly for those who are traditionalists and revere the bible and subsequent beliefs in their original form. These factors open the door to new discussions that in some ways pose a threat to existing beliefs, yet they also provide a basis for exploring new directions in society that impact human beings on many levels.

Lowe also supports these arguments and the belief that humanity is a largely unstable premise with many difficult challenges that impact how individuals think, believe, and behave. Therefore, it is likely that other perspectives will play an important role in shaping new conversations regarding queer theology that break down barriers and that support human beings as flawed and complex on many levels. Every human being has his or her own perspective or approach to theology; therefore, the queer approach deserves the same level of attention as all others. The belief that one type of theology is superior over another should not be ignored, because it is a clear representation of a part of society that remains challenged by barriers to acceptance. Therefore, this approach must also gain the respect that it deserves in a much larger context.