Abstract
This book has a welcoming plethora of voices that brings together the experiential diverse narratives of queer ministers from the global south, across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. This is a long awaited publication demonstrating both the personal struggles of ministers and those of their LGBTQ+ communities/congregations against all phobias of the above groups, within today’s Christian Church environments. The voices of these ministers are a valuable contribution to the growing theological body of queerness rising in the global south, which can no longer be contained. It is the quote from the” Prophet Jeremiah ‘A Burning Fire in My Bones’, the title of Ch.15 by Rev. Theo Khanyile (pp. 146–158) and is also the subtitle for the book, that echoes loudly for me of the refusal to be quiet telling me that these voices can no longer be silenced, neither can the stories be left untold because they are bursting to break out, because the pain of holding them within any longer is too great. These are enriching stories woven together that build resilience against the heteronormative narrative that has historically, constructed even the seemingly most decent of theological lives. We see this mirroring back the indecency of all lived experience that shows a very queer reflection if only we have eyes to see. The stories in this book should make us feel uncomfortable, to question what normativity means and to explore the depths of the unacceptance of difference by the Christian churches and society as a whole.
Each chapter begins with the story of personal experience across various times and space and locations. We see faith communities gathered together through the telling of personal stories, this is where the incarnation of queer liberation theologies begin. Not only do we see the personal struggles these queer ministers have but we are also invited to travel through the creative ways of how these polychromatic queer ministries relate and minister to the Church communities that they have gathered together. These various rituals, ‘liturgies, pastoral rites and the personal faith journey shows us what each minister underwent to foster queer pastoral theologies’ (p. 2). The action of these pastoral theologies can be seen through the multiple liturgical performances and the welcoming embrace that is open to all who are needy and left wanting, each body is met and joined on the margins of society. Each article demonstrates throughout that all Queer ministry is not the same neither is each queer, transgender, lesbian and gay+ person the same. This is demonstrated within each queer Church community. After all the Christic body is made up of many parts and all are made in ‘Imago Dei’.