Abstract
Explorations into the life stories and experiences of bisexual Christians have often detailed the various experiences of those identifying as bisexual within their various churches (Kolodny, 2000; Toft, 2009, 2012, 2014; Wilcox, 2002, 2009; Yip, 2003a, 2003b). This chapter presents the story of Sam, who identifies as bisexual, gender-fluid, and Christian. Sam describes their experiences in church as ‘fragile’ and they are conscious of the ambiguities of their gender, sexual, and faith self-presentations. In this chapter, I explore how ambiguity is a truly queer concept. It is unstable and unfixable and it is precisely what challenges binaries. I re-examine the work of Althaus-Reid’s ‘Bi/Christ’ in light of Sam’s story, offering original critical insights on how an epistemology of bisexual ambiguity reveals the temporality of human understandings of identity. Underpinning my examination of ambiguity, I explore how issues of authenticity and actualisation characterise contemporary understandings of religion, gender and sexuality. Queer theology therefore exposes how sexuality and faith are not fixable constructs of identity.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Bisexuality, Religion and Spirituality |
Subtitle of host publication | Critical Perspectives |
Editors | Alex Toft, Andrew Kam -Tuck Yip |
Place of Publication | London |
Publisher | Routledge |
Chapter | 7 |
Pages | 102-119 |
Number of pages | 18 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780367030209 |
Publication status | Published - 14 Feb 2020 |
Keywords
- bisexuality
- queer theology
- Christianity
- identity
- identification
- life story
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Prof. CHRISTOPHER GREENOUGH
- History, Geography & Social Sciences - Professor in Social Science
Person: Academic