Author: Mark Russ

Join my online book group reading ‘A Testament of Devotion’ by Thomas Kelly

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There are still some places left on my online book group which begins on Monday 23 June with live Zoom sessions at 19:00-20:30 (UK time) every Monday for six weeks. We'll be reading A Testament of Devotion, a classic of Quaker spirituality. You can sign up here: https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/book-group-a-testament-of-devotion-by-thomas-kelly/ Thomas Kelly (1893-1941) was a Quaker from… Continue reading Join my online book group reading ‘A Testament of Devotion’ by Thomas Kelly

Desiring Jesus in a world of queerphobic Christianity

Mark Russ11 Comments
A pile of rubble

It’s no secret that Christians do terrible things, or that terrible things have been done in the name of Jesus and the Christian God. As a scholar of Christian theology and racism I know that Christianity has some serious problems. But recent events in my life have brought this truth home to me in a deeply personal way, to the point where I’m questioning whether, as a queer person, being a Christian makes any sense.

In memory of Ben Whitehouse (1979-2025)

Mark Russ26 Comments
Ben Whitehouse smiling broadly, wearing glasses and blue shirt, sat at a table surrounded by half empty wine bottles and glasses, in a crowd of smiling people.

Content warning: death, homophobia In late 2022, my friend Ben went with his theatre bestie Beccy to see a musical about the televangelist Tammy Faye who died of colon cancer. This prompted Ben to get a check-up, after which he was diagnosed with stage 4 anal cancer. The cancer eventually killed him on 25 March… Continue reading In memory of Ben Whitehouse (1979-2025)

Not all words are good words: Quakers in Britain and anti-trans ‘debate’

Mark Russ1 Comment
Pink, blue and white diagonal stripes, in the manner of the trans flag.

Welcome, support, acknowledgment and affirmation of trans people cannot coexist with continuing ‘debate and dialogue’ on the legitimacy of trans identities. Many cis Quakers have much to discover about the lived reality of trans people, and so there should always be space for discussion fuelled by the genuine desire to learn. But there comes a point where ‘debate and dialogue’ must end, where speech that does not measure up to our collectively discerned standards of love and truth needs to be halted. Either Quakers welcome and support trans people, which includes at a minimum believing they are who they say they are, or Quakers don’t. Or Quakers are using the word ‘welcome’ in such a weak manner as to render it meaningless. To truly welcome trans people means allowing trans people to set the terms for that welcome. We cannot welcome trans people and at the same time keep space open for anti-trans rhetoric. Friends who continue to tolerate this 'debate' set themselves against the wellbeing of trans people and against the leadings of the Holy Spirit as discerned by the Yearly Meeting. Compromise cannot be made with the spirit of fear that drives the anti-trans moral panic.