Useful theology from a Quaker-shaped Christian
This February, fellow Quaker theologian Ben Wood and I are leading a five-week online course, journeying through Christian mysticism. We'll be reflecting on the 'negative theology' of Pseudo-Dionysius, the homoerotic mysticism of Symeon the New Theologian, Simone Weil's mysticism of surrender, the active mysticism of Howard Thurman, and the visions of Julian of Norwich. As… Continue reading Journeys in Christian mysticism: a taster
Another year of writing, speaking and teaching has come to an end, and I want to thank you for engaging with my work. Whether you’ve participated in one of my Woodbrooke courses, listened to me presenting Pause for Thought on the radio, or read one of my blog posts, I’m truly grateful for your time and attention. My theological work is my ministry, it’s what truly fulfils me, so I’m very fortunate that there are people like you who value and support it. In this post I summarise and reflect on my ministry in 2025 and think about what it might look like next year.
Quakers have always called each other ‘Friends,’ but what does this mean? Is ‘Friend’ just a quaint hangover from our past, or could it be a site of rich theological reflection? Emerging from my PhD research on Quaker theology and Whiteness, I’ve developed an online course for Woodbrooke reflecting on what it might mean for… Continue reading Whose Friends are we?
Great news! I've just signed a contract with Broadleaf Books to write the tentatively titled "Unapologetic: a queer Quaker approach to the Bible." I'm beyond thrilled.
I’m sure there are many of my fellow Quakers who would say that wrath and vengeance cannot possibly be part of who God is, particularly the God revealed in the life of Jesus. But what if wrath and vengeance are actually necessary aspects of the Divine? What if divine anger and retribution are good things?
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
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.
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.
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Ollie for his excellent Quake It Up YouTube channel. We talked for quite a while about my new book The Spirit of Freedom. You can watch the interview hear: https://youtu.be/E6kPx2K8uTI?si=k0RmwS9w6NekEb8W
Thank you for journeying with me this year by reading my work. Here’s a summary of my 2024 as a reader and writer.
Jolly Quaker 