Click here to view a video recording of this CLGS event!
Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals are deeply sacred life events (for individuals, families, and faith communities), and these celebrations of initiation, commitment, and commemoration call for thoughtful and creative preaching.
In this CLGS and MCC Queering the Word preaching workshop, we explored some ways that scripture can inform and enrich our approach to these milestone events. Focusing on the Gospels and other sacred texts, we (re)examined themes of love, community, and commitment through a queer lens, fostering deeper connections with LGBTQ+ people and our identities and experiences.
Our presenters are Rev. Lauren Bennett and Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw.
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw (he/him) is the director of the Transgender Roundtable at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies and a faculty member of the Trans Religious Leadership Cohort. He served for 10 years as the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Jakob received his Master of Divinity degree and a Certificate in Sexuality and Religion from the Pacific School of Religion and a Master of Arts in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology and Spiritual Direction from St. Michael’s Theological College, Cardiff University, in Wales, UK, and a BA in Religious Studies from the University of South Florida. Jakob co-edited the book, Liberating Gender for Jews and Allies: The Wisdom of Transkeit, published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2022. Jakob and his husband, Allan, are proud fathers in a family that gained legal recognition through marriage equality and adoption.
Rev. Lauren Bennett
Rev. Lauren Bennett is the Pastor at MCC Greater St. Louis. In addition, Lauren coordinates conferences and events for the MCC denomination. As a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, she lived in Washington, DC for four years before moving to the Midwest. Coming from a community organizing background, Lauren is particularly passionate about working with the crucified of our time for liberation from systems of oppression. In her free time, she loves being outside, reading, and spending time with her wife AhSa-Ti and son Ahmmit.
Our CLGS and MCC Queering the Word preaching workshops are designed for Christian preachers, seminarians, and anyone else interested in the art of preaching from a queer perspective!
Click here to see a list of other workshops in this series.
