After not being able to find his own answers as to why sexuality and religion seemed like incompatible topics for Christian religious leaders, Steven Anderson sought out spiritual and academic guidance leading him to Pacific School of Religion’s Certificate of Sexuality and Religion program, managed by CLGS.

The Sex and Religion Project is the result of 2 years of intense study at PSR dedicated to understanding the rich history of Christianity from its roots in the Near East to its present around the world. Over this period Steven focused on multi-cultural outlooks on sexuality, world religions, Christian tradition and rites, social justice reform, queer theory, and sexual education.

Confronting questions like “What does the Bible really say about homosexuality?” and statements like “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” can be difficult for Christians who are conflicted by opposing images of their Church’s policies and their understanding of a loving and righteous God. It can be difficult to find guidance from pastors and priests who have hard stances on what they understand to be biblical sins, however the Bible is open for interpretation and your personal faith and relationship with God is what drives participation in the community of Christianity. Having a deeper understanding of biblical context and human sciences can help Christians to embrace their faith more strongly or help them to reimagine their understanding of what they learned in Sunday School.

Whether you, a friend or loved one is questioning their faith due to anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric coming from your Church or faith community, we implore you to pause prayerfully and take a moment to see what the Bible really says about sex. Look here at over 50 years of biblical scholarship, condensed and cited as an easy introduction to Queer Theology and affirming faith. It is the author of this project’s sincere hope that the synthesis of this academic study into a series of web pages and downloadable trifold-pamphlets helps make the information he was looking for at the beginning this journey more attainable to others. These introductory guides look to the heart of issues on Faith, Religion and Sex, and point to deeper scholarship for those who wish to continue their study. Not everyone is blessed with the time, energy or capital to attend seminary, but everyone is gifted with the chance to reflect on their faith and to challenge themselves to find their own answers. It is our hope to provide that challenge through the furthering of resources to those who need it most.

Please read these works, download and share them. They are resources to the faithful and a starting point for future scholars, activists, theologians and lay people like you.

You, who wish to see the community of Christ fulfilled with love.With much thanks to:

Professor Jay Emerson Johnson, Ph.D
Professor Bernard Schlager, Ph.D
Professor Hugo Córdova Quero, Ph.D
Ali Lee Neil

Thanks as well to the faculty and staff at The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS), Pacific School of Religion (PSR), and the Graduate Theological Union (GTU).

THE AUTHOR

Steven Anderson (He, Him, His) is a graduate of the Certificate of Sexuality and Religion (CSR) program at Pacific School of Religion; he also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and Digital Media from California Baptist University.

Raised and educated in the Southern Baptist Convention community, he Steven the Baptist church after coming out as bisexual.  After some soul searching he discovered new insights on being an LGBTQ+ Christian after reading the work of John Boswell and Mathew Vines.  He began seminary in 2018 in order to understand the complexities of faith and social justice and, with this project, offers his insights to the wider Christian community.