Hospitality and queer folk

Interesting interview with liberal Lutheran theologian Martin Marty in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently. He mentions that hospitality is a way to bridge the chasm between factions and groups that are at odds with one another. It’s different from tolerance, which often is a sort of “lowest common denominator” civility.

Unfortunately, Marty is typical of theologians who are generally progressive, but have had little to say about the situation of gay people in the church. Specifically, he failed to connect the dots and explore organized Christendom’s rampant lack of hospitality towards queer folk. (For the most recent example, check out this article. There is plenty of irony in the church’s lack of welcome; unlike the church, Christ identified inhospitality, not same-sex desire, as the sin of Sodom (Matthew 11:20-24).

Hospitality is a spiritual act – welcoming the stranger into our midst, breaking bread together, offering friendship and connection. At times this hospitality has qualities of compassion and mercy about it. People who have lived on the margins of society know what a gift it is to be welcomed inside.

It’s often seemed to me that queer people have a spiritual gift for hospitality. I’m sure my partner and I use our guest room more than anyone else in my family; heck, I don’t think anyone else in the family even has a guest room. And does it really surprise anyone that sick or disabled children no one else seems to want are often adopted by gay or lesbian parents? Those of us who sometimes have an uncertain welcome within our own families often acutely understand the need to create family for others.

Giving and receiving hospitality is one way we serve as culture brokers, walking between worlds, and caregivers who help people through major transitions in life. Gay men and women are often to be found among those who aid the sick and dying or those marginalized by society.

I’d like for queer folk to recognize and really celebrate our capacity for hospitality. It’s one of our most important gifts.

Comments

[Joe]

That's a fascinating article on the rainbow sashes. The US Catholic hierarchy seems to be making their voice heard loud and clear: out-of-the-closet gays are not welcome to receive communion. The problem, of course, is in enforcing this policy. When gay Catholics wear the sash, this marks them as "showing disrespect for the Catholic Church's teachings on the sinfulness of homosexuality," so presto, they're denied communion. As inhospitable as the Church is, these Catholics are not taking the poor greeting lying down. I applaud these efforts for gays who are remaining within the Catholic Church.

[John Ballew]

I'm also moved by the faithfulness of queer Catholics who hold fast to their spirituality despite the ourtageous behavior of the church hierarchy. It's hard to know why church officials behave the way they do. Some attribute it to growing chaos in the Vatican as the pope becomes more and more infirm. But I wonder how much of the virulent homophobia comes from closeted clergy who attempt to prove their bona fides by finding ways to act more and more bizarrely homophobic.