Movement Issue 170

THE MAGAZINE FOR CHRISTIAN STUDENTS

ISSUE 170 AUTUMN 2024

INTERVIEW:

THOMAS JAY OORD

In conversation with

William Gibson

PAGE 12

MICRO BIBLE

STUDIES

Short reflections on

verses from scripture

PAGE 18

THE FAR RIGHT

AND THE CHURCH

Revd Dr Helen

Paynter reflects

PAGE 25

THE SACRED

AND THE SEA

Melody Lewis on finding

God amongst the waves

PAGE 29

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL 4

COMING UP 5

NEWS 6-8

COMMUNITIES 9-11

REVIEWS 42-43

INTERVIEW:

INTERVIEW:

THOMAS JAY

OORD

SCM’s William Gibson sits down with

Thomas to discuss his approach to

theology and his relationship with

the Church of the Nazarene.

12-17

MICRO BIBLE

STUDIES

A collection of short reflections on

snippets from the scriptures.

THE LONG READ:

THE FAR

RIGHT AND

THE CHURCH 25

Revd Dr Helen Paynter asks how the

Church in Britain can respond to the

far right in light of riots this summer.

FAITH IN

HONEST

18-19 24-28 34-35

ACTION

A reflection on a year of positive

protest and an introduction to our

new project worker, Sophie Day.

THE SACRED

AND

THE SEA

Melody Lewis reflects on finding God

in the water.

29-33

CHURCH

Tips on finding a truly inclusive

church at university.

THREE

PERSPECTIVES

ON SACRED

SPACE 36-41

Finding God at Greenbelt, World

Youth Day, and on retreat.

2 MOVEMENT Issue 170 MOVEMENT Issue 170

3

Welcome to Issue 170

of Movement magazine!

We have a fantastic range of articles surrounding

the idea of ‘sacred space’ for you in this issue and,

of course, the staple news pieces and updates from

the SCM community for you all to catch up on. I

hope you will all thoroughly enjoy reading them!

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving world, the

concept of sacred space has taken on new

dimensions - whether it be a physical sanctuary, a

moment of stillness amidst chaos, or the places that ground and connect us to

something greater than ourselves. As Christians, we can often find ourselves

glued to the idea that a sacred space must be a physical building - a church,

chapel, or cathedral - yet in recent times many people have begun to recognise

the sacred in non-traditional spaces, such as at the sea, at music festivals, or

even online. In this issue we have reflections on finding sacred space at the

Greenbelt festival, taking part in World Youth Day in Lisbon and on retreat in the

UK, as well as my own contemplations on nature and the church. You’ll also find

reflections on personal and spiritual sanctuaries in the form of our collection

of Micro Bible Studies written by SCM members, and each story invites you to

pause, reflect, and consider the spaces - both literal and metaphorical - that

offer solace, inspiration, and belonging.

Sacred space is not always sacred however, and in this issue we also begin

to tackle some of the questions asking what happens when a sacred place

becomes no longer sacred? The church as an institution has historically been

an unwelcoming place for marginalised people, and though this is gradually

changing for the better, the church can still be an unsafe place for many people.

In this issue we explore these ideas through articles on the church and the far

right from Dr Helen Paynter of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence,

and in an interview with Dr Thomas J. Oord about his experience of coming to

an LGBTQ+ affirming faith and being put on trial by the Church of the Nazarene

for this very fact.

Through diverse voices and perspectives, this issue delves into the ways we

create, preserve, and reimagine sacred spaces in our lives and communities. We

hope this edition serves as both a refuge and a call to action, encouraging you

to reflect on how you can cultivate sacred spaces in your own life.

MELODY LEWIS

EDITOR

Student Christian Movement

Grays Court, 3 Nursery Road,

Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3JX

t: 0121 426 4918

e: scm@movement.org.uk

w: www.movement.org.uk

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e: scm@movement.org.uk

t: 0121 426 4918

Movement is published by the

Student Christian Movement (SCM)

and is distributed free to all

members, groups and supporters.

Our vision is of SCM as a generous

community, expressing a lived faith

in Jesus Christ where social action

meets prayerful devotion. We seek

to be both a radical voice for equality

and justice, and a safe home for

progressive Christian students.

SCM staff: CEO: Revd Naomi Nixon,

Operations Manager: Lisa Murphy,

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Officer: Ruth Harvey, Faith in Action

Project Workers: Sophie Day and

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The views expressed in Movement

magazine are those of the particular

authors and should not be taken

to be the policy of the Student

Christian Movement. Acceptance of

advertisements does not constitute an

endorsement by the Student Christian

Movement.

ISSN 0306-980X

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and Wales, number 1125640, and in

Scotland, number SC048506.

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COMING UP

STUDENT SUNDAY

16 FEBRUARY 2025

ST JAMES’S PICCADILLY,

LONDON

Join us to pray for students around the world as we mark

the Universal Day of Prayer for Students.

SCM ANNUAL

GENERAL MEETING

28 APRIL 2025 • ONLINE

The annual general meeting is an opportunity to find out

more about what happens behind the scenes at SCM and

what future plans are in the pipeline. Members also have

the opportunity to elect new representatives to General

Council – look out for more information about how to

stand for election!

SAVE THE DATE

SCM @ GREENBELT

FESTIVAL

21-24 AUGUST 2025

NATIONAL GATHERING,

THEOLOGY DAY:

BEING AND BELONGING

21 JUNE 2025

ST PANCRAS CHURCH, LONDON

Exploring themes of identity and community, join

students from across the movement to hear inspiring

talks from our guest speakers.

BONHOEFFER

EUROPEAN PILGRIMAGE

14-19 JULY 2025 • COVENTRY,

COLOGNE, BERLIN, BRUSSELS

SCM has had a long association with the theology of

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and this trip will enable members to

immerse themselves in his theology by seeing the places

and people who influenced him and who went on to live

out his kind of courageous discipleship in the city where

he lived.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE, VISIT

WWW.MOVEMENT.ORG.UK/EVENTS


5

NEWS

A LOOK BACK:

MEMES, POEMS

AND TIKTOK

VIDEOS

SCM’s Annual General Meeting

took place over Teams in April.

Convenor Joshua Mock welcomed

everyone to the meeting before

trustees presented their reports in

a variety of creative ways including

memes and poems, and the staff

report was presented through a

series of short videos playing on a

TikTok trend. Highlights from the

reports included the successful

trip to Berlin, the growth of the

200 Churches campaign and the

launch of the Affirming Christianity

resources.

After a report on the current

finances and a look at plans for the

future there was a question-andanswer

session before members

voted on a proposal to amend the

constitution. Members voted in

favour of the proposed changes

to the section setting out who is

eligible to stand for election as a

trustee of the movement.

At the conclusion of the meeting,

members elected their new

representatives to General Council,

the decision-making body of the

movement that is responsible for

setting the strategic aims of SCM

and ensuring that SCM is well run

as a charity.

Anna Henderson, Samuel

Simmonds and Reuben Jenkins

were elected as trustees, with Anna

also being elected to the Comms

and Marketing portfolio. Abigail

Hollingsworth, a current trustee,

was elected as the new Convenor

of General Council and Sorrel Eyres

was elected to the Access and

Inclusion Portfolio.

The new members of General

Council took up their terms of office

in August, and will serve alongside

Joshua House, Melody Lewis,

Michael Dickinson and Jennifer

Blackledge who are part way

through their term of office.

Thanks were given to Russell Frost,

Emilia De Luca and Joanna Ramsey

who have come to the end of their

terms on GC.

To find out more about General

Council visit www.movement.org.

uk/general-council

INNER PEACE

AND OUTER

PACIFISM:

NATIONAL

GATHERING 2024

This year’s National Gathering

was held in Central London at

St Pancras Church on a sunny

Saturday in June. In the wake of the

wars and atrocities in Ukraine and

Gaza, the event sought to explore

whether peace always means

pacifism and how inner and outer

peace can sit together.

We were joined by speakers from

the Fellowship of Reconciliation,

Embrace the Middle East, the

Iona Community, and Christian

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

for a panel discussion exploring

the question ‘Does Christian Peace

mean Pacifism?’ and a series of

workshops exploring the theme

further. SCM’s Faith in Action

project worker, Phoebe Edmonds,

rounded off the day with a

workshop exploring how drama can

be used as a peaceful tool to make

change, drawing on principles of

Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed.

As well as listening to these

thought-provoking talks and

taking part in inspiring workshops,

participants also spent time in

prayer together and shared a

simple lunch.

SCM FRIENDS

MEET WITH

THOMAS

JAY OORD IN

SHEFFIELD

In August we were thrilled to hold a

live recording of the SCM Podcast

with American Theologian and

former ordained minister Thomas

Jay Oord at our SCM Supporters

Event. Tom had recently been

found guilty by the Church of the

Nazarene for teaching against

church doctrine and misconduct

for calling the church to be more

LGBTQ+-inclusive. As a result of

being outspoken in his beliefs,

he was excommunicated and

defrocked from ministry. Tom

was in the middle of the speaking

tour organised by Progressive

Christianity Network, and we

collaborated with them to put

together this event. William, our

outgoing Faith in Action Project

Theology and Resources Worker,

led a fascinating conversation with

Tom where they covered everything

from his trial, the difference

between omnipotence and

amipotence and the importance

of having an open and relational

theology. We were very grateful

to the Universities in Leeds

Chaplaincies for hosting us and for

Simon Cross (Chair of Progressive

Christianity Network) for their

invaluable support in bringing this

event together. You can read some

of the interview in this issue of

Movement and listen to the full

conversation with Tom by searching

‘SCM Podcast’ wherever you listen

to podcasts.

FINDING

‘SOMEWHERE TO

BELIEVE IN’ AT

THE GREENBELT

FESTIVAL

The Greenbelt Festival has long

been a highlight in the SCM

calendar, and 2024 was no

exception! Despite the stormy

weather bringing its challenges as

tents housing both the SCM stall

and the ‘Hope and Anchor’ venues

were damaged by high winds,

staff and volunteers had a great

weekend sharing the word about

SCM and treating festival goers to

inspiring and thought-provoking

content.

We were delighted to offer six SCM

members the opportunity to give a

short talk in the Hope and Anchor

venue as part of the SCM Young

Voices: What can we learn from

Gen Z? programme. Talks included

themes of building community,

discipleship, sexuality and gender

identities, doubt and hope, and

all speakers gave excellent and

stimulating talks leaving their

listeners with much to ponder.


7

NEWS

SCM COMMUNITIES

If you’re a Christian who wants to grow as a thoughtful disciple, belong to an inclusive,

queer-affirming community, challenge injustice locally and globally, and explore a

progressive faith, then an SCM community is the place for you! All of our communities

look different - some meet on campus, some are connected with a church or chaplaincy,

some are more of a network of like-minded students and recent graduates, some meet

online - but you’ll find a warm welcome at all of them!

SCM Glasgow

We are an inclusive, diverse and progressive group of

SCM Sheffield

St. Mark’s has a lively young adults group that includes

At the stall and during the

Student Meet Up in the Jesus

Arms, volunteers signed up new

members and gave out hundreds

of goody bags containing copies of

Movement magazine, the Going to

Uni Guide and activism resources,

such as The Little Book of Protest.

HELLOS AND

GOODBYES

In September we said goodbye

to our wonderful Theology and

Resources Worker, William Gibson,

who had completed his year with

SCM as part of the Faith in Action

Project. During his time with SCM

William breathed new life into the

SCM podcast, discussing the life

and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

how Christians can engage in

political life and how we can all

be putting our faith into action

with a range of theologians and

SCM members. In the autumn

William will be starting his training

for ministry with the Church of

Scotland, so while we’ll miss him

dearly, we wish him every blessing

as he begins this new chapter. You

can read William’s final reflections

on his year on page 26.

Before his year ended William

handed over to our new Project

Worker for Theology and

Resources, Sophie Day. Soph

has just come to the end of their

Master’s at York St John University

studying Religion in Society and

is waiting to start their PhD,

also at York St John University,

focusing on Inclusive Church and

the experiences of the LGBTQ+

community. With an academic

background in Queer Theology and

Sociology of Religion, and a faith

background in the United Reformed

Church, they are excited to bring

these areas to SCM and facilitate

the interests of others across

a broad range of intersecting

theologies.

Soph will be working closely with

SCM’s second Faith in Action

Project Worker, Phoebe Edmonds,

who will be continuing with SCM

as Movement Organiser and

focusing on bringing together SCM

communities to take action for

social justice. You can read more

about them on page 27.

students who feel compelled to pursue social justice

though our faith. We created this group as we felt there

was a distinct lack of openly inclusive Christian groups on

campus, and we wanted to change that.

The Glasgow branch of SCM partners with the Iona

Community, a dispersed ecumenical Christian community

working for justice and peace, the rebuilding of community

and the renewal of worship. We would love to have you

with us, whoever you are, wherever you’ve been, whatever

your doubts.

Search ‘UofGSCM’

on Instagram

students at both Sheffield Universities, young professionals,

and anyone else who is looking for a safe inclusive space.

We are a self-led group, primarily comprised of 18-25 year

olds who are committed to LGBTQ+ equality, social justice

and travelling our faith journeys together.

We usually try to meet at least once a month for what

we call ‘Godly Chat’, a friendly environment in which we

can discuss aspects of our faith that we are interested in

exploring. We also enjoying meeting up for socials when

we can - we have a particular love for board game nights!

Search ‘scm_sheffield_t.marks’

on Instagram

8

MOVEMENT Issue 170

Inclusive Christian

Movement Durham

We are a Christian Society in Durham that is open to anyone

of any background or denomination. We meet every

Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm at Elvet Methodist Church or

at St Oswald’s Church, and we have food together. You

can expect discussion about how faith implicates us in

the 21st Century - from issues on sexuality and gender to

politics, poverty and the environment, led by members of

the society or a variety of speakers. You might have known

us by our old name, JAM!

Search ‘ICM Durham’ on

Facebook and Instagram

Student Chapel

Fellowship at Keele

We are a group of Christian students of various

denominational backgrounds who all study and worship at

Keele University in some capacity. Our aim is to provide

an inclusive, safe space for students to learn more about

their faith with like-minded peers. We study the Bible, eat

together, and ask lots of questions at our meetings, and

enjoy doing life together outside of these times.

Search ‘Keele Chapel’

on Facebook and Instagram

SCM Warwick

and Coventry

We’re a friendly and inclusive group for students in

Coventry. We meet at St Clare’s at the Cathedral, as well

as online, and often meet up with students from SCM

Birmingham too. Look at our social media for up-to-date

information about upcoming meetings and what we’re up

to, and to sign up to our newsletter.

Search ‘SCM_Coventry_Warwick’

on Instagram

SCM Cambridge

We are a Christian community of students and young

people in Cambridge, meeting weekly to share in loving

worship, fellowship and Christian witness. We encourage

diversity of thought, identity and Christian spirituality, and

aim to provide sanctuary and spiritual welcome to all. We

provide a safe space for students to explore an openminded

Christian faith, pursue justice, and discover the

beauty of an ecumenical community.

Search ‘SCM Cambridge’


SCM Essex

We are a new society at the University of Essex and have

Christian spaces across Exeter). We encourage asking

questions and sharing experiences both challenging and

uplifting, believing open discussion is vital to a healthy

community and a healthy spirituality.

Search ‘SCM Exeter’


Southampton SCM

We’re a community at the University of Southampton’s

Faith and Reflection Centre, that comes together to

worship, pray and explore faith in an open and nonjudgemental

environment. We run student-led Bible study

(with cake of course!) and have talks from members of

the University Chaplaincy and local churches. As well

as this we have socials, chilled-out sessions for a break

from revision in exams, and plenty of time for crafts at

Christmas. Everyone is welcome!

Search ‘SCM Southampton’

on Instagram and Facebook

SCM Brighton

We’re a radically inclusive, LGBTQ+ affirming, ecumenical

Christian alliance for all students in the Brighton and Hove

area. We meet at 5pm Fridays during the term - all are

welcome!

SCM Plymouth

We’re a fledgling group for students studying in Plymouth

and we aim to be a space to explore the intersection of

faith and social issues, asking questions such as ‘Is Social

Justice a Gospel issue?’, ‘Do black lives matter to Jesus?’

and ‘What does God say about LGBTQ+ Pride?’ Whether

you’re curious about women in leadership within the

church or pondering how biblical prophecy intersects with

climate change, there is room at our table for everyone.

Search ‘SCMUoPlymouth’

on Instagram

SCM Trans*

Theology Group

The group is open to all SCM members, trans* people

and allies, to chat about everything from trans and queer

theology, political activism and big ideas. We meet monthly

for discussions led by one of our members, socials, and talks

from guest speakers, and it’s a great way to get involved

with an SCM group that stretches across geographical

areas, filled with students who want to expand our thinking

and support one another in life.

Email transtheologygroup@

movement.org.uk to request

access to the group chat.

SCM Greater

Manchester

We are students across Greater Manchester, so while

there is no singular ‘campus’, we want to be present

voices in student life. Breaking down barriers to inclusion,

challenging stereotypes and empowering students to ask

the difficult questions is what we’re all about. Not all voices

will be the same – we will strive to promote a diversity of

theologies and practices. We will always protect the safety

and wellbeing of our community.

Search ‘SCMGreaterManchester’

on Instagram

called our society The Student Christian Movement Society.

We hold study Bible sessions, discussions and many

collaborative events with the support of the Chaplaincy at

the university.

Search ‘SCM_UoE’

on Instagram and X

SCM Exeter

We are a group of inclusive Christians that seek to create a

safe, sacred space for anyone exploring Christian spirituality

or wishing to deepen an already existing Christian faith.

Our group values and celebrates diversity amongst its

members, with all facets of identity being welcomed (we

particularly support and affirm LGBTQ+ identities, due to

the current anti-Queer, heteronormative state of many

Search ‘SCMBrighton’

on Instagram

SCM Birmingham

Formed from the former Methodist and Anglican societies,

our new group aims to be an inclusive ecumenical Christian

society on campus that welcomes all people regardless of

gender, background, race, sexuality, ability, denomination

or religion. We meet every Thursday at 6:30 in the Oasis

Room of the St Francis Hall multifaith Chaplaincy, where

we have a free meal and then do an activity as a group,

enjoying fun and fellowship with one another.

Search ‘SCM_UoB’

on Instagram and Facebook

SCM WhatsApp

Community

We also have a growing WhatsApp community with groups

for students, postgrads and alumni. To join, email scm@

movement.org.uk

No community at your uni? No problem! We currently

have people on the ground interested in starting

groups in Bristol, Oxford, Leeds, and Nottingham.

If you’re at uni somewhere else, you can either

get in touch about starting a group by emailing

students@movement.org.uk, or join SCM as a

national member. Either way you’ll be connected to a

movement of like-minded, progressive students!


11

INTERVIEW

THOMAS J. OORD

Thomas J. Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multidisciplinary studies,

as well as a best-selling and award-winning author. He is known for his research and

writing on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, evil and power, and

the implications of freedom and relationships for transformation. You can find out

more about Thomas on his website at thomasjayoord.com

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am the product of a father who was raised a Dutch

Calvinist and a mother who was part of the Pentecostal

Holiness group. I grew up in the Church of the Nazarene

and became a member as a teenager, and I was one of

those people who would accost you on the sidewalk with

the Four Spiritual Laws and say, “you need to have Jesus

in your heart.” I was a gung-ho evangelist until near the

end of my university years, when I took a course in the

philosophy of religion, and for the first time really took

seriously the views of atheists, agnostics and people

from other religious traditions. For the sake of intellectual

honesty, I had to admit that my reasons for believing there

was a God at all were not very strong.

I eventually came back to believing God exists based

primarily on two ideas. Firstly, I wanted life to have

meaning, and I didn’t think that was possible if there

wasn’t something like what most people would call God.

And secondly, I had these deep intuitions that I ought to be

a loving person, that everyone ought to be loving people.

So, from that very philosophical basis, I began to build my

theology back up.

Along the way, I was ordained in the Church of Nazarene

in 1992 and served for about ten years in a pastoral

position while I was doing doctoral work, and then I taught

philosophy and theology for about twenty years. I currently

direct doctoral programmes in open and relational theology

at Northwind Theological Seminary.

You were put on trial by the Church of the Nazarene for

your stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion and recently found

guilty of advancing teachings that were contrary to

their doctrine. How did this process start?

Becoming queer affirming was really an intellectual exercise

for me, which is unusual. Most people don’t change their

mind because they think through things, but I’m weird that

way.

For twenty years I was a part of a denomination in which

I couldn’t be very out about my views on queer issues;


13

I had to be secretive. Then, in about 2015, the president

of the university I was working at got lots of pressure to

push me out because I was deemed too controversial. I

went through a heresy trial, and I passed, but I was let

go. [After] I was no longer officially connected with the

university and I felt like I could be bolder about my queer

affirmation, and so in the form of podcasts and through my

writing, I said the Church and Nazarene needs to become

fully affirming, and the reasons why.

In 2021, a conservative group in the denomination -

called the Holiness Partnership - sent a long document

to my district superintendent saying I was a heretic. The

theological reasons they gave were weak arguments, and

they were thrown out quickly, but they were right about me

being queer-affirming. My superintendent asked if I wanted

to face a trial or hand in my credentials. I opted to face

trial. I said that the manuals governing the Church of the

Nazarene are wrong and had to change. I was very bold

and, surprisingly, that group did not recommend that I be

disciplined. Yet the district superintendent took away my

assignment anyway and forbade me from preaching. That

really got under my skin, and I decided to write a book. The

title of the book would be Why the Church of the Nazarene

Should be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming.

That of course really got people upset, which eventually

led to another group of people on my district formulating

two charges against me: teaching doctrines contrary to

the denominational view on human sexuality, and conduct

unbecoming of a minister. I was not surprised that, after

trial, they took away my credentials but I was surprised

that they also took away my membership and kicked me

out of the denomination.

In your book, The Death of Omnipotence and the

Birth of Amipotence, you talk about the idea of an

all-powerful almighty God, and that omnipotence can

lead us to explicitly or implicitly endorse authoritarian

structures and powers. Can you expand on how

that informs your thinking on these arguments for

inclusion within the Church of the Nazarene, and give

a brief entry to what open and relational theology is?

Open, relational theology has lots of ideas, but I’ll mention

what I consider to be the big ones. The idea of God being

relational is the idea that God not only affects us, but that

creation has an influence on God. It’s a very biblical idea,

but not the idea of God you find in Aquinas, Augustine,

Luther, Calvin, or most of the major theologians. They said

that God was impassable, unmoved, unaffected. Relational

theology says no, God is affected.

Secondly, the open part says that God is moving through

time like we are, so God really responds to what’s

happening in the moment.

Thirdly, open and relational theologians have said we must

start with God’s love when thinking about who God is,

including thinking about God’s power in light of love rather

than the other way around. So many theologies have

started with God as sovereign or omnipotent, and then by

the time they get to divine love, you think that’s loving.

Why not start with what we think is the best about love,

what we find in scripture and see in our own experience,

and then think about what God’s power might be like in

light of that?

In the open and relational community we have a variety

of ways of thinking about God’s power. I don’t think God

is omnipotent. I think Christians, Jews, Muslims and other

theists who’ve said God is omnipotent have made a

mistake. Since I’m in the Christian tradition I’ll talk primarily

from that. In The Death of Omnipotence, I spend an entire

chapter talking about how the word ‘almighty’ in English in

the New Testament is based on mistranslations of Hebrew

words shaddai, which means breasts, and sabaoth,

which means hosts. When it says El Shaddai, that means

The Breasted One, or El Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts. These

names are not talking about controlling power or even

omnipotence, or ‘almighty-ness’.

In the second and third century, Greek-speaking Jews

wanted to translate the Hebrew scriptures into Greek, and

they did so in what’s called the Septuagint. And they took

those two words and used one Greek word, pantocrator –

panto meaning all, crator meaning holding or sustaining.

They translated The Breasted One and the Lord of Hosts

as All Sustaining or All Holding. In the 4th century, when

Jerome is translating the scriptures into Latin, he uses the

word omnipotent for pantocrator. All Holding becomes All

Powerful, so in the creeds when we say, ‘I believe in God,

the Father Almighty’, in Latin we’d say omnipotent, and

that’s a mistranslation of biblical words that don’t mean

anything like all controlling, or can control, or all powerful,

or anything like that.

I also make a philosophical case that theologians and

philosophers have realised that saying that God is all

powerful causes all kinds of problems and, as such, we

have been constantly qualifying it throughout history. The

big reason I first started rejecting it has to do with the

problem of evil. If God is truly able to control any creature

at any time, then it seems like a loving God would use that

power to prevent the genuine evils and pointless pains in

the world. Open and relational theologians are much more

sensitive to that question of the problem of evil than a

lot of other theologians are, and I go a step further than

some will by saying God simply can’t prevent evil singlehandedly.

I say God cannot, not because God’s a weakling,

but I think God is a loving God. It’s God’s nature to love

and this love is inherently un-controlling. And since God

loves everyone and everything from quarks to quasars,

God simply cannot control anyone or anything, and if

that’s the view of power you have, then you can solve the

number one reason people say they can’t believe in God,

the problem of evil.

Often our discussion of the doctrine of God and open

and relational theology can be very academic. How

has this sort of thinking affected your own relationship

with God, your own spiritual practices even?

Most Christians I know will at least sometimes pray, asking

God to do something, believing that their prayer might

result in a different outcome. There are four models of

prayer that I want to look at that deal with this issue. The

last one is the one I’m going to advocate for.

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The first we’ll call John Calvin’s God. If God has predestined

everything from all eternity, I can’t get very motivated to

pray to ask God to do if the future has already been decided

and settled. Petitionary prayer in that model doesn’t make

a lot of sense. I guess you could say that you’re predestined

to pray a petitionary prayer, the outcome of which has

already been predestined, but that seems contrary to the

way most people think about petitionary prayer.

The second model is the one I grew up with, and it starts

with the idea that God is omnipotent. God can do anything

that’s logically possible and doesn’t go against God’s

nature, and God could up and fix anything single-handedly

if God wanted to, and God is perfectly loving and a heck

of a lot smarter than you and I. Now, if that’s the case,

then why be motivated to pray? God’s more loving than

me, so would know from the divine perspective what the

most loving thing to do is. God doesn’t need me at all, God

could just fix things. It makes it seem like God is sitting

back, arms folded, saying, ‘come on, pray harder’, so why

bother at all?

The third model I find in more progressive Christians. They

look at the first two models and they say yeah, that makes

no sense. Prayer doesn’t affect God, they say, only me. So,

they pray for their own good, not believing God’s going

to do anything differently, or the world’s going to be any

different, except, of course, insofar as they’re a part of the

world, but they pray mostly for their own nourishment or

inspiration.

I think there’s some value to that, but the proposal I want

to go with is this fourth model. It says this: there really

is a God who is present in all of creation, who’s affected

by absolutely everything you and I do, including prayer.

And here’s the wild idea: God is moving through time with

us, such that what we do in one moment, God takes into

the divine life and can use in the next moment, because

new possibilities might emerge because of what we did

in our prayers. That view of God means that our prayers

make a real difference to God and the world, and not

just us. It doesn’t mean that our prayers turn God into a

coercive machine, I’m not saying that. I don’t believe in the

controlling God. It does mean that because we are working

with God, our actions and our prayers can make a real

difference in the future.

It seems to me that Jesus was most critical of those

who thought they were experts in theology and how

they used that to effectively control others. How

do you respond to your excommunication and how

you’ve been treated by one group that Jesus was very

critical of, religious leaders?

I believe that God is a God of forgiveness, and Jesus reveals

that more clearly than anyone else. I want to imitate that

God, so that means I’m called to forgive those who I think

have hurt me and harmed me. I don’t think forgiveness

means I have to always have warm and fuzzy feelings

toward the people who hurt me. I don’t think forgiveness

means forgiving and forgetting, I think that’s impossible. In

fact, I’ve tried to forget some things that have been done

to me that I don’t like, and trauma returns. I don’t think

forgiveness means pretending it doesn’t hurt; it hurts. I

think forgiveness means responding to those who harm

you and wanting their well-being in your actions and your

words.

Now in my case, it’s not just the people who have harmed

me that I’m thinking about. Recently I got a letter from a

Nazarene travelling through the UK who apparently heard

me on the BBC one Sunday morning. He was very upset

that I was talking about what happened to me in my trial

and he accused me of being divisive and basically taking

our dirty laundry and putting it out in the world. I responded

that, for me, unity is less important than helping those who

have been harmed. I like unity. I want to have it. But, if

I must choose between that and standing up for queer

people, I’m going to stand up for queer people.

Forgiveness to me means acting in ways that continue to

promote well-being in spite of harm. Now sometimes that’s

hard to do, and what’s helped me a lot in working through

the difficulties is that I have realised that forgiving others

is benefiting me. It’s drawing me away from bitterness; I’m

doing myself a favour when I forgive those who harm me.

You spoke about God not having a body. What do you

say about the incarnation?

Great question. Let me say something really radical and

then I’ll say something even more radical.

First, I don’t think there is the incarnation, as if God only

became incarnate in Jesus. I think God is incarnate in all

creation, at all times. I say to my Pastor every Christmas

that the incarnation isn’t just God coming to Jesus in the

baby alone. God is present throughout in the world. What

makes Jesus special is the way he responded to the Spirit

in his life. And the reason we as Christians praise him

and follow him and believe that he gives us the clearest

picture of God’s nature of love is the way he can seemingly

constantly respond to the call of the spirit in his life.

I do believe in incarnation and I do believe that Jesus is a

special incarnation of God, not because God tried harder

in this instance, but because in Jesus we had someone

who, at least as far as I can gauge, responded perfectly to

that call of love, moment by moment. What do you think

of that?

What about the passage that says he is the way, the

truth, and the life?

I love that passage, I think it’s pointing to his actions and

representative of law as being the way, the truth, and the

life. I don’t think it means you have to say a prayer and

invoke Jesus to find the way to God. When Paul goes to

the philosophers in Athens, he says to them, ‘some of you

are feeling about for what God is up to’, and I think we all

feel about. I think Jesus gives us a clear representation of

what we’re feeling, but being the way, the truth, and the

life in my way of thinking is Jesus pointing to the way of

love as the foundation for abundant life. Once you give up

on omnipotence like I have, it makes you rethink a lot of

the classic views.

What words of advice would you give to young

Christians who are who are LGBTQ+ or are working

out an affirming theology or trying to articulate an

affirming theology?

Just so I’m clear, I’m a straight, cisgender white guy. I’m a

theologian so I’m thinking about these arguments for queer

inclusion theologically, wrestling with the biblical passages,

bringing in the sciences etcetera. I think that work really

counts, but I don’t think it’s the most important thing.

The truth is that not a lot of people listen to theologians

like me when it comes to queer inclusion. We make our

arguments, we look at the scriptures, and we make our

cases, and we convince some people. But my experience

says it’s the lives of queer people who are most instrumental

in helping people change their views on queer issues. Most

people I know become queer affirming because their son

or their daughter, or another family member, came out of

the closet and they said to themselves ‘well, she’s pretty

great, I guess being queer isn’t so bad after all’. I’m not

trying to say to my queer friends that you have to carry

the full burden of trying to rescue the church from queer

exclusion. We all have a role to play, allies and queer

people, but I have the most hope that those queer people

who are in a place where they have the courage and the

ability to witness to the love of God, that’s probably the

most likely thing that will convert people to full inclusion.

Can I say something to conclude? I was thinking about this

when I was answering the question about incarnation, and

it’s been true for the whole interview. I’ve been throwing

out some wild ideas. I want to be very clear that I don’t

think these ideas drop straight from heaven, that I’ve got

it all worked out, that I’m 100% certain this is the right

way to think. I also don’t want you to get the impression

that I’m just pulling stuff out of my pocket and winging it.

These are ideas that I’ve thought about and that have been

helpful to me and lots of people. What I care most about is

living a life of love, and the theology that I’m proposing is

my attempt to make sense of all of that in light of God and

the world. When I die, I don’t want my tombstone to say

‘he was a great theologian’. I want it to say, ‘he tried to live

a life of love’. That’s what matters most to me.

The full interview is available on the SCM Podcast and can

be heard through various platforms including Spotify and

Apple Podcasts.


17

MICRO-

BIBLE

STUDIES

SCM members and staff share their short

reflections on snippets from the scriptures

‘Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“I am the light of the world. Whoever

follows me will never walk in darkness

but will have the light of life.”’

JOHN 8:12 (NRSV).

Light is not just something that we see, but something by

which we see everything else. When Jesus says, ‘I am the

light of the world’, he shows us that he will always point

us towards darkness, otherness, and suffering, and lead

us towards right action. Jesus did not come to bring us

the comfort of an individual salvation, but to shed light

on the discomfort of an unjust world. He challenge us to

bring salvation in this life, through radically transformative

action.

Jacob Owen

‘And Mary said, “My soul magnifies

the Lord, and my spirit rejoices

in God my Saviour.” ’

LUKE 1: 46-47 (NRSV)

The structure of the Magnificat is a simple one, like

many of the psalms and canticles. It starts by expressing

devotion to God, ‘My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’,

then mentions what God has done, ‘He has looked with

favour on [me]’’, and the results of God’s works, ‘He has

filled the hungry with good things.’ The prayer ends by

referring back to scripture, ‘according to the promise he

made to our ancestors.’ Every time I hear it I wonder how

often Mary sang her Magnificat to Jesus, comforting

him as a new born, soothing him to sleep as a child, or

reassuring him during his ministry.

Lisa Murphy

‘Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.’

PSALM 34:14 (NIV)

There is a lot of evil in the world and it can be

overwhelming. How do we respond to it? The Psalmist

reminds us here that we are to act, we are to do. We

cannot stop all of the evil going on around us but we can

do something little and good every day. Whether that’s

showing kindness to a stranger, putting some tins in the

food bank collection, making dinner for a friend going

through something, little acts of kindness add up and

that’s one way we can pursue peace. We have to act

every day.

Jenna Nicholas

‘He will cover you with his pinions, and

under his wings you will find refuge.’

‘When you search for me, you will find

me; if you seek with all your heart.’

JEREMIAH 29:13 (NRSV)

Whilst Jeremiah 29:11 is beloved of Christian fridge

magnet manufacturers everywhere, I find more comfort

in the verses that follow it. I cannot see God directly, and

I often find it hard to discern exactly what he is saying.

But being in God’s presence has always encouraged me.

It does not answer my questions or dispel my doubts.

But it does make God and my faith in him feel real, and

tangible. I am grateful for God’s promise to his people

that we will always be able to find him if we seek him out.

John Wallace-Howell

PSALM 91:4 (NRSV)

This image of sheltering under God’s wings can be found

across the psalms, and also echoes in the gospel image

of Jesus the mother hen. For me, the richness of this

image comes from the duality of God who shelters us

under their wings, and God who, as in Isaiah, raises us up

with wings like an eagle’s. In this one image, we can see

God’s gentle care for us, sheltering us, as well as God’s

wildness and mystery, inviting us to follow them in the

exhilaration of flight.

Jem Parker

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and

burdened, and I will give you rest’

MATTHEW 11:28 (NIV)

We are invited by Jesus to seek him out for rest and

guidance when we carry heavy burdens within our lives.

This shows Jesus’ compassion for us, and how he cares

for us, as we seek to follow him. The heavy burdens we

gain are not what he wishes for us to carry alone, but

instead he wishes for us to rest and seek his guidance

and support, along with the support from those who

surround us. It is this rest and knowledge we have

support which allows us to continue our discipleship and

work, with the knowledge that God will always provide us

rest and care.

Soph Day

‘ “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied,

“I am a woman who is deeply troubled.

I have not been drinking wine or beer;

I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.” ’

1 SAMUEL 15 (NRSV)

So not drunk, just praying! Why does the Bible trouble to

tell us this story of one woman’s desperation and cry to

God? This starts the story of Samuel; these two books

of the Bible will tell us how the people of God became

a nation with a king. It has huge political themes and

perhaps this is just the origin story of the man who gives

the books their names. But women had low status in

Bible times, and childless women even more so. So why

do we hear the detail of her tears? God is clear that the

people shouldn’t have a king and shouldn’t want to be like

other nations, but he gives in, and the glory and chaos of

men who crave power is the big narrative of the books.

So maybe Hannah is here to remind us that God’s story

endures despite us. Even when we play political games,

he continues the long game, the real game, among the

desperate and those of low status, he is listening, and he

will answer.

Naomi Nixon

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On 22nd July 2011, a man called Anders Behring Breivik conducted a mass

shooting on the Norwegian island of Utøya, killing a total of 77 people, most of

them teenagers attending a youth camp.

On 6th January 2020, a mob of between 2000-2500 people surged into the

US Capitol building, protesting a so-called ‘stolen’ election. This resulted in five

deaths and injuries to many, including 174 police officers.

On 5th April this year, which was during Ramadan, Bristol Cathedral hosted a

Grand Iftar, inviting any citizen who wished to, to join with local Muslims as they

broke their fast after sunset. There is no suggestion that any act of worship

was conducted on the premises. Commentators immediately took to their

microphones and keyboards to denounce this. One of them is an ordained priest

who is a prominent ‘influencer’ with over 330,000 followers on Twitter, or X. He

took it as a sign that we are living in the Islamic Caliphate of Britain, with another

commentator on social media adding, “They took over Hagia Sophia in 1453…

Now they’ve seized the UK without firing a shot.” Then followed a torrent of posts

by others calling, among other things, for a ‘crusade.’

These are all examples of what we might term right-wing extremism – right-wing

because it represents a cluster of ideologies from a range which includes:

Not all right-wing

movements are using

such Christian-sounding

theology, but some are.

And most Christians

can see through such

misappropriations when

they occur, but ...

not all Christians are

immune to the lies.

THE LONG READ

THE CHURCH,

THE FAR RIGHT,

AND THE CLAIM

TO CHRISTIANITY

In the aftermath of the recent so-called ‘race riots’, many Christians will be asking

themselves how the Church in Britain can respond. Revd Dr Helen Paynter, founding

Director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, reflects.

• ‘cleaning up’ so-called ‘moral depravity’

• protecting the Christian nation from the threat posed by [Muslims,

multiculturalism, the ‘liberal elite,’ or insert your own demon here]

• antisemitism (or sometimes, conversely, rampant Zionism)

• white supremacy and ethnic or religious nationalism

• conspiracism

The other thing that unites these three examples is that they were all justified

by (at least some of) their perpetrators with an appeal to Christian theology.

Anders Breivik, in the mammoth manifesto found at his home after the attacks,

did exactly that. Quoting Exodus 22:2-3 he wrote “In other words, it was perfectly

OK to kill a thief breaking into your house. That’s the ultimate expression of selfdefence.”

Quoting Psalm 144:1: “This is not a pacifist God we serve. It’s God

who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight. Over and over again

throughout the Old Testament, His people are commanded to fight with the best

weapons available to them at that time. And what were those weapons? Swords.

They didn’t have firearms, but they had side-arms. In fact, in the New Testament,

Jesus commanded His disciples to buy them and equip them.” And then, chillingly,

he brings it right into the moment: “In the context of cultural conservative

Europeans’ current war against the cultural Marxist/multiculturalist elites and the

ongoing Islamic invasion through Islamic demographic warfare against Europe,

every military action against our enemies is considered self-defence. There will

Image on opposite page:

Washington, DC - January 6,

2021: Rioters clash with police

trying to enter Capitol building

through the front doors.

Editorial credit: lev radin /

Shutterstock.com

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be much suffering and destruction but eventually we will

succeed and may be able to start rebuilding.”

Not all right-wing movements are using such Christiansounding

theology, but some are. And most Christians can

see through such misappropriations when they occur, but as

shown by the white evangelical support for Donald Trump;

as shown by widespread Catholic support for Italy’s farright

party Fratelli d’Italia (now in government); as shown by

the Russian Orthodox Patriarch’s blessing of Putin’s pursuit

The Church, The Far Right,

and the Claim to Christianity,

edited by Helen Paytner and

Maria Power, SCM Press 2024.

of a Holy Rus centred in Ukraine; as shown by all of these

examples and many more, not all Christians are immune to

the lies.

And we in the United Kingdom should not imagine that it

could never happen here.

The first signs are stirring. In 2014, members of the British

political organisation Britain First invaded mosques across

the UK with army-issued Bibles. The intruders called it a

‘Christian crusade.’ In the following two years, Britain First

members made a habit of parading through Muslim-majority

areas of several British cities, aggressively flourishing large

crosses. Following a series of such incidents, the two

leaders of the organisation were jailed in 2018 for religiouslyaggravated

harassment. More recently, Britain First have

been specialising in invading or protesting outside so-called

‘migrant hotels’ to hassle the residents there.

What is the British church to do in the light of such stories?

We should have no doubt that the narratives of ‘family

values’ and the ‘Muslim threat’, in particular, have significant

attraction for some Christians. Before we can offer a positive

way forward, there are certain responses that are clearly

unhelpful that need to be addressed.

Firstly, it is not helpful to dig deep trenches, defining

ourselves as progressive or evangelical, with the emphasis

upon our differences rather than our similarities. Nor is it

helpful to vilify everyone who votes for a party to the right

of our own preference. Faithful people are found on both

sides of the political spectrum,and nobody has ever been

persuaded to change their mind by being shouted at or

called names.

In the political arena it is not helpful to throw all our weight

uncritically behind ‘our leader’ who will defeat ‘their leader.’

‘Do not put your trust in princes,’ warns the psalmist, in

words that are as wise today as they were then. Salvation

will not come through politics of any stripe, and the Church

is always called to be prophetic as it speaks truth to power.

… and the narratives that abound in many of our churches

that trained leadership and deep theological study has had

its day, because of the ‘missional imperative’ or simply that

we’ve ‘had enough of experts’. Untrained leadership carries

a much greater risk of being swayed by plausible-sounding

arguments from those with malign intent.

So, how should we respond? And how can we help our

churches to be resistant to the dangerous narratives that

look back upon a false Eden, offer a false gospel, and

worship a false saviour?

In the newest book from the Centre for the Study of Bible

and Violence, entitled The Church, the Far Right, and the

Claim to Christianity, I draw together threads and themes

from a multi-faith, multi-disciplinary, and international

conversation around these questions. I conclude with ten

concrete proposals for the British Church, summarised in

the image on the previous page.

This autumn and into the spring, my co-editor Maria Power

and I will be speaking at a wide range of events around the

country, seeking to bring these proposals to the attention of

the movers and shakers in the British Church. We’d love to

see you at one of these events, or – even better – perhaps

you’d like to host one? Do get in touch.

In the meantime, do read the book, where the proposals are

set out with more detail. Talk about these things with your

friends and in your churches. And most of all, let’s celebrate

being part of the greatest trans-national, multi-ethnic and

culturally diverse body that the world has ever seen.

It is not helpful to label people who hold certain views

about, for example, immigration as inveterately racist.

White working-class deprivation is a very real thing in this

country, and it is important to understand the roots of the

ressentiment that was visible in the recent riots, while of

course condemning the violent expressions it took.

Helen Paynter is a Baptist minister who now serves as

Tutor in Biblical Studies at the Bristol Baptist College. She

is author of a number of books, and the founding director of

the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence (csbvbristol.

org.uk). You can contact her at paynterh@bristol-baptist.

ac.uk.

Also unhelpful has been the year-on-year defunding of

youth work in our churches, leaving vulnerable young

people at risk of radicalisation by bad actors who lure them

with promises of acceptance, purpose and self-worth…

Find out more about the project and the related events at

https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/the-church-the-far-rightand-the-claim-to-christianity/

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FAITH IN ACTION

A REFLECTION ON

CREATIVE PROTEST

September sees the one-year anniversary of my working

for SCM, and of the ‘Creative Protest’ blog series. I thought

it would be good to have a look back over what has

been covered throughout this series and reflect on what

protesting creatively has looked like. I realise that there has

been a wealth of topics covered, from puppetry to origami,

graffiti to poetry and comedy to sport. There is potential

for more blogs in this series too; I will probably add to the

collection!

What I have found the most inspiring - and uplifting –

through writing these blogs, is not so much that different

forms of protest exist but that people around the world

are so passionate about driving change, and that we are

constantly re-defining what ‘protest’ looks like.

During the riots over the summer, I found reading positive

stories helpful. One such story involved the Imam of

Abdullah Quilliam Mosque in Liverpool, Adam Kelwick.

He had heard of rioters and counter-protestors gathered

outside his mosque and began to give out food and engage

in conversation with both sides. He had this to say in an

interview that followed: “Everyone’s just sat in their own

corner throwing stones at…and demonising the other side.

What I wanted to do… was go over and talk, not just talk

but listen to them as well… the whole protest was diffused,

and we built some bridges.”

There is something in sharing food that brings people

together. Through breaking bread together, we begin to

understand each other more through the one common

thing we all take part in. The act of the Imam in inviting

people for more food and discussions was the best way

he could see to build an understanding. It inspires me to

know that even if the world hasn’t been changed, at least

one person’s mind has. And that’s enough for me to keep

on trying!

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I can also say without a doubt that looking at the new ways

of protesting has been helpful in empowering myself (and

hopefully a couple of others) to look at how we live out life

in a protest-y way; how we live out our faith in action. If

going on marches is not your thing, there is still something

you can do! I found writing this series helpful in broadening

my own knowledge of what protest can look like. We don’t

need to be chained to fences, marching down the streets

with banners, we can be crocheting hearts, emailing MPs,

sending origami to Home Secretaries…there is not just one

way to get your voice heard!

This brings me nicely onto one of my favourite campaigns

from last year. Not only did we learn about origami as

a form protest, but we also did some as a campaign to

stand in solidarity for refugees. Together we sent over 150

origami boats to the Home Office to encourage welcome

and humanity when working with refugees. I’ve never been

very good at origami; I think I lacked the patience for it.

However, when there was a purpose,

FAITH IN ACTION

As we approach the start of the

new academic year, it’s hard to

believe that I started working with SCM this time last year.

From the DSEI arms fair pilgrimage last September right up

to Greenbelt last month, it has been a year packed full of

events, projects, and work to further the aims and values

of SCM. Some of my highlights have included: relaunching

the SCM podcast with season two focused on the life

and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and season three on

Christian political action leading up to the General Election;

our Human Rights Day workshops before Christmas; the

I became a paper-folding machine! I fell in love with it. We

eventually got a response from James Cleverly, who was

the Home Secretary at the time, and although we were

pleased to get a response, it was littered with untruths and

needed unpicking more - a fact check, if you will!

So, although I won’t be writing a regular blog on creative

protest, I will continue to be protesting creatively and using

the arts to change the world, and most importantly, I will

continue to celebrate the small victories on the way to

making change happen. For me the creativity in protesting

is how we truly make a difference, memorably and

peacefully. So, whether it’s folding paper, sharing food,

listening to music, seeing a show or writing a poem, I hope

you will be inspired to protest creatively!

PHOEBE EDMONDS

You can read Phoebe’s blog series on the SCM website at

www.movement.org.uk/blog

A YEAR WITH

THE MOVEMENT

SCM national gathering; the European pilgrimage; and

Greenbelt.

Throughout my year with SCM, I have certainly

encountered many expressions of living out what it means

to be a generous community, from weekly cheeseboards

to new friends made at national events, from pints after a

gathering to sharing in the joy of flying communion bread

at Greenbelt. This movement is alive, teeming with the full

breadth and depth of human experience and identities and

all are truly welcome, it truly is a safe home for progressive

Christian students. As we have seen from the newly

instituted SCM WhatsApp community we are more than

willing to speak up and use our radical voice when we

feel the need to do so whether it’s in the form of General

Election memes or writing letters to MPs.

I am excited that I will be able to remain a member of SCM

for the foreseeable future as I continue my studies at the

University of Glasgow. I hope that - as we all continue to

play our part in the life of this movement - we continue to

listen for the call of the spirit, to step out in faith, be bold

FAITH IN ACTION

FAITH, SPORT

AND CREATING

COMMUNITY

in acting and speaking for justice and peace, and that we

continue to encounter Christ when we share in the joys of

life together. Until the next time you hear from me, I will

end with this blessing of St Patrick:

“May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always

at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the

rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of his hand”.

WILLIAM GIBSON

A new academic year is upon us, which means there are a of a commitment to faith, but this doesn’t always have to

lot of new beginnings starting; new university homes, new be the case. Our expressions can come in many forms,

churches, new jobs, and new ways to consider how we with no one right way to show it. Our faith may play into

put our faith into action. As a recent graduate myself, and our daily choice to be more environmentally responsible

as a new team member for SCM, there has been a lot of and conscious by taking re-usable cups with us when

changes and time for reflection in my faith in action. Not getting a coffee on the go, or it may come as a movement

all ways of doing this, however, have to be conventional towards environmental justice by political means. All ways

or follow one specific appearance. Instead, I invite people of putting out faith into action, both online and (so to

to consider new ways in which their faith can be put into speak) in real life are important and valid, with all forms of

action, with one of my main ways being through coaching this taking different impacts and encompassing different

sports.

audiences.

There is often an expectation for faith to take a specific A potentially unique way I put my faith into action is in my

look or feel when it comes to action, with some personal time as a coach at a local university’s American

consideration that these actions must be bold expressions Football team. I volunteer my time with them for two

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sessions a week, working with forty to fifty students

who have joined the team and play to represent their

university. Amongst the team, we have a wide variety of

ages, backgrounds, nationalities, and experiences. With

each year, we have people to leave who graduate or go

on placement years, but we also gain new people who are

starting at the university or who want to give American

Football a try. I find that we build a community together,

which is focused on our sport and bringing people together

through learning new skills together. Though our focus is

not on our faith or following the teachings of Jesus, I find

the creation of community important to my personal faith,

understanding of, and reflection of the word of Christ. I

have been part of bringing together a diverse community,

with a shared interest in a sport, which supports each

other in their development and improvement of their skills.

I further put faith into action away from my sporting

endeavours and into my areas of academic interest. As an

undergraduate and as a Master’s student, I have written

extensively about Inclusive Church, Queer Theology, and

Feminist Theology. I challenge ways in which people have

been excluded, and continue to be excluded, from the

Christian community due to their gender, sexuality, or

authentic self-expression. I am able to put my faith into

action through this challenge to unaccepting attitudes,

and explore the intersection of faith, self-expression,

authenticity, and vulnerability. Showing care, compassion,

and empathy to those who are Othered allows

conversations to open and pathways to be built, showing

how all are welcome into the Church and into faith.

Our faith in action does not have one look, one method,

one particular approach that makes it faith in action. Our

faith in action, I suggest, is following the call as to where

we are supposed to be, and who we are supposed to meet.

It ranges from small, everyday actions, to large statements

of our faith. Most importantly, our faith in action reflects

how we have heard our call and have come together to

act on it to build community, acceptance, and show radical

love for those around us.

SOPHIE DAY

Image on page 24: James Ensor, Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889, Oil

on canvas. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Images on page 25

(l-r) Vincent van Gogh, The Bedroom, 1889 Oil on canvas, Helen Birch

Bartlett Memorial Collection; Louis Marcoussis, Le lecteur, 1937, Oil on

Canvas, Birmingham Museums Trust; Katsushika Hokusai, Under the

Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great

Wave, from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji ,1826–1836, Color

woodblock print, Clarence Buckingham Collection.

The

and

Churches, Llandudno, and the

Unrelenting Ebb of the Tide


Melody Lewis, recent graduate and current editor of Movement, reflects on her own

spiritual journey from childhood to the present day and where she finds sacred spaces

now in her everyday life.

I have often wondered what the word ‘sacred’ might mean

to me. As someone who grew up in the Church, attending

Sunday school almost every week and continuing to be a

churchgoer even as I left for university, I often assumed

that a church building must be the most sacred of spaces.

Regardless of how I had felt in these buildings, which

admittedly for much of my life had been an overwhelming

sensation of not much at all, I knew what I was supposed

to feel, and not feeling it left me conflicted and confused.

Even as a small child, I did not know exactly what I believed

about God, but I could already tell it was somehow

different to those I saw around me at my place of worship.

The weekly carousel of church services I attended felt less

like something I wanted to do, and more like something

me and my family all did out of habit. My home church is

an ultra-modern building that any vicar would be delighted

to oversee, complete with a brand-new roof that doesn’t

leak, more than functional central heating, and a sizable

kitchen capable of feeding upwards of eighty people on

Christmas day. Yet to me as a child that was all it ever was

– a building. To talk of this word ‘sacred’, to think of what

feelings this adjective conjures up in my mind’s eye, is to

talk of the amazing, the awe-inspiring, the fantastic. Yet as

a seven-year-old child, that fantastic, awe-inspiring place

of gods was not my church, it wasn’t even a building. It

was in fact Llandudno.

Llandudno is a small seaside town in North Wales, some

thirty miles along the coast from my own hometown of

Holywell. I have always felt an affinity for the seaside,

ever since I was little, and I believe that being brought

up near the beach has invariably had an impact on the

way my brain reacts to vast swathes of open water.

Llandudno has always held a special place in my heart,

as it was the place much of my extended family chose

to holiday every summer, and had also been the holiday

town of my mother’s childhood too. The subtle joy that is

sparked in my brain when I arrive there now, as a twentythree

year old, and feel the cool sea breeze dance gently

over my cheeks, smattering them with a dusting of salty

air, hearkens to a time before a more adult life filled with

deadlines, job applications, and seemingly never-ending

list of food shopping got in the way of this most pure and

delicate form of childlike exhilaration.

The drive itself to Llandudno begins what can only be

described as a form of ritualistic pilgrimage, as I check off

the landmarks that notified to me as a child that we were

drawing closer and closer to our destination, closer to that

feeling of serenity that I wouldn’t quite be able to put into

words until now, some fifteen years later. The gentle hum

of the car as it travelled down the A55 through the Dyffryn

Clwyd valley was the monastic chant accompanying my

childhood holidays, and I would look on in wonder as rolling

hills and mountains peaked in the distance, with each new

sighting of these wondrous markers of the power of nature

as fresh and exciting as every time before. By the time we

had reached Llandudno itself, I could often barely contain

my excitement, as the ritual continued with the struggle to

find a parking space, and eventually the longed-for hotel

lunch and catch up with my relatives.

Ritual has played a significant role in my own personal

understanding of what it means to have faith in a modern

world. As previously mentioned, I have often found myself

doubting whether or not I have any faith at all, or if it is all

just a lifestyle choice I have continued into my adulthood

out of force of habit. In recent years, as I moved away

from home and started attending university, I was able to

taste-test, tapas style, a huge variety of churches that had

not been available to me back in my small hometown in

North Wales. Though I was baptised a Methodist at the

church I was born into in East London, I was brought up

in the Anglican church from a very young age, due to my


evensong at the Anglican chapel in my college for a sense of inner peace

and relaxation, and finally SCM on a Thursday evening for discussion and

an injection of socialisation into my very busy term-time working week.

At university, for the

first time in my own

living memory, I was

able to attend a

Methodist church,

wondering if perhaps

this was the answer to

the ever-increasing

doubts I had been

having surrounding

faith and what it

means to be a

Christian in a

changing world..

parent’s decision to move to North Wales when I was about four or five years

old and the consequent lack of Methodist churches in my hometown.

At university, for the first time in my own living memory, I was able to attend

a Methodist church, wondering if perhaps this was the answer to the everincreasing

doubts I had been having surrounding faith and what it means to

be a Christian in a changing world. The experience was calming, yet I still did

not encounter this ineffable, intangible thing that I knew I was supposed to be

feeling. I tried the Quakers, which aligned more closely with what I theologically

believe, yet the often total and utter silence was altogether too deafening

for me. Similarly, the high Anglo-Catholic atmosphere of the churches in my

university town were not somewhere I could feel any particular connection to

a higher power of sorts. Ironically, the incredibly highly ritualised eucharistic

service structure paired with the constant sitting and standing, and procession

of the gospel was too much for me, and was outside stimulus that served only

to distract me from any thoughts or feelings I might have been having on the

inside. To me, it all seemed superfluous, and at times, even silly. These rituals

did not mean anything to me, they had no grounding in the personal experience

I felt I so needed in order to connect spiritually with a sacred place. Eventually,

towards the end of my second year, I had figured out a formula for church that

worked well for me: Sunday morning services at the Unitarian church near my

house for theology that personally resonated with me, the occasional weekday

Using this what some might call incongruous and higgledy-piggledy

concoction of churchgoing, I began to wade my own way through the

murky waters of belief, beginning to fumble for a sense of what faith

means to me, and where I most see it in the world. This journey of selfreflection

ultimately became rather cyclical when, one winter evening,

deep into a particularly cold and gloomy January, my housemate

convinced me to go for an outdoor swim with him. He knew I was a

swimmer, and everyone else had already rejected his offer, and I was

intrigued, so along we went.

Those first few moments as my skin made contact with the freezing

water were as close to the feeling of baptismal renewal that I think I

might ever find on this mortal world. As my body got used to the hellish

temperature and I began to be able to wade deeper into the crystal blue,

the waters enveloped me, taking me into their gentle ebb and flow as the

waves lapped around my shoulders, gently grazing my neck and my chin

as I gingerly began to swim further out to sea. Five minutes later – a sea

swim in the dead of winter must be short if it is to be safe – I emerged

an entirely new person. The cold had seemingly jumpstarted my weary

and burnt-out brain into action, and I felt an invigoration and ecstasy

coming over me in gigantic swathes I had never before experienced.

Since that day, sea swimming has become the new ritual accompanying

my life. Each swim the ritual is the same: undress, feel the wind against

your skin, force yourself to take those first few steps, and eventually

fully submerge and succumb to the watery clarity of the vastness of

the ocean. It is a private ritual, a personal one. It is in moments like

these when I finally no longer question the faith that I do have. It may

be vastly different to what many around me believe, and though I have

been unsure of my belief for as long as I can remember, in the sea, out

in the vastness of God’s creation, I no longer feel like this doubtful belief

is something to be ashamed of.

Sea swimming has brought me full circle, to a place of serenity in which

I feel closest to that little girl who stood by the sea all those years ago

shrieking with joy as the waves lapped at her feet. Every swim is a

ritualistic prayer to the sea, to nature, and to a God we know but may

never understand.

Sea swimming has brought

me full circle, to a place

of serenity in which I feel

closest to that little girl

who stood by the sea all

those years ago shrieking

with joy as the waves

lapped at her feet. Every

swim is a ritualistic prayer

to the sea, to nature, and

to a God we know but may

never understand.

Melody Lewis has recently graduated

from Cambridge is the current editor of

Movement magazine.


MOVEMENT Issue 170

33

HONEST

CHURCH

When you’re looking for a church at uni,

it can be easy to go along with the crowd

to the large, evangelical church with a

lively band and free lunches after the

service. You go along and find a warm

welcome, everyone is really friendly,

and you quickly feel part of the family.

Then, six months (or maybe even a year

or two) later you find out that in this

particular church, women aren’t allowed

to be elders, and they view your gay

relationship as a sin. It’s a gut punch,

and now you don’t know where you stand.

You’ve invested time, money, and emotion

into this group of people who weren’t

up front about their views, and it’s

absolutely devastating.

Meanwhile, a smaller congregation meets

across the city. They are fully affirming of

LGBTQ+ folk, and their vicar is a woman.

But because they have only one or two

gay members of the congregation and

they’re not out actively campaigning on

queer issues, they don’t feel qualified to

be more open about their affirmation. For

this reason, they’re overlooked by LGBTQ+

students actively looking for somewhere

that would welcome them.

Everyone needs to be able to find the

right place to worship and grow as

a Christian in safety. Honesty is the

beginning of being able to do that!

When church searching this Autumn, use

our Honest Church resources to ask the

church leadership where they stand on

issues of LGBTQ+ welcome and women’s

roles, so that you know from the get-go

whether a church is right for you. In the

resources you’ll find a template email you

can use to send to prospective churches

in your new town or city, plus a toolkit

with a suggested list of questions you

can ask to gauge the views of the church

leadership on everything from trans*

inclusion to women preaching.

Find the Honest Church toolkit and

all the resources you’ll need over

at honestchurch.org.uk

“At SCM we hear real horror stories resulting from churches passively

pretending they are more welcoming than they really are. At the same time, we

know people who would try out a church if they said anything about LGBTQ+

people at all. We are needlessly letting young people down. Let’s just be

honest.” Revd Naomi Nixon

MOVEMENT Issue 170 35

Three SCMers share reflect on where they

have found God in spaces outside the Church.

THREE

PERSPECTIVES

ON

Three

SACRED

Perspectives

SPACE

on sacred space

Finding God

ON RETREAT

For the past eighteen months, I have been asking myself

a terrifying question: is God calling me to religious life? It’s

a question that has taken a lot of inward reflection and the

asking of big questions. I’m certainly not ready to get myself to

a nunnery, but it has given me an excuse to visit some of the

beautiful and varied religious communities we have in the UK

by going on retreat.

There are lots of different ways to do a retreat, but in its

essence, a retreat is about withdrawing. It is about taking

time away from the stresses of life and offering time to be in

God’s presence. Different religious communities offer different

things as part of a retreat. If a community has a regular rhythm

of prayer, you are often encouraged to join them for their

services. Communities will meet for communal prayer three to

eight times a day, depending on the charism and ministry of the

community. Some communities may have periods of silence

throughout the day, and at others you are encouraged to spend

the whole day in silence, spending the time with your thoughts.

Many communities offer guided retreats, where you can meet

daily with a spiritual director or companion who will guide you

through the week. I know that for some people, the idea of

consciously spending such a concentrated time in prayer and

silence can be a little overwhelming. A retreat can also be a

time to step away from the big thoughts. Perhaps you just

need a break from the stresses of God. Perhaps you want some

time to do some knitting in some countryside. Speaking from

personal experience, I’ve had my closest moments with God

when I’m knitting!

While a lot of religious communities have houses that are more

rural, this is not always the case. I recently went on retreat with

the Anglican Franciscan Sisters in Southwark. Their house is a

15-minute walk from Southwark Cathedral and a 5-minute walk


37

from Waterloo Station (so very central London!). While

this was very different to a typical retreat experience,

I was struck by how alive and challenging their way of

life was. Perhaps because this was right in the centre of

a metropolis, I could feel this beautiful contrast between

that and a group of women who have chosen to live

communally in search of finding God in the margins.

There is no one way to do a retreat, in the same way

that there is no one way to connect with God. As I have

gone through this discernment process, I am constantly

discovering that God’s desire to experience us is as strong

as our desire to experience God. Yes, a retreat can be a

time to withdraw; but it can also be a space to confront

yourself and God on a deeper level. The American Trappist

monk and theologian Thomas Merton once wrote that being

silent in God’s presence “clears away the smokescreen

of words that man has laid down between his mind and

things.” What would happen if you cleared away the

smokescreens of your life? You might confront some hard

truths, but you may also discover more of yourself. At its

essence, a retreat is a space where you can clear away

the smokescreens of your life and search for something

deeper. And who knows, you might experience more of

God in that… nothing better than that!

Naomi Orrell is SCM’s Fundraiser. Alongside her work at

SCM, she works at York St John University in the chaplaincy

team. She spends her free time knitting, watching reality

TV and playing the nyckelharpa in an earnest attempt

to fulfil her longtime dream of becoming a Swedish folk

musician.

Finding God

AT WORLD YOUTH DAY

World Youth Day was an experience I’ll never forget. After

deciding as a youth group that we wanted to be part of

it, we faced the large task of raising thousands of pounds

to fund it. We achieved this through the generosity of

our parish, as we hosted several quiz nights in the parish

hall and even had a sleep out in our church’s bell tower.

Coupled with this, we had the opportunity to go on a retreat

at Alton Castle and had several meetings to prepare, but

it wasn’t until the final meeting that it hit me: my friends

and I, our youth leader, and parish priest were days away

from flying out to Portugal from Heathrow to join millions

of Catholics from around the world.

The first week was spent with incredibly welcoming host

families, who spoiled us with the best of Portuguese food

each day. We got to know the parishioners in their small

town of Espinho by going to Mass regularly, singing with

them in Portuguese, Latin, and English, and a warm cultural

night before we left filled with dancing, food, music, and

laughter.

The second week was incredibly busy. My favourite part

was seizing each opportunity, whether in queues, toilets,

trains, streets, stores, or churches, to speak to so many

wonderful Catholics about their own lives hundreds of

miles away and how faith, hope and curiosity brought us all

to Lisbon, the centre of the World Youth Day celebrations. I

traded bracelets as my exchange gift, and received dozens

of amazing gifts, including a koala keyring from Australia,

an American flag, a Korean hanbok keyring, a Mexican

prayer card, and a Spanish rosary. The joy and excitement

were palpable - the chances of seeing someone not in

conversation with someone from a different country or

group were very slim, in every hour of each day. Though

when the Pope arrived in the huge field we stayed in

overnight, everyone was entranced by him, as he spoke

about how precious each one of us were, and the need to

go out ‘with haste’ as Mary did, to be missionaries in our

own lives, sharing the joy of the Gospel and following the

Lord’s will each day.

Overall, the greatest impact World Youth Day had on my

faith came through a renewed desire to share the love of

Christ in my own actions, trying my best to do so joyfully

and courageously with a new zeal. Knowing that I have

brothers and sisters around the world who will be doing

the same in their own countries, who God is also on a

unique journey with, gives me courage. I want, even more

now, to be open to anything God calls me to, especially the

things I wouldn’t even consider without Him.

In the Pope’s own words in Lisbon: “Dear friends, there is

a happiness that Jesus has prepared for you, for each of

you: It does not come from accumulating things but from

putting your life on the line. The Lord says also to each of

you: ‘Go, for there is a world that needs what you, and

you alone, can give it. We have been called because we

are loved.”

Amen!

Gaudia Aghanenu has just completed her A Levels and

plans to study Medicine abroad in Bulgaria. She’s a

member of the music ministry team at her local church- St

Peter’s, Bartley Green- where she plays the piano alongside

a wonderful choir. She also enjoys reading, painting, craft,

baking, and sports in her spare time.


MOVEMENT Issue 170

39

Finding God

AT GREENBELT

After reflecting upon another Greenbelt, my seventh time

at the festival (third as a volunteer), I find it wonderful that

they have not blended into one just yet. Each year remains

distinct in my memories and. as I have grown, it feels like

Greenbelt has grown with me.

For the past couple of years, and hopefully in the upcoming

years too, I have volunteered with the Artist Liaison team in

the Green Room. It’s a wonderfully weird group of people.

I’m not saying the people are weird – although of course

we are, in our own ways – but rather that the backgrounds

we bring to Greenbelt are distinct and diverse. It’s not the

same team every year, but the supportive spirit remains.

Greenbelt itself is one big “highlight” of the year for me. So,

I have found it difficult to pick out from the programmed

line-up the items that were my favourites, as everything I

went to taught me something new. Alas, if I am to choose,

I must mention Confounding the Mighty: Dreams of a

Different Church, a panel of people with lived experiences

of poverty, hosted by Luke Larner, discussing frankly their

experiences of church and dreams for something different.

I appreciated the openness of it all, and it was hosted in

such a warm and authentic way. On the more musical side,

I was disappointed to have missed being present at Flamy

Grant’s Glade performance (although I could hear it from

backstage – where I was on an Artist Liaison runner job!).

I was delighted to have made it to Flamy’s Apocalypse

Wow!, in which I was brought to tears multiple times,

and I also laughed so hard at a Nicki Minaj parody about

conversion therapy (you’ll have to trust me on this one, it’s

impossible to describe).

Thanks to the SCM and the Hope and Anchor, I was

privileged to contribute to the lineup of Young Voices. I

was honoured to participate and found such a range of

talks revitalising. Not only were the talks from my peers

themselves brilliant, but the atmosphere in the Hope and

Anchor was wonderfully supportive. Whilst the venue,

which had suffered from the winds the previous day, was

now warm and dry against the downpour happening in the

fields, the people that made up the tent were the thing that

really made the session for me.

These past couple of years, I’ve taken so many opportunities

that have come my way, and it has led to some incredible

experiences. It’s been the people that I’ve met that have

been the best part of it. Thanks to Greenbelt and the Iona

Community, in May 2023 I stayed in the Macleod Centre on

Iona with a group of people I had never met before. What

came about was a week that I didn’t know I needed. From

the beautiful landscapes, with views of the same endless

seas that Saint Columba once gazed at, to conversations

that occurred on the ferries and buses that connect the

island to civilization, I was so glad to have experienced

time that was so different from my day-to-day.

In these places, through which Greenbelt has been the

thread, I’ve found joy, and I’ve found love. Love for one

another, for achieving common goals, learning love for

ourselves, and growing in love for God.

As Flamy Grant’s lyrics show, there is always love to be

found:

‘You were afraid that there was not enough

But you can’t run out of love’ (Good Day)

Niamh Hardman is a student of Religions, Theology &

Ethics at the University of Manchester, Coordinator of the

Greater Manchester Student Christian Movement, and

part of In-Solidarity Hulme.


41

REVIEWS

TRANS

FORMATIONS

An excellent new release for those who

want more than trans apologetics in

transgender theology. Clare-Young’s

subtitle is grounding theology in trans

and non-binary lives, and that’s exactly

what they do. Skilfully interweaving

the theologies of ten people under

the trans and non-binary umbrella,

Clare-Young explores everything from

the lenses through which we view the

trans experience, to the myriad ways

of seeing and understanding God.

The use of interviews to gather the

different theological perspectives means

that the voice of each participant is

clear throughout, and I particularly

appreciated the snippets of interview

transcripts that form interludes

between the chapters, because they

provide the context and the thought

process behind the ideas being discussed.

I found this work to be particularly

Trans Formations:

Grounding Theology in Trans

and Non-Binary Lives

Alex Clare-Young

Paperback

ISBN: 033406600X

helpful for facilitating group

discussions, as I took some of the

concepts explored to one of our SCM

Trans* Theology Group sessions, and

we were able to think about them in

more depth without requiring the

whole group to have read the book.

Therefore, I would recommend it

to those looking for inspiration for

discussion topics in local SCM groups.

The book also contains an appendix

with a communion liturgy inspired by

the Open Table Network, which may be

interesting and useful for those looking

to expand their liturgical horizons and

understanding.

SORREL EYRES

1946: THE

MISTRANSLATION

THAT SHIFTED

CULTURE

The documentary focuses on the

1946 decision to include the word

‘homosexual’ in a translation of 1

Corinthians 6:9; the first time the word

appeared in the English Bible. The film

follows the lives of two researchers who

investigated their decision.

The emotional heart of the

documentary is the relationship

between the director, Sharon Roggio

and her father, who has never accepted

his daughter’s sexuality. We have

several interviews with her father, and

Roggio is incredibly brave in openly

talking about the struggles in their

relationship. Roggio shows compassion

towards her father, whilst committedly

sharing stories of how the translation

has impacted the lives of LGBTQ+

people today.

I particularly liked the interviews with

a diverse group of academics. These

academics engage with the initial

(and flawed) translation decision

in 1946, plus other passages used

against the LGBTQ+ community.

It is theologically rigorous, and offers

a profound contrast between these

modern academics, and the 1946

translation committee of ( you’ve

guessed it) white men.

However, there is a lot of LGBTQ+

pain. The film often focuses on the

damage Christian homophobia has

done. I would have loved interviews

with Christians in committed, loving,

and happy same-sex relationships.

In many ways the film is targeted at

conservative Christians. I felt the film

was by LGBTQ+ people, rather than

for LGBTQ+ people. Though I remain

unsure on whose terms the story was

told (I’m a straight man after all), I

want to take nothing away from those

LGBTQ+ people who boldly shared

their lives and experiences on camera.

How to end a documentary is always

a challenge. Here, we are left with a

beautiful montage of diverse LGBTQ+

Christians proudly saying that they are

Christian and LGBTQ+. In its final

shots, the film points towards a hopeful

future where the mistranslation can

finally be corrected.

JOHN WALLACE-HOWELL

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted

Culture

Documentary

Director: Sharon Roggio

2022

QUEER

THEOLOGY:

THE BASICS

This book provides a concise but

engaging overview of the vast field

of Queer Theology. Greenough

provides an accessible, yet informative,

exploration of the key themes of

gender, sexuality, and queer studies

within Christianity, making his book

a brilliant introduction for anyone

who wishes to further develop their

understanding of Queer Theology.

Greenough divides his book into five

distinct sections to ensure a broad

range of literature and interests

can be covered, providing a mixture

of traditional theology and lived

experiences across a variety of different

contexts globally. A personal highlight

is the way in which he covers the

intersection of Liberation theology,

Feminist theology, Womanist theology

and the emergence of Queer theology

in his first section, providing insight

into the establishment of Queer

theology. I further find the fifth section,

focusing on queer lives and theology, to

provide new and thought-provoking

perspectives on areas of Queer theology

that are sometimes forgotten and left

out of mainstream discussions. I find

his section focusing on ‘Queer Nuns:

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ to be

particularly thought-provoking around

gender, the body, and authentic selfexpression.

Queer Theology: The Basics

Chris Greenough

Paperback

ISBN: 9781138604711

I highly recommend ‘Queer Theologies:

The Basics’ to anyone who is looking

to learn more about where Queer

theology came from, and how it is

existing within and interacting with

contemporary faith. With an extensive

reading list provided for those seeking

further or deeper understanding,

Greenough’s book provides an excellent

starting point to understanding how

intersectional Queer theology is within

Christianity.

SOPH DAY


MOVEMENT Issue 170

43

Grays Court, 3 Nursery Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3JX

t: 0121 426 4918 e: scm@movement.org.uk w: www.movement.org.uk

Movement Issue 170

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