Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming

by Thomas Jay Oord, Alexa Oord

This book fundamentally changes the game for the Church of the Nazarene.

A growing number of people are calling for fresh conversations about sexuality and gender. And many want fundamental change. This book gives voice to those people.

There are strong reasons the Church of the Nazarene should become fully LGBTQ+ affirming. The writers of these essays – whether queer or straight – lay out those reasons, share their experiences, and explain why change is needed.

Love rests at the heart of the denomination’s view of God. And yet its statement about human sexuality does not support the ways of love.

At least in America, the Church of the Nazarene is rapidly shrinking. Many people are leaving the denomination because of its views on LGBTQ+ matters. According to research, in fact, the holiness movement is the worst at keeping young people.

This book offers hope. Hearing the voices of queer people, allies, and scholars is a crucial step toward transformation.
For love to win in the Church of the Nazarene, change is needed.

ENDORSEMENTS

“We Nazarenes have a peculiar origin story. The pioneers of our movement didn't agree. Even where some of the most important tenets of faith are concerned, our founders couldn't and didn't agree. But they prioritized being (and staying) together, in the hopes that what united them would be stronger than what would divide them. In that same spirit of hopeful inclusiveness, these writers dream of a tent large enough to house our differences. May we learn again the power of dignity, inclusion, diversity, breadth, and love.”
- Jon Middendorf, Senior Pastor at Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene

“These essays are the start of a much needed conversation for the church and LGBTQIA+ community. At times they are not easy to read - you may agree with some things and not with others. But the generations coming behind us (some as authors in this book) need us to hear and engage with their hearts. Read them, let their emotion soak in. And then start talking about it!”
- Bruce Barnard, Elder in the Church of the Nazarene

ABOUT THE EDITORS

Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord has been an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene for more than 30 years, taught at two Nazarene institutions of higher education, and published many books through the denomination’s publishing house. A best-selling author, Oord currently directs doctoral students at Northwind Theological Seminary.

Alexa MacKenzie Oord is a graduate of Harvard University and Simmons University. Oord currently serves as an Administrative Assistant in Undergraduate Student Life at Columbia University in New York. She also works as Senior Editor at SacraSage Press.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, LGBT

583 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2023

Reviews

[Longfellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read 21 of the 91 essays in this collection and have found each of them worth my time. I’ll shelve it for now and continue using it as a reference or read through the remainder of it as my future whims dictate.

This is a reader-friendly book. Each of the essays is only 3 - 5 pages long and can be read in ten minutes or less. The arrangement of the collection is helpfully conceived as well. There are three sections: Queer Voices, Ally Narratives, and Scholarly Perspectives. These categories and the nuanced perspectives they offer are a strength of the collection.

While all the essays are uniquely personal, reading several essays from each section is representative of the whole, as the same themes or points are consistently present:

~ Lifelong or multi-generational membership and involvement in The Church of the Nazarene.

~ Testimonies of relationships with LGBTQIA people or the experience of being LGBTQIA. These relationships include friends, family members, and laypersons within the church, as well as LGBTQ+ people outside the church community.

~ Appeals to the history of The Church of the Nazarene regarding non-consensus issues and Nazarene theology, the most common reference being to the Nazarene Church’s ordination of women when few other denominations did, and over a decade before women in the US were even allowed to vote.

~ Evidence/emphasis that the Church is hurting and harming members of its own family; there is a proved link between the community’s rejection of LGBTQ+ identity and suicide/suicidal ideation for LGBTQ+ people in the church, though the harm done extends well beyond this one fact.

~ Acknowledgement that the few proof texts used to oppose LGBTQ+ affirmation contain contextual and interpretive challenges that make a definitive interpretation impossible, and there’s a general consensus in these essays that for contextual reasons these proof texts have historically been misapplied.

~ Examples and observations of healthy, loving LGBTQ+ relationships, ones that illustrate the loving work of God.

~ Reminders that love is the guiding principle of the holiness tradition (with two specific applications)
- God’s love is inclusive not exclusive
- LGBTQ+ relationships illustrate God’s love (and human weakness) in the same ways
that hetronormative relationships do.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book introduced me to Rev. Dr. Thomas Oord, a former Church of the Nazarene clergy and professor. I too am a former Nazarene who left for reasons related to the politics and lack of social justice by the Nazarene denomination. Dr Oord was stripped of his ordination credentials for his stand on the part LGBTQ+ should play in the Nazarene church, which is being open and affirming toward them.
The book consists of testimonies from various people, mostly either Nazarenes or former Nazarenes, about their experience with the Nazarene church and its rejection of LGBTQ+ Christians. There are those who explain the real meaning of the 7 "clobber verses" that those who reject gay people and exclude them from full fellowship. There are those who came out as gay and were rejected by the Nazarene church. There are those have left the church and found other faith communities. There are those who are still in church, some secretly.
This book is full of love and wisdom. I hope many more Nazarenes will heed this call to its message.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Nazarene pastor's kid, an ex-Nazarene, asexual, and an atheist.
(I left the church and the faith before discovering my queerness, but it was there all along - partially evidenced by wondering in my teen group discussions on sexuality why I wasn't at all interested in anybody "like that". It's too bad the church couldn't recognize that and minister to me so I didn't feel like a "misplaced, late bloomer" into my early twenties.)

Why did I read this book?
I'm from a multi-generational Nazarene family - on both sides. People I love are still part of the church today. I want them to be able to have the joy and love that come with being affirming to the LGBTQIA+ community as I have today. I read this to support Nazarenes who are having the hard conversations to modernize certain ways of thinking.

The essays written by queer folx are heartrending. If you have deconstructed your faith, deconverted, or left the denomination as they did, you will find echoes of that pain here. The whispers in the pews, the judgmental glances, the undesired interventions, the exclusion, the pain of begging for your life to change so you could conform. I recognized these elements from when I was growing up in the church and someone showed up who was seen as an outsider. I remember being one who judged and I remember feeling judged on my way out. It was lack of love or love with an ulterior motive.

Most of the book, however, is dedicated to essays by allies and philosophers/theologians. Another review here states that the book was too repetitive and yes, many people cite similar things but it's because there are so few actual Biblical sources on queer issues AND that each essay is an individual's voice. They didn't get together and write the book in unison. Each wrote from their own heart.

Dr. Oord is doing important work in the Church of the Nazarene. In the church family I grew up in, we sneered at the "liberal professors" poisoning "our" Nazarene institutions. Unofficial clashes between my church's district and the Nazarene school we were nearest were not unknown, including threats of withdrawing funding. When I attended that same Nazarene school later, I had professors who were Nazarene to their core, but were affirming, just not super openly because they knew they would lose their jobs. They were kind, open-hearted people. I met people who would later come out as queer. I realized that a lot of Nazarenes were scared of change and would prefer to align with nationalism and exclusivity rather than admit that they might be wrong.

I hope that as more Nazarenes are persecuted for their open hearts and spirits that more people awaken to the harm that is being done through commitment to legalism rather than commitment to love.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This huge collection of over 90 diverse essays by queer people, queer allies, and scholars in the Church of the Nazarene explains why the Church of the Nazarene should change their stance on LGBTQ inclusion. Full disclosure: I am one of the writers who had the honor of contributing to this book, but I am grateful for every brave soul who participated in this project and chose not to remain silent. This is a powerful contribution to the discussion. There is real value in what is offered in these essays. I recommend everyone (especially Nazarenes!) read it, especially those who are not yet affirming. My hope is that Nazarenes from around the world will take the time to consider what is presented and engage with the words shared in a real way, regardless of whether it ends up changing their minds. But even more than that, I hope that the book will bring hope and healing to those who have been hurt because of the ways the Church has handled this issue up until now.

[Linda Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a member of the church of the Nazarene, but read this as our nondenominational church was becoming affirming. It is a compilation of essays written by either members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, or scholarly slants. Overall it was helpful. I found the allies section to be a little tedious and repetitive.

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and wholeheartedly agree with its message. That being said, I found reading a bit tedious. Due to the nature of the collection, it becomes repetitive quickly. I think this may have been better split into 2 or 3 volumes.

[Pam Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought provoking read. Perhaps a little too long, but the short essays (mostly 3 or 4 pages) mean that you can read a little at a time without losing the train of thought.

[Bill White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly good book - well edited, insightful, and powerful. I worried I couldn't relate because I'm not Nazarene, but that was not an issue.

[ND · Rating 5 out of 5]

A model for arguing for LGBTQ affirmation from within a conservative church tradition. The shortness of the contributions can be a detriment to the more technical arguments, but that cuts both ways, as brevity makes the material more approachable for a broad readership.