The Courage to Be Queer. Jeff Hood
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queer and courageous. Hood expands on our understanding of queer identity to see it as a category of liberation open to anyone who is willing to let go of their fears and connect with what is most sacred and most true in their being. When we do that, he suggests, we are in a position to change the world. Hood intriguingly turns the table on our typical reactions to what is marginalized in our culture as that which should be discounted, pitied, or shunned. For Hood it is in these places of difference where we can find an authentic spirituality that speak to our core being. From such places, a revitalized Christian theology is possible that can embrace what is best, most wild, and most queer in us.”
—Dr. Sharon Groves, faith organizer and social justice worker
“The Courage to Be Queer is a challenging read—not for the weak of mind or spirit. For Hood this is a theological, heartfelt exercise of courage genuinely rooted in his love of all humanity. This love envelopes his more normative conservative friends on one end all the way to his associates uninvited to sit in traditional pews. I invite you to get lost in Hood’s use of the word ‘Queer’ and explore this path of salvation.”
—Rev. Duncan E. Teague, Unitarian Universalist minister and faith outreach consultant, Georgia Equality
“Dr. Hood’s explorations of the Queer are relevant, raw, and liberating. His writing led me to question my own limited constructs in ways that stretched and then freed me. His book is an experience of self-discovery and a courageous revelation of love.”
—Dr. Celeste Holbrook, sexual health educator and consultant
“One of the great challenges of youth ministry is helping young people embrace the unique person God is calling them to be. Dr. Hood’s The Courage to Be Queer offers a clear path for radical dialogue that will lead to radical spaces of openness, inclusion, and empowerment. If you want to learn how to change the world, read this book!”
—Jason Redick, youth minister, Holy Covenant United Methodist Church
“Jeff Hood’s book is a thoughtful and personal theological manifesto in the best Baptist traditions of soul freedom and liberation. I’m excited to be a part of some of the conversations this book starts!”
—Rev. David Weasley, board chair, Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
“Radical, readable, and intellectually rigorous, The Courage to be Queer by Jeff Hood reveals a theology of God the Queer that speaks to everyone through their individual context or queerness. The author does an extraordinary job of making advanced theological concepts accessible and inviting—all with sound biblical references. Hood shakes the demons out of the Bible and leaves only love.”
—Rev. Kittredge Cherry, author and founder of Jesusinlove.org
“Jeff Hood reminds us that theology is based in story. The Courage to Be Queer is filled with stories of life-giving liberation. Hood brings the resurrection close and knocks the cobwebs out of obsolete theologies traditionally used to demean and diminish to better remind us of our own uniqueness or queerness. This book has rebooted my allegiance to the inclusive, compassionate, radically creative, and loving God who truly is the queerest of the queer.”
—Rev. Mike Wright-Chapman, associate pastor, Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ
“Reverend Hood displays a strong courage to take on tough tasks. It doesn’t get any tougher than exploring the queerness of the church and people of faith. By taking a term of derision, ‘queer,’ and using it analyze our place in the universe, Hood pushes us to think theologically and have our lives transformed by the results. I dare you to read this book.”
—Rev. David W. Key Sr., director of Baptist Studies, Candler School of Theology at Emory University
“Jeff writes with a prophetic edge, refreshing vulnerability, and deep theological reflection. His exploration of queer theology is rooted in his commitment to all of God’s children. This book offers an engaging approach to anyone who wishes to learn and understand more about the queer within and around us.”
—Rev. Leah Grundset Davis, communications specialist, Alliance of Baptists
“The Courage to Be Queer is a theological exploration that is both universal and particular. Through personal story and cogent exegesis, Jeff Hood moves ‘queer’ from a derogatory slur to an identity that goes beyond sexuality to any expression of otherness separating us from the love of God.”
—Chett Pritchett, executive director, Methodist Federation for Social Action
“There are few voices in the Christian world like that of the Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood. He has the heart of a pastor, the voice of a prophet, the mind of a scholar, and the temperament of a servant leader. These qualities, along with his keen spiritual insight, are on full display within this text. His writing has the unique ability to see the Divine in new and fresh ways while challenging his reader with both love and boldness. I encourage every reader to approach this work with a hunger and thirst for transformation. For if you remain open to the moving of God’s spirit, the transformation of heart and mind will indeed be yours. So, be ready for a journey . . . the journey of the remarkable . . . the journey of the queer. For it’s within the queer that presence of God can be found!”
—Rev. Ray Jordan, Central Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
“The Courage to Be Queer is a call to move into the transformation and liberation of God. The queer narrative Jeff shares pushes us to stretch, heal, and cultivate our theology and our hearts.”
—Kathy McDougall, pastor and community curator at Zeteo Houston
“I couldn’t put Dr. Hood’s The Courage to Be Queer down! Declaring a vision for radical inclusivity, Dr. Hood beautifully pushes through normative closets and breathes sincerity, passion, and generosity anew into faith. His personal narrative, interwoven with biblical hermeneutic and liberation theology, invites the reader into God’s world, where no one is left out at the table of love. While there will be some who say this book is too radical, I left the book encouraged boldly encouraged to stand for truth, justice, and love.”
—Rev. Kyle Lee Tubbs, pastor and planter, Grace Baptist Church in Round Rock, Texas
“Life takes courage . . . courage to know your story, courage to share your story, and courage to hear the stories of others. But the deepest courage comes when we try to connect our story with the stories of others. As Jeff so poignantly shares in The Courage to Be Queer, we all exist and seek meaning from within our own person. When we learn to exist and seek meaning through our human uniqueness or queerness, we learn to push back against the normative forces that hold us back. This is a text that helps us learn to dance.”
—Rev. Dr. John Casimir O’Keefe, author and lead pastor, Cross Bridge Christian Church, Disciples of Christ
“How refreshing! God is not trapped in worn-out rhetoric, nor in crumbling edifices. The Holy Spirit is not tongue-tied to speak only old conclusions. Yes, yes, this book is Queer, and I love its Gospel Truth.”
—Dr. Louie Crew, professor emeritus at Rutgers University and founder of Integrity: A Ministry of LGBTQ Episcopalians
“The Courage to Be Queer is a powerful book that invites readers to consider theology, the world, and themselves beyond the confines of tradition. In doing so, our understanding of self is allowed to develop as a reflection of a diverse and loving God. We all can find courage through Jeff’s words.”
—Rev. Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard, Baptist minister and plaintiff in Bourke v. Beshear, the 2015 United States Supreme Court same-sex marriage case
“In The Courage to Be Queer, Jeff takes the little mental closet that we have tried to contain God within and smashes it wide open. Armed with his own spiritual journey and a queer hermeneutic, Jeff boldly proclaims good news to the poor, binds up the brokenhearted, releases captives and prisoners, and announces the year of the Lord’s favor. Jeff believes in a God who is wilder, freer, and more loving than many of us have dared to imagine. This book made me blush, made me question why I was blushing, and freed