Readings for 2/12 - the Final Week of the Series, LGBT+ Adventism in the Inland Empire “ Where Do We Go From Here? Pastoral and Institutional Perspectives”
Please read Olive Hemmings’ article on Isaiah 56 (A2 below) to provide insight into this week’s class liturgy.
A. The Spring 2020 Adventist Today Magazine, pages 20-29:
1. Loren Siebold's "Glendale City Church: Intentional About Including Everyone!"
2. Olive Hemmings' "Isaiah 56:1-8: "Righteousness and Gender Conformity"
3. Ron Lawson's "In Search of an Adventist LGBT+ Relationship Ethic"
The issue is downloadable at this link: AT_Spring_2020.pdf (atoday.org) or copy and paste https://atoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AT_Spring_2020.pdf
B. Spectrum Online February 2, 2022 Ron Lawson's article just published last week in Spectrum Online: "Loma Linda University and its LGBTQ+ Members and Faculty"
https://spectrummagazine.org/news/2022/loma-linda-university-and-its-lgbtq-students-and-faculty
C. This week you may also review our Sabbath Seminars mission statement found at https://sabbathseminars.net/Our-Mission/our-mission.html
Pastor Chris Oberg has shared the following items:
Class Notes for Reading 1: The North American Division has invested heavily in the last few years in studying and responding to the crisis of its LGBT+ members, especially its families and youth. An example is the sociological study by Dr. Rene Drumm included in our resource list. NAD resources include workshops and printed material. The materials reveal an intense effort to effect healing and wholeness, while retaining a commitment to what is frequently described as the “biblical view of LGBT as taught by the Adventist church.” Given the possible conflict between the two perspectives, the approaches reflect a remarkable empathy and human understanding. Short of time, please read the introductory descriptions.
1. North American Division's most recent resource for churches, schools and families, Guiding Families https://www.adventsource.org/store/pathfinder-club/leadership/guiding-families-of-lgbt-loved-ones-39347
Press release from 2018 on this publication, https://www.nadadventist.org/news/new-resource-guiding-families-lgbt-loved-ones-adventist-edition-previewed-april-meeting-nad
2. Chris Blake's Sanctuary for Conversation, https://opendialogueresources.wordpress.com/
This resource utilized in the 2015 GC Ministerial Meetings, breakout workshops.
3. J. Philip Wogaman' Surrendering My Ordination https://www.amazon.com/Surrendering-My-Ordination-Inclusivity-Methodist/dp/0664264174 An ethics professor and UMC Clergy, his act of surrendering his credential is not a departure from his denomination, but a digging in.
The class reading assignment for February 5 is Part 1 of the book Christianity and Homosexuality, Some Adventist Perspectives. Click here for the resource sheet with the link for this book, which is only $3.98 as a Kindle book.
Part 1 consists of the stories of Adventist LGTQ+ members or family members, and provides some background for this week’s program in which two guests will tell their stories.
The following has been provided for the January 29 presentation, "The Psychology of LGBT+ Identity, and the Relation Between Religiosity and Heterosexism.” There are reading materials for you in three categories:
1. Suggested readings:
- Glossary of Terms from the Human Rights Campaign
- LGBTQ Inclusive Language Do's and Don'ts from The Safe Zone Project
- The Genderbread Person 4.0 by Sam Killerman (attached; we will be talking about this, so this is more to help people read it depending on their eyes and technology). If you want a more detailed walk-through than there will be time to provide. he has a great video on this.
2. Suggested readings for those who want something book-length or technical.
- Defining LGBTQ+: A Guide to Gender & Sexuality terminology (available for free download--a very short book)
- Whitley, B. E. (2009). Religiosity and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men: A meta-analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19, 21 38. (Not in public domain; available only through the class email assignment if you are attending. Contact the zoomhost to receive the class readings containing attachments.)
3. Suggested general resources recommended in addition to the class series handout, that are relevant to the class in general.
- UnClobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality by Colby Martin (SDA Kinship will send you a copy for free, as they think it is very helpful).
- The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists by Alicia Johnston (I've attached the file that she is letting people share for free)
- Queer Theology: Beyond Apologetics by Linn Tonstad (she's a La Sierra University alum, and takes the conversation in a whole different direction than most of the readings suggested).
Sabbath Seminars
Room 3208
Centennial Complex of Loma Linda University Sabbath Morning 10:30-12:30