Christianity Resources
Listed below is a compilation of resources arranged by media regarding faith affirming resources for LGBTQ Christian Asian Americans, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders:
ARTICLES
Abes, E.S and Kasch, D. (2007). Using Queer Theory to Explore Lesbian College Students’ Multiple Dimensions of Identity. Journal of College Student Development 48(6), 619-636. (Catholic) https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d048/3662f448dbc415286a1f216650d0c902982d.pdf
Bhattar, R. and Victoria, N. (2007). Rainbow Rice: A Dialogue between two Asian American Gay Men in Higher Education and Student Affairs. The Vermont Connection. Vol. 28.
Burlington, VT. (Catholic) http://www.uvm.edu/~vtconn/v28/Bhattar_Victoria.pdf
Cheng, P.S. (2018, May 5). Queer Asian Discipleship.
https://www.inheritancemag.com/stories/queer-asian-discipleship
DiCamillo, N. (2018, Feb 15). Queer, Asian, and an Evangelical’s Daughter https://www.gaycitynews.nyc/stories/2018/4/w29554-queer-asian-evangelical-pastors-daughter-2 018-02-15.html
Kuruvilla, C. (2018, Jun 26). As A Queer Indian-American Christian, This Priest Had To Create Her Own Path.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-its-like-to-be-a-queer-indian-american-priest_n_5b21783d e4b0bbb7a0e449e7
Louie, B. (n.d.) Resurrection and the Deconstruction of my Faith.
http://thesaltcollective.org/resurrection-deconstruction-faith/
Queer Asian American Christianity: Refusal, Resistance, and Resurrection
Additional writing and media pieces: https://biancaml.com/writing/
Ngu, S. (2018, May 5). Redefining Family.
https://www.inheritancemag.com/stories/redefining-family
Uyeda Fong, K. (n.d.) An Unexpected Advocate: One Pastor’s Calling to Love Openly Gay Christians.
https://www.inheritancemag.com/series/an-unexpected-advocate
- Please contact SuJanne Tam (sjtam@live.com) if you are interested in a Chinese translated version of the articles.
Coming Home: To Faith, To Spirit, To Self https://www.hrc.org/resources/coming-home-to-faith-to-spirit-to-self
Network on Religion and Justice | Articles and Sermons
http://www.netrj.org/resources_sermons.html
Reformation Project
- Making the Connection: LGBTQ Inclusion and Racial Justice
- The Bible and Same-sex Relationships (Chinese and English)
- The Bible and Transgender Inclusion (Chinese and English)
- The Inclusion Continuum (Chinese)
San Gabriel Valley API PFlag’s Faith Resources | “What does the Bible Say?”
https://www.sangabrielvalleyapipflag.com/on-faith.html
BOOKS
Deborah Jian Lee
Rescuing Jesus: How People of Color, Women, and Queer Christians are Reclaiming Evangelicalism. Boston: Beacon Press, 2015.
https://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Jesus-Christians-Reclaiming-Evangelicalism/dp/080707507 8
Jeff Chu
Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America. New York: HarperCollins, 2014.
https://www.amazon.com/Does-Jesus-Really-Love-Christians/dp/0062049747
Joshua Moon Johnson
Beyond Surviving: From Religious Oppression to Queer Activism. Palm Desert: Purple Books, 2012.
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Surviving-Religious-Oppression-Activism/dp/0985766131
Lei Ming with Lura Frazey
Life Beyond My Body: A Transgender Journey to Manhood in China. Oakland: Transgress Press, 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Beyond-My-Body-Transgender/dp/0986084484
Mihee Kim-Kort
Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2018.
https://www.amazon.com/Outside-Lines-Embracing-Queerness-Transform/dp/1506408966/
Ngeo Boon Lin
Gay is Ok! A Christian Perspective. Petaling Jaya: Gerakbudaya Enterprise, 2013. https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Christian-Perspecitve-Ngeo-Boon/dp/9832344190
Rev. Dr. Patrick S. Cheng
From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ. New York: Seabury Books, 2012. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596272384
Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology. New York: Seabury Books, 2011. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596271329
Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit. New York: Seabury Books, 2013. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596272414
BLOGS
That Gayasian Rev
https://twitter.com/thatgaysianrev?lang=en
Lei Ming
https://www.facebook.com/lifebeyondmybody/
Born in a rural Chinese village and identified as a girl at birth, Lei Ming, is barely cared for during his childhood. Often lonely, terrified and abused, he learns early to fend for himself and look within for answers, but there he discovers a paradox that threatens to undo him. Although he does not yet know the word “transsexual,” at 16, Ming sets out on a secret mission to find relief. Life Beyond My Body tells the true story of his quest to find answers in a society that is closed-mouthed about men like Ming.
Along the way, Ming finds solace and judgement in the Christian church, loves and loses a woman, begins his physical transition using black market testosterone, is jailed over his identity, and arranges for top surgery without blowing his cover. But ultimately, understanding the true meaning of being a man will require reckoning with God.
Sarah Ngu
Sarah Ngu is a freelance writer in Brooklyn, NY. She is a host for a podcast, Religious Socialism; co-founder of Church Clarity, a database that scores church websites on clarity of policies; and a deacon at Forefront Brooklyn Church, a progressive evangelical church, where she co-organizes Queer Communion.
Zora and Ada
The unfurling story of two women who love Jesus, justice, and each other. Zora is a Caucasian American woman and Ada is an Asian American woman who discuss how God brought the two of them together and continues to foster their relationship.
ORGANIZATIONS
Asian and Pacific Islander Roundtable
https://clgs.org/our-work/roundtable-projects/asian-and-pacific-islander-roundtable/
The Asian and Pacific Islander Roundtable envisions the emergence of coalitions and networks of API LGBTQ and API allies across the country that affirms the dignity and spiritual wholeness of API-LGBTQ people of faith.
Epic Church (Baptist)
We are a multicultural Asian American church seeking to be a reconciled alternative to the society in which we live: a visible and tangible sign of the kingdom of God. We are not an evangelical church, we are an American Baptist Church with Anabaptist convictions. In part, this means we are an inclusive church embracing of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. In Jesus, we believe spirituality is ultimately human, relational, and holistic. Our values of community, justice, and healing are varied expressions of this same divine love.
Evergreen Baptists Church of Los Angeles/Rosemead Branch (Baptist)
Offers a queer-friendly ministry called The Open Door (LGBTQ+ Christians). The fellowship is offered twice a month for those who identify as LGBTIA, Queer, Questioning and their families. All are welcome: closeted/out, Side A/Side B.
Contact Marian Sunabe: jandmsunabe@sbcglobal.net.
HA:N UMC (New York City)
We are an emerging community helping to make God’s dream of a just and peaceful society for all people a reality. In order to discern God’s dream for us we:
- Commit ourselves to critical historical study of the bible and its healing and liberating message.
- Promote equality of all people, inclusive of race, gender identities, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, nationality or socio-economic status.
- Seek to be transformed to be socially engaged.
Network on Religion and Justice
The Network on Religion and Justice for Asian and Pacific Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer People (NRJ) is a culturally respectful, LGBTQ-affirming, spiritually grounded, justice seeking network of API-LGBTQ organizations and individuals, their faith communities, family and friends working to nurture and support efforts toward a fully LGBTQ-inclusive Asian Pacific Islander faith community.
Progressive Asian American Christians
Progressive Asian American Christians, or PAAC for short, is a community for socially, politically, and theologically progressive Asian American and Asian diaspora Christians (of East, Southeast, South, and West Asian descent, as well as Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, and mixed-race individuals) to support each other and discuss faith, identity, and current events. It is an LGBT-affirming, feminist, justice-oriented, anti-racist, pro-immigrant space that holds a wide range of theologies.
San Gabriel Valley API PFlag
https://www.sangabrielvalleyapipflag.com/
The SGV API PFLAG is a support group for Asian-Pacific Islander (API) gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders (LGBT), as well as for their parents, families, and friends. The group began meeting in April 2012 as a satellite program of PFLAG- Pasadena. In May 2013, we became our own chartered chapter; the first independent API PFLAG chapter in the nation.
PODCASTS
Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast
Episodes with Guests that speak about LGBTQ+ issues:
- Allie and Joyce Taur: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=drs-allie-joyce-taur
- Anthony Ocampo: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=anthony-ocampo
- Bianca Louie: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=bianca-louie
- Danny Cortez: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=danny-cortez
- Deborah Jian Lee: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=deborah-jian-lee
- Drew Cortez: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=drew-cortez
- Hank Chen: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=hank-chen
- Jon Kaji: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=jon-kaji
- Kai Tse: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=kai-tse
- Ling Lam: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=ling-lam
- Marsha Aizumi: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=marsha-aizumi
- Mia Yamamoto: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=mia-yamamoto
- Mihee Kim-Kort: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=mihee-kim-kort
- Misty Irons: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=misty-irons
- PJ Raval: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=pj-raval
- Tim Ouyang: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=tim-ouyang-2
- Wai & Sung Tse: http://asianamericapodcast.com/?podcasts=wai-sung-tse
VIDEOS
Aizumi. A & Aizumi M. (2018). 27th Interfaith Intercultural Breakfast Keynote Speakers Marsha and Aiden Aizumi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGI5GHLPAiw
Bishop Grant Hagiya (2019). GC2019: March 3, 2019 Special Worship Service. (Methodist).
Welcome to this live stream of a special worship service of the California-Pacific Annual Conference as we gather to remember God is faithful and to reaffirm our covenant with one another and the common ministry to which we are called.
Cortez, D. (2014) Why I Changed My Mind on Homosexuality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqYvkVqVLFo
Hoshino, L. (2007) In God’s House: Asian American Lesbian & Gay Families in Church.
Louie, B. (2017) Queer Asian American Christianity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prpu30GmRfU
Network on Religion and Justice | Digital Storytelling Project
http://www.netrj.org/resources_digital_story_project.html
NRJ’s Digital Storytelling Project highlights the individual narratives of LGBTQ API people of faith and allies emerging as healers, teachers, and leaders in their communities. This project is funded by GAPA Foundation and SF Foundation in San Francisco. Please use and circulate widely!
Okaeri | Stories from Our Nikkei Faith Community
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17B5GIfSkAxgLFuNF2xZPO4Hq5b9bjSpo/view
PFLAG | Changing Hearts: API Clergy Share their Journey
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SMI-swM3F3LFzYyy8Dpd0o1sOt30ImIh/view
