LOS ANGELES, CA -- April 2, 2010 -- A queer version of Christ’s Passion is running in daily installments through Easter (April 4) at the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com).
Each daily post features GLBT Christian art and an excerpt from “Jesus in Love: At the Cross,” a novel about a bisexual Christ by lesbian author Kittredge Cherry. Jesus is in love with his disciple John and faces religious homophobia in the selections from “At the Cross.”
The eight-day series covers Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection. The dramatic events of Christ’s Passion happen in the context of a gay love story between Jesus and John. Jesus has today’s queer sensibilities and psychological sophistication as he reveals experiences that may have led to the first Easter.
“I’m doing the Holy Week series to make Christ more accessible to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and our allies,” said Cherry, founder of JesusInLove.org. The website promotes artistic and religious freedom by supporting spirituality and the arts for GLBT people and their allies.
“Christ’s story is for everyone, but GLBT people often feel left out because conservatives use Christian rhetoric to justify hate and discrimination,” she said.
The online Holy Week series includes art by F. Douglas Blanchard, Becki Jayne Harrelson, William Hart McNichols, Corinne Quinones, Gary Speziale and Dirk Vanden.
Some conservatives labeled Cherry “a hyper-homosexual revisionist” because of the gay love story between Jesus and John. However, her books follow the Biblical text and standard Christian doctrine while speculating on Christ’s erotic inner life.
“I get hate mail with warnings such as, ‘Gays are not wanted in the kingdom of Christ!’ This kind of religious bigotry is exactly why the queer Christ is needed,” Cherry said.
Meanwhile, secular literary critics and progressive Christians affirm the Jesus in Love series as “profound,” “spiritually mature” and “beautifully written.” Gay spirituality author Toby Johnson praises it as “a real tour de force in transforming traditional myth to modern consciousness.”
The Bay Area Reporter called it “revolutionary religious fiction” and Mel White, founder of Soulforce, says, “Kittredge Cherry has broken through the stained-glass barrier… a classic re-telling of the greatest story ever told.”
“At the Cross” grows out of Cherry’s own spiritual journey and her experiences as a minister in the LGBT community. She was ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches and served as national ecumenical officer. One of her primary duties was promoting dialogue on homosexuality at the National Council of Churches (USA) and the World Council of Churches. Her previous books include “Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More,” “Equal Rites” and “Hide and Speak.” The New York Times Book Review praised her “very graceful, erudite” writing style.
The Holy Week blog series includes art from “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision,” a compelling set of 24 paintings by New York artist F. Douglas Blanchard. The controversial “faggot crucifixion” by Atlanta artist Becki Jayne Harrelson is also featured, along with drawings by New York artist Gary Speziale. They are among 11 contemporary artists from the United States and Europe who are profiled in Cherry’s book “Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More.”
For more info, visit the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com) or JesusInLove.org, or contact info@JesusInLove.org.
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Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, December 12, 2008
12 queer days of Xmas art online Dec. 14-25 (12/11/08)
AltXmasArt, a groundbreaking exhibit of alternative Christmas art, will be posted online in 12 daily installments Dec. 14-25 at the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com).
Nine artists combine Christmas imagery with a progressive vision of gay, lesbian, bi and trans (GLBT) rights, racial and gender justice, and a world without war, poverty or environmental destruction.
“We hope that people will visit AltXmasArt daily for progressive inspiration in the 12 days leading up to Christmas,” says lesbian art historian and minister Kittredge Cherry, curator of the show. “Many people feel left out of the traditional Christmas scenes, but AltXmasArt breaks the stereotypes and shows Christ for ALL of us -- gay and straight, male and female, black and white, rich and poor.”
The series offers a superb fusion of high-quality art, deep spirituality and socio-political commentary. Surprising variations on the traditional Nativity scene include black madonnas, lesbian madonnas, father-and-son scenes of Jesus and Joseph, and a multi-racial trio of female Magi. The AltXmasArt series starts Sunday, Dec. 14 and ends on Christmas Day.
“Christian rhetoric is used to justify hate and discrimination these days, but AltXmasArt frees people to think differently. We hope to stimulate dialogue and consciousness of love,” Cherry says. It’s important to imagine the Christmas story in new and different ways because it empowers people to grow in their relationship with each other and with God.”
The sometimes controversial art was created by a diverse group of nine artists, including openly gay or lesbian artists such as Keith Haring, Swedish photographer Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin and Becki Jayne Harrelson of Atlanta.
Artists who dare to picture Jesus’ mother as a lesbian have faced censorship and even death threats, but now their liberating images can be seen and celebrated. Explicitly queer Christian imagery in AltXmasArt includes “Annunciation” by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin, in which a gay angel gives a lesbian couple a test tube for insemination, and “Madonna, Lover and Child” by Becki Jayne Harrelson, where lesbian parents cuddle the baby Jesus.
Each image in the series will be accompanied by Cherry’s seasonal reflections on its artistic, political and spiritual significance. Cherry is the author of “Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More.” She holds degrees in journalism, art history, and religion. She served as national ecumenical officer for Metropolitan Community Churches.
Artists in AltXmasArt are: Joseph Giuliani, Keith Haring, Becki Jayne Harrelson David Hewson, Robert Lentz, Armando Lopez, Janet McKenzie, William Hart McNichols, and Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin.
The show includes artists working both inside and outside the church. Five of the artists are also featured in “Art That Dares,” which is filled with color images by 11 contemporary artists from the U.S. and Europe. The artists tell the stories behind their images, including censorship, and a lively introduction puts them into political and historical context, exploring issues of blasphemy and artistic freedom.
The Jesus in Love Blog promotes artistic and religious freedom by supporting spirituality and the arts for GLBT people and their allies.
For more info, visit the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com), JesusInLove.org, or contact info@JesusInLove.org.
The schedule for the AltXmasArt series is:
Sun, Dec 14: “Annunciation” by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin
Mon, Dec 15: “La Anunciación (The Annuciation)” by Armando Lopez
Tue, Dec 16: “Mother of God: Mother of the Streets” by Brother Robert Lentz
Wed, Dec 17: “Black Madonna - Mitochondrial Eve” by David Hewson
Thu, Dec 18: “The Holy Family” by Janet McKenzie
Fri, Dec 19: “San José (Saint Joseph)” by Armando Lopez
Sat, Dec 20: “Joseph and the Christ Child” by Father John Giuliani
Sun, Dec 21: “Mary Most Holy Mother of All Nations” by Father William Hart McNichols
Mon, Dec 22: “Pacha Mama Healing the Earth” by David Hewson
Tue, Dec 23: “Epiphany” by Janet McKenzie
Wed, Dec 24: “Radiant Baby” by Keith Haring
Thu, Dec 25: “Madonna, Lover, and Son” by Becki Jayne Harrelson
Nine artists combine Christmas imagery with a progressive vision of gay, lesbian, bi and trans (GLBT) rights, racial and gender justice, and a world without war, poverty or environmental destruction.
“We hope that people will visit AltXmasArt daily for progressive inspiration in the 12 days leading up to Christmas,” says lesbian art historian and minister Kittredge Cherry, curator of the show. “Many people feel left out of the traditional Christmas scenes, but AltXmasArt breaks the stereotypes and shows Christ for ALL of us -- gay and straight, male and female, black and white, rich and poor.”
The series offers a superb fusion of high-quality art, deep spirituality and socio-political commentary. Surprising variations on the traditional Nativity scene include black madonnas, lesbian madonnas, father-and-son scenes of Jesus and Joseph, and a multi-racial trio of female Magi. The AltXmasArt series starts Sunday, Dec. 14 and ends on Christmas Day.
“Christian rhetoric is used to justify hate and discrimination these days, but AltXmasArt frees people to think differently. We hope to stimulate dialogue and consciousness of love,” Cherry says. It’s important to imagine the Christmas story in new and different ways because it empowers people to grow in their relationship with each other and with God.”
The sometimes controversial art was created by a diverse group of nine artists, including openly gay or lesbian artists such as Keith Haring, Swedish photographer Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin and Becki Jayne Harrelson of Atlanta.
Artists who dare to picture Jesus’ mother as a lesbian have faced censorship and even death threats, but now their liberating images can be seen and celebrated. Explicitly queer Christian imagery in AltXmasArt includes “Annunciation” by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin, in which a gay angel gives a lesbian couple a test tube for insemination, and “Madonna, Lover and Child” by Becki Jayne Harrelson, where lesbian parents cuddle the baby Jesus.
Each image in the series will be accompanied by Cherry’s seasonal reflections on its artistic, political and spiritual significance. Cherry is the author of “Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More.” She holds degrees in journalism, art history, and religion. She served as national ecumenical officer for Metropolitan Community Churches.
Artists in AltXmasArt are: Joseph Giuliani, Keith Haring, Becki Jayne Harrelson David Hewson, Robert Lentz, Armando Lopez, Janet McKenzie, William Hart McNichols, and Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin.
The show includes artists working both inside and outside the church. Five of the artists are also featured in “Art That Dares,” which is filled with color images by 11 contemporary artists from the U.S. and Europe. The artists tell the stories behind their images, including censorship, and a lively introduction puts them into political and historical context, exploring issues of blasphemy and artistic freedom.
The Jesus in Love Blog promotes artistic and religious freedom by supporting spirituality and the arts for GLBT people and their allies.
For more info, visit the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com), JesusInLove.org, or contact info@JesusInLove.org.
The schedule for the AltXmasArt series is:
Sun, Dec 14: “Annunciation” by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin
Mon, Dec 15: “La Anunciación (The Annuciation)” by Armando Lopez
Tue, Dec 16: “Mother of God: Mother of the Streets” by Brother Robert Lentz
Wed, Dec 17: “Black Madonna - Mitochondrial Eve” by David Hewson
Thu, Dec 18: “The Holy Family” by Janet McKenzie
Fri, Dec 19: “San José (Saint Joseph)” by Armando Lopez
Sat, Dec 20: “Joseph and the Christ Child” by Father John Giuliani
Sun, Dec 21: “Mary Most Holy Mother of All Nations” by Father William Hart McNichols
Mon, Dec 22: “Pacha Mama Healing the Earth” by David Hewson
Tue, Dec 23: “Epiphany” by Janet McKenzie
Wed, Dec 24: “Radiant Baby” by Keith Haring
Thu, Dec 25: “Madonna, Lover, and Son” by Becki Jayne Harrelson
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