Luke 2, at its core, is a narrative about God’s breaking into the human story, prioritizing the least, last, and most marginalized, and revealing God’s self to be on the side of the oppressed and in opposition to the sin of systems that elevate some and diminish others.
As we queer this pericope, we experience the birth of Jesus, who was born and laid in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn. How often do our queer siblings feel that there is no room for them in the spaces that they should expect to inhabit? One example would be queer youth who are disproportionately thrown out of their homes by homophobic parents rendering them houseless, emotionally devastated, vulnerable to violence and exploitation, and susceptible to suicidal ideologies, addiction, and criminalization to survive.
In response, Luke 2 affirms that children – all children – are a gift from God. Jesus’ birth was heralded by those who knew what it was to be ostracized and marginalized – a young teenage mom, shepherds on the outskirts of town and society, and the elder prophets, Simeon and Anna. May the Christian Church hear the call to affirm the belovedness of queer folks, formed in the image and likeness of God. May we remember that God said of humanity, “They are very good!,” and this surely includes those in the LGBTQIA+ communities.
When the angels said, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people,” they were speaking of Jesus. But, this same message can be spoken over every new life. “Do not be afraid. This child is a gift from God. They are destined for great things; welcome them!” I once heard it said, “You will never look into the eyes of anyone who is not a living icon of the Divine.” This is true of us all – including our queer siblings. When we gaze into the faces of queer children, youth, adults, and elders, we learn something about our Heavenly Parent. We learn about the queerness of our God who is not bound by harmful binaries and who is not beholden to social constructs. The same God who stretched the neck of the giraffe and the nose of the elephant, flung the stars into the sky, and stamped out the valleys and pulled up the mountains, birthed us queer folks – wonderfully made in the likeness of The Divine.
This is why we are invited to follow the example of Mama Mary who “treasured all these things in her heart.” When she heard God’s affirmation over her child, she pondered a universal truth, our existence is not an accident. God chose to enter into human history, in the flesh of a babe born to a teenage mother, with no power or prestige to speak of, under Roman occupation, and of an oppressed people struggling under the yoke of political, economic, and spiritual exploitation and violence.
While Jesus was born oppressed and marginalized, just like those of us in the queer community, that was never the totality of his story, was it? While he was fully man, he was also fully God. While some may not have been able to recognize his divinity, others did. While some did not see his status as the son of God, it was still true. While some sought to shun him because of his very embodiment as a young Jewish boy, he was born to bend the trajectory of human history.
This is true of queer siblings, as well. Our story does not end with hatred, violence, and homophobia. This is not the totality of our stories. We are, without a doubt, beloved children of The Most High God. We are each gifted in our own ways, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to help bend the trajectory of human history toward greater justice and peace. Some of us do this simply by existing, which is radical resistance. Others of us do it through political activism like Harvey Milk who taught us to, “Come out!” or Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, queer and gender non-conforming activists who established a New York City street ministry for queer youth in the wake of the Stonewall Uprising.
Still others write poetry or books, perform music, dance, or theater, teach classes or produce digital media, or even construct queer theology like Queering the Bible. No matter how visible or invisible our contributions, we are each formed to make a positive difference in the world. So, we do not believe the lies of homophobic and hateful people who deny the sanctity of our creation. We – and our allies – celebrate the queerness of God and Their children, knowing that God has declared us, “very good!”
On the eighth day, Jesus was taken to the temple to be named. A name is a very holy and sacred thing. It speaks to our identity, our destiny, and our purpose. The name Jesus means, “The Lord Saves!” For many of our trans siblings, they have seized the opportunity to choose their own names. In naming themselves, they are telling the world who they are and who they want to be. As Christians, we have the blessed opportunity to participate in this “naming” through rituals like Affirmations of Baptism, where our trans siblings are affirmed, received into community, and blessed with joy and thanksgiving! Together we shout, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!”
As queer children of God, we are favored by God, too! We are not an accident. We are not sin personified. We are not the result of poor parenting or the failure of the church to instill proper values within us. No!
We are beloved, children of God, created in the image and likeness of God and we have been declared “very good” – by God Themself. This is why when people assume we are lost, we can boldly ask, “Why do you think that I am lost? Why are you searching for me? Do you not know that I am in my Holy Parent’s house and dwelling inside of God’s favor?”
I remember when I was first coming out as a queer woman, I was desperately afraid that I was sinning against God and that I was the “abomination” that my spiritual community told me I was. I went to the home of two elderly queer lesbians, who had been together for decades, and poured out my heart amidst many tears. When I finished my meltdown, one of them looked at me with such love in her eyes and said the words that changed my life, “Don’t you know that the only real abomination is to deny God’s creation in you?”
On that day, I was set on the path of freedom. I no longer feared that my existence was a mistake, or that God despised my person, or that I was a sinner born that way with no hope of redemption, or that my life was devoid of any meaning, purpose, or holiness. Instead, I knew that I was queerly formed by the God who unconditionally loved me and would never let me go. I was crafted with a unique perspective and calling that the world needed to experience through the lens of my queerness and that one day being a wife to a woman, a pastor in the Lutheran Church (ELCA), and a bisexual social activist and public theologian were consistent with God’s plan and will for my life.
This is true of all of God’s LGBTQIA+ beloveds. It is God’s will that we believe heaven rejoices at our birth and that we continually ponder God’s rainbow promises in our hearts. God invites us to know that we are named “Beloved,” and that we are born to bring greater love, justice, and peace into the world through whatever mediums are most authentic to ourselves. Finally, may we grow in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor, all the days of our lives, trusting that we are beloved of God, created in the image and likeness of the Divine, and called “very, very good!”
Rev. Dr. Yolanda Denson-Byers is a public theologian, social activist, writer, and senior pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America whose work explores the intersections of faith, justice, race, gender, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion within church and society. Known for preaching that is intellectually grounded, deeply pastoral, and rooted in justice and liberation, she has spent nearly three decades serving both the church and wider community through parish, hospice, hospital, and prison ministries.
She is the author of See Me, Believe Me: A Guide to Deepen Allyship with Congregational Leaders of Color, reflecting her longstanding commitment to racial justice, authentic belonging, and courageous leadership within faith communities. Her ministry and public witness are shaped by a deep commitment to helping the church become a more expansive and healing place for all of God’s beloveds.
Originally from St. Louis, Rev. Dr. Denson-Byers earned degrees from Wesleyan University (B.A.), Harvard University (M.Div.), and Luther Seminary (D.Min.). Outside ministry, she enjoys spending time with her wife and children, especially on beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.
Unbound Social