Listening to Lived Experience: Reviewing Queer Blood and Fire
Queer Blood and Fire’ by Dr Brad Watson tells the experiences of queer Australian Salvation Army officers (current, past and closeted), as part of the author’s PhD studies.
This book highlights the real and far-reaching hurts and harms resulting from the systemic othering and rejection of gender-diverse Christians (including those with a vocational calling to ministry) in any church, not just The Salvation Army. Yet throughout this book is such a strong anchoring of hope about what is possible with and for God within The Salvation Army. If … and this is my own prayerful response … IF we can stop turning away in fear or ignorance, and instead lean into the inherent dignity of all people (Imago Dei), the rich diversity of humanity, and the wideness of God’s love.
Brad was an officer until recently and remains a strong supporter of the Army’s mission, worshipping at The Salvation Army in Melbourne. Missionally, he is on ‘our side’ in this journey, not throwing vengeful stones from the posture of ‘banished outsider’. Brad’s personal commitment to the DNA of The Salvation Army runs like a grace-filled river through the pages of this book. A river enriched by its myriad merging tributaries. What is this river? It is life-giving river of God’s love.
‘Queer Blood and Fire’ has three sections. The first traces the history of the Army’s relationship with the LGBTQI+ community (although Brad notes there is little content related to Intersex or Trans people as his survey respondents did not self-identify this way). While focused on the Army’s origins in Britain and, from there, to Australia, it does reference other nations - including the 1980s Homosexual Law Reform in New Zealand. This section considers SA theological teaching - especially in key moments of discipleship formation (such as people’s preparation for soldiership/membership).
In the second section, Brad shifts to a deeper consideration of the harm experienced by queer LGBTQ+ officers. This foregrounds the issue of moral injury, with its resemblance to but distinction from PTSD. The impact of religious trauma is discussed - ranging from micro-aggressions, homophobia and workplace discrimination to conversion therapy.
This section galvanised my own commitment to keep wearing Rainbow shields, keep including pronouns on my email signature, keep affirming the value of signage that extends safe welcome to gender and sexually-diverse people. That’s because such actions counter the traumatising micro-aggressions that have been the lived experience of so many on the receiving end of the church’s often tone-deaf moral messaging.
The final section provides hope, witnessing to the value that comes personally and missionally when officers are able to live and minister from an authenticity that integrates faith and identity. This was both humbling and reassuring. As Brad writes, ‘LGBTQ+ officers are in a unique position to teach and lead in The Salvation Army because of their understanding of God’s expansive grace and their affinity with people on the margins. Along with LGBTQ+ siblings in other denominations they enliven this grace as examples of sacrifice, resilience and love.’
There is a lot of ‘us’ talking about ‘them’ when it comes to sexuality across The Salvation Army and in the wider Christian church. Too much. This rare book shifts the conversation so that a largely - but thankfully not exclusively - hetero congregation might listen and, most importantly, learn. Because as Proverbs 18:13 says: ‘To answer before listening - that is folly and shame.’
Review kindly provided by
Major Christina Tyson (Territorial Secretary for Community Ministries, The Salvation Army New Zealand , Fiji, Tonga and SamoaTerritory)