Marvin K. White, San Francisco GLIDE Church's Minister of Celebration, will serve as one of the respondents for Souls A’Fire from Saturday to Sunday, April 22 to 23.
Souls A’Fire
According to Religion News, Souls A'Fire is an initiative by the African American Round Table of the Center for LGBTQ and Gender in Religion (CLGS).
It aims to promote the development of Black queer theology among young people. This is while fostering an inclusive environment for communal rituals, praise, and worship.
Roland Stringfellow, who manages the Pacific School of Religion and coordinates CLGS's African American Roundtable, defines the term "Black queer theology" as the process of connecting with God and loving oneself fully in all intersections.
In the past, Souls A'Fire has given emerging scholars, known as fellows, a chance to showcase their current work and discuss the intersections between African American culture, LGBTQ+ identity, and the church by engaging with experienced theologians, known as respondents.
To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Souls A'Fire invited back two former fellows, Rev. Kyndra Frazier, and Rev. Terence Mayo.
It is to examine how their ideas have evolved over time and whether they have endured.
Frazier will revisit her presentation from Souls A'Fire 4, titled "Encountering Psychosis: Mental Health, Religiosity, and Queer Identity."
Meanwhile, Mayo will revisit his presentation from Souls A'Fire 7, titled "Liberating our Black Queer Divinity and Minds."
White and Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey will serve as respondents during the event.
The weekend will conclude with worship at GLIDE Memorial Church, led by Stringfellow, who is also the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church Detroit.
According to Stringfellow, the inclusion of the African American Roundtable within CLGS, established in 2000, was a bold move that recognized the need for diverse voices and perspectives in this important work, beyond just those of White queer individuals.
He stated that this rich history of engagement has allowed for the gathering of an influential group of Black queer theologians for these innovative events.
John E. Boswell Lecture
In addition to Souls A'Fire, CLGS will also be holding the 16th John E. Boswell Lecture on April 20, which will feature Lightsey as the keynote speaker.
According to CLGS, recently, issues related to marriage equality and abortion rights have become divisive topics in major political campaigns.
As a result, this poses a threat to the well-being and survival of Black families.
In light of the issue at hand, Lightsey's upcoming lecture, titled "The Big Lie and Its Old Hatred," will examine the ways in which Black queer bodies are exploited for political gain by candidates, church leaders, and elites.
In her lecture, she will highlight the damaging impact of propaganda on the progress made by the civil and LGBTQ+ rights movements.
Lightsey’s lecture will primarily focus on the experiences of Black queer women.
However, she will also emphasize that this "old hatred" should be seen as a threat to all of humanity by those who value freedom and liberation.
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