My Queer Pentecostal Experience
A Journey Into Joy [Short Version] (1 June 2024)
An Anglican postulant, a disabled Mennonite, and a genderqueer Pentecostal walk into a gay bar.
Believe it or not, my title isn’t the beginning of a joke (though, don’t you want to hear the punchline?)!
My name is RW “Robbie” Walker. As a queer Pentecostal researcher, disability justice advocate, and aspiring Anglican priest, my life’s passion is to honour Jesus Christ by bringing joy and equitable good news to all people I encounter, whether or not I use words! As a queer, disabled gendernaut, my life and faith journey have been fraught but beautiful—at least in hindsight! Here, in Queer Fire, I invite you to join me in exploring the intersection of Pentecostal theology, 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences, and a vision for an anti-oppressive, celebratory church.
I live in Toronto, Canada with my partner of five years. I am a PhD candidate in Theological Studies at the Toronto School of Theology/University of Toronto. I am working on my thesis’ second draft, at the intersection of Pentecostal theology and LGBTQ+ issues. I am also the author of a book of prayers, O Beautiful Dust: Walking the Wilderness Toward Common Prayer, which reflects my sacramental and mystical approach to the Christian faith.
My thesis work focuses on how, though a majority of non-academic Pentecostal theologies harm queer people, that harm is wildly inconsistent with Pentecostalism’s best “founding” resources: trust in the wild Holy Spirit, anti-racism, anti-militaristic pacifism, and healing ministry—not to mention dancing in church! I am convinced that Pentecostal Christians (and society as a whole) need a healing, anti-oppressive, and celebratory way to encounter life-enriching queerness and sexualities. [I am grateful to James Finn for his provocation, which prompted a more precise formulation of this paragraph.]
I’m using the term queer Pentecostal sacramentalist lately when I want to position myself in academic and professional religious contexts:
- I am Queer. I’m informed by intersectional analysis, Critical Theory, Queer Theory, and queer theologies written and lived by people like Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Patricia Hill Collins, Judith Butler, Linn Tonstad, Yvette Flunder, and Pamela Livesey.
- I am Pentecostal. I actively look for and practice welcoming “the surprises of the Spirit,” as my friend James K.A. Smith writes—things like tongues, prophecy, and healing; economic, material, and spiritual liberation; signs and wonders; all told, “doing the stuff” that Jesus did. Amos Yong and John Wimber rock my world in totally different ways.
- I am Sacramental. Everything that exists is matter and spirit; these two elements should co-infuse and dance together. From the human perspective (and based on the ‘humanation’ of the Divine Word as Jesus), God-as-Spirit always works with, in, and through material things like bread and wine, oil and water, laying on hands. God working with and through and as (!) matter is the mysterion/sacramentum revealed fully and uniquely in the life of Jesus.
When I want to be slightly cheeky (which is most of the time, let’s be honest!), I describe my spirituality as “queermennoanglicostal shit-disturber” (i.e., with significant influences from the Metropolitan Community Churches, the Mennonites, the Anglican Communion, and the Pentecostals), and I am currently seeking stipendiary priestly ordination with the Anglican Church of Canada. I enjoy seeing people experience a head-exploding “WTF?” moment before they realize I’m also quite serious in my playfulness!
Likely tags and topics you will find here include: “Christianity” (especially spirituality and theology), “LGBTQ” issues and experiences, “Disability”, “Ideas”, and “Book Reviews”.
In coming days, I plan to set up another publication for my dabblings in creative writing (including poetry) and perhaps another for my love of all things Star Trek and SF/fantasy-related.
Welcome here, and I hope you find yourself at home!
My posts shall often include a “deeper dive” link for interested readers.
