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December 2012
Jesus in Love Newsletter
LGBT spirituality and the arts
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In This Issue
Divine lesbian art
Advent
Greek blasphemy
Top 20 gay Jesus books
Gay King Wenceslas
Mystical same-sex marriage
Queer Xmas gifts
Christmas offering
Christmas faves


glbt spirituality & arts
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Vision statement

Jesus in Love supports lesbian, gay, bi trans and queer  (LGBTQ) spirituality, with an emphasis on art and literature. It promotes artistic and religious freedom and teaches love for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. It is based on these beliefs: God loves all people, including sexual minorities. The creative process is sacred. The queer visions, especially the gay Jesus and LGBT saints, will free people to experience the divine in new ways and lead to a more just world.

 

Jesus in Love was founded by lesbian Christian author Kittredge Cherry as her personal gift to the world.  

 

Greetings!

Holiday greetings! As Christmas approaches, I celebrate the queer face of God born anew in art, in books and in our own lives.

Divine lesbians show we are all holy 
   

Lesbians in church and in touch with their own spiritual power are painted by Los Angeles artist Verlena Johnson.

 

"I believe part of my purpose is to remind myself and others that we are all divine," Johnson said. She is an African American (biracial) lesbian artist who paints spiritual portraits, primarily women with halos. More info 

 

(Credit: "Inside Out" by Verlena Johnson)

Advent: Queer face of God revealed  Rainbow candles with icon

 

Advent, the season leading to Christmas, celebrates the mystery of the Word made flesh -- an important concept in queer spirituality.

 

"This Advent I am reflecting on what it might mean for us as LGBTIQ people to give birth to, and to reveal to the world, the Queer Face of God in our time," author Michael Bernard Kelly told the Jesus in Love Blog.  More info

Blasphemy charges for Greek gay Jesus
Corpus Christi photo by EJ Camp

 

Blasphemy charges were filed against the actors, producer and director of a Greek production of the gay Jesus play "Corpus Christi" this month after violent protests forced cancellation of the show.

 

Greek Orthodox priests and ultra-nationalists joined in protests that forced the show to be canceled. More info

(Credit: Corpus Christi photo by EJ Camp, 108 Productions)
Top 20 gay Jesus books named

Gay Jesus booksMore books on the queer Christ continue to be published. Here's a Top 20 list with works of theology, anthropology and history as well as art, poetry, fiction, and drama.
Click here for Top 20 list
Good (Gay?) King Wenceslas

St. Wencelaus and Podiven by Lewis Williams
There's good reason to believe that Good King Wenceslas was gay.  Yes, the king in the Christmas carol.
 
The carol is based on real historical figures, a Bohemian duke and his loyal page.  Author Dennis O'Neill researched the love between the two men.  More info
 
(Credit: "St. Wenceslaus and Podiven, his Assistant" by Lewis Williams, trinitystores.com)
Mystical same-sex marriage with Jesus
Mystical Marriage of Blessed Fr. Bernardo de Hoyos by William Hart McNichols
Blessed Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos is a 18th-century Spanish priest who wrote vividly of his mystical gay marriage to Jesus.  Bernardo was 18 when he had a vision of marrying Jesus, with all the symbols of a human wedding. More info

(Credit: "The Mystical Marriage of Blessed Fr. Bernardo de Hoyos y Sena, SJ" by William McNichols)
Queer Christmas gifts and cards

 

Jonathan & David by Robert Lentz

Looking for just the right gift for that LGBTQ loved one? You don't even have to be queer to love the innovative icons on sale thru Dec. 9 at TrinityStores.com.

 

Trinity icons of same-sex couples and queer saints appear all year long as part of the LGBT Saints series at Jesus in Love. Now they're having a "Buy 2 - Get 1 free" holiday sale. More info  

 

Jonathan and David from TrinityStores.com  

 

 

 

 

Gay Nativity Xmas card
Gay/Lesbian Nativity Christmas cards 

 

What if the child of God was born to a lesbian or gay couple? Because, after all, LOVE makes a family, including the Holy Family.

 

Lesbian Nativity scene

Our popular gay and lesbian Nativity Scenes are now available as Christmas cards. Visit card shop 

 

The cards are true to the spirit of Christmas: God's child conceived in an extraordinary way. More info 

 

Christmas offering for Jesus in Love

Kittredge Cherry with Xmas message

I am collecting a Christmas offering to support my work at Jesus in Love for LGBT spirituality and the arts. I still need $961 for the annual budget.

 

 

Thank you! I am also seeking generous angels to subscribe for $25 a month

 

"It's very, very important to reach LGBTQ's with the love of God, and I don't know anyone who does that better than you."

-- comment from a reader 

Click to see past Christmas highlights from the Jesus in Love
Blog:

Queer Nativity contest winners

 

Hate crime targets gay and lesbian Nativity scene at Claremont church

 

Christina Rossetti: Queer writer of Christmas carols

 

Lesbian couple portrays Madonna (Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin)

Lesbian Madonna, lover and son affirm Christmas (Becki Jayne Harrelson)

Transwoman Jesus tells Christmas story (Jo Clifford)

Conservatives blast inclusive Christmas card (Janet McKenzie)

Inclusive Christmas tree: Anti-gay DVDs become ornaments (Lucinda Naylor)

 

Nursing Madonna honors body, spirit and women

 

Animals make peace at Christmas

Alternative Christmas art shown (9 artists)



More highlights from the Jesus in Love Blog this month:

 

Saints bring hope on World AIDS Day 2012

 

Harvey Milk: Gay rights pioneer assassinated Nov. 27, 1978

 

Ruth and Naomi: Whither thou goest

 

Transgender Day of Remembrance: Nov. 20, 2012� 

 

May God bless you during this Advent season of expectation and joy!

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Kittredge Cherry
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Jesus in Love Newsletter is made possible by these  
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Easton Mountain logo

DIVINE LOVE IN A HUMAN HEART
An Advent retreat for gay men
in the Christian tradition
Dec. 7-9
Easton Mountain Retreat, New York
Led by Michael Bernard Kelly,
Author of "The Erotic Contemplative"
 
Holding Hands

CAN GAYS AND LESBIANS BE TRUE CHRISTIANS? See the "Gay and Christian" website! It shows that a person can be both a Christian and a loving, sexually-active gay man or lesbian.
Lethe Press ad
Nativity Project ad
Art for the birthing
of Magdalene Christianity  
Images by Janet McKenzie  
celebrating women of the New Testament 
as models for the emerging church of today. 

Trudie Barreras

Looking for a new way to highlight the interactions of Jesus with women?  Trudie Barreras has written a series of dramatic monologues including 'The Woman at the Well Witnesses', 'Rescued by Jesus', 'Martha's Story' and more.  For more information, contact [email protected]. Photo by Shirley Cooper.
Scott and Eric

May Jesus, the Lover of our Souls,
 Fill Our Hearts
with an Abundance of Grace
 This Holy Season

Scott 'n Eric

 

Holiday sale - Buy 2 get 1 FREE  
Innovative Religious Art
Buy now at TrinityStores.com
Sale ends midnight Dec. 9

           Harvey Milk icon by Robert Lentz    Saints Perpetua and Felicity by Robert Lentz  
 
Click the images to buy cards, plaques, T-shirts, mugs, candles, and framed prints with these images and many more at TrinityStores.com.

Favorites of Jesus in Love readers are pictured here. Above: Sergius & Bacchus, Harvey Milk, Perpetua & Felicity.

 

       Sts. Polyeuct and Nearchus by Robert Lentz    Sts. Brigid & Darlughdach by Robert Lentz    St. Boris and George by Robert Lentz  

 

       Jonathan & David by Robert Lentz    Hildegard of Bingen and Richardis by Lewis Williams    St. Wencelaus and Podiven by Lewis Williams

                    

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By Kittredge Cherry

Packed with color art by 11 contemporary artists
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