Although organized religions would possibly take into account their doctrines static and absolute, Queer Devotion: Spirituality Behind the Binary in Delusion, Story and Apply (Hay Home; 2025) by Charlie Claire Burgess challenges this notion by analyzing historic portrayals of main non secular figures that depict them as queer. The guide contains deities and legendary figures from the Christian custom, Greek and Roman gods, Norse fable and Arthurian legends, with the specific understanding that there are lots of extra queer gods in numerous pantheons worldwide.

Whereas it offers with historic representations of gods and goddesses, Queer Devotion additionally connects to modern-day religions and the continued discrimination towards queer folks. Notably, Burgess examines the 2024 Dignitas Infinita declaration from the Vatican that purports that each one human beings have dignity, but in addition asserts that IVF, surrogacy, gender reassignment surgical procedure and residing as a trans individual are ‘grave violations.’ Burgess additional examines how faith has been used for hundreds of years to demonize and torture queer folks, from the persecution of Joan of Arc to her canonization by the identical Church that executed her, to how Norse gods like Loki and Odin have been coopted by Neo Nazi and white supremacist teams.

Regardless of these actual and regarding developments, Burgess devotes the vast majority of the guide to an expansive affirmation of queerness. They have a look at the altering inventive and written portrayals of gods and goddesses like Aphrodite and Dionysus, who will be linked to Mom Mary and Jesus, respectively. Finally, the consolidation of spiritual doctrine stifled differing opinions – such is what occurred with the Gnostic Gospels, and the Gospels of St. Thomas and Mary Magdalene, all extra lenient and liberal of their interpretations of Christ’s teachings. Burgess’s writing may be very validating, they usually embody examples of their very own non secular practices to provide the reader concepts. Burgess emphasizes that “[w]e should overlook what we’ve discovered to recollect what we all know.” If everyone seems to be made within the picture of God, is then God not queer? Trans? Nonbinary?

With the big selection of traditions consulted, from precise historic figures to legendary ones, the guide permits the reader to reclaim this heritage for themselves as they see match. As somebody who grew up Catholic however has since distanced themselves from the Church, I discovered the notion that I didn’t want to simply accept the Church’s depiction of God and will create my very own to be deeply touching.

Each chapter has the identical construction: there’s an examination of the deity and their connection to queerness, adopted by journal prompts and ritual options. Queer Devotions additionally has an appendix together with modified variations of the foremost Christian prayers, if the reader needs to make use of them. Burgess emphasizes all through the guide that they’re providing options; it’s as much as the reader to personalize their non secular apply and determine what’s proper for them.

By analyzing the historic depictions of gods and goddesses, Burgess proves as soon as and for all that the gods have at all times been queer. The guide is an affirming learn for queer individuals who would possibly discover themselves distanced from organized faith, and but nonetheless want to develop a relationship with the Divine. As Burgess says as they shut the guide, “We’ve at all times been right here, and we’ve at all times been queer, and we’ve at all times been divine. Hail Holy Queer.”