Affirming theology is a Christian theological framework that advocates for the full inclusion, rights, and spiritual validity of LGBTQ+ individuals within the church and society.
Core Beliefs
--Imago Dei: LGBTQ+ people are created in the image of God, and their sexual orientation or gender identity is not sinful.
--Full Participation: Individuals can serve in any church role, receive full pastoral care, marry, and participate in sacraments.
--Scriptural Reinterpretation: It relies on a hermeneutic of grace and compassion—often reinterpreting traditional "clobber passages" (such as Levitical laws, Sodom, Romans 1, or translated Greek terms like arsenokoitai) as addressing historical contexts like exploitation, abuse, or pagan cultic prostitution rather than modern, committed relationships.
--Side A and Side B Views: Affirming perspectives are often categorized into Side A (fully affirming same-gender sex and marriage) and Side B (affirming LGBTQ+ identity while practicing personal celibacy).
Affirming Theology vs. Queer Theology
--Affirming Theology seeks inclusion, pastoral care, and the blessing of same-sex relationships based on orthodox Christian theology and a re-reading of biblical authority.
--Queer Theology is rooted in academic queer theory, using a subversive methodology to disrupt societal and religious norms rather than seeking standard institutional inclusion.
