Showing posts with label Cheng. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheng. Show all posts

Sunday, June 05, 2016

Rainbow Christ Prayer translated into 10 languages: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ


Translated for the first time into 10 languages, the Rainbow Christ Prayer matches the colors of the LGBT Pride Flag with the many faces of the queer Christ.

Today the prayer is posted for the first time in Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Malay, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.


For a new version of this article, click this link to Qspirit.net:
Rainbow Christ Prayer translated into 10 languages: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ

Lesbian author Kittredge Cherry and gay theologian Patrick S. Cheng wrote the prayer based on the seven models of the queer Christ from Cheng’s book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.”

Rainbow flags are flying around the world in June for LGBT Pride Month. Rainbows are also an important symbol in many religious traditions. The Rainbow Christ Prayer honors the spiritual values of the LGBTQ movement.

Progressive Christians believe that homosexuality is not a sin. Scholars say that the Bible does not condemn loving same-sex relationships. Therefore LGBTQ people should be accepted and affirmed by churches. The Rainbow Christ Prayer expresses the belief that LGBTQ people are a natural part of God’s creation.

The Rainbow Christ Prayer has been used by many progressive Christians for individual devotions and group worship. Conservatives denounced it as blasphemy.

The translation process inspired grassroots theological reflection on a global scale. Each translator raised questions about a different aspect of the queer Christ:

Does Rainbow Christ mean that Christ emits a rainbow or that Christ IS a rainbow? Is the Self-Loving Christ in love with himself? Do LGBT really feel shame about their sexuality? Is the Erotic Christ more about the power of life or about hot sexual practices? What does the Out Christ mean in cultures where there is no expression for “coming out of the closet”?

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the rainbow stands for God’s promise to support all life on earth. The prayer also incorporates the chakra system of seven energy centers of the human body.

The LGBTQ prayer takes on new meaning when read in a rainbow spectrum of languages from around the world.

Today’s post combines all the languages. Click the titles for individual articles with the Rainbow Christ Prayer in each language.

English: Rainbow Christ Prayer

Spanish: Oración al Cristo del Arco Iris

Chinese: 彩虹基督禱文

French: Prière au Christ Arc-en-Ciel

German: Gebet zum Christus des Regenbogens

Italian: La Preghiera del Cristo Arcobaleno

Japanese: 虹色のキリストへの祈り

Malay: Doa Kristus Sang Pelangi

Polish: Modlitwa do Tęczowego Chrystusa

Portuguese: Oração ao Cristo Arco-Íris

Russian: Молитва Радужному Христу

Please contact Jesus in Love if you want to translate the prayer into another language.








Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows serve as bridges between different realms: heaven and earth, east and west, queer and non-queer. Inspire us to remember the values expressed in the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

Spanish: Cristo del Arco Iris, tú encarnas todos los colores del mundo. Los arco iris sirven como puentes entre los diferentes dominios: el cielo y la tierra, el este y el oeste, lo queer y lo no-queer. Inspíramos para recordar los valores expresados en la bandera del arco iris de la comunidad de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, transgénero, intersexuales y queer.

Chinese: 彩虹基督,你將這世上所有的色彩呈於一身。彩虹搭橋跨越天與地、東與西、酷兒與非酷兒的藩籬。激勵我們銘記彩虹旗上代表女同性戀、男同性戀、雙性戀、跨性別和酷兒群體色彩的意義。

French: Christ Arc-en-Ciel, tu incarnes toutes les couleurs du monde. Les arcs-en-ciel servent de ponts entre les différentes sphères : le ciel et la terre, l'est et l'ouest, queer et non queer. Donne-nous de nous rappeler les valeurs exprimées par le drapeau arc-en-ciel de la communauté lesbienne, gay, bisexuelle, transgenre et queer.

German: Regenbogen-Christus, du verkörperst alle Farben dieser Welt. Regenbögen sind Brücken zwischen den verschiedenen Welten: Himmel und Erde, Ost und West, Queer und Nicht-queer. Begeistere uns, damit wir uns an die Werte zu erinnern, die in der Regenbogenfahne der lesbisch, schwulen, bisexuellen, transgender und queeren Gemeinschaft zum Ausdruck kommen.

Italian: Cristo arcobaleno, tu incarni tutti i colori del mondo. L’arcobaleno crea ponti tra realtà diverse: cielo e terra, est e ovest, queer e non-queer. Ispiraci a ricordare i valori espressi nella bandiera arcobaleno della comunità lesbica, gay, bisessuale, transgender e queer.

Japanese: 虹色の主キリストよ,あなたは世のすべての色を表しています.虹は架け橋,天と地,東と西,差別される者とする者との架け橋です.わたしたち LGBTQ コミュニティの旗の虹色が何を意味しているかを,想い起こさせてください.

Malay: Kristus Sang Pelangi, engkau menggenapi seluruh warna-warni dunia. Pelangi adalah jambatan menghubungkan alam yang berbeza: langit dan bumi, timur dan barat, quir dan bukan-quir. Berikanlah kami ilham untuk mengingati nilai-nilai murni yang terpancar melalui bendera pelangi dari komuniti lesbian, gay, biseksual dan quir:

Polish: Tęczowy Chryste, ucieleśniasz wszystkie barwy świata. Tęcze łączą różne wymiary rzeczywistości: niebo i ziemię, wschód i zachód, to, co queer, i to, co nie queer. Przypominaj nam o wartościach wyrażanych przez tęczową flagę społeczności lesbijek, gejów, biseksualistów i osób transpłciowych.

Portuguese: Cristo Arco-Íris, tu encarnas todas as cores do mundo. Arco-íris servem como pontes entre diferentes mundos: o céu e a terra, leste e oeste, gay e hétero, cis e trans. Dê-nos inspiração para que lembremos os valores expressados na bandeira colorida da comunidade de lésbicas, gays, bissexuais, travestis, transexuais e transgêneros.

Russian: Радужный Христос, Ты объединяешь все краски мира. Радуги служат мостами между различными сферами: небом и землей, востоком и западом, квиром и не-квиром. Вдохновляй нас помнить ценности, выраженные в радужном флаге лесбиянок, геев, бисексуалов, трансгендеров и квир сообщества.


Red is for life, the root of spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root. Free us from shame and grant us the grace of healthy pride so we can follow our own inner light. With the red stripe in the rainbow, we give thanks that God created us just the way we are.

Spanish: El color rojo simboliza la vida, la raíz del espíritu. Cristo Vivo y Amoroso, tú eres nuestra raíz. Líbranos de la vergüenza y concédenos la gracia de un orgullo sano a fin de que podamos seguir nuestra propia luz interior. Con la franja roja del arco iris, te damos gracias porque Dios que nos ha creado de la manera tal cual somos.

Chinese: 紅色代表生命,靈性之根。永生與自愛的基督,你是我們的依靠,將我們從羞恥中釋放,賜我們驕傲的恩典,讓我們可以追隨內心之光。籍彩虹旗紅色的條紋,我們感謝上主創造創造我們成我們所是的樣子。

French: Le rouge est pour la vie, l’origine de l'esprit. Christ de la vie et de l’amour de soi, tu es notre Origine. Libère-nous de la honte et accorde-nous la grâce d’une fierté saine afin que nous puissions suivre notre lumière intérieure. Avec la bande rouge dans l'arc en ciel, nous rendons grâce que Dieu nous ait créés tels que nous sommes.

German: Rot steht für Liebe, die Wurzel des Geistes. Lebender Christus, der du sagst, dass wir uns selber lieben dürfen, du bist unsere Wurzel. Befreie uns von Scham und schenke uns die Gnade eines gesunden Stolzes, so dass wir unserem eigenen, inneren Licht folgen können. Mit dem roten Streifen im Regenbogen danken wir, dass uns Gott genauso erschaffen hat, wie wir sind.

Italian: Il rosso è per la vita. Cristo vivente e amante, tu sei la Radice. Liberaci dalla vergogna e concedici la grazia di un sano orgoglio così da poter seguire la nostra luce interiore. Con la striscia rossa dell’arcobaleno, diamo grazie che Dio ci ha creati così come siamo.

Japanese: 赤は命,精気の源.永遠の命に生きておられ,御自身を愛しておられる主キリストよ,あなたはわたしたちの源です.自己否定感からわたしたちを解放し,わたしたちが自身の内なる光に導かれることができるよう,健全な誇りを持つ恵みをお与えください.虹の赤のもとに,わたしたちを今あるように創造してくださったことを神に感謝します.

Malay: Merah menggambarkan kehidupan, iaitu akar bagi roh. Sang Kristus yang hidup dan penuh cintakasih, engkaulah akar rohani kami. Bebaskanlah kami dari rasa malu dan berikanlah kami rahmat harga diri yang sihat supaya kami dapat mengikuti terang di dalam diri kami. Demi jalur merah pada pelangi, kami mengucap syukur kerana Tuhan Yang Maha Esa menciptakan kami seadanya.

Polish: Czerwień to życie, korzeń ducha. Żywy i kochający siebie samego Chryste, jesteś naszym Korzeniem. Uwolnij nas od wstydu i obdarz nas łaską zdrowej dumy, byśmy mogli podążać śladem swego wewnętrznego światła. Przez czerwony kolor tęczy dziękujemy Bogu, że stworzył nas takimi, jakimi jesteśmy.

Portuguese: Vermelho é a vida, a raiz do espírito. Cristo Vivo e Cheio de Amor, tu és nossa Raiz. Liberte-nos da vergonha e nos conceda a graça do orgulho saudável, a fim de que possamos seguir nossa luz interior. Com a faixa vermelha do arco-íris, damos graças a Deus por nos ter criado exatamente assim como somos.

Russian: Красный цвет символизирует жизнь, источник духа. Живущий и любящий себя Христос, Ты есть наш Источник. Освободи нас от стыда и даруй нам благодать разумной гордости, чтоб мы могли следовать нашему собственному внутреннему свету. Красной полоской радуги мы благодарим Бога за то, что он сотворил нас такими, какие мы есть.



Orange is for sexuality, the fire of spirit. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire, the Word made flesh. Free us from exploitation and grant us the grace of mutual relationships. With the orange stripe in the rainbow, kindle a fire of passion in us.

Spanish: El color naranja simboliza la sexualidad, el fuego del espíritu. Cristo Erótico, tú eres nuestro fuego, la Palabra echa carne. Líbranos de la explotación y concédenos la gracia de vivir relaciones mutuas. Con la franja naranja del arco iris, enciende el fuego de la pasión en nosotros.

Chinese: 橙色代表性慾,靈性之火。情慾的基督,你是我們的火光,道成了肉身,將我們從剝削中釋放,賜我們互惠的關係。藉彩虹旗橙色的條紋,上主點燃我們內心的激情。

French: L'orange est pour la sexualité, le feu de l'esprit. Christ Érotique, tu es notre feu, le Verbe fait chair. Libère-nous de l'exploitation et accorde-nous la grâce de relations réciproques. Avec la bande orange dans l’arc-en-ciel, allume en nous le feu de la passion.

German: Orange steht für Sexualität, das Feuer des Geistes. Erotischer Christus, du bist unser Feuer, das Wort das Fleisch geworden ist. Befreie uns von Ausbeutung und gib uns die Gnade gleichberechtigter Beziehungen. Mit dem orangen Streifen des Regenbogens entzünde ein Feuer der Leidenschaft in uns.

Italian: L’arancio è per la sessualità, il fuoco dello spirito. Cristo erotico, tu sei il nostro Fuoco, la Parola fatta carne. Liberaci dallo sfruttamento e concedici la grazia di mutue relazioni. Con la striscia arancio dell’arcobaleno accendiamo in noi il fuoco della passione.

Japanese: オレンジはセクシュアリティ,精気の炎.エロスの主キリスト,受肉なさった御ことばよ,あなたはわたしたちの炎です.相手を利用するだけの利己心からわたしたちを解放し,互いを思い合える恵みをお与えください.虹のオレンジのもとに,わたしたちのなかに情熱の炎をともしてください.

Malay: Jingga menggambarkan karunia seksualiti, iaitu api bagi roh. Eros Kristus, engkaulah Sang Api, Firman yang menjadi Manusia. Bebaskanlah kami dari segala eksploitasi dan berikanlah kami rahmat untuk hubungan romantik yang penuh hormat dan saling memahami. Demi jalur jingga pada pelangi, semarakkan api cintakasih kami.

Polish: Pomarańcz to seksualność, ogień ducha. Erotyczny Chryste, jesteś naszym Ogniem, Słowem, które stało się ciałem. Uwolnij nas od wyzysku i obdarz łaską wzajemnych relacji. Przez pomarańczowy kolor tęczy roznieć w nas ogień namiętności.

Portuguese: Laranja é a sexualidade, o fogo do espírito. Cristo Erótico, tu és nosso Fogo, a Palavra feita Carne. Liberte-nos da exploração e nos conceda a graça do relacionamento mútuo. Com a faixa laranja do arco-íris, inflame-nos com o fogo da paixão.

Russian: Оранжевый цвет символизирует сексуальность, огонь духа. Эротический Христос, Ты есть наш Огонь, Слово, ставшее плотью. Освободи нас от эксплуатации и даруй нам благодать взаимных отношений. Оранжевой полоской радуги разожги в нас огонь страсти.



Yellow is for self-esteem, the core of spirit. Out Christ, you are our Core. Free us from closets of secrecy and give us the guts and grace to come out. With the yellow stripe in the rainbow, build our confidence.

Spanish: El color amarillo simboliza la autoestima, el núcleo del espíritu. Cristo Asumido, tú eres nuestra esencia. Líbranos de los armarios de la clandestinidad y danos el coraje y la gracia para salir de ellos. Con la franja amarilla del arco iris, construye nuestra confianza.

Chinese: 黃色代表自尊,靈性之核。出櫃的基督,你是我們的核心,將我們從隱秘的櫃中釋放,賜我們走出來的勇氣。藉彩虹旗黃色的條紋,上主堅立了我們的信心。

French: Le jaune est pour l'estime de soi, le fondement de l'esprit. Christ qui te révèles, tu es notre fondement. Libère-nous de l’enfermement dans nos secrets et donne-nous le courage et la grâce de nous révéler. Avec la bande jaune dans l'arc en ciel, renforce notre confiance.

German: Gelb steht für Selbstachtung, das Zentrum des Geistes. Offen lebender Christus, du bist unser Zentrum, Befreie uns aus den Gefängnissen der Heimlichkeit, und schenke uns den Mut und die Gnade, unser Coming out zu haben. Mit dem gelben Streifen des Regenbogens baue unser Selbstvertrauen auf.

Italian: Il giallo è per l’autostima, il nocciolo dello spirito. Liberaci dalle angustie della segretezza e dacci il coraggio e la grazia di svelarci. Con la striscia gialla dell’arcobaleno, costruisci la nostra fiducia in noi stessi.

Japanese: 黄色は自尊心,精気の核.何も隠さない主キリストよ,あなたはわたしたちの核です.こころを閉ざすことからわたしたちを解放してください.クロゼットから出る勇気と恵みをお与えください.虹の黄色のもとに,わたしたちに自信を持たせてください.

Malay: Kuning menggambarkan harga diri, iaitu teras bagi roh. Kristus Sang Pewarta, engkaulah teras kami. Bebaskanlah kami dari persembunyian diri yang membinasakan dan berikanlah kami keberanian serta rahmat untuk meyakini keberadaan kami. Demi jalur kuning pada pelangi, kuatkanlah keyakinan kami.

Polish: Żółty to szacunek do samego siebie, centrum ducha. Chryste, który nie wstydzisz się siebie samego, jesteś naszym Centrum. Uwolnij nas od ukrywania się i obdarz nas odwagą i łaską przyznania się do siebie. Przez żółty kolor tęczy buduj w nas pewność siebie.

Portuguese: Amarelo é a autoestima, o cerne do espírito. Cristo Assumido, tu és nosso Cerne. Liberte-nos dos armários e nos conceda a coragem e a graça de nos assumir. Com a faixa amarela do arco-íris, construa essa nossa confiança.

Russian: Желтый цвет символизирует самоуважение, стержень духа. Открывшийся Христос, Ты есть наш Стержень. Освободи нас от наших чуланов тайн и дай нам мужество и благодать открыться. Желтой полоской радуги укрепи нашу веру.



Green is for love, the heart of spirit. Transgressive Outlaw Christ, you are our Heart, breaking rules out of love. In a world obsessed with purity, you touch the sick and eat with outcasts. Free us from conformity and grant us the grace of deviance. With the green stripe in the rainbow, fill our hearts with untamed compassion for all beings.

Spanish: El color verde simboliza el amor, el corazón del espíritu. Cristo Transgresor, tú eres nuestro corazón, rompiendo las reglas en nombre del amor. En un mundo obsesionado por la pureza, tú tocas los enfermos y comes con los marginados. Líbranos de la conformidad y concédenos la gracia de la transgresión. Con la franja verde del arco iris, llena nuestros corazones de compasión hacia todos los seres vivos.

Chinese: 綠色代表愛,靈性之心。出格不守矩的基督,你是我們的內心,用愛打破陳規。在一個沉迷於聖潔之妄的世界中,你觸摸患病者、與流浪者同席。將我們從流俗的迎合中釋放,賜我們越軌的恩典。藉彩虹旗綠色的條紋,上主將我們的心充滿對萬物的悲憫。

French: Le vert est pour l'amour, le cœur de l'esprit. Christ hors la loi et transgressif, tu es notre coeur, brisant les règles par amour. Dans un monde obsédé par la pureté, tu touches les malades et tu manges avec les exclus. Libère-nous du conformisme et accorde-nous la grâce de sortir des sentiers battus. Avec la bande verte dans l'arc en ciel, remplis nos cœurs d’une compassion sauvage pour tous les êtres.

German: Grün steht für die Liebe, das Herz des Geistes. Gesetze übertretender Christus, du bist unser Herz, das die Regeln der Liebe sprengt. In einer Welt die besessen ist mit Reinheit, berührst du die Kranken und isst mit den Ausgestoßen. Befreie uns von der Eintönigkeit und schenke uns die Gnade des Widerstandes. Mit dem grünen Streifen des Regenbogens erfülle unsere Herzen mit ungezähmten Mitgefühl für alles Sein.

Italian: Il verde è per l’amore, il cuore, lo spirito. Cristo trasgressivo e fuori da ogni regola, tu sei il nostro Cuore, infrangi le regole per amore. In un mondo ossessionato dalla purezza tu tocchi i malati e mangi con gli emarginati. Liberaci dal conformismo e dacci la grazia della devianza. Con la striscia verde dell’arcobaleno, riempi i nostri cuori di compassione infinita per tutti gli esseri.

Japanese: 緑は愛,精気の心.律法を超越した主キリストよ,愛によって律法を打ち壊すあなたは,わたしたちの心です.浄さに執着するこの世において,あなたは,不浄と見なされた病人たちに触れ,差別された者たちと食事をともになさいます.因襲からわたしたちを解放し,律法に縛られずにいる恵みをお与えください.虹の緑のもとに,わたしたちの心を,律法にとらわれずにあらゆる存在を思いやる気持ちで満たしてください.

Malay: Hijau menggambarkan cintakasih, iaitu hati bagi roh. Kristus Sang Pencabar segala hukum yang sia-sia, engkau menolak hukum tegar atas nama cintakasih, engkaulah Hati kami. Pada saat duniamu begitu taksub dengan hukum kekudusan, engkau menyentuh orang yang dianggap terkutuk dan makan bersama orang yang tertindas. Bebaskanlah kami dari sikap akur yang membuta tuli dan berikanlah kami rahmat untuk menolak kekerasan hukum. Demi jalur hijau pada pelangi, penuhi hati kami dengan belas kasihan yang luar biasa untuk segenap makhluk ciptaan Tuhan.

Polish: Niebieski to wyrażanie samych siebie, głos ducha. Chryste Wyzwolicielu, jesteś naszym Głosem, przemawiającym przeciwko wszelkim postaciom opresji. Uwolnij nas od apatii i obdarz łaską aktywności. Przez niebieski kolor tęczy motywuj nas, byśmy żądali sprawiedliwości.

Portuguese: Verde é o amor, o coração do espírito. Cristo Transviado, Marginal, tu és nosso coração, violando as regras por amor. Em um mundo obcecado com a pureza, você toca os doentes e come com os párias da sociedade. Liberte-nos da conformidade e nos conceda a graça da divergência. Com a faixa verde do arco-íris, preencha nossos corações com indomada compaixão por todos os seres.

Russian: Зеленый цвет символизирует любовь, сердце духа. Преодолевший невозможные запреты Христос, Ты есть наше Сердце, нарушающее правила из любви. Преследуемый в мире в непорочности, Ты прикасаешься к больным и ешь вместе с отверженными. Освободи нас от подчинения и даруй нам благодать несоответствия нормам. Зеленой полоской радуги наполни наши сердца неукротимым состраданием ко всем живым существам.



Blue is for self-expression, the voice of spirit. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice, speaking out against all forms of oppression. Free us from apathy and grant us the grace of activism. With the blue stripe in the rainbow, motivate us to call for justice.

Spanish: El color celeste simboliza la auto-expresión, la voz del espíritu. Cristo Liberador, tú eres nuestra voz, denunciando toda forma de opresión. Líbranos de la apatía y concédenos la gracia del activismo. Con la franja azul del arco iris, motívanos a proclamar la justicia.

Chinese: 藍色代表自我表達,靈性之聲。解放者基督,你是我們的聲音,說出對一切壓迫形式的反對。將我們從冷漠中釋放,賜我們運動的恩典。藉彩虹旗藍色的條紋,上主激勵我們呼求正義。

French: Le bleu est pour l’expression de soi, la voix de l'esprit. Christ Libérateur, tu es notre voix, toi qui t’élèves contre toutes les formes d'oppression. Libère-nous de l'apathie et de accorde-nous la grâce de l'activisme. Avec la bande bleue dans l'arc en ciel, encourage-nous à nous battre pour la justice.

German: Blau steht für Selbst-darstellung, die Stimme des Geistes. Befreiender Christus, du bist unsere Stimme, die gegen alle Formen der Unterdrückung spricht. Befreie uns von Müdigkeit und schenke uns die Gnade des aktiv seins. Mit dem blauen Streifen des Regenbogens motiviere uns, nach Gerechtigkeit zu rufen.

Italian: Il blu è l’espressione di sé, la voce dello spirito. Cristo Liberatore, tu sei la nostra Voce, parla fortemente contro ogni forma di repressione. Liberaci dall’apatia e dacci la grazia dell’attivismo. Con la striscia blu dell’arcobaleno, motivaci a cercare la giustizia.

Japanese: 青は自己表現,精気の声.解放者である主キリストよ,あなたはわたしたちの声,あらゆる形の抑圧に対して抗議してくださいます.無力感からわたしたちを解放し,社会で行動できる恵みをお与えください.虹の青のもとに,正義を求めることができるよう,わたしたちを勇気づけてください.

Malay: Biru menggambarkan ekspresi diri, iaitu suara bagi roh. Kristus Sang Pembebas, engkaulah Suara kami dalam menentang segala bentuk penindasan. Bebaskanlah kami dari sikap acuh tak acuh dan berikanlah kami rahmat aktivisme. Demi jalur biru pada pelangi, berikanlah kami motivasi untuk menegakkan keadilan.

Polish: Zieleń to miłość, serce ducha. Niepokorny, wyjęty spod prawa Chryste, jesteś naszym Sercem, łamiącym zasady z miłości. W świecie poddanym obsesji czystości, dotykasz chorych i jesz z wyrzutkami. Uwolnij nas od konformizmu i obdarz łaską zbaczania. Przez zielony kolor tęczy napełnij nasze serca nieposkromionym współczuciem dla wszystkich istot.

Portuguese: Azul é a auto-expressão, a voz do espírito. Cristo Liberador, tu és nossa Voz, manifestando-se contra todas as formas de opressão. Liberte-nos da apatia e nos conceda a graça do ativismo. Com a faixa azul do arco-íris, motive-nos a clamar por Justiça.

Russian: Синий цвет символизирует самовыражение, голос духа. Освободитель Христос, Ты есть наш Голос, выступающий против всех форм угнетения. Освободи нас от апатии и даруй благодать активизма. Синий полоской радуги побуждай нас призывать к справедливости.



Violet is for vision, the wisdom of spirit. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining the universe. Free us from isolation and grant us the grace of interdependence. With the violet stripe in the rainbow, connect us with others and with the whole creation.

Spanish: El color lila simboliza la visión, la sabiduría del espíritu. Cristo Rizomático, tú eres nuestra sabiduría, creando y sosteniendo el universo. Líbranos del aislamiento y concédenos la gracia de la interdependencia. Con la franja lila en el arco iris, conéctanos con los demás seres vivos y con la creación entera.

Chinese: 紫色代表異象,靈性之智。相互關聯的基督,你是我們的智慧,創造、供養整個宇宙。將我們從隔絕中釋放,賜我們彼此依賴的恩典。藉彩虹旗紫色的條紋,上主將我們與他者與全部受造連接。

French: Le violet est pour la vision, la sagesse de l'esprit. Christ interconnecté, tu es notre sagesse, tu crées et maintiens l'univers. Libère-nous de l'isolement et accorde-nous la grâce de l'interdépendance. Avec la bande violette dans l'arc en ciel, relie-nous aux autres et à la création tout entière.

German: Violett steht für die Vision, die Weisheit des Geistes. Christus, der du mit allem verbunden bist, du bist unsere Weisheit, du schaffst und erhältst das Universum. Befreie uns von Isolation und schenke uns die Gnade der Abhängigkeit von einander. Mit dem violetten Streifen des Regenbogens verbinde uns mit anderen und mit der der ganzen Schöpfung.

Italian: Il viola è per la visione. Cristo, profondamente connesso con tutte le cose, tu sei la nostra Sapienza e crei e mantieni l’universo. Liberaci dall’isolamento e dacci la grazia dell’interdipendenza. Con la striscia viola dell’arcobaleno, uniscici agli altri e all’intera creazione.

Japanese: 紫は真理を見る力,精気の知恵.つながり合ってくださる主キリストよ,万物を創造し,維持するあなたは,わたしたちの知恵です.わたしたちを孤立から解放してください.互いに支え合う恵みをお与えください.虹の紫のもとに,わたしたちと他の人々とをつなげてください.わたしたちを全被造界とつなげてください.

Malay: Ungu menggambarkan visi, iaitu hikmah bagi roh. Kristus Sang Penyatu, engkaulah Hikmah kami di dalam membina dan memulihara alam semesta. Bebaskanlah kami dari pengasingan dan berikanlah kami rahmat untuk saling memelihara antara satu dengan yang lain. Demi jalur ungu pada pelangi, satukanlah hati kami dengan yang lain dan segenap ciptaan Yang Maha Esa.

Polish: Fiolet to wizja, mądrość ducha. Chryste wzajemnych powiązań, jesteś naszą Mądrością, tworząca i podtrzymującą wszechświat. Uwolnij nas od izolacji i obdarz łaską współzależności. Przez fioletowy kolor tęczy połącz nas z innymi i z całym stworzeniem.

Portuguese: Violeta é a visão, a sabedoria do espírito. Cristo Interconectado, você é nossa Sabedoria, criando e sustentando o universo. Liberte-nos do isolamento e nos conceda a graça da interdependência. Com a faixa violeta do arco-íris, conecte-nos uns com os outros e com toda a criação.

Russian: Фиолетовый цвет символизирует проницательность, мудрость духа. Объединяющий Христос, Ты есть наша Мудрость, создавшая и поддерживающая вселенную. Освободи нас от изоляции и даруй нам благодать взаимозависимости. Фиолетовой полоской радуги объедини нас с другими и всем творением.



Rainbow colors come together to make one light, the crown of universal consciousness. Hybrid and All-Encompassing Christ, you are our Crown, both human and divine. Free us from rigid categories and grant us the grace of interwoven identities. With the rainbow, lead us beyond black-and-white thinking to experience the whole spectrum of life.

Spanish: Los colores del arco iris de unen para crear una sola luz, la corona de la conciencia universal. Cristo Híbrido y Omnipresente, tú eres nuestra corona, tanto humana como divina. Líbranos de las categorías rígidas y concédenos la gracia de vivir identidades entrelazadas. Con el arco iris, llévanos más allá del pensamiento binario en blanco y negro a fin de experimentar el espectro completo de la vida.

Chinese: 彩虹各色匯聚一束光,冠于宇宙意識之巔。混雜和包羅萬象的基督,你是人性和神聖的冠冕。將我們從僵死的分類中釋放,賜我們身份交織的恩典。藉著彩虹,上主帶領我們超越非黑即白的思維模式,體驗生命璀璨的光譜。

French: Les couleurs de l'arc-en-ciel composent ensemble la lumière, telle le chakra couronne de la conscience universelle. Christ métissé qui englobe tout, tu es notre Couronne, à la fois humaine et divine. Libère-nous des catégories rigides et accorde-nous la grâce des identités entrelacées. Avec l'arc en ciel, conduis-nous au-delà de la pensée en noir et blanc pour découvrir l'ensemble du spectre de la vie.

German: Regenbogenfarben kommen zusammen und ergeben ein Licht, die Krone des universellen Bewusstseins. Vermischter und alles umfassender Christus, du bist unsere Krone, menschlich und göttlich. Befreie uns von starren Kategorien und schenke und die Gnade von Identitäten, die miteinander verwoben sind. Mit dem Regenbogen führe uns über das Schwarz-weiß Denken hinaus und lass uns das ganze Spektrum des Lebens erfahren.

Italian: I colori dell’arcobaleno si uniscono per formare una sola luce, la corona della coscienza universale. Cristo ibrido e compassionevole, tu sei la nostra Corona, al tempo stesso umana e divina. Liberaci dalle categorie rigide e dacci la grazia di intrecciare insieme le nostre diverse identità. Con l’arcobaleno, portaci dal pensiero in bianco e nero all’esperienza dell’intero spettro della vita.

Japanese: 虹の六色は合わさり,ひとつの光を成し,万物の創造主の王冠となります.すべてを混ぜ合わせ,すべてを包み込む主キリストよ,人間にして神であるあなたは,わたしたちの王冠です.凝り固まったカテゴリーからわたしたちを解放し,ひとりひとりが多様である恵みをお与えください.虹のもとに,黒か白かを決めつける思考を超えて,多彩な命のすべての色を経験できるよう,導いてください.

Malay: Warna-warni pelangi berarak bersama membentuk satu cahaya, dan menjadi mahkota kesedaran sejagat. Kristus Sang Hibrid dan Hadirat Hakiki, engkaulah Mahkota kami, penuh keilahian dan kemanusiaan. Bebaskanlah kami dari pengkategorian yang tegar dan berikanlah kami rahmat identiti-identiti yang terjalin. Demi pelangi, pimpinlah kami keluar dari pemikiran hitam-putih dan menuju kepada pengalaman spektrum kehidupan yang menyeluruh.

Polish: Barwy tęczy jednoczą się, by stworzyć jedno światło, koronę uniwersalnej świadomości. Hybrydowy i Wszechogarniający Chryste, jesteś naszą Koroną, ludzką i boską. Uwolnij nas od ścisłych kategorii i obdarz łaską przeplatających się tożsamości. Prowadź nas przez tęczę poza myślenie czarno-białe ku pełnemu spektrum życia.

Portuguese: As cores do arco-íris se unem para formar uma só luz, a coroa da consciência universal. Cristo Híbrido e Abrangente, tu és nossa Coroa, ao mesmo tempo humano e divino. Liberte-nos de categorias rígidas e nos conceda a graça das identidades fluidas. Com o arco-íris, guie-nos para além do pensamento em preto e branco a fim de que experimentemos todo o espectro da vida.

Russian: Радуга объединяет спектр цветов творить свет, венец универсального сознания. Разнородный и всеохватывающий Христос, Ты есть наш Венец, человеческий и божественный. Освободи нас от жестких категорий и даруй благодать переплетающихся идентичностей. Радугой веди нас за пределы черно-белого мышления к опыту всего спектра жизни.









Rainbow Christ, you light up the world. You make rainbows as a promise to support all life on earth. In the rainbow space, we can see all the hidden connections between sexualities, genders and races. Like the rainbow, may we embody all the colors of the world! Amen.

Spanish: Cristo del Arco Iris, tú iluminas al mundo. Tú creas los arco iris como una promesa de sustentar toda la vida sobre la tierra. En el espacio del arco iris, podemos ver todas las conexiones ocultas entre sexualidades, géneros y razas. Como en el arco iris, concédenos que podamos encarnar todos los colores del mundo. Amen.

Chinese: 彩虹基督,你點亮世界。你讓彩虹成為支援地上所有生命的應許。在彩虹空間中,我們看到性/別、種族間隱蔽的關聯。願我們像彩虹一樣,擁抱世上所有的色彩!阿門。

French: Christ Arc-en-Ciel, tu illumines le monde. Des arcs-en-ciel, tu fais comme une promesse de soutenir toute vie sur terre. Dans l'espace arc-en-ciel, nous pouvons voir tous les liens cachés entre les sexualités, les genres et les races. Comme l'arc-en-ciel, donne-nous d’incarner toutes les couleurs du monde! Amen.

German: Regenbogen-Christus, du erhellst die Welt. Du machst Regenbögen als Versprechen, alles Leben auf Erden zu unterstützen. Im Regenbogen-Raum können wir all die verborgenen Beziehungen von Sexualitäten, Geschlechter und Rassen sehen. Wie der Regenbogen mögen auch wir alle Farben in der der Welt verkörpern. Amen.

Italian: Cristo arcobaleno, tu illumini il mondo. Tu crei gli arcobaleni come promessa di aiutare la vita sulla terra. Nello spazio dell’arcobaleno possiamo vedere tutte le connessioni nascoste tra sessualità, generi e razze. Come l’arcobaleno, fa’ che possiamo incarnare tutti i colori del mondo! Amen.

Japanese: 虹色の主キリストよ,あなたは,万物を照らし,虹を,地球の全生命を支える約束の徴になさいます.虹色の空間のなかで,さまざまなセクシュアリティ,ジェンダー,人種の間の隠されたつながりが見えてきます.虹のように,わたしたちが世のすべての色を表すことができますように! アーメン.

Malay: Kristus Sang Pelangi, engkau menerangi dunia. Engkau menjadikan pelangi sebagai janji untuk memelihara seluruh kehidupan di atas bumi. Di balik warna-warni pelangi, kami dapat melihat segala jalinan misteri di antara seksualiti, jantina, dan bangsa. Seperti pelangi, biarlah kami menghidupi seluruh warna-warni dunia, iaitu anugerah dari Yang Maha Esa! Amin.

Polish: Tęczowy Chryste, Ty oświecasz świat i tworzysz tęcze jako obietnice wsparcia wszelkiego życia na ziemi. W tęczowej przestrzeni możemy dojrzeć wszystkie te ukryte połączenia między seksualnościami, płciami i rasami. Obyśmy, niczym tęcza, ucieleśniali wszystkie barwy świata! Amen.

Portuguese: Cristo Arco-íris, você ilumina todo o mundo. Você faz arco-íris como uma promessa de apoiar toda a vida na Terra. Nele, podemos enxergar todas as conexões ocultas entre sexualidades, gêneros e raças. Como o arco-íris, que encarnemos todas as cores do mundo! Amém.

Russian: Радужный Христос, Ты освещаешь мир. Ты создаешь радугу как обещание поддержки всей жизни на земле. В радужном пространстве мы можем видеть все скрытые связи между сексуальностями, гендерами и расами. Подобно радуге, сделай возможным, чтоб мы объединили все цвета мира. Аминь.


Detail from “Christ and the Two Marys” by William Holman Hunt (Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to all the volunteer translators!

Spanish: Translated by Hugo Córdova Quero. Traducido por Hugo Córdova Quero.

Chinese: Translated by Iris Xie, Queer Theology Academy. 此文由性神學社成員,謝彩虹翻譯.
(The Chinese prayer was used at the opening worship of Queer Theology Academy Summer Workshop in Hong Kong in 2014.)

French: Translated by Zabulon in collaboration with Meneldid Palantir Talmayar. Traduit par Zabulon Zabulon avec la collaboration de Meneldid Palantir Talmayar.

German: Translated by Axel Schwaigert, Metropolitan Community Church of Stuttgart. Übersetzt von Axel Schwaigert, MCC Gemeinde Stuttgart.

Italian: Freely translated by Silvia Lanzi, Progetto Gionata. Liberamente tradotto da Silvia Lanzi, Progetto Gionata.

Japanese: Translated by LGBT Catholic Japan. LGBT カトリック・ジャパンが翻訳しました。

Malay: Translated by Anak Borneo. Diterjemahkan oleh Anak Borneo.

Polish: Translated by Łukasz Liniewicz and Jarek Kubacki. Przetłumaczone przez Łukasz Liniewicz i Jarek Kubacki.

Portuguese: Translated by Deco Ribeiro. Traduzido por Deco Ribeiro.

Russian: Translated by Elena Preobrazhenskaya (Moscow, Russia) and the brotherhood of Orthodox Catholic Monastery of Our Lady Joy of All Who Sorrow (Oxford, Michigan). Перевод Елены Преображенской (Москва, Россия) и братства Cкорбященской Пустыни (Оксфорд, Мичиган).

Image credit: “Stained-glass Rainbow Flag with Cross (Baner enfys gwydr lliw gyda Chroes)” by Andrew Craig Williams


 Patrick Cheng and Kittredge Cherry
wrote the Rainbow Christ Prayer


___
Related links:

Rainbow Christ Prayer: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ (original prayer in English)

Rainbow Christ Prayer goes nationwide at churches, schools and events

Rainbow Christ Prayer at Huffington Post

Rainbow Christ Prayer short version

Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People by Patrick Cheng

Welcome the New Year with Bridge of Light by Kittredge Cherry

Rainbow flag (Wikipedia)

Patrick Cheng's website and Twitter feed

___
Bible and homosexuality:

The Bible and Gays: Is it a sin to be gay? Did Jesus condemn homosexuality? by Rev. Durrrell Watkins

Metropolitan Community Churches theological resources

The Gay Debate: The Bible and Homosexuality by Matthew Vines (with translations in 10 langauges)

Homosexuality and the Bible at GayChurch.org

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This post is part of the LGBTQ Calendar series by Kittredge Cherry. The series celebrates religious and spiritual holidays, events in LGBTQ history, holy days, feast days, festivals, anniversaries, liturgical seasons and other occasions of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of faith and our allies.

Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Rainbow Christ Prayer: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ in new short version

“Stained-glass Rainbow Flag with Cross" by Andrew Craig Williams

Colors of the rainbow flag reveal the many faces of the queer Christ in the Rainbow Christ Prayer by lesbian author Kittredge Cherry and gay theologian Patrick S. Cheng. A new short version was released today:


Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Inspire us to celebrate each color of the rainbow!

Red gives us life. Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root.

Orange stirs our passion. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire.

Yellow awakens our courage. Out Christ, you are our Core.

Green moves us to love. Transgressive Christ, you are our Heart.

Blue frees us to speak. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice.

Violet clears our vision. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom.

The colors of the rainbow are distinct, but they all shine together to make one light. Hybrid Christ, you are our Crown.

Rainbow Christ, you are the light of the world. May the rainbow lead us to experience the whole spectrum of life! Amen.


The prayer matches the colors of the rainbow flag with the seven models of the queer Christ from Patrick’s book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.

Rainbow flags are flying around the world in June for LGBT Pride Month. Rainbows are also an important symbol in many religious traditions. The Rainbow Christ Prayer honors the spiritual values of the LGBT movement.

Here is the original version of the Rainbow Christ Prayer:








Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows serve as bridges between different realms: heaven and earth, east and west, queer and non-queer. Inspire us to remember the values expressed in the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.


Red is for life, the root of spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root. Free us from shame and grant us the grace of healthy pride so we can follow our own inner light. With the red stripe in the rainbow, we give thanks that God created us just the way we are.


Orange is for sexuality, the fire of spirit. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire, the Word made flesh. Free us from exploitation and grant us the grace of mutual relationships. With the orange stripe in the rainbow, kindle a fire of passion in us.


Yellow is for self-esteem, the core of spirit. Out Christ, you are our Core. Free us from closets of secrecy and give us the guts and grace to come out. With the yellow stripe in the rainbow, build our confidence.


Green is for love, the heart of spirit. Transgressive Outlaw Christ, you are our Heart, breaking rules out of love. In a world obsessed with purity, you touch the sick and eat with outcasts. Free us from conformity and grant us the grace of deviance. With the green stripe in the rainbow, fill our hearts with untamed compassion for all beings.


Blue is for self-expression, the voice of spirit. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice, speaking out against all forms of oppression. Free us from apathy and grant us the grace of activism. With the blue stripe in the rainbow, motivate us to call for justice.


Violet is for vision, the wisdom of spirit. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining the universe. Free us from isolation and grant us the grace of interdependence. With the violet stripe in the rainbow, connect us with others and with the whole creation.


Rainbow colors come together to make one light, the crown of universal consciousness. Hybrid and All-Encompassing Christ, you are our Crown, both human and divine. Free us from rigid categories and grant us the grace of interwoven identities. With the rainbow, lead us beyond black-and-white thinking to experience the whole spectrum of life.

Rainbow Christ, you light up the world. You make rainbows as a promise to support all life on earth. In the rainbow space, we can see all the hidden connections between sexualities, genders and races. Like the rainbow, may we embody all the colors of the world! Amen.










Detail from “Christ and the Two Marys” by William Holman Hunt (Wikimedia Commons)

I got the idea for the Rainbow Christ Prayer as I reflected on Patrick Cheng’s models of the queer Christ. Patrick and I each spent years developing the ideas expressed in the Rainbow Christ Prayer. It incorporates rainbow symbolism from queer culture, from Christian tradition and from the Buddhist/Hindu concept of chakras, the seven colored energy centers of the human body. The prayer is ideal for use when lighting candles in a rainbow candle holder.


Kittredge Cherry with Rainbow Candles (photo by Audrey)

The Rainbow Christ Prayer has been welcomed and used by many progressive Christian communities and denounced as blasphemy by conservatives at Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

I first wrote about linking the colors of the rainbow flag to queer spirituality in my 2009 reflection on Bridge of Light, a winter holiday honoring LGBT culture. Meanwhile Patrick was working on his models of the queer Christ based on LGBT experience. In 2010 he presented five models of the queer Christ in his essay “Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People” at the Jesus in Love Blog (and as a chapter in the book “Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection.”)

In a moment of inspiration I realized that Patrick’s various queer Christ models matched the colors of the rainbow flag. Patrick and I joined forces and the Rainbow Christ Prayer was born.

With wonderful synchronicity, Patrick had already added two more queer Christ models, so he now had seven models to match the seven principles from Bridge of Light. He wrote a detailed explanation of all seven models in his 2012 book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.” The following year Patrick authored “Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit.”

For more on the history and meaning of the rainbow flag, see my Huffington Post article Rainbow Christ Prayer honors LGBT spirituality.

Gay spirituality author Joe Perez helped lay the groundwork for this prayer in 2004 when he founded the interfaith and omni-denominational winter ritual known as Bridge of Light. People celebrate Bridge of Light by lighting candles, one for every color of the rainbow flag. Each color corresponds to a universal spiritual principle that is expressed in LGBT history and culture. I worked with Joe to revise the Bridge of Light guidelines based on my on own meditations on the chakras and their connections to the colors of the rainbow flag.

The symbolism of the rainbow resonates far beyond the LGBT flag. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the rainbow stands for God’s promise to support all life on earth. It plays an important role in the story of Noah’s Ark. After the flood, God places a rainbow in the sky, saying, “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-16). In the Book of Revelation, a rainbow encircles the throne of Christ in heaven.

___
Related links:
Rainbow Christ Prayer translated into 10 languages

Rainbow Christ Prayer goes nationwide at churches, schools and events (with version adapted by Heath Adam Ackley)

Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People by Patrick Cheng (Jesus in Love)

Welcome the New Year with Bridge of Light by Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Love)

Rainbow Christ Prayer at Huffington Post

Rainbow flag (Wikipedia)

Patrick Cheng's website and Twitter feed

____
This post is part of the Queer Christ series series by Kittredge Cherry at the Jesus in Love Blog. The series gathers together visions of the queer Christ as presented by artists, writers, theologians and others.

Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
http://www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com/
Jesus in Love Blog on LGBT spirituality and the arts

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Rainbow Christ Prayer goes nationwide at churches, schools and events

“Stained-glass Rainbow Flag with Cross” by Andrew Craig Williams

As rainbow flags wave with LGBT Pride this month, the Rainbow Christ Prayer evolves and touches lives in exciting new ways.

People have adapted the prayer for a wide variety of settings, including a queer theology class in Dallas, a non-violence training in Pennsylvania, and a poetry reading in Los Angeles. It has been used as a blessing at Shabbat dinners, a meditation at yoga classes, and a wedding gift at a same-sex marriage. It has also been denounced as blasphemy by the hate group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

The colors of the rainbow reveal the many faces of Christ in the Rainbow Christ Prayer, which was written by lesbian author Kittredge Cherry and gay theologian Patrick S. Cheng in 2012.

The prayer matches the seven colors of the rainbow flag with the seven models of the queer Christ from Patrick’s book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ. The rainbow is an important symbol in both the LGBT movement and the Judeo-Christian tradition, where it stands for God’s promise to support all life on earth.

Rainbow Christ Prayer cards and Crosses from Salem United Church of Christ

Small needlepoint rainbow crosses were handed out with a short version of the Rainbow Christ Prayer in 2013 when Salem United Church of Christ in Columbia, Pennsylvania, hosted a training for the Silent Witness Peacekeepers Alliance. The Alliance helps the LGBT community have safe, peaceful gatherings by providing a non-confrontational buffer between protestors at Pride festivals and other events. A member of the Salem church stitched the rainbow crosses specifically to go with the Rainbow Christ Prayer for volunteers at the training.

The mini prayer cards, measuring only two inches high, adapts the prayer with new opening lines: “Rainbow Christ; You embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows stretch in order to connect diverse realms: Inspire us to stretch beyond boundaries so that we may embody the wonders born from the diversity which You created.”

Haven group members read the Rainbow Christ Prayer at a poetry event in downtown Los Angeles in April. Adam Ackley is standing on the far right.

H. Adam Ackley, a queer theology professor and Church of the Brethren minister, has introduced the Rainbow Christ Prayer in many different settings.

“Reading the Rainbow Christ Prayer by yourself is so different from praying it aloud in a group led by seven readers who are diverse in race, age, orientation, and gender,” Ackley said. “Just looking at us praying together, you get the picture of radical inclusion. Our voices serve to flesh out the words.”

He entered into a deep relationship with the Rainbow Christ Prayer in 2013 after he was forced to leave his position at the evangelical Azusa Pacific University because he came out as a transgender man.

The rejection put Ackley on a path that led to the Rainbow Christ Prayer as searched for spiritual sustenance with the students at Haven, APU’s unofficial LGBTQ student group.

“Other Christians won’t pray with us, which actually liberated us to explore non-evangelical prayer like your Rainbow Christ one,” Ackley told the Jesus in Love Blog.

The Haven group often prayed the Rainbow Christ Prayer together before dinner on Fridays or Saturdays as “Shabbat” prayer during informal monthly meetings at Ackley’s home.

“It really evolves from theological meditation to communal prayer as we pray it together over time,” Ackley explained. “And then in turn we shared publicly several times after months of ‘family’ prayer.”

They adapted and shared the Rainbow Christ Prayer at two big events in southern California this spring, each with different groups of about 300 people in attendance. The events were:

* A poetry night on “Race/Sexuality” sponsored by Art Share LA, a downtown sanctuary for the arts; and LA Term, APU’s urban semester program. “People applauded after the Rainbow Christ Prayer and many said it was the most of one of most powerful experiences of the three-hour event,” Ackley said.

* Art of Discovery, an evening of music, art, dance, poetry exploring the topics of gender identity and sexual orientation, with lesbian Episcopal priest Susan Russell, hosted by Haven.

Many in the audiences were new to the experience of praying words based in LGBTQ experience. Ackley reports that settings were “mostly heteronormative so this was mind-blowing to most. Progress / witness happened though.”

Ackley, a certified yoga instructor, is also incorporating the Rainbow Christ Prayer into chakra meditations when he teaches yoga classes.

In addition he also rewrote the prayer as a wedding gift for a gay couple this spring. He gave it to Integrity USA’s Mel Soriano and his partner Stephen Mulder, along with a rainbow candle holder, so they can use it for family prayer at home. His wedding version is posted on his blog at Huffington Post.

Ackley’s adaptation is presented here with permission, followed by the original version. The adaptation is more oriented toward public prayer in mixed groups, while the original may be more suitable for LGBTQ settings or private meditations. Patrick and I are working on a revised version based on some of the ideas and feedback from others who have used the prayer.

Update: A Chinese translation of the prayer was used at the opening worship of Queer Theology Academy Summer Workshop 2014 in Hong Kong.

Rainbow Christ Prayer (adapted by Ackley)
Rainbow Christ, You embody all the colors of the world that You created. Rainbows bridge Your different realms: East and west, heaven and earth, queer and non-queer. So inspire us to celebrate each color of Your rainbow together.

Lighting a red candle: The red of Your rainbow reminds us to LIVE FULLY a renewed Life rooted in Spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, nourish in us the grace of healthy well-being. Renew our bodies, our minds and our spirits so that we may follow the abundant inner light You give us. Thank You, God, for creating each of us just as we are.

Lighting an orange candle: The orange of Your rainbow reminds us to THANK You for the gift of creativity, including the fire of sacred human sexuality, sanctified by the Spirit. Christ, Word made Flesh, open and free us to receive from You relationships that are mutual means of grace. Help us to forgive the past and to embrace now all that is positive in this present moment, expression our passion and our desire in creative, healthy, grace-filled ways.

Lighting a yellow candle: God, the yellow of Your rainbow reminds us to REJOICE, even in the very gift of self, each of us made in God's own image. Christ, our core, Your Spirit empowers us, radiating in and through us. Grant us grace to value and trust ourselves and each other enough to "come out" continually from secrecy, shame, and self-rejection into Your light that illuminates and affirms Your image and love in each of us.

Lighting a green candle: God, the green of Your rainbow reminds us to LOVE, the very heart of Your Spirit. Transgressive Christ, You are our heart, braking into the perfect freedom that You alone give us through Your perfect love that casts out fear. Fill our hearts with untamed, compassionate love for all beings, including ourselves and each other, in every area of our lives, so that we give love and receive love with happiness, balance, grace, and harmony.

Lighting a blue candle: God, the blue of Your rainbow reminds us to GIVE VOICE to our selves, made in Your image, beloved by God, trusting that self-expression is the voice of Your Holy Spirit in, through and between us. Liberator Christ, You are our voice, speaking out with calm, confidence and power against all that oppresses Your creation. Grant us gracious, prophetic, active, and just voices to speak Your truth in love.

Lighting a purple candle: God, the violet of Your rainbow reminds us of the inner vision that seeks and knows Your highest Truth, which is LOVE, the deep intuitive wisdom of Your Holy Spirit. Interconnected and interconnecting Christ, You are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining us and Your universe. Grant us the grace of interdependence, freeing us from isolation. As all the colors of Your rainbow are connected and yet distinct, connect us with each other and with all of Your creation in ways that bring peace, wholeness, balance, and nurture of our spirits. Though the colors of Your rainbow are distinct, You bring them together to make one light. All-Encompassing Christ, our Crown, in this same way You unite humanity with God. So too unite us with each other, liberating us to accept from You interconnection as a gift of Your grace. Like the rainbow, may we too embody and reflect Your light, color, beauty and promise. AMEN.


***********

Rainbow Christ Prayer (original by Cherry and Cheng)








Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows serve as bridges between different realms: heaven and earth, east and west, queer and non-queer. Inspire us to remember the values expressed in the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.


Red is for life, the root of spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root. Free us from shame and grant us the grace of healthy pride so we can follow our own inner light. With the red stripe in the rainbow, we give thanks that God created us just the way we are.


Orange is for sexuality, the fire of spirit. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire, the Word made flesh. Free us from exploitation and grant us the grace of mutual relationships. With the orange stripe in the rainbow, kindle a fire of passion in us.


Yellow is for self-esteem, the core of spirit. Out Christ, you are our Core. Free us from closets of secrecy and give us the guts and grace to come out. With the yellow stripe in the rainbow, build our confidence.


Green is for love, the heart of spirit. Transgressive Outlaw Christ, you are our Heart, breaking rules out of love. In a world obsessed with purity, you touch the sick and eat with outcasts. Free us from conformity and grant us the grace of deviance. With the green stripe in the rainbow, fill our hearts with untamed compassion for all beings.


Blue is for self-expression, the voice of spirit. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice, speaking out against all forms of oppression. Free us from apathy and grant us the grace of activism. With the blue stripe in the rainbow, motivate us to call for justice.


Violet is for vision, the wisdom of spirit. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining the universe. Free us from isolation and grant us the grace of interdependence. With the violet stripe in the rainbow, connect us with others and with the whole creation.


Rainbow colors come together to make one light, the crown of universal consciousness. Hybrid and All-Encompassing Christ, you are our Crown, both human and divine. Free us from rigid categories and grant us the grace of interwoven identities. With the rainbow, lead us beyond black-and-white thinking to experience the whole spectrum of life.

Rainbow Christ, you light up the world. You make rainbows as a promise to support all life on earth. In the rainbow space, we can see all the hidden connections between sexualities, genders and races. Like the rainbow, may we embody all the colors of the world! Amen.










Detail from “Christ and the Two Marys” by William Holman Hunt (Wikimedia Commons)

 I first got the idea for the Rainbow Christ Prayer as I reflected on Patrick Cheng’s models of the queer Christ. Patrick and I each spent years developing the ideas expressed in the Rainbow Christ Prayer. It incorporates rainbow symbolism from queer culture, from Christian tradition and from the Buddhist/Hindu concept of chakras, the seven colored energy centers of the human body. The prayer is ideal for use when lighting candles in a rainbow candle holder.


Kittredge Cherry with Rainbow Candles (photo by Audrey)


I first wrote about linking the colors of the rainbow flag to queer spirituality in my 2009 reflection on Bridge of Light, a winter holiday honoring LGBT culture. Meanwhile Patrick was working on his models of the queer Christ based on LGBT experience. In 2010 he presented five models of the queer Christ in his essay “Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People” at the Jesus in Love Blog (and as a chapter in the book “Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection.”)

In a moment of inspiration I realized that Patrick’s various queer Christ models matched the colors of the rainbow flag. Patrick and I joined forces and the Rainbow Christ Prayer was born.

With wonderful synchronicity, Patrick had already added two more queer Christ models, so he now had seven models to match the seven principles from Bridge of Light. He wrote a detailed explanation of all seven models in his book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ,” published in spring 2012 by Seabury Books. The following year Patrick authored “Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit.”

For more on the history and meaning of the rainbow flag, see my Huffington Post article Rainbow Christ Prayer honors LGBT spirituality.

Gay spirituality author Joe Perez helped lay the groundwork for this prayer in 2004 when he founded the interfaith and omni-denominational winter ritual known as Bridge of Light. People celebrate Bridge of Light by lighting candles, one for every color of the rainbow flag. Each color corresponds to a universal spiritual principle that is expressed in LGBT history and culture. I worked with Joe to revise the Bridge of Light guidelines based on my on own meditations on the chakras and their connections to the colors of the rainbow flag.

The symbolism of the rainbow resonates far beyond the LGBT flag. It plays an important role in the story of Noah’s Ark. After the flood, God places a rainbow in the sky, saying, “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-16). In the Book of Revelation, a rainbow encircles the throne of Christ in heaven.

___
Related links:
Rainbow Christ Prayer translated into 10 languages

Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People by Patrick Cheng (Jesus in Love)

Welcome the New Year with Bridge of Light by Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Love)

Rainbow Christ Prayer at Believe Out Loud

Rainbow Christ Prayer article by Kittredge Cherry at Huffington Post

Rainbow flag (Wikipedia)

Patrick Cheng's website and Twitter feed

____
This post is part of the Queer Christ series series by Kittredge Cherry at the Jesus in Love Blog. The series gathers together visions of the queer Christ as presented by artists, writers, theologians and others.

Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
http://www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com/
Jesus in Love Blog on LGBT spirituality and the arts

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Queer grace: Beyond sex and race, beyond time and space

“Grace is a Bit Queer” by Felicia Follum

grace is a bit queer
the gays get it
the straights don’t deserve it
the bad need it
the good are expected to give it
the poor, the homeless
the helpless, the meek,
the humble
are loved by the laws of grace

___________________

In between all that can and can’t be seen
Where the dirty meets the clean, 
somewhere in the dark
Beyond sex and race, beyond time and space
In a state of grace is the spark


Grace is a bit queer, as social justice artist Felicia Follum points out in a new poster. She is among the artists, musicians and thinkers who are shining a queer light on grace -- undeserved help from God.

“The idea for this poster came from my life drawing class. During a critique the class discussed how the model looks like Jesus. It was interesting because the model was a friend who happened to be gay,” says Follum, who often unites art with activism. She lives in Laramie, Wyoming, site of the infamous 1998 gay-bashing murder of Matthew Shepard.

Follum decided to explore the Christian concept of grace and combine it with the Christ-like drawing of her gay friend. “From a Christian perspective, the ‘grace of God’ is a fascinating, strange, and almost incomprehensible. Jesus died on the cross for everyone, including gay people. There is nothing that anyone can do to make God love you less or to make God love you more. That being said, ‘Grace is Queer,’” explains Follum, who earned a bachelor’s degree in art this year from the University of Wyoming.

She purposely muddled the lettering so it would be hard to read. “The text in this poster is jumbled and confusing because that is how grace is in comparison to our culture,” Follum says. “Our culture tells us that if we work hard we will get something better. We can earn anything that we want. Grace is different. We can not earn grace and we can not lose grace. Grace does not make sense and it is not fair.”

“James Cone’s Black Jesus”
by Felicia Follum
Racial justice and African American history are common themes in Follum’s art. She challenges traditional concepts of Jesus based on race as well as sexual orientation. Her work includes not only a gay Jesus, but also a black Jesus. Follum’s black Jesus poster is based on theology of James Cone, the founder of black liberation theology. The poster shows the black face of Jesus is surrounded by the scripture: “As you did unto one of the least of these, you did unto me.”

In his landmark book A Black Theology of Liberation, Cone wrote, “The blackness of God means that God has made the oppressed condition God's own condition.”

Cone laid the groundwork for Patrick Cheng and other queer theologians who use his approach to liberate LGBT people and our allies. Cheng, who teaches at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, studied with Cone as his doctoral advisor. Cheng discusses queer grace in depth in his latest book, From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.

“We, as LGBT people of faith, must address the doctrine of sin -- and its companion doctrine of grace -- head on. We can no longer avoid or ignore the subject,” Cheng writes. “It is time for LGBT people to take back the words ‘sin’ and ‘grace’ in the same way we have taken back the word ‘queer’!” He proposes seven models of grace (and sin) that arise from LGBT experience:

1) Erotic Christ (grace as mutuality)
2) Out Christ (grace as coming out)
3) Liberator Christ (grace as activism)
4) Transgressive Christ (grace as deviance)
5) Self-Loving Christ (grace as pride)
6) Interconnected Christ (grace as interdependence)
7) Hybrid Christ (grace as hybridity)

Long before liberation theology, the idea of grace has always been a bit queer. It comes to mind when people see someone less fortunate and say with grateful compassion, “There but for the grace go I.”

Avant-garde rock singer-songwriter Richard Haxton celebrates grace in his song “The Spark,” which is quoted above. More of his work is available online at Hawkstown.net, a town / solar system built of Haxton’s songs and drawings, music and art.

And the Bible is full of mysterious promises about God’s grace, such as these words from 2 Corinthians 9:8:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

___
Related links:

20 Inspirational Bible Verses About Grace (whatchristianswanttoknow.com)

Felicia Follum Art

Felicia Follum Art + Design Blog

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

HuffPost runs our Rainbow Christ Prayer


Detail from “Christ and the Two Marys” by William Holman Hunt (Wikimedia Commons)

Huffington Post just published the new Rainbow Christ Prayer that I co-wrote with gay theologian Patrick Cheng. See it now at this link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kittredge-cherry/rainbow-christ-prayer-hon_b_1616193.html

(Update on July 7, 2012: The backlash came when Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, a conservative Christian hate group posted an attack titled Blasphemy 101: ‘Lesbian Christian’ Kittredge Cherry Offers ‘Rainbow Christ Prayer.’ Click here for more info.)

The prayer matches the colors of the rainbow flag with models of the queer Christ and spiritual principles expressed in LGBT history culture. It grows out of the seven models of the queer Christ from Patrick’s new book From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.

In the article that goes with the prayer, I also discuss the history of the rainbow flag as a symbol of LGBT pride. Our Rainbow Christ Prayer is generating discussion on Facebook about the need to expand beyond the name LGBT to include the full spectrum of human diversity.

___
Related link:
Rainbow Christ Prayer: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Rainbow Christ Prayer: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ


Colors of the rainbow flag reveal the many faces of the queer Christ in the following Rainbow Christ Prayer by lesbian Christian author Kittredge Cherry and gay theologian Patrick S. Cheng.

Rainbow flags are flying around the world in June for LGBT Pride Month. Rainbows are also an important symbol in many religious traditions. The Rainbow Christ Prayer honors the spiritual values of the LGBT movement.

For a new version of this article, click this link to Qspirit.net:
Rainbow Christ Prayer: LGBT flag reveals the queer Christ

The prayer matches the colors of the rainbow flag with the seven models of the queer Christ from Patrick Cheng’s book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.”

The prayer has been translated into 10 languages: Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Malay, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.

Progressive Christians believe that homosexuality is not a sin. Scholars say that the Bible does not condemn loving same-sex relationships. Therefore churches should accept and affirm LGBT people. The Rainbow Christ Prayer grows out of the understanding that LGBT people are a natural part of God’s creation.

Let us pray...








Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows serve as bridges between different realms: heaven and earth, east and west, queer and non-queer. Inspire us to remember the values expressed in the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.


Red is for life, the root of spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root. Free us from shame and grant us the grace of healthy pride so we can follow our own inner light. With the red stripe in the rainbow, we give thanks that God created us just the way we are.


Orange is for sexuality, the fire of spirit. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire, the Word made flesh. Free us from exploitation and grant us the grace of mutual relationships. With the orange stripe in the rainbow, kindle a fire of passion in us.


Yellow is for self-esteem, the core of spirit. Out Christ, you are our Core. Free us from closets of secrecy and give us the guts and grace to come out. With the yellow stripe in the rainbow, build our confidence.


Green is for love, the heart of spirit. Transgressive Outlaw Christ, you are our Heart, breaking rules out of love. In a world obsessed with purity, you touch the sick and eat with outcasts. Free us from conformity and grant us the grace of deviance. With the green stripe in the rainbow, fill our hearts with untamed compassion for all beings.


Blue is for self-expression, the voice of spirit. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice, speaking out against all forms of oppression. Free us from apathy and grant us the grace of activism. With the blue stripe in the rainbow, motivate us to call for justice.


Violet is for vision, the wisdom of spirit. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining the universe. Free us from isolation and grant us the grace of interdependence. With the violet stripe in the rainbow, connect us with others and with the whole creation.


Rainbow colors come together to make one light, the crown of universal consciousness. Hybrid and All-Encompassing Christ, you are our Crown, both human and divine. Free us from rigid categories and grant us the grace of interwoven identities. With the rainbow, lead us beyond black-and-white thinking to experience the whole spectrum of life.

Rainbow Christ, you light up the world. You make rainbows as a promise to support all life on earth. In the rainbow space, we can see all the hidden connections between sexualities, genders and races. Like the rainbow, may we embody all the colors of the world! Amen.










Detail from “Christ and the Two Marys” by William Holman Hunt (Wikimedia Commons)

I got the idea for the Rainbow Christ Prayer as I reflected on Patrick Cheng’s models of the queer Christ. Patrick and I each spent years developing the ideas expressed in the Rainbow Christ Prayer. It incorporates rainbow symbolism from queer culture, from Christian tradition and from the Buddhist/Hindu concept of chakras, the seven colored energy centers of the human body. The prayer is ideal for use when lighting candles in a rainbow candle holder.


Kittredge Cherry with Rainbow Candles (photo by Audrey)

The Rainbow Christ Prayer has been welcomed and used by many progressive Christian communities and denounced as blasphemy by conservatives at Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.)

I first wrote about linking the colors of the rainbow flag to queer spirituality in my 2009 reflection on Bridge of Light, a winter holiday honoring LGBT culture. Meanwhile Patrick was working on his models of the queer Christ based on LGBT experience. In 2010 he presented five models of the queer Christ in his essay “Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People” at the Jesus in Love Blog (and as a chapter in the book “Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection.”)

In a moment of inspiration I realized that Patrick’s various queer Christ models matched the colors of the rainbow flag. Patrick and I joined forces and the Rainbow Christ Prayer was born.

 Patrick Cheng and Kittredge Cherry

With wonderful synchronicity, Patrick had already added two more queer Christ models, so he now had seven models to match the seven principles from Bridge of Light. He wrote a detailed explanation of all seven models in his book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ,” published in spring 2012 by Seabury Books. The following year Patrick authored “Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit.”

For more on the history and meaning of the rainbow flag, see my Huffington Post article Rainbow Christ Prayer honors LGBT spirituality.

Gay spirituality author Joe Perez helped lay the groundwork for this prayer in 2004 when he founded the interfaith and omni-denominational winter ritual known as Bridge of Light. People celebrate Bridge of Light by lighting candles, one for every color of the rainbow flag. Each color corresponds to a universal spiritual principle that is expressed in LGBT history and culture. I worked with Joe to revise the Bridge of Light guidelines based on my on own meditations on the chakras and their connections to the colors of the rainbow flag.

The symbolism of the rainbow resonates far beyond the LGBT flag. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the rainbow stands for God’s promise to support all life on earth. It plays an important role in the story of Noah’s Ark. After the flood, God places a rainbow in the sky, saying, “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-16). In the Book of Revelation, a rainbow encircles the throne of Christ in heaven.

___
Image credit: “Stained-glass Rainbow Flag with Cross (Baner enfys gwydr lliw gyda Chroes)” by Andrew Craig Williams
___
Related links:

Rainbow Christ Prayer translated into 10 languages

Rainbow Christ Prayer goes nationwide at churches, schools and events (2014)

Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People by Patrick Cheng (Jesus in Love)

Welcome the New Year with Bridge of Light by Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Love)

Rainbow Christ Prayer at Huffington Post

Rainbow Christ Prayer short version

Rainbow flag (Wikipedia)

Patrick Cheng's website and Twitter feed

______
This post is part of the LGBTQ Calendar series by Kittredge Cherry. The series celebrates religious and spiritual holidays, events in LGBTQ history, holy days, feast days, festivals, anniversaries, liturgical seasons and other occasions of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of faith and our allies.

Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.