| Abstract | Christianity has not been widely regarded as an inclusive, safe, and loving place for gender queer persons, who have often felt excluded and shunned by the church. This paper posits a new exegesis of Genesis 1:1-2 that creates space for the church to be more inclusive towards the LGBTQIA+ community and creates an avenue for gender queer persons to feel accepted by the church. One interpretation of Gen. 1:1-2 is that God created good creation from the chaos of the tehom and tohu-wabohu. The initial good creation from chaos which God created suggests that many subsequent instances of co-creation from chaos with God as a partner can also be considered good if the co-creator is tuned into the good creative lure of God. So, considering that the originial creation from chaos by God was good creation, and considering that gender non-conforming persons engage in co-creation alongside God when embracing their gender identity from the chaos of gender dysphoria, it can be supposed that this human creation from chaos can also be considered good and affirmed by God when co-created alongside God and the lure of God. This exegesis of Gen. 1:1-2 demonstrates how gender queer persons are created in the image of God, and as such should have a beloved space in the church exactly as they are. |
