Love, Identity, and Liberation: Lessons from Ruth and Naomi
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound intersections of identity, love, and liberation through the lens of the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi. This narrative invites us to reconsider traditional interpretations of scripture, particularly regarding relationships and identity. We began by acknowledging the ongoing work of protest and resistance, emphasizing the importance of intersectionality in the fight for Black liberation. The Black Lives Matter movement, initiated by queer Black women, reminds us that no issue exists in isolation, and we must support one another across diverse identities.
We delved into the complexities of biblical relationships, challenging the presumption of heterosexuality often imposed by traditional readings. The story of Ruth and Naomi offers a rich tapestry of love and commitment that transcends societal norms. In a time when women were often seen as having limited roles, Ruth and Naomi's relationship defies these constraints, showcasing a deep bond that is both intimate and revolutionary. Their story is a testament to the power of love that defies boundaries, whether they be ethnic, gender, or societal.
The narrative also introduces Boaz, a character who recognizes and supports the love between Ruth and Naomi. His actions demonstrate a subversive strategy to create and sustain a family that defies conventional norms. This story is not just about survival but about thriving in love and community, offering a model for how we might navigate our own intersecting identities today.
As we reflect on this story, we are reminded of the beauty and holiness of queer, interethnic, and boundary-defying love. It is a call to celebrate and honor the diverse ways we form families and communities, recognizing that these relationships are blessed by God and contribute to the redemption and liberation we seek.
Key Takeaways:
- Intersectionality in Activism: The Black Lives Matter movement, founded by queer Black women, highlights the necessity of intersectionality in activism. It reminds us that liberation must include all identities, and we must support each other across these intersections to achieve true justice. [16:13]
- Challenging Heteronormativity in Scripture: The story of Ruth and Naomi challenges the presumption of heterosexuality in biblical narratives. By lifting this presumption, we open ourselves to a richer understanding of love and relationships in scripture, recognizing the presence of queer love and intimacy. [21:24]
- The Power of Subversive Love: Ruth and Naomi's relationship exemplifies a love that defies societal norms and expectations. Their commitment to one another, despite cultural and legal constraints, demonstrates the transformative power of love that transcends boundaries. [30:34]
- Creating Chosen Families: The actions of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz illustrate the creation of chosen families that redefine kinship and responsibility. This mirrors the ways in which queer communities today form families that are not bound by traditional definitions but are rooted in love and mutual support. [46:26]
- Celebrating Queer and Interethnic Love: The story of Ruth and Naomi is a celebration of queer, interethnic love that is blessed by God. It challenges us to honor and uplift these relationships as holy and integral to the fabric of our communities and faith. [50:05]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [16:13] - Intersectionality in Activism
- [19:05] - Returning to the Love Series
- [20:34] - Challenging Heteronormativity
- [21:24] - Queer Relationships in Scripture
- [22:33] - Women in Segregated Societies
- [23:51] - Romance Beyond Heterosexuality
- [25:12] - The Story of Ruth and Naomi
- [26:17] - Naomi's Journey to Moab
- [27:17] - The Status of Women
- [28:50] - Flourishing of Women
- [29:36] - Ruth's Commitment to Naomi
- [30:34] - The Nature of Their Relationship
- [33:07] - Interethnic and Queer Love
- [34:29] - Loving Day and Interracial Marriage
- [35:51] - Facing Odds Together
- [36:48] - Stories of Joy and Triumph
- [38:31] - Gleaning and Protection
- [39:34] - Boaz's Recognition
- [40:47] - Sustaining Love and Family
- [41:57] - Testing Boaz's Intentions
- [43:02] - Ruth's Night with Boaz
- [44:18] - Boaz's Praise and Plan
- [45:07] - Navigating Legal Systems
- [46:26] - Creating Chosen Families
- [47:30] - The Birth of Obed
- [48:40] - Ruth's Legacy
- [50:05] - Celebrating Queer Love
- [53:06] - Offering and Community
- [56:24] - Blessing and Farewell
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ruth 1:16-17
- Genesis 2:24
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Observation Questions:
1. How does the relationship between Ruth and Naomi challenge traditional views of family and kinship in the biblical context? [30:34]
2. What role does Boaz play in the story of Ruth and Naomi, and how does his recognition of their relationship contribute to the narrative? [39:34]
3. How does the sermon describe the societal status of women during the time of Ruth and Naomi, and what implications does this have for their story? [28:50]
4. What is the significance of Ruth's declaration to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17, and how does it reflect the themes of love and commitment discussed in the sermon? [31:54]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the story of Ruth and Naomi invite us to reconsider the presumption of heterosexuality in biblical narratives? [21:24]
2. How does the sermon suggest that the story of Ruth and Naomi can serve as a model for creating chosen families in today's context? [46:26]
3. What does the sermon imply about the intersectionality of identities, and how does this relate to the broader themes of love and liberation? [16:13]
4. How does the sermon interpret the actions of Boaz as a subversive strategy to support Ruth and Naomi's relationship? [45:07]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like an outsider. How can the story of Ruth and Naomi inspire you to find community and support in unexpected places? [33:07]
2. The sermon highlights the importance of intersectionality in activism. How can you actively support diverse identities in your community to promote true justice? [16:13]
3. Consider the concept of chosen families as presented in the sermon. How can you cultivate and support non-traditional family structures in your own life? [46:26]
4. How can the story of Ruth and Naomi encourage you to challenge societal norms and expectations in your own relationships? [30:34]
5. The sermon discusses the beauty and holiness of queer and interethnic love. How can you celebrate and honor diverse relationships in your community? [50:05]
6. Reflect on the role of Boaz in the story. How can you be an ally to those whose relationships and identities are marginalized or misunderstood? [39:34]
7. How does the sermon challenge you to rethink your understanding of love and commitment in the context of your faith? [31:54]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Intersectionality in Our Pursuit of Justice
In the fight for justice, intersectionality is crucial. The Black Lives Matter movement, founded by queer Black women, exemplifies this by highlighting the interconnectedness of various identities and struggles. It reminds us that true liberation requires acknowledging and supporting the diverse identities within our communities. By understanding that no issue exists in isolation, we can work together to achieve justice for all. This approach calls us to be allies across different identities, ensuring that our activism is inclusive and comprehensive. [16:13]
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively support someone from a different background or identity in their fight for justice today?
Day 2: Reimagining Love Beyond Heteronormative Boundaries
The story of Ruth and Naomi challenges traditional interpretations of scripture that often assume heterosexuality. By examining their relationship, we open ourselves to a broader understanding of love and commitment in the Bible. Ruth and Naomi's bond transcends societal norms, offering a narrative of queer love and intimacy that is both profound and revolutionary. This story invites us to reconsider how we view relationships and to recognize the presence of diverse expressions of love within scripture. [21:24]
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you challenge your own assumptions about relationships and love today?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of Subversive Love
Ruth and Naomi's relationship exemplifies a love that defies societal expectations. Their commitment to one another, despite cultural and legal constraints, demonstrates the transformative power of love that transcends boundaries. This narrative encourages us to embrace love that challenges norms and to see the potential for transformation in relationships that defy conventional expectations. It is a reminder that love can be a powerful force for change and liberation. [30:34]
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that challenges societal norms. How can you nurture and celebrate this relationship today?
Day 4: Redefining Family Through Chosen Bonds
The actions of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz illustrate the creation of chosen families that redefine kinship and responsibility. This mirrors the ways in which queer communities today form families that are not bound by traditional definitions but are rooted in love and mutual support. By embracing chosen families, we can create communities that are inclusive and supportive, reflecting the diverse ways in which people form meaningful connections. [46:26]
"God sets the lonely in families; he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." (Psalm 68:6, ESV)
Reflection: Who are the people in your life that you consider family, even if they are not related by blood? How can you show them appreciation and support today?
Day 5: Celebrating Queer and Interethnic Love as Holy
The story of Ruth and Naomi is a celebration of queer, interethnic love that is blessed by God. It challenges us to honor and uplift these relationships as holy and integral to the fabric of our communities and faith. By recognizing the beauty and holiness of diverse expressions of love, we can create a more inclusive and affirming community that reflects God's love for all people. [50:05]
"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place." (Acts 17:26, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively celebrate and honor diverse expressions of love within your community today?
Quotes
"Good morning, y 'all. My name is Jonah. My pronouns are they, them, theirs. I'm the lead pastor here at Zao MKE Church with Pastor Cameron, who is also my partner and my love. And, we are here at Zao still engaged in the day -to -day work of protest and resistance, deeply involved in the local work of Black Lives Matter. And if you want to get involved, you can sign up for a shift to be present in this space. It's actually quite limited in human contact, and we are masked up and regularly sanitizing." [00:14:57] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"So, as we are engaged in this day -in, day -out work of protest, we're seeing lots of different things play out on the ground about what it means to do intersectional work, what it means to be truly anti -racist, what it means truly to offer a world to one another where there's a lot of diversity. Black liberation is central and celebrated. And, we're seeing some of the things play out here in Milwaukee that are surely playing out elsewhere in the country." [00:16:19] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"For Black lives to matter, all Black lives must matter. And for any life to matter, the fullness of life has to matter, including sexuality and romance and intimacy. This is why we are returning today to our relationship series, our love series, called It's Complicated." [00:19:05] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"We are taking a queer, feminist, anti -racist look at relationships in the Bible and those relationships in the Bible that can teach us something about the beauty of love, the spirituality of love and romance, and what it means to be faithful not only to God but to one another in intimate partnership, in joy, in pleasure." [00:19:27] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Queerness in particular is hidden and obscured by the text, but it's also obscured by heteronormative readings. Biblical scholar Jeremy Shipper writes, Heterosexuality is often presumed without explicit justification unless another contemporarily recognized expression of sexual desire is clearly identified in the text, projecting heteronormativity back into ancient Israelite relationships." [00:20:04] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"So what if we lifted the presumption of heterosexuality? And what if we lifted the presumption of heterosexuality? We opened our reading of the Bible to the presumption that romance was not merely or purely heterosexual." [00:23:51] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"This is a story about women told by women, and I believe it's a story about queer women, and maybe a queer man, and the ways that queer family and relationships form, despite despite expectations and boundaries of a society not set up for us." [00:25:34] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Ruth says, Do not leave me. Where you go, I go. Where you live, I live. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. May the Lord do thus unto me and more, if even death parts me from you." [00:31:26] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Our queer stories Our stories should be stories of beauty. Our Black stories should be stories of beauty. And while we need to bear witness to the pain and suffering of oppression, we also need to bear witness to the beauty and joy of queer identity, of Black identity, of trans identity, of all of the things that we are fighting for to be in our fullness, whoever we are in our intersecting identities of oppression and privilege." [00:36:56] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"So what follows here is a celebration of subversive strategies to create and sustain families of love across intersecting identities and challenges of oppression." [00:37:23] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz provide our community with an ancient example of the ways in which we have been creating our families. She praises them for navigating legal systems that were not made for them, finding ways to be family anyway whether or not they are recognized, and having their love and their relationships define who they are more than the lineage and legality of the culture around them." [00:47:55] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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