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Koinonia: The Quest for a Queer Church

Olterman Rodhe, Patrik LU (2025) TLVK10 20242
Centre for Theology and Religious Studies
Abstract
The audacious aim of this paper is to shed light on the ways that queer persons in the church are negatively impacted by cisheteronormativity, the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage. And then through a queer understanding of the concept of koinonia find a theological foundation to decentralize the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage and by that create space for a diversity of relationship models like responsible non-monogamies. By examining Philip Kariatlis’ Church as Community, Elizabeth Stuart’s More than Just Friends, Kathy Rudy’s Sex in the Church, I recontextualise the tradition of koinonia in a queer theological context using abductive method to investigate in what ways a... (More)
The audacious aim of this paper is to shed light on the ways that queer persons in the church are negatively impacted by cisheteronormativity, the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage. And then through a queer understanding of the concept of koinonia find a theological foundation to decentralize the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage and by that create space for a diversity of relationship models like responsible non-monogamies. By examining Philip Kariatlis’ Church as Community, Elizabeth Stuart’s More than Just Friends, Kathy Rudy’s Sex in the Church, I recontextualise the tradition of koinonia in a queer theological context using abductive method to investigate in what ways a queer understanding of koinonia can decentralize cisheteronormativity in the church. Furthermore, How such a re-contextualisation could be used as a foundation to accept and celebrate responsible non-monogamies as viable alternatives to dyadic relationships. I come to the conclusion that koinonia is inherently queer, and that the only real barrier is the sacred/secular divide that is ubiquitous in traditional theology. Moreover, I conclude that koinonia not only provides a way to decentralize the institution of marriage, but that it supersedes marriage, as well as all other relational models without abolishing them. They all could be considered equal, diverse - while incomplete - still valid and sacred expressions of god’s koinonia. As such, a queer koinonia would allow for an accepting and celebration of all relational models, monogamous or not. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Olterman Rodhe, Patrik LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
A Queering of the Chrsitian Tradition of Koinonia; Fellowship as Described in the Book of Acts
course
TLVK10 20242
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
koinonia, ecclesiology, queer-theology, polyamory, responsible non-monogamy, perichoresis, trinitarian
language
English
id
9181958
date added to LUP
2025-01-22 15:13:57
date last changed
2025-01-22 15:13:57
@misc{9181958,
  abstract     = {{The audacious aim of this paper is to shed light on the ways that queer persons in the church are negatively impacted by cisheteronormativity, the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage. And then through a queer understanding of the concept of koinonia find a theological foundation to decentralize the hegemony of dyadic relationships and the institution of marriage and by that create space for a diversity of relationship models like responsible non-monogamies. By examining Philip Kariatlis’ Church as Community, Elizabeth Stuart’s More than Just Friends, Kathy Rudy’s Sex in the Church, I recontextualise the tradition of koinonia in a queer theological context using abductive method to investigate in what ways a queer understanding of koinonia can decentralize cisheteronormativity in the church. Furthermore, How such a re-contextualisation could be used as a foundation to accept and celebrate responsible non-monogamies as viable alternatives to dyadic relationships. I come to the conclusion that koinonia is inherently queer, and that the only real barrier is the sacred/secular divide that is ubiquitous in traditional theology. Moreover, I conclude that koinonia not only provides a way to decentralize the institution of marriage, but that it supersedes marriage, as well as all other relational models without abolishing them. They all could be considered equal, diverse - while incomplete - still valid and sacred expressions of god’s koinonia. As such, a queer koinonia would allow for an accepting and celebration of all relational models, monogamous or not.}},
  author       = {{Olterman Rodhe, Patrik}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Koinonia: The Quest for a Queer Church}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}