The Queer Narrative Archive hosts personal stories that capture the lived reality of individuals in faith communities. Â See the projects on the Dutch Reformed Church and the Methodist Church of Southern Africa below.
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The first project in the Queer Narrative Archive hosts stories within the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). Watch the overview film, Ons kom tot verhaal, and view the individual narratives below.
The DRC has come a long way since its 1986 resolution on homosexuality that considered it to be a deviant form of sexuality and its condemnation of LGBTIQ+ practices and relationships. The DRC has been in an ongoing process, grappling not only with its justification of Apartheid by appropriating the Biblical text but also with the ways in which it has dealt with and treated LGBTIQ+ people.
In 2022, for the first time in this long history, a convening was held for LGBTIQ+ people with a calling to church ministry. A group of twenty people gathered for three days at the Andrew Murray Centre for Spirituality in Wellington, South Africa, to reflect, learn, lament, and celebrate.
These are their stories.
These videos capture embodied stories of vocation, the integration of sexuality and spirituality, and processes of ‘coming out’. They also capture the imagination of what an inclusive faith community could be.
They speak to the collective organizing and change-making that has taken place over decades.
The project is a collaborative partnership between the Dutch Reformed Church, the University of Kwazulu-Natal, and Inclusive & Affirming Ministries (IAM).
Credits:
Research and Artistic collaboration: Louis van der Riet, Charlene van der Walt, Alexa Sedge
For more information, comments, or questions, or to collaborate on the expansion of this archive, please contact Louis van der Riet – louis@iam.org.za
Thank you to the donors and partners who made this project possible:
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These individual narratives were captured during the first Proudly Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA). It marked a historic moment as LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies from different regions and generations gathered for recognition, solidarity, and shared stories.
This three-day event, held in Bryanston, Johannesburg, from 24-26Â October 2024, highlighted the journey and struggles toward inclusivity within the MCSA. Participants shared personal narratives and collective experiences, emphasizing the embodied realities of queer people in the church. These video interviews capture some of these powerful stories, contributing to a living history of LGBTQIA+ individuals within the denomination.
This gathering was organized by the LGBTQIA Connexional Task Team in partnership with IAM. Established in 2019, the Task Team partners with MCSA structures to raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and pastoral care for queer individuals.
Credits: Videography, photography and editing: Oupa Nkosi.Â
For more information, comments, or questions, or to collaborate on the expansion of this archive, please contact Louis van der Riet – louis@iam.org.zaÂ
Click on the image below to play the video
