Elite College Offers 'Queering the Bible' Class, Queer and Trans Readings of Scripture
One of the most competitive and elite liberal arts colleges in America will be offering a class called "Queering the Bible," according to its course catalog for the upcoming fall semester.
As reported by The College Fix, Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, which consistently receives top rankings across many indicators of excellence, will offer a course surveying "queer and trans* readings of biblical texts" while employing "queer and trans* theoretical approaches."
"[T]his class destabilizes long held assumptions about what the bible—and religion—says about gender and sexuality."
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The "Queering the Bible" class is scheduled to start in the fall and will be taught by an associate professor of religion, Gwynn Kessler, who has a Ph.D. in Rabbinics from Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. In the "Background and Areas of Interest" section of Kessler's bio, it states that her research "focuses on rabbinic interpretation of Scripture ... specifically on rabbinic theology and rabbinic constructions of gender and identity" and that her work is "is situated within, and suffused with, postmodern, feminist, and queer theoretical approaches."
Emir Caner, president of Truett-McConnell University, a Baptist school in Cleveland, Georgia, said of the course on the Todd Starnes radio show: "If there were a list entitled, 'Best Snowflake Colleges in America,' I am quite certain that Swarthmore College would be near the top of the list."
"Keep in mind, this is an institution of higher learning that has produced such 'accomplished' politicians as failed presidential candidate Michael Dukakis," he added.
"While I am not surprised that lost people would so prostitute Scripture, perhaps there is a rainbow at the end of the storm when the student comes across John 3:16 and recognizes God's unconditional love for them through Jesus Christ," Caner said. "Perhaps such an open-minded student will recognize the conviction of the Holy Spirit over the noise of liberal indoctrination, bow their knee to the One True Living God and be transformed."
Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, noted that in suggesting that God is "queer" Swarthmore was engaging in "modern day idolatry."
"When you read the Bible you will discover that God reserved His harshest condemnation for individuals and nations that practiced idolatry — creating an imaginary god who conformed to a culture's immorality," Jeffress told the Todd Starnes Radio Show.
Swarthmore reportedly did not return Starnes' calls seeking comment, including inquiries about whether they would also offer a class called "Queering the Koran" or "Queering Muhammad."
"Something tells me they won't be respond[ing] to that query either," Starnes commented in a Fox News column last week.
Swarthmore College is a private institution located just outside of Philadelphia and was founded by Quakers in 1864. Tuition and fees are $50,822 per year and only 13 percent of applicants are accepted, according to U.S. News and World Report.
