CLOSER TO HEAVEN: I’m mulling over something that might be a major underlying problem with ex-gay theology (as vs. spiritual practice, psychological theories, or what have you). I know I’m coming at this from an outsider’s perspective, so I don’t want to assume that I know what’s what; but I figured I’d post this in case it is illuminating to anyone.

The possible insight is this: Ex-gay theology/ideology seeks to immanentize the eschaton.

No–hey, wait, let me explain!! “Immanentizing the eschaton” is basically trying to yank Heaven down to earth by force of will. Utopianism, only with a stronger theological connotation, I guess.

And I think there’s an intense desire expressed in a lot of ex-gay rhetoric (though definitely not all–Mike Haley said some stuff that went against this tendency, though it didn’t end up in the NRO piece) to just get fixed. To get to the place where all your struggles are over. To be, really, in the Church Triumphant right now, not in the Church Militant where everything’s crazy. And I think this desire is what makes so much ex-gay rhetoric into a narrative of success or failure: with failure experienced as completely devastating. (The last sentence of the NRO piece gets at this pretty hardcore.)

Again, I really want to emphasize that this is something that might be true of much ex-gay theology–not something I claim to know is true, or something that is true of all ex-gay stuff. I may be really off-base here. Your thoughts very much welcome. (Your thoughts welcome on all of these posts, really, of course.)

current mood: bi-furious
current music: “Don’t know what you want but I can’t give it anymore” (I am not making that up)