We sit at a profound moment in history. Daily, we are privy to images of social upheaval broadcast into our consciousness from all over the world. We regularly see the consequences of our fictitious categories. We’ve created more monsters than we can count. We thought that skin tones said something innate about who or what someone was. We continue to be so wrong. We thought that sexual orientation said something innate about who or what someone was. We continue to... Read more
In the beginning was Love, Love was with God and Love was God. There is nothing greater than Love… for God is Love. For God so Loved the world that Love gave Love’s only begotten Love, that whosoever believes in Love will not perish but have everlasting Love. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Jesus Christ is the reincarnation of Love. Love declared, “Love Love with all your heart mind, body and strength and Love your... Read more
Ray Hood was a hero of mine. Late at night, he would gather us around and rip sideways on the harmonica. We danced as only children can. The older we got the more we loved his stories. None of us could believe that he was on a boat for months at a time. “Harry Truman saved my life!” If there’d been an invasion, he would’ve been on the first wave in. The older I got the more I thought about... Read more
*A recreation of a public question and answer dialogue I had with Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk at her town hall last night. JH: Good evening, my name is Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood and I serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. We have talked about a number of issues involving race tonight and I wanted to ask you specifically about the death penalty. With persons of color much more likely... Read more
A few weeks back, our family opened the doors of an old church and sat down. I was invited to share with the congregation about my work and told that my family was more than welcome. From the moment we walked in, the sneering glances and pursed lips informed us that this congregation was most interested in robotic children who don’t make a peep before they dutifully file out after the children’s sermon. Our children are not like that. ... Read more
Going to church was never part of the plan. In fact, church was less something you went to and more something you were supposed to become. Why do we spend so much time and money keeping up institutions? Jesus simply said, “Follow me.” We are the church. We don’t need anything else. We just need to follow Jesus. How did being the church turn into our present institutionalized nightmare? The short answer is that we lost sight of Jesus.... Read more
*My daughter Madeleine joined me on stage. Oh God, we thank you for 100 years of pursuing peace and justice in our world. This room is full of energy and ideals…but sometimes we can be a little slow. So…God we ask that you take the fire that is in all of our hearts tonight and manuever it underneath our backsides so that we will race into the next 100 years. Amen. Read more
The inscription in my copy of Dr. Albert Mohler’s 2008 book Culture Shift reads, “May God greatly bless you. I am thankful God called you to Southern Seminary.” At the time, I was a fervent disciple of the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now, some might consider me to be an enemy. While there is no question that my views and theology have changed dramatically since I sat in the classrooms Dr. Mohler presided over, I have often... Read more
Claiming an identity or category doesn’t make you queer. Anyone can claim anything and be just as normative as anyone else. Oppression is always the chief marker of normativity. Queerness and oppression don’t go together. The real queer shuns oppression for the sake of transformation. Over the last few months, I have watched many fake queers lead the campaign for the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. Over and over again, persons of color were treated like their voices didn’t matter. Trans... Read more
Diversity is a failed construct. The idea of diversity as sacrosanct is deeply problematic because it is falsely predicated on the notion that having a bunch of different identities in one place means that there is real difference represented. For decades, we’ve accepted and promoted diversity as a means of solving problems of exclusion. We’ve been taught to believe that as long as the space appears diverse then there is room for everyone. History shows us that this is... Read more
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