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REVIEW: HEARTS ABLAZE
A Book Review by Beckett Leclaire
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In his book, Hearts Ablaze: Parables for the Queer Soul, Rolf R Nolasco Jr. seeks to offer “a fresh take on… familiar parables intertwined with lived stories” while also offering it up as a “devotional book” (1). Nolasco largely accomplishes this, albeit with some hearty caveats.
For those with a solid foundation of background knowledge on the LGBTQ+ community, or at least a working knowledge of “LGBTQ+ 101,” this book would serve as a wonderful entry into Queer Biblical Interpretation, or, indeed, as a devotional. In fact, I would argue that even those who are naive to such background knowledge would find the body of the text edifying, provided their encounter with it was facilitated by someone prepared to fill in those gaps. If not, I can see a reader quickly getting overwhelmed in the early pages of the introduction.
None of these caveats are to say that this is not a wonderful book which I would highly recommend. It is a wonderful book, and I do highly recommend it. However, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community I often find myself explaining terms that I take for granted (e.g. cisgender, heteropatriarchy, heterosexism). Without having that foundation, the introduction of this book would likely be overwhelming, which is a shame, given that one possible audience of this book would be straight, cisgender people seeking an opportunity to do that vital work of self-education. As much as I heartily endorse the message that marginalized folks do not owe privileged people a free education and not every space or piece of media should or even can be accessible for the privileged, in this case I wish there was some effort at improving accessibility.
The root of this wish is the fact that the “queerables” (queer parables) presented in each chapter are phenomenal. I found myself taking notes, reflecting on them, and soaking up the stories presented alongside each scripture enthusiastically. Part of this, I’m sure, is a function of my delight as a queer person in interpreting the Bible through a queer lens which is not fundamentally apologetic. Queer apologetics are an important and necessary aspect of the interpretive work we do, but there are so many more aspects of queer interpretation, and I long to see my straight and cisgender siblings in Christ understand that. There are novel layers of meaning in scripture which would benefit anyone but which are often uncovered through a queer interpretation.
I long for my siblings in Christ who do not belong to this community to be able to catch a glimpse of that and I can envision this book being a wonderful tool, bringing that to fruition. Without even a passing moment of disambiguation in the introduction however, I feel this would be less of an “open and go” tool and more of an iterative one. If combined with, or following, an accessible “LGBTQ+ 101” primer, I can see reading this being a powerful and transformative experience, particularly for those in communities where LGBTQ+ folks are less visible.
I would stress that -- if you think that your community is too conservative, too rural, or otherwise not demographically suited to
having LGBTQ+ folks among you who are just as desperate, if not more so than their siblings in Queer enclaves elsewhere for the Good News of Jesus Christ -- we walk among you. Moreover, the current political climate which has yet again incited moral panics about our mere existence makes it all the more important that those who would be our allies speak with clarity and conviction, especially if they are in positions of institutional authority. Otherwise, as Nolasco himself states in his chapter on The Parable of the Good Shepherd, “[they] use… progressive and persuasive words of inclusion– yet task queer subjects to carry the heavy burden of justice making” (23).
This book would make a great resource for sermon preparation, and I intend to use it as such. The chapters integrate all three stages of Ricoeur’s hermeneutical arc, and could be a wonderful addition to resources such as Feasting on the Word as a jumping off point for digging into a text. I could also see it being an impactful book study. Nolasco often lays bare aspects of the Queer Christian experience which, frankly, the LGBTQ+ folks in your midst may not feel comfortable sharing, such as the way the near constant barrage of anti-LGBTQ+ messaging from society at-large, but especially from those who proclaim Jesus as Lord, often leaves us in modes of spiritual desolation, wounded by our very desire to be in relationship with our God (157-8). This kind of honesty and vulnerability can help our siblings to be better friends and pastors to us without expecting us as individuals to display our wounds for their benefit.
The audience which would most benefit from picking up a copy would be LGBTQ+ folks themselves, who would be far less likely to need accommodation before embarking on their journey through the text, and would doubtless find immense comfort and joy in it. I know I will likely be purchasing a few copies as Christmas gifts for my LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ. +
Beckett Leclaire serves as coordinator of Holy Hikes Great Lakes, as Regional Youth Missioner for the Eastern Youth Region, and as a member of the Building Bridges Steering Committee. A member of Grace, Port Huron, he is also a postulant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Eastern Michigan. Dr. Rolf R. Nolasco, Jr. is a professor at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. He is the author of The Contemplative Counselor: A Way of Being, Compassionate Presence: A Radical Response to Human Sufferings, and God’s Beloved Queer.
