5 - Tim Otto - Brave Spaces

The Ferment

Tim Otto is an openly gay Christian pastor, affirming of same-sex relationships for others, while committed to a life of covenanted celibacy for himself. He is truly queer. In one sense, he doesn’t fit in anywhere. In another sense, he has found his people and lived among them for thirty years. Tim lives as a life-long student of the art of loving as a member of an intentional, common-purse Christian community in San Francisco.

In his characteristically soft-spoken way, Tim challenges the self-righteous chauvinism of both right and left in the culture wars, holding out a vision of brave spaces, where the adventure we are called to is to love the people who make us uncomfortable and to seek truth in the conversations we find difficult.

Episode References:

• Tim Otto’s book: Oriented to Faith
• Church of the Sojourners
• Shane Claiborne
• Pope John Paul II, Theology of the Body
• Richard Sipe, expert on celibacy and clerical sex abuse
• Robert Bella, Habits of the Heart (edited)

Alana’s song, “Holy Fool” It makes all kinds of sense
If you clench your fist
that I clench mine more
that I close my door
We all understand
if I raise my hand
back at someone else
to protect myself
But what do we do with our Holy Fool?
What do we do with our Holy Fool?
And when my god is mocked
and my cheeks get hot
I can mock right back
to stay right on track
And laugh at your own crude
certitude
'cause I can't be sure
if you are too
But what do we do with our Holy Fool?
What do we do with our Holy Fool?
I want this plot of mine
to align
with a triumphant march
that "changes hearts"
But what I often mean
is for others to see
with the kind of sight
that would see I'm right
But what do we do with our Holy Fool?
What do we do with our Holy Fool?
And if Easter can't
be the loser's chant
and I've forgotten
what this is all about
Then my hallelujah
Maybe my hallelujah
my hallelujah
is a violent shout
What do we do with our Holy Fool?
Who hangs between our differences
over what needs to be saved
What do we do with our Holy Fool?
Whose foolishness outpours the heavens
into the wisdom of our graves
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
to this Ancient, Holy Fool
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