“For our 2025 Pride Season, the Freedom Church of the Poor dedicated the season to examining “texts of terrors” that have long plagued the queer and trans community, attempting to erase and strip us of our dignity. Though it is difficult to study these texts, we did it because it is necessary.From this powerful season, we have created this resource kit which has pulled specific parts of the season to highlight different elements. We hope this will be useful for individuals, study groups, and congregations. This season and resource kit was not attempting to make excuses for the way that people and institutions have abused us as queer and trans people, or trying to twist people’s arms into reclaiming any texts. Instead, we did this work because we – the poor and dispossessed and queer and trans people – have a moral right, a moral responsibility, and a moral authority to study and teach about scripture. The Bible is a library of ancient poor people's movements, and we as contemporary poor people’s movements are in a better position than anyone else to interpret these texts – not any politician, political party, or specific church leader. We read these texts through the lens of our lives, our struggles, our conditions, and our movement in order to find the solutions we are looking for. The leaders who contributed to this season are on the forefront of organizing churches, communities, and organizations across the country, fighting for healthcare, disability rights, queer and trans rights, and more.”
