Circus Cast: Anarchist Reverend

This week at the Magpie Girl circus, we meet  The Anarchist Reverend,  “a seminary graduate on the ordination path who also happens to be a transsexual man.” Here’s his definition of what it means to be the chaplain of a sideshow, along with a fascinating 3Q Interview. My brother, step right up….

The Anarchist Reverend

in the circus of old we were told
to put our bodies on display for the masses
so they could laugh at us
but some of us took the name of freak
and instead of it making us weak used it as strength
we hold up our bodies as scarred and beautiful
hold up our lives as more than just something to live through

and the anarchist reverend
speaks of crucifixion and resurrection
like a freak show barker
he calls you to harken
listen to tales of transformation
listen to the gospel written in blood and flesh
listen to the life that follows death
listen to the reinvention of the old story
told by someone the world calls a freak
but turned the tables
and called himself beautiful

I write about the reinvention of my body, like the sideshow freak at the circus who claims the title as a matter of pride.  I turn the old gospel story into something new that honors bodies the world has called freakish, but that we claim as beautiful.

+++

Q: So what IS an Anarchist Reverend and what does he do amongst the circus-y edge dwellers?

I am a part-time theologian, part-time poet and full time book nerd. I also happen to be a transgender man. I decided I was tired of queer theology that apologized for the existence of queer folks and decided to do something different. Instead of defending my right to exist biblically, I decide to look at the ways in which the transgender experience is reflected in the biblical stories as well as the ways in which the trans experience speaks to people who are cisgender (a word meaning not-transgender). At the moment I’m writing through the passion narrative (the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection) and talking about how it applies to the trans experience. But it’s about more than doing trans theology; it’s about trying to give people permission to own the scriptures and to see their lives reflected in the pages in a new way.

So often the Bible is used as a weapon against people. I am tired of hearing scripture used as tool to shut people down instead of as a collection of stories that people can go to for comfort and to see their own journeys reflected. Once I was able to read my own story into the Bible I stopped allowing people to use the Bible as a weapon against me. I want other people to have the courage to read the Bible that way as well.

Q: Will you tell us about one challenge you’ve faced as an outlier that you’ve turned into a superpower?

After spending so much time being told that I couldn’t be in ministry (first because I was a woman, and then because I was queer) I’ve realized that no one has a monopoly on the call of God.  Once I realized that, I took the fear of failure, of making other people happy or trying to convince them of my Christianity  and turned it into power. No one has the power to tell me that I don’t belong in the church or that I can’t do theology. In a way, all of the struggle that I’ve gone through to be okay with my faith and to be okay with my body has made me fearless (most of the time!).  I think getting rid of fear is a superpower!!

Q: If he was with the circus folk, WWJD?

He would totally be one of the clowns, using his humor and nonviolence to shake things up and get things done.  He would be consistently taking people’s perceptions and turning them upside down and helping them to see things in a new way.

I think also, that as people follow Jesus they get banded into this weird little family, much like a circus. People who live on the edges and fringes of society, who refuse to conform to what the world tells them is important. People who follow their bliss and challenge the status quo.

Bonus Q: Tell us how to find you and do your best circus barker impression for your services… (Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up…) Come one, come all and check out the anarchist reverend!  He’s a freak, he’s a mystery, he’s a….theologian? You can find him at:

Blog: anarchistreverend.com,
Twitter: @anarchistrev
Facebook: Facebook.com/anarchistreverend.

What is your circus persona? To get your backstage pass and choose from a mysterious cast of characters, just join my mailing list. (Top o’ the page, stage right.) Email me a picture of your backstage pass, and get featured as a Circus Cast member. (Link love included!) To see our entire cast to date, click here. On with the show!

Posted in Interviews
Tags: behind the mic, circus cast, Interviews |