Message from Ted Jennings

(Ted Jennings is an American scholar, theologian and author. He is Professor of Biblical and Constructive Theology at the United Church of Christ's Chicago Theological Seminary. He is an ordained Methodist minister. His scholarly work and publications have focused on such topics as Methodism, ritual studies, biblical hermeneutics, liberation theology, LGBT rights and queer theology.) 

On behalf of the LGBTQ Center at the Chicago Theological Seminary I greet all my friends associated with the DongInRyun on this tenth anniversary of the death of one of its precious members, Yook Woo-Dang. His suicide was not the first of a youth who felt that society would never welcome his homosexuality.  And it is not the last.  So many needlessly die because our societies do not have the courage to welcome all our youth, with all their passion and talent and commitment.  Unfortunately there are some people in our societies who hate or fear gay people.  But there are many, many more who simply remain silent in the face of that fear, that hatred.  All have a share in the guilt for so many needless and tragic deaths.   Young gay and lesbian people in your society and in mine hear the message that their lives and loves are not welcome, are not celebrated, are not treasured.  At home, in school, perhaps in church, in society, they hear that it would be better to be dead than to be gay.  Hearing this so long, so often, they agree to end their own lives.  Perhaps here and there, among a few friends they had heard that they were loved.  But those kind voices have been overwhelmed by other voices and by the silence of those who allow the voices of fear and hatred to be dominant. Only when our voices are united in love for all the children of our nations will this terrible violence come to an end.  That is why it is so important to make clear in all areas of society that homophobia must cease.  Homophobia is not a personal opinion.  Homophobia is not a cultural tradition.  Homophobia is not a religious teaching.  Homophobia is murder.  Only when this message is heard loud and clear in every sector of society will sensitive and passionate young people believe that their lives have value.  Only then will we cease to waste their passion, their commitment, their lives.  For a life is too precious a thing to waste.  No society can afford this waste of its most precious resource, the passion, the commitment, the very lives of its young people.

When we join our hands and our voices together for the sake of the rights of LGBT people it is not simply a matter of changing this or that law for the sake of this or that group.  It is a matter of life and death.

My dear friends:  there are times when you and I become weary in the struggle;  When we are discouraged after fighting against the same stupidity, the same lies, the same cowardice over and over again.  I pray in this time of sadness but also of solidarity we will be blessed with a fresh wind of spirit that will give us new courage, new energy, new determination. For it is only the power of love that will overcome evil.  So with love for the fallen, with love for all who are silenced, with love for all who feel despair, we gather our voices and our hearts today. Empowered by that love we will never turn back in our struggle until all are welcomed, all lives are precious, all live in dignity. May the God of love bless you all.

Ted Jennings

April, 2013