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 Collapse