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Nashville’s Only ‘Transqueer Latinx Neurodivergent Public Theologian’
Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, a Nashville newspaper. Most journalists are leftists, but you might think that perhaps a religion writer for a southern newspaper might be an exception. Or, perhaps not. Last April, Mr. Adams published an article that began with the following remarkable paragraphs:
Robyn Henderson-Espinoza is the only Nashville-based transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologian that they know.
“I don’t know anybody like me,” Henderson-Espinoza, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, said in an interview.
Yet, it was only recently when Henderson-Espinoza, 45, got to know their self better, such as the diagnosis that they are on the autism spectrum.
I know what you’re thinking: “C’mon – Nashville is known for its musicians, its nightlife, and its transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologians. What’s the big deal?
Me, however – I was a bit more skeptical. Dazzled, actually. I didn’t know that it was possible for one person to be that diverse. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong. Robyn seems to be the culmination of decades of, um, work – all leading to a magnificent specimen of diversity that is so magnificent that it warrants this paragraph (I refer you to your well-thumbed copy of LGBTQ Religious Archives Network):
Biography:
Robyn is a lifelong Baptist who has been involved in LGBTQ justice work since college. Having been the only queer and gender nonconforming person in their college classroom, Robyn has always spoken from margin to center. As a mixed-raced Latinx, Robyn has been bridging together both anti-racism with LGBTQ advocacy for two decades. As an out Transqueer person who studied theology, Robyn found that the institutional church to not be a place where they flourished. Leaving the institutional church to do faith-rooted justice work meant that Robyn continued in their theological training, culminating in a PhD in Constructive philosophical theology. Robyn has been trained by Baptists, Roman Catholics, and Methodist scholars and holds three degrees in theology with an emphasis in queer theory and Latinx studies. For the last ten years, Robyn has been vigilant in naming the culture of whiteness of the LGBT movement. In particular, the ways that the institutional church has focused so acutely on their welcome & affirming stances has allowed Robyn to name the culture of dominance, which has been expressed in & thru whiteness. In an effort to decenter whiteness and intentionally widen the circle of Movement work to include people of color and other marginalized folks, Robyn is devoted to participating & curating an assemblage of Movement work that is grounded in the politics of radical difference.
(This biographical statement provided by Robyn Henderson-Espinoza.)
So you may think that he/she/it is just another Nashville transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologian, but I think it’s clear that this is the GOAT in its field. A Ph.D. in Constructive Philosophical Theology who decenters whiteness and intentionally widens the circle of Movement work. Holy mackerel.
Robyn (previously Roberto) is a consulting faculty member of Duke Divinity School. From Duke’s website:
Roberto Henderson-Espinoza, Ph.D. has been described in a myriad of ways: a scholar-activist, scholar-leader, thought-leader, teacher, public theologian, ethicist, poet of moral reason, and word artist. Among these ways of describing Dr. Henderson-Espinoza, they are also a visionary thinker who has spent two decades working in the borderlands of church, academy, and movements seeking to not only disrupt but dismantle supremacy culture by focusing his Ph.D. studies on new concepts of being and becoming, decolonizing knowledge production, and bridging with radical difference.
…
Dr. Henderson-Espinoza was named one of 10 Faith Leaders to Watch by the Center for American Progress in 2018. As a scholar-activist, Dr. Henderson-Espinoza is committed to translating theory to action, so that our work in the borderlands reflect the deep spiritual work of transforming self to transforming the world.
Check out that last sentence. Where are “the borderlands”? What exactly is, “the deep spiritual work of transforming self to transforming the world”? Does all that mean going to places that don’t practice your faith of transsexualism and convincing them to worship the way you do? Is that evangelizing?
Note the girl looking at the book reader the same way I look at transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologians.
Perhaps I’m misreading this. I really don’t understand. But I think that’s what it means.
A lot of my atheist friends say that they don’t mind Christians believing in a God that obviously doesn’t exist. But they are very critical of evangelistic Christians, because they try to convince others that this God exists. They say that the silly beliefs of Christians go from goofy to dangerous when they start trying to convince others to see things their way.
And then those same people generally accept and even assist evangelical transsexuals. These people pretend to take their pronouns seriously. They invite them to speak at their children’s library. They appoint them to prominent positions, to create a façade of legitimacy, and then challenge anyone to risk public ostracism by resisting their efforts to spread their gospel.
It bugs me that those who promote sexual practices that are discouraged by The Bible attempt to use the authority of The Bible to lend legitimacy to their message. They’re using the church to move people away from Christian teaching.
Note that I don’t care what anyone does in their own bedroom, or in their personal life. That’s between them and God. I probably have habits that transsexuals wouldn’t care for, which is fine, as long as we stay out of one another’s business. This is private stuff, after all.
Suppose I like Ohio State football, and don’t care for Michigan football. That’s fine. Until I become a preacher or a theologian and claim that my preferences are found in The Bible, and start “work in the borderlands reflect the deep spiritual work of transforming self to transforming the world.” That’s when we have a problem.
I like to think that a transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologian would agree with that. But for some reason, I don’t believe he would. Or possibly she. I’m not sure. I really don’t understand this stuff. And I’m fine with that. I don’t understand Michigan fans, either, but we’re great friends. It’d be boring if we all thought the same thing. I’m fascinated by our differences, and I celebrate them.
But don’t make yourself so diverse that you’re untouchable and then pressure me to validate your faith. That’s when your intolerance of western culture and Christian faith goes from goofy to dangerous. That’s when we have a problem.
Jesus taught us to love our neighbor. Not tolerate our neighbor. No — we should love our neighbor. Please, Robyn, love me even if you disagree with some of my views, just as I love you. We’re all just doing the best we can here. I wish you the best. I really do. I hope you find your path, wherever it leads you. And I hope that you encourage me in the same way.
I love you, even if I don’t practice your faith.
Please extend the same love to me. Just love me the way I am.
The intolerance of the left is getting scary. If they view anyone who disagrees with them about anything as deplorables who need to be fundamentally transformed, then this is going to get worse and worse.
I hope Robyn can see that someday.
Hopefully someday very soon.
This is getting scary.
Published in General
Except, if the only one is him, then he just gave the degree to himself. easy-peasy!
Sound like U of Texas fan. Nothing can be right about OU. Forever.
Robyn? Trans gender? What did I miss? They are going back and forth in the genders so fast it is hard to keep up. Sorry, Robyn. SIR.
Daughter also a Duke grad and lives in Nashville. Does all the Duke alumni local stuff. Will ask her if she has run into this hero.
Dang, I forgot about that. Will be interested in what you find out.
More like “they.” But for me, I’d probably go with “it.”
Still dreaming of that EMP?
Tertiary syphilis will do that to you. The bonkers part, I mean. Hmm…perhaps another cause of neurodivergence?
How do you know they don’t love you?
Is neuroplastic a real word? Because I think I have neuroplasticity.
Dang! I just made that word up and spellcheck accepted it. So I looked it up. Sure, I’ve got that, but it’s not unique. Now I’ve got to come up with a new word. Maybe neurogenerative equiplasty.
Wikipedia:
Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned.
LOL. Yup, didn’t even think of that.
Hmmm. Seems like they tried to hire her, but she spurned them after they fussed about it for too long.
UNC journo-school dean stepping down after Hannah-Jones fiasco (nypost.com)
For some reason, the joke about God and a doctor immediately came to mind.
Also brings to mind Slow Joe’s comment that over half the women in his cabinet were women. So 45% are trannies? I just remember the Admiral (Lavine) and the luggage bag stealer. Who are we missing?
I don’t know, I think I for one would be willing to contribute for Robyn’s one way ticket to some Borderland in need of ze (zer?)’s evangelicalizing views.
I would suggest some place like Iran who souls would thirst for this unique inspiration…
Dereliction of editorial duties, right there. The lede assumes that the readership knows what the hell that means. Then again, if someone is confused by the terms, then they are retrograde throwbacks who need to do the work.
Number of times the word “my” appears in the article: 9
God: 0
As lovely as your acceptance of neurodiversity is autism is pretty friggin brutal.
https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/hidden-danger-suicide-autism/
Every study has a different take on how many autistic people (including a high number of autistic females ) commit suicide but the rates are always much higher than the general population. Suicidal ideation is also much higher among autistic peoples.
If you say so. I don’t know nothing.
As far as I know, it’s just the woke way of talking about the autistic spectrum. Which given the high corollary between autism and gender dysphoria seen in young people, it makes all the other fancy labels she has on herself a little redundant.
Sounds like he has been stealing his schtick from Pope Francis, Fr. Jim Martin, and Cardinal McElroy. Somehow, they have become legion.
You probably had to read actual books and stuff too.
Hey now!
I wish I’d seen this essay sooner. It’s an eloquent discussion by Dan Maher, writing at a Stack called Jesuit School, exactly on point. Too many insights to quote except: Politicians have stances; the church has Truth.
https://jesuitschool.substack.com/p/fr-martins-bridge-pt-1-crossing-into
It all seems like a Leftist exercise in seeing just how much wokey idiocy these Marxist circus clowns can forcibly indulge the average non-woke citizenry into having to tolerate.
And imagine having to make it through the entire program without misgendering someone (or similar fatal error). The attrition rate in those programs have got to be off the charts.
Yep.
And wow that is some title. Usually I refer to myself as the average dude…
SoldierX, neo-divergent husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, uncle, friend, borderclosin’, up-armored, air-cooled, water-resistant, pronoun disparaging, gun-toting, Bible believing, neon-white (not racist, just a fact….), just want my actions to coincide with my yap laymen theologizer in the DMV area.
Great write up Doc for what I understood.
Say that three times real fast . . .
Pretty sure if you have seen one Nashville-based transqueer Latinx neurodivergent public theologian, you’ve seen them all.
If it weren’t for your own overbearing heteronormative whiteness, would anyone even notice or need to categorize Robyn’s identity as anything other than just another lovely shade on that big pride flag that is humanity?
Making distinctions and creating expectations based on archaic notions of gender is a form of hate and since Jesus didn’t do hate, we must assume that Christianity should be all about celebrating our choices.
The new Garden of Eden is open and it’s forbidden fruit for everyone! Step right up! The Bible is so five minutes ago, so let’s study the text of the meeting minutes of the chamber of commerce for Sodom and Gomorrah instead and put some velocity into the decline.
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
— Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”