Hear Rachael Ward on Queerology!

I was on Queerology! I love Matthias and I’m just so grateful we got to share time together for this deep dive, juicy and powerful conversation on being queer, facing our grief and discovering who we are post-trauma.

Rachael Ward (they/them) is a public theologian and LGBTQ activist. Currently, Rachael is pursuing a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology – pastoral care at Columbia Theological Seminary.

Rachael is the creator of the Living-Death Doula Model for Pastoral Care and cofounder of Bible Queery, a facilitation collective geared toward queer wellness and reconstruction.

Rachael lives with their wife, Chelsea, and two fur-babies in Atlanta where they focus on talking about and working around death, grief, and death doulas.

Topics Discussed:

• Upbringing: Faith did not help form identity, but kept Rachael from their identity

• What if I am gay? Shameful hiding and living a double life

• Life and Death Matters: Birth is beautiful burst of life, death is dark and terrible

• Living-Death Narratives: Grief keeps disembodied beings stuck

• What is available pastorally? Affirming theology (a.k.a. the Biblical case)

• Persistent Queer Themes: Disassociation, minimizing, and spiritual rationing

• Living-Death Directives: Start with zero expectations and consent conversations

• Steps to a Better Life: Facilitation, accessible writing, and meaningful help