Queer God de Amor

Only Miguel Diaz could have written such a vivid and potent mixture of Catholic, Latinx, and LGBTQ theologies and experiences, seen through the lens of the mystical tradition of San Juan de la Cruz. Professor Diaz's new book will push at some boundaries and maybe even disturb a few people, but we must remember that is what the mystical tradition always does: invites us to see God in new ways and through surprising images, challenges us to imagine fresh paradigms, and encourages us to meet one another not as strangers but as friends and fellow believers.---James Martin, SJ, author, Learning to Pray and Building a Bridge

With this intensely scholarly and profoundly personal book Miguel Díaz has set a radical trajectory for a fresh grace-filled flowering of our understanding of God and the divine gift of sexuality, capable of consigning to history the damage inflicted by centuries of brutal legalism, sin, and shame. His fresh interpretations of the mystical and sensual writings of John of the Cross offer reassurance to those who believe in an omnisexual God who embraces all, is always and ever, the lover and beloved of all.---Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland, author, Quo Vadis? Collegiality in Canon Law

Miguel H. Dìaz entices us to venture into the landscape of Divine and human relationalities and desires. He does so through an examination of the life and work of San Juan de la Cruz. By queering faith, sexuality, and mysticism in de la Cruz’s work, this book spurs new conversations that actualize and (re)contextualize Christian traditioning in manifold ways. Thus, Dìaz takes spirituality to a new level by incarnating it into the daily-lived experiences of sexuality and desire---Hugo Córdova Quero, Associate Professor of Critical Theories and Queer Theologies, Starr King School for the Ministry

This creative and stimulating exploration of San Juan de la Cruz's ‘Living Flame of Love’ will help the reader re-imagine the possible intimacy of God, self, and sexuality. Building on San Juan’s awareness of erotic experience as a potential opening to the divine, Díaz highlights how queer, Latin@, and Catholic approaches to the mystery of sexual love might lead us into deeper relationship with our Queer God de Amor.---Brian Flanagan, President, College Theology Society

Queer God de Amor. . . reminds us that those very aspects of ourselves which we may see as apart, God sees as bound together, and so indeed they are, enfolded within the ecstatic, all-inclusive love of our divine Lover. For all Catholics, but especially, perhaps, for those who are queer, this is a theology worth taking to heart. More importantly, it is a Gospel by which we can live.

Queer God de Amor is a wonderful book. . . It is an important first step, an opening up of Catholic spiritual theology. And it is just a first step.---Toby Johnson, Q Spirit

Queer God de Amor takes a crucial step on the long camino of U.S. Latinx theologies toward an overdue sexual liberation. But it also offers very practical reflections on the dark night of coming out that will no doubt prove profoundly edifying to those struggling to work out their queer religious lives in sexually stultified Christian Churches.

This book will change lives, queer and not, Latin and other, male and female and non-binary persons, too. It is a liberating work.

An ambitious queer reading of John of the Cross.