Last Updated on March 24, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
Theodore “Ted” Jennings is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who wrote “The Man Jesus Loved” and other landmark books affirming queer people the Bible. He died on March 25, 2020, at age 77 after suffering a stroke.
Theodore Wesley Jennings Jr. was born Oct. 24, 1942. He was an ordained Methodist minister who spent more than two decades teaching at Chicago Theological Seminary. He retired in 2017 as Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Constructive Theology.
He wrote about a variety of religious topics, but LGBTQ people and allies especially appreciate these books:
“The Man Jesus Loved: Homoerotic Narratives from the New Testament”
“Jacob’s Wound: Homoerotic Narrative in the Literature of Ancient Israel”
“An Ethic of Queer Sex: Principles and Improvisations”
At Chicago Theological Seminary, Jennings initiated the Gay Studies program, which grew into the Center for LGBTQ Religious Studies. He had a strong international consciousness and an international following in the LGBTQ community. He lectured at many universities in Latin America, Africa and Asia. He taught for three years at Seminario Metodista (Methodist Seminary) in Mexico City. He did a lot of speaking in Taiwan, and several of his former students are ministers or professors there.
Jennings talks about the importance of confronting homophobia in the church in a video that he made for the “It Gets Better” project.
He also spoke powerfully against homophobia in a statement commemorating the death by suicide of Yook Woo-Dang, a gay South Korean writer and human-rights activist:
“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. …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.”
Many memorial tributes are posted on Jennings’ Facebook page. He is survived by his life partner Ronna Case, who wrote, “We will remember this guy with an incredibly effective voice, a huge heart and complete commitment to the Gospel of justice, generosity and joy. It has been the privilege of my life to be his life partner!”
Jennings has had a lasting impact on a generation of queer theologians in Asia. Wesley Cheng (鄭世璋), a lecturer at Tainan Theological Seminary in Taiwan, wrote a book as a tribute to Jennings: “Queer Theology in Context: Precious is Their Blood in His Sight” (他看他們的生命為寶貴》by 鄭世璋). It was published in 2023 by Nanshen Press. (南版社出版) and Tainan Theological Seminary.
A personal tribute to Ted Jennings
On a personal note, Ted’s books were a powerful inspiration to me. He encouraged me through email correspondence since 2005. When I wanted to interview the artist who drew the cover art for his book “The Man Jesus Loved,” Ted contacted him to request an interview. Ted helped me search for a publisher for my own book about Jesus and the man he loved, “Jesus in Love: A Novel.”
He went on to write a blurb endorsing my book “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision.” It was high praise when Ted wrote, “This is a wonderful book that should have great appeal not only to the LGBTQ community but to all for whom the passion of Christ is spiritually significant.” I give thanks for the life and ministry of Ted Jennings!
Links related to Theodore Jennings
Theodore Jennings on Wikipedia
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To read this article in Russian, go to:
Умер квир-богослов Теодор “Тед” Дженнингс (nuntiare.org)
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This post is part of the LGBTQ Saints series by Kittredge Cherry. Traditional and alternative saints, people in the Bible, LGBT and queer martyrs, authors, theologians, religious leaders, artists, deities and other figures of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people and our allies are covered.
This article was originally published on Q Spirit in March 2020 and was expanded with new material over time and most recently updated on March 24, 2024.
Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.
Sorry to hear of Dr. Ted Jenning’s passing. I enjoyed reading “The Man Jesus
Loved” and, as a gay man, founded very liberating. LGBTQ+ people are often told give up your sinful ways and come Jesus. But Jennings’ work makes Jesus accessible to us in a way I had never before heard or realized.