Reclaiming Our Theology From The Nuclear Family. | Monday Invocation
“You, community, beloved, are free to create the families that you want, that you need or that you believe that someone else might need in the future.”
What if the nuclear family was never the point?
That's the question at the heart of this 2026 QCF Conference Keynote, recorded live as a podcast taping of "Reclaiming My Theology" with host Brandi Miller with guests SueAnn Shiah and Colby Martin.
Brandi reframes the story of Cain and Abel from Genesis 4, drawing on insights from Biblical Hebrew to illustrate how this perspective can transform our understanding of the narrative and our relationships with God and one another. This reframe gives us a picture of what happens when our sense of anchoredness feels threatened inside family systems built on hierarchy, comparison, and rigid norms.
From there, the conversation widens with SueAnn and Colby. Together they trace how the nuclear family is a modern construct shaped by tax codes, the industrial revolution, and later wielded as a tool by the religious right to decide who counts and who is othered. They talk honestly about the damage this has done but also give suggestions for how we can move forward.
This conversation moves us to consider an invitation to become creative about the families we build and the relationships we have. Click below to watch the entire keynote!
It is never too late to join us for the annual QCF Conference! Conference is an international gathering where LGBTQ+ Christians and allies come together for worship, healing, and radical community. Hear leading voices in LGBTQ+ Christian topics, make lifelong friendships, and experience the fullness of God's love, fully affirmed and celebrated. You can learn more and register at the link below!
