Diverse prayers, bodies that pray. Gender, religion, and language

Abstract

This article attempts to show the process of deconstruction and resignification of the “Creed” and the “Lord’s Prayer” in the El Camino Inclusive Christian Ecumenical Community (Peru). Both ritual prayers are binding cultural narratives in Christianity since they channel community identity. These two are examined since they have an almost foundational content and are used in multiple ways, either in the hegemonic expression of such a religion in the West or in other realms of faith that are dissident or alternative. The gender perspective explains the power relations sustained in communication and language practices. Since Christianity is a confessional religion, it makes the word an important vehicle to promote its identity. For this reason, ways of keeping silent and speaking will be taken into consideration for the analysis, since although sexual identity does not explicitly appear in official texts, sexuality is overlooked, a fact that is much more explicit in the deconstruction of these new prayers. I am qualified to take part in this analytical process since I have been part of the religious institution as a pastor.