Sufjan Stevens Calls Bible ‘Very Gay’ in Bold New Take
Great. Just when you thought the world’s most earnest indie-folk star had nothing left to say, Sufjan Stevens has gone ahead and labeled the Bible “very gay.” In a recent sit-down with Rolling Stone, the songwriter—whose canon is peppered with biblical references and personal theology—asserted that because the Old and New Testaments were written “just all men,” the whole enterprise strikes him as, well, a fraternal organization with rainbow undertones. I told you so: leave it to art-world types to turn millennia-old scripture into a cheeky punchline.
Stevens, known for albums like Carrie & Lowell (2015) and Asthmatic Kitty Records, has never shied away from interrogating faith. But this latest pronouncement feels tailor-made for headlines. As reported by People Magazine, he quipped, “I think the Bible is very gay because it’s just all men”—a remark that ignited both applause from progressive circles and eye rolls from traditionalists. He went on to unpack his spiritual journey, admitting that growing up in an evangelical household in Michigan shaped his early work but that time and reflection left him both critical and amused by the male-dominated narratives.
Of course, Stevens didn’t invent the discussion about gender and authorship in religious texts, but his flippant framing has some scholars clutching their pearls. In the same Rolling Stone feature, he contrasted his fascination with ritual—church hymns, incense, communal prayer—with a critique of the Bible’s patriarchal structure. Ex-Evangelicals on Twitter cheered him on, while conservative commentators fired back, accusing him of disrespecting sacred tradition. I don’t want to say “I told you so,” but haven’t we seen this pattern before whenever a celebrity tackles religion?
This isn’t the first time Stevens has fanned controversy. Back in 2017, he retracted plans to score a Marvel film, citing concerns over the studio’s connection to military recruitment—a move covered extensively by Pitchfork and Variety. But turning to the Bible itself? That’s a fresh kind of stunt even for him. We can thank Rolling Stone and People Magazine for capturing his quotable wit and existential ambivalence. If you’re wondering whether this will translate into new music or a thematic tour de force, your guess is as good as mine.
So, where does Stevens go from here? Will he pen a concept album titled The Very Gay Testament or quietly move on to the next cultural battleground? Stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath expecting a definitive theological treatise. And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Rolling Stone
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
