Rev. M Barclay (they/them) is Co-Founder and Director of enfleshed, a nonprofit creating and facilitating resources of spiritual nourishment for collective liberation. They are learning and unlearning their way through life in the great company of books, poets, theology, queers, beloveds, activists, Spirit, and creaturely encounters. This journey has largely been lived in the intersections of Christianity and queer and trans lives, feminism, white anti-racism, and other spiritual matters of living towards abundant life, structural justice, and collective joy. In recent years, harm reduction, abolition, transformative justice, and emergent strategy have been (re)shaping their spiritual and collective commitments.
Born and raised in the deep south, M comes from a fundamentalist faith background and has spent years unlearning both toxic theologies and social norms. Liberation theologies, mystics, and other prophets – ancient and modern – along with communities committed to transformation and a whole lot of love and company from others – have all been essential to growing in a more free direction. M loves the opportunity to share and discuss and experience together these complicated human journeys – where they overlap and diverge – and the Divine’s call on our lives individually and collectively.
Prior to enfleshed, M’s vocational background included hospital chaplaincy, working with youth, organizing faith leaders for reproductive justice, over a decade of LGBTQIA advocacy in the church, and other forms of justice work within and outside of Christian-adjacent communities.
M is a 2018-2021 Culture of Health Leader Fellow with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In their spare time, they enjoy working with – and especially queering – stained glass.
Contact M at m@enfleshed.com. Follow M on twitter & insta at @mxbarclay.
Interviews and resources
5/18/2021 – Reframing Our Stories
Inclusive Theology
10/2020 – Faith in Harm Reduction
Spirit of Harm Reduction: A Conversation with Toolkit Contributors
6/2020 – The Academy for Spiritual Formation
A Conversation with M Barclay
5/2020 – enfleshed
Unraveling, unlearning, unwriting the stories that bind
11/2019 – Duke Memorial UMC
Queerly Beloved Pride Service
11/20/2019 – Autostraddle
Warning: Somebody’s body
6/2019 -Personal Facebook Page
As I’m ordained
5/2019 – Our Movement Forward Summit
Panel
3/10/2019 – The Advocate
Methodist Vote Reminds Us to Fight All Forms of Oppression
3/5/2019 – The New York Post
Queer United Methodists’ Uncertain Future
3/2019 – Riverside Church Be Still and Go Lenten Podcast
2/2019 – Broadway UMC
Black History Month Sermon
10/24/2018 – Huffington Post
Trans Christian Leaders Speak Out: Trump Can’t Erase Our Divine Dignity
8/7/2018 – Aboundant
Top Digital Ministers for 2018
6/2018 – Rio TX Annual Conference MFSA gathering
Peace and Justice Luncheon
6/2018 – WATER (Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual)
Feminist and Queer Theology in Action: Rev. M Barclay
6/2018 – Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry
GENDER QUESTIONS – Gender Identity in Youth Ministry
4/2018 – The Curiosity Hour
4/2018 – The Christian Century
Nonbinary gender and the diverse beauty of creation
2/9/2018 – Kaleidoscope Podcast
11/17/17 – Vice Media
How Two Reverends are Queering the Modern-Day Church
10/11/2017 – Huffington Post
Queer Christians Respond To Jeff Sessions’ New ‘License To Discriminate’
9/13/2017 – WATER (Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, & Ritual)
7/14/2017 – Traitor Radio
Queer and Called
6/9/2017
The United Methodist Church Has Appointed Its First Transgender Deacon
6/8/2017 – Huffington Post
United Methodist Church Appoints Transgender Deacon
6/7/2017 – The Washington Post
The United Methodist Church has appointed a transgender deacon
6/1/17 – Sojourners
Just as I am
4/9/2017 – NBC
Trans Christians Gather to Prepare Next Generation of Church Leaders
2/2017 – Reconciling Ministries Network
Northern Illinois Board of Ordained Ministry supports M Barclay
5/9/2016 – Love Your Neighbor Coalition
A Love Letter to Our Church from Your LGBTQI Religious Leaders
12/30/2015 – Austin Lionheart
Transgender and Christian: Nonbinary Faith – An Interview w/ M
M is also featured in – and highly recommends – Austen Hartke’s “Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Trans Christians.”