Posts Tagged ‘Dialogue’
The Misnomer Of Safe Space
The majority of life boils down to one of two relational spaces. There’s the surface-level presentation of self, best reserved for exchanging pleasantries with the man next to you in the grocery line or during the meet and greet at church. I like your necklace and did you see the game last week? How’s your…
Read MoreDisowning A Disowner Is Not the Answer
By now most of you will have seen the news of the grandfather who disowned his daughter because she disowned her own son when he came out as gay to her. This has wildly circled blogs and news sites being heralded as “Today in awesome parenting” and a “beautiful letter.” While I completely understand how this…
Read MoreDo You Want LGBTQ Youth In The Church?
Last week, I went as an adult advisor to the sweltering Purdue University campus for Presbyterian Youth Triennium—a denominational conference for 5,000+ senior high students that comes with much anticipation every three years. Even with the travel and the lack of A/C in our dorm, the experience was a true gift, as I’ve come to…
Read MoreGod Turns A Conservative Texan Into A Father For Many
Do you know what the word “evangelical” means? Contrary to what many believe, it has nothing to do with judgment or dogma. The term stems from the Greek word eugangelion, meaning “gospel,” or the good news of Jesus and the redemption he brings to the world. Dave Ferrell is a tall white haired Texan. He…
Read MoreInside Out Faith: Accepting The Call To Tell My Story
Ironically, it wasn’t until I came out that I began to discover that being gay wasn’t the end of my relationship with the church. In fact, I couldn’t get those loony Christians to stop calling me. Hadn’t they heard I was queer? What use could I possibly be to the church? In a strange twist…
Read MoreLove The Sinner: Read A Book
“Love the sinner. Hate the sin.” How many times do we hear this, particularly in response to the debate over homosexuality in the church? I cannot count the number of comments and conversations that begin something like this: “As Christians, we love everyone. We love the sinner, but hate the sin. Haven’t you read the…
Read MoreCalled To Faith & Compassion
Faith is a journey that reveals the new and unexpected everyday. That’s a core belief we have at Believe Out Loud. We challenge ourselves, and others, to walk a mile in the shoes of those around us in an attempt to grow and strengthen our common humanity. That’s why we’re committed to working with Christians…
Read MoreCooperative Baptists Rethink Sexuality
This weekend’s [Baptist] Conference on Sexuality and Covenant in Decatur, GA, was a breath of fresh air in hostile debates about religion and homosexuality. It was hosted by the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) and the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. It’s no secret that the loudest religious voices in the media are driving gays and lesbians from churches…
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