Posts Tagged ‘LGBT-Affirming Religious Voices’
Having The Conversation—Even When You’re Not Sure How
As a minister of God, it’s important for me to be as inclusive as possible. That is why, when Many Voices asked me to be a part of their video campaign, I didn’t hesitate. My concept of Christianity is based on love, regardless of who you are. When LGBT people come to Mount Vernon Church in Clayton,…
Read MoreOpening Doors: The Closet of Depression
I have remained mostly silent in light of the recent deaths by suicide of transgender women and men. I would like to say that I have some sort of honorable reason for that silence, but the reality is that I was just too afraid to say much. You see, I’ve been running in and out of…
Read MoreReflecting God & Rethinking Scripture
Every human being reflects a part of God. God’s divinity is impressed upon our being, regardless of our race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or ability and that invests us all with value. If we are all created in God’s image, we should all be equally valued. That means we as a church need to affirm…
Read MoreSexuality & Faith: A New Course for Religious Leaders
The intersection of faith and sexuality is one that is often traveled with misconceptions and anxiety because the Church has mostly failed to offer thoughtful, helpful information and education. The Church has been more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to the affirmation of our creation as God’s children of flesh and…
Read MoreBringing The United Methodist Church To A Higher Calling
I have worked for churches all of my adult life, and whether I was leading worship or simply attending a wedding I have heard the words, “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace” at weddings countless times. However, growing up in the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church I…
Read MoreOn Leaving Religious Life: Why I Cannot Be A Roman Catholic Priest
Last fall I finally had enough. Enough of hearing the Roman Catholic Church romanticize the materially poor. Enough of watching the Roman Catholic Church fire married gays and lesbians from public ministry from high schools and churches. Enough of trying to defend the Roman Catholic Church’s practice of ordaining only celibate men to the priesthood.…
Read MoreCelebrating International Human Rights Day & The Jakarta Declaration
It was an idea whose time had come. For two decades, Rev. Dr. Stephen Suleeman, lecturer at Jakarta Theological Seminary, held fast to a dream for an LGBT-affirming faith conference in Indonesia. His dream was realized with the International Consultation on the Church and Homophobia, November 23 – 26 at Jakarta Theological Seminary. When Stephen…
Read MoreLove-Based Activism
If my purpose is to create change, to help bring about the end of legalized discrimination against LGBT people, my actions should be such that they are effective at bringing about that change. If I want to help people understand what it is like to be transgender, I need to present a message that more…
Read MoreWhat Calvin Taught Me About God
This is an abridged reprise of a column I wrote for the September, 1995 issue of the More Light Update, the publication of Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns (now More Light Presbyterians) edited by James D. Anderson. Total attentiveness. Unconditional love. Limited judgment. Irresistible grace. Providential play. T.U.L.I.P. This is what Calvin has taught…
Read MoreThis #GivingTuesday: Donate To Support Our Life-Changing Work
Each week Believe Out Loud receives countless messages of support from our online community telling us how our work has impacted their lives. The messages are both touching and humbling. Here are just a few messages we’ve received on Facebook in the past four months alone. “Hey I just wanna say I love your page.…
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