Posts Tagged ‘LGBT rights and religion’
Making HIV Medication Affordable For All
When it was evening, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”––Matthew 14:…
Read MoreCelibacy Shouldn’t Be The New Ex-Gay Ministry
Embracing celibacy as an appropriate religious calling to be a God-abiding LGBTQ Christian is now on the rise. And I didn’t know my sexual orientation was still up for debate—no joke. Progress has been made on federal and state levels concerning LGBTQ civil rights, but many churches, especially in certain religious conservative circles, are far…
Read MoreQueering Iconography: Why I Wrote And Painted Holy Women Icons
As a scholar of Art and Religion, I have long known the power of images to evoke spiritual meaning, providing believers with a visual entry point into faith. As an ordained queer woman, I have also long known that much of iconography excludes anyone who looks and loves like me. Though there are surely some…
Read MoreThe Crosshairs Of Religion
The Supreme Court made a ruling at the end of June that will have repercussions for years, possibly for generations to come. The court decided that “closely held corporations” now have freedom of religion and can force women to go outside of the company-provided health insurance for birth control. Reproductive freedom is every woman’s issue,…
Read MoreUrge California Archbishop To Cancel Appearance At Anti-LGBT March
While 57% of Catholics now support the freedom to marry and many Catholic leaders, including Pope Francis, have made affirming statements about LGBT people, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone is planning to march alongside some of the most hateful anti-LGBT extremists in the nation at the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) rally in Washington,…
Read MorePresident Obama Proclaims LGBT Pride Month
President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation declaring June 2014 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. In this proclamation, President Obama traces the origins of the LGBT movement and names the injustices we still face today, urging Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to protect LGBT workers from discrimination based on their…
Read MoreAdvancing Equality In Love And Marriage
Love is one of the things that makes us, as a people, thrive. We love our families. We love our friends. We grow to love those in our communities. We love those in our church. And we even love those who are in our schools. Love is a matter of the heart. Most persons who…
Read More“Room for Me?” Spotlights LGBTQ Christians In The Reformed Church In America
I see God alive as the church continues to widen our embrace for all people, especially for LGBTQ people of God. God is moving, I have no doubt of this. In the denomination in which I’m ordained, the Reformed Church in America (RCA), I see more churches choosing to follow the way of Jesus and…
Read MoreWhere Do I Go?
I was sitting in Rev. Vance Rains’ office at the Florida State Wesley Foundation the first time I said the words “I’m gay” out loud to any other living human. I specify because of the countless memories I have of telling people in dreams, and also prayerfully informing my deceased grandmother, who I firmly believe…
Read MoreBanned: A Prayer For St. Patrick’s Day
By now many of you will have heard that the organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston and New York have banned LGBTQ folks from marching “openly” in the event. I’m not sure if this would please Patrick one bit. When he brought the Irish nation to Christ, I do not remember any reference…
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