Effective tools, strategies, and frameworks to bridge the gaping gap between the Black Church and LGBTQ+ Community
Join Caleb and Mark as they enjoy a themed drink (or two) and bring their high-octane progressive Christian perspectives in consideration of the latest, intense season of Netflix's "Stranger Things."
Pour yourself a drink and join us for good times as we talk about pop culture, theology, and politics from progressive Christian perspective.
Prejudice is its own logic, or, at least, it is impervious to logic, evidence, or critical thinking. This week we'll consider the irrational beliefs behind many of our prejudices.
Author Lenny Duncan is the unlikeliest of pastors. Formerly incarcerated and homeless, he is now a black preacher in the whitest denomination in the United States: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
“At the center of the Christmas story is hope…hope which comes to us in the form of a vulnerable, poor baby. A child, not a king, changes the world. God appears to us as a marginalized, Afro-Semitic, Jewish child from Nazareth in Palestine. A child who grows up to teach us to welcome the stranger. How would our world be different if we loved our neighbors as ourselves?” asks the Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister of Middle Collegiate Church.
This sermon was presented on Sunday June 18th 2017 by Rev. Elizabeth Durant at First congregational United Church of Christ, Portland Oregon.
Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber on how she experienced a divine intervention that changed her view of God from being one she feared to one that symbolizes grace.
Watch 2 videos of J.J. Warren on the General Conference of the United Methodist Church's decision on homosexuality.
Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder and Rev. Deshna Charron Shine discuss what makes a healthy and thriving church community, how to continually feel nourished by the teachings of Jesus, and how our beliefs inform our actions.
Interview on PBS' Amanpour & Company
Watch Video of Interview of Rev. Irene Monroe on PBS' Amanpour & Co. discussing LGBTQ Issues in Religious Communities.
Work out your faith and renew hope through our film library of spiritual leaders and contemplative pieces.
Eugene comes out as gay in his original, deeply personal music video, featuring music by ODESZA.
It’s the House for all Sinners and Saints in Denver, a widely unconventional congregation led by Evangelical Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. She told correspondent Lucky Severson her language, teaching and tattoos symbolize her acceptance of everyone, and they of her. Their church is thriving.
"What does it mean to be queer and what does that say about your relationship with God?" An interview with Pamela Lightsey.
GCORR presents The Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey’s vital conversation talk on the intersection of oppression and her experiences in Ferguson, Mo. We invite you to browse the GCORR website to learn more about the work of GCORR and to find resources to assist you in having your own vital conversations.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary welcomed alumna Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey for her public theology lecture, "Pushing Limits on the Body."
Using a womanist methodological approach, Pamela Lightsey's book "Our Lives Matter - A Womanist Queer Theology" helps readers explore the impact of oppression against Black LBTQ women while introducing them to the emergent intellectual movement known as queer theology.
Finding God at a Beyoncé Mass
Beyoncé is undeniably the most powerful force in pop culture. So it makes sense that someone decided to bring her music and philosophy into church, where it belongs.
It is obviously and indisputably true that “all lives matter.” However, this statement of the obvious, and its cousin, “blue lives matter,” are used to dismiss, shout down, or reject the “black lives matter” movement. No heterosexual ever had to pretend to be gay in order to be accepted at family gatherings, job interviews, or as school. We have gay pride weekends because every weekend is a heterosexual pride weekend. We have a Black History month because every month is a white history month. Black people are trying to explain what it means to be black in America in the 21st century and before we offer any replies at all, we white folks probably need to just shut up and listen.
Nadia Bolz-Weber saw a spiritual longing in friends who didn’t fit into the typical church. So the Evangelical Lutheran pastor created a new one, The House for All SInners and Saints, which allows parishioners from all walks of life to embrace failures and surround themselves with acceptance, love, and grace.
There have been visionary voices in America throughout our history (Jefferson, Paine, Whitman, Emerson, Sojourner Truth, Douglas, Thoreau) who described America in terms of equality, freedom, justice, and civil rights, and even though the vision has never been entirely realized we have made a lot of progress on many fronts, progress that is, very regrettably, presently at grave risk of being lost. Now is no time for progressive thinkers to consider international escape or domestic surrender. Now is a time when people who are spiritually awake must stand and fight (through voting, demonstrations, protests, and possibly . . . revolution) to defend a vision of America about which we can be honestly patriotic.
Though Bill Cosby was convicted on several charges of sexual assault, he did not show remorse or apologize to his victims. Consider in contrast, the heart-felt apology offered by Joy Reid when old homophobic blog posts of hers recently surfaced. She asked a panel of LGBTQ professionals to publicly take her to task on her own show, a painful but honest moment in journalism.
A few months ago I was contacted by the husband of a white woman who told me she and a friend was working on a project called "White Nonsense Roundup." He wanted me to give them coverage. We did a Skype interview and I posted the article. It got over 41K likes and 215K views. Hell, their page is now five times as large as mine. I guess politics is too boring for most. These were two Progressive white women intent on making a difference and that they are doing.
Though adherents of virtually all religions will claim that love is central to their belief system, the unfortunate fact is that religious indoctrination usually comes with a healthy dose of patriarchy, misogyny, as well as homophobia and nationalism. This lays the foundation for a culture that often encourages, defends, protects, and lies about domestic violence. Our words shape our thinking. Our thinking shapes our culture. Our culture tolerates a horrifying rate of domestic violence that is begging for us to change.
Interview with Robin Meyers: Is there a future for church?" These interviews were conducted by ProgressiveChristianity.org at a Westar meeting as part of a series on Christianity, spirituality, religion, church, God, Jesus, sacred community, social justice, youth, and social transformation. More to come soon!