Category Archives: Gay/lesbian
Reparative therapy: Not the path to welcome
We often hear pastors express their conviction that they welcome all to their flock, and increasingly—in an attempt to love those they don’t completely understand, and to minister to real needs and questions—their churches are offering “reparative” or “conversion therapy” …
Black Churches Increasingly Nuanced Approaches
Black churches and black people continue to be portrayed as especially anti-gay, but we should remember that these organizations’ and individuals’ perspectives are not static. Black Christians are portrayed as an anti-gay bloc, but their views are not static. First, …
De`ja` Vu All Over Again
To my friends in Methodists in New Directions and all others who are distressed by the revelation that the National Organization for Marriage has a deliberate “game plan” to enlist blacks in their efforts to prevent marriage equality: The contradiction of …
Three Ways that “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin” Falls Short
In my experience, people want to be nice. Our desire is to treat people fairly, not rustle feathers or cause each other to feel uncomfortable. We avoid saying upsetting things to one another. Often we contort our minds to find a …
It’s a Family Affair
Recently, in conversation with affirming and inclusive ministry colleagues, one raised the question of how to successfully present marriage equality to Black churches in Maryland. A year of such equality was just then being celebrated in Washington, DC—a predominantly African …
Class, Sexuality and Lessons Unlearned
Two of the most pressing social issues that black churches must address are sexuality and the class divide. Black church leaders and gay rights campaigns have at least this much in common: they could learn from the 1960s. As black …
Reflecting on Dr. King’s Dream…
This weekend across the United States – churches, civil organizations and non-profits will provide various opportunities to celebrate and honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King is a spiritual hero of mine, and having been inducted into …
Enough love to speak
Do you ever wonder, as I do, will the beloved community just show up one day? Are you waiting for people to simply “get it”? Do slow progress and endless votes annoy and unnerve you? Have you become impatient for …
When Love Gets Lost in the Scuffle
I have lived through that peculiar moment in American history, when it came to marriage, many Christians were more concerned about the race of persons who love each other, than the quality and content of their love for each other. …
Gays are us
From the pen of Reverend Dr. Dennis W. Wiley, prior to the King Memorial Dedication As the nation prepares to celebrate the dedication of the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., this weekend, I am reminded that …