Category Archives: Opening to change
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, …
We Must Stop Ignoring Black Gay and Bisexual Men!
Sadly, the unwillingness of clergy and others to denounce public statements of hatred toward gay members of our family and community continues to erode the interwoven cords of respect, love and well-being that cloaks us together as human beings.According to …
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 …
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. …
“Go into all the world…” Really?
Showing broad acceptance of people of different sexual orientations, as well as other diverse backgrounds should be our goal. The message of Christ is for the whole world, and all who embrace Christ become part of the body of Christ, …
Words from the pulpit; what difference do they make?
I know people who long to hear words of love and acceptance from the pulpit they face each Sunday. I have seen tears trickle down the cheeks of friends convinced that who they are displeases God. I have witnessed gifted, …