Category Archives: Sexual orientation
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, …
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 …
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 …
State of the Church: Where Are The Young People?
In a Sept. 28 article published by the Barna Group, “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church,” Barna, a nationally respected non-profit research organization dedicated to spiritual development, outlines six reasons why young people stay away from churches: Churches seem overprotective: …
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 …
Sweet Tea: “We haven’t forgiven ourselves for being gay.”
On a recent Saturday night I went to see playwright E. Patrick Johnson in his one man performance, Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South. One point he brilliantly made during a monologue has haunted my thoughts, “We haven’t …