Many Voices

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 …

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 …

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 …