Gay, lesbian evangelicals increasingly speaking out

Justin Lee started the Gay Christian Network, which encourages dialogue among evangelicals with different views. He started it as an online community; it's now a national organization.

Evangelicals are being challenged to change their views of gays and lesbians, and the pressure isn't coming from the gay-rights movement or court rulings: Once silent for fear of being shunned, more gay and lesbian evangelicals are speaking out about how they've struggled to reconcile their beliefs and sexual orientation.

Among them are students and alumni from Christian colleges, gay evangelicals who've published memoirs and organized support groups, and others who've prodded traditional Christians to re-examine their views of gays and lesbians.

They've written books, such as “Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America,” by Jeff Chu. They've also produced videos, such as “On God's Campus: Voices from the Queer Underground,” a project by Paul Southwick that showcases testimonials of gays and lesbians at Christian schools.

The goals of these activists and writers vary. Some argue that monogamous same-sex marriages are consistent with traditional biblical views and hope to remain in conservative churches.

Others agree with traditional teaching on marriage and have committed to staying celibate for life but are speaking out because they feel demonized within their communities. Whatever their aims, they are already having an impact.

“There are a growing number of us who grew up hearing a certain origin story about our same-sex attraction that didn't resonate with us,” said Wesley Hill, 32, who teaches at Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania, a conservative Anglican seminary, and who wrote a book, “Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality.”

“We are wanting to have conversations that older generations of evangelicals haven't had or haven't wanted to have.”

A February survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found seven in 10 white evangelicals against same-sex marriage. Younger respondents support it by 51 percent.

Studies by David Kinnamon of Barna Group, a research company, among others, show younger Christians grew up with openly gay friends and relatives and see elders' views on traditional marriage as damaging to the church.

Still, it is only in the past few years that gay and lesbian evangelicals have discussed their same-sex attraction so openly. More commonly, gays and lesbians from traditional faith groups have joined liberal houses of worship or leave organized religion altogether.

In a recent survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans by the Pew Research Center, 48 percent said they had no religious affiliation, compared with 20 percent of the general public. Of the LGBT adults with religious ties, one-third said there is a conflict between their religious beliefs and their sexual orientation.

Evangelical leaders are taking notice. After the Supreme Court gave federal recognition to same-sex marriages last week, several evangelicals responded not only by renewing their commitment to traditional marriage but also by urging like-minded Christians to be more sensitive in the way they express their beliefs.

In the past few years, more than 40 gay and lesbian support groups have been formed at Christian colleges, said Southwick, the video producer, who's active in OneGeorgeFox, a support group founded by gay and lesbian alumni and students of his alma mater, George Fox University, a Christian school in Oregon.

He said few of the groups have been formally recognized by their schools. Some meet secretly off campus.

One prominent evangelical school, Wheaton College in Illinois, has officially recognized its gay support group.