Queer Clergy: A History of Gay and Lesbian Ministry in American Protestantism

Join CLGS and RW Holmen, author of "Queer Clergy: A History of Gay and Lesbian Ministry in American Protestantism" for a special discussion and book signing at the Pacific School of Religion Badè Musem on Tuesday, April 1 at 6:30pm. ABOUT QUEER CLERGY: At an accelerating pace, progressive denominations have opened the pulpit to LGBT clergy. Recent policy revisions mark the end of a long and conflicted journey, and this book is a wayfarer’s journal, a chronicle of the uncertain path toward full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the life of the church. Along the way, we will encounter many pilgrims who struggled with faith traditions which simultaneously nourished and diminished them, trusting the promise that all are loved by God even when their church betrayed the good news. Though conflict continues, the journey has brought the church to a place of celebration of gays and lesbians in the pulpit, serving openly and with the full recognition and support of their parishioners in the pews, their leadership councils, and their denominations. The book will follow the parallel journeys of these denominations: * The United Methodist Church (UMC) with over eight million members. * The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with over four million members. * The Presbyterian Church USA (PC (USA)) with two million members. * The Episcopal Church (TEC) with two million members. * The United Church of Christ (UCC) with over a million members. Does history matter? Way back in 1972, the United Church of Christ ordained an openly gay man who had earlier come out to his seminary community during a symposium in the dining hall of PSR. In 2003, the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire elected a gay man, Rev. Gene Robinson, to be their bishop; in July 2009, the Episcopal General Convention shrugged off Anglican criticism from abroad and adopted revisions to their canons that allowed partnered gays and lesbians to be called to all levels of ordained ministry. Just a month later, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) revised ministry policies to allow partnered gays and lesbians to serve openly on the ELCA clergy roster. In 2011, the Presbyterian Church (USA) also accomplished a complete reversal of ordination standards when all references to gays and lesbians were removed from governing documents. Meanwhile, the United Methodist Church (UMC) is currently embroiled in a seemingly unending stream of ecclesiastical trials seeking to punish Methodist clergy for officiating at same-gender weddings. How did we get to this time and place? What paths did early pilgrims follow to lead the way out of the wilderness? How did the United Church of Christ arrive at a place of welcome a generation before sister denominations? Why do the Methodists lag behind? For More Information about the Event Vist: http://clgs.org/events/queerclergy