faith, queer, resources

Queer Christian resources

jennadewitt

It’s not an easy spot to be in. The Christian community tells us to be straight. The LGBTQIA+ community tells us to leave behind religion. But we are living proof that there is a vibrant, welcoming, loving family where you can be both, fully Christian and no less queer. These sites below can connect you to church finders, resources, advocacy groups, small groups, books, social media accounts, newsletters, job listings, events, podcasts, and more.

  • http://queergrace.com/ – Queer Grace is a curated encyclopedia of information and ideas around the life of LGBTQ+ people and Christian faith.
  • https://www.qchristian.org/ – Q Christian Fellowship cultivates radical belonging among LGBTQ+ people and allies through a commitment to growth, community, and relational justice through an online forum, a job board, conferences, YouTube videos, blog posts, resource guides, newsletters, and social media.
  • https://www.nu.foundation/ – Nu Foundation has a church finder database map and media library with music, podcasts, movies, books, and more.
  • https://www.churchclarity.org/ – Church Clarity is a crowd-sourced database of local congregations that we score based on how clearly they communicate their actively enforced policies, including women in leadership and affirming theology.
  • https://www.gaychurch.org/ – Over the last 15+ years, GayChurch.org has grown to become the largest, most comprehensive affirming church directory in the world. It also provides resources for studying affirming theology and the Bible.
  • https://www.queertheology.com/ – Queer Theology provides a podcast, resources, and community for LGBTQ people of faith.
  • https://matthiasroberts.com/queerology/ – Matthias Roberts brings together theologians, psychologists, poets, thinkers, and change makers for conversations around belief and being on this weekly podcast.
  • https://www.glaad.org/programs/faith – GLAAD’s Religion, Faith & Values program works to amplify the voices of LGBT-affirming communities of faith and LGBT people of faith. 
  • https://www.believr.app/ – An LGBTQ+ Christian dating app.
  • https://www.ourbibleapp.com/ – Our Bible App is a Bible app with devotionals that are pro-LGBTQ+, pro-women, and encouraging of interfaith inclusivity, which provides a tool that is needed to create healthy prayer and meditation habits.
  • https://www.thereap.org/ – The Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP) empowers queer, trans and non-binary students at more than 200 taxpayer-funded religious schools that actively discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Through civil rights litigation, storytelling, oral history, research and public policy, we work towards a world where LGBTQ students on all campuses are treated equally, with safety and respect.
  • https://www.queerfullywonderfullymade.com/ – Queerfully and Wonderfully Made hosts pop-up events created by queer people, for queer people around themes that speak to our unique experiences. 
  • https://www.thechristiancloset.com/ – The Christian Closet is an online therapeutic resource for people who are trying to work out what it means to have a LGBTQI sexual identity, or gender identity within a Christian context. 
  • https://www.transmissionministry.com/ – Transmission Ministry Collective is an online community of transgender and gender-expansive Christians committed to growing our faith, supporting each other, and healing the world.
  • https://www.freedhearts.org/ – FreedHearts reaches into hurting communities with a message of love, inclusion, belonging, and hope —for parents, LGBTQ family, educators, therapists, for the church.
  • https://www.manyvoices.org/ – Many Voices is a Black church movement for gay and transgender justice.
  • https://www.prideinthepews.com/ – Pride in the Pews is a grassroots nationwide campaign aimed at celebrating stories of resilient queer faith in the Black Church. They are creating the first comprehensive database of Queer Affirming Black Churches.
  • https://reformationproject.org/ – The Reformation Project is a Bible-based, Christian organization that works to promote inclusion of LGBTQ people by reforming church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • https://www.wordmadequeer.com/ – Word Made Queer provides stories, insights, and queer positivity for the curious Christian.
  • https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/ – The LGBTQ Religious Archives Network coordinates and supports the preservation of personal papers and organizational records from lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender religious movements and encourages scholarly research.
  • https://mattnightingale.com/common-sanctuary/ – Common Sanctuary creates safe, sacred space and welcomes diverse voices and perspectives into healthy conversations around faith and sexuality.
  • https://qspirit.net/about/ – Q Spirit promotes LGBTQ spirituality with saints, history, art and books. The website fosters religious and artistic freedom by teaching love for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. It expands the meaning of holiness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people of faith and allies.
  • https://yetalive.com/ – Yet Alive is a magazine and resource for a Wesleyan faith that is LGBTQIA-affirming, progressive, and vibrant.
  • https://www.prayawayfilm.com/resources – Mental health hotlines, support organizations, a discussion guide, and more for those who have been through conversion therapy, as a companion to the Netflix documentary, Pray Away.

Kids, Teens, and Parents

Denominational organizations

  • UMC: https://rmnetwork.org/ – Reconciling Ministries Network equips and mobilizes United Methodists to resist evil, injustice, and oppression as we seek justice for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
  • PC(USA): https://mlp.org/ – More Light Presbyterians is working toward the full participation of LGBTQIA+ people in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) – and in society.
  • PC(USA): https://covnetpres.org/ – The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is a broad-based, national group of clergy and lay leaders working for a church that is simultaneously faithful, just, and whole.
  • MCC: https://www.mccchurch.org/ – Since its founding in 1968, Metropolitan Community Churches has been at the vanguard of civil and human rights movements by addressing important issues such as racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, and other forms of oppression.  MCC has been on the forefront in the struggle towards marriage equality in the US and other countries worldwide and continues to be a powerful voice in the LGBT equality movement.
  • SDA: https://www.sdakinship.org/ – Kinship provides a safe spiritual and social community to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex current and former Seventh-day Adventists, their families, and those who support them.
  • DoC: http://disciplesallianceq.org/ – The Disciples Alliance Open & Affirming Ministry Program works to build a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that welcomes persons of all gender expressions and sexual orientations to the table of Christ’s communion and to the full life and leadership of the Christian Church.
  • Catholic: https://www.newwaysministry.org/ – New Ways Ministry educates and advocates for justice and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Catholics, and reconciliation within the larger church and civil communities.
  • Baptist: https://awab.org/ – Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists creates and supports a community of churches, organizations and individuals committed to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in the full life and mission of Baptist churches.
  • RCA: https://roomforall.com/ – Compelled by the inclusive love of God revealed in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Spirit, Room for All is a community of Christ-followers in the Reformed Church in America.  
  • CRC: https://www.allonebody.org/ – All One Body promotes unrestricted participation in all areas of church life by all members who confess Christ as Savior and Lord, whether single or partnered, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. Their vision is that congregations in the Christian Reformed Church will be gracious places where all persons are welcome, whatever their sexual orientation or gender identity, and where all can give and receive the support needed to be God’s loving servants in the world.
  • Lutheran: https://www.reconcilingworks.org/ – Since 1974, ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation has advocated for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community.
  • UCC: https://openandaffirming.org/ – The Open and Affirming Coalition advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in the United Church of Christ and beyond, and equips UCC congregations to become effective witnesses to Christ’s extravagant welcome. 
  • BMC: https://www.bmclgbt.org/scn – Supportive Communities Network (SCN) is a program of the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests. It is a network of Mennonite and Church of the Brethren communities who are publicly affirming of gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual members. 
  • Quaker: https://flgbtqc.herokuapp.com/ – Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns is a North American Quaker faith community that affirms that of God in all people. 

Books, podcast episodes, and more: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10UlzOJzlfMugEuu-h_KxFTiftFWgVk0pDqEob-FyzpM/edit

My queer Christian book list: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/94221140?shelf=queer-christian-books

The Rainbow Faith playlist for music from affirming artists: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3W0jBrpIARD8tDt7t857dg

I’m also open to adding more to this list if you know of organizations, especially denominational ones, advocating for queer inclusion and belonging in churches and for affirming theology.