Loving Trans People As Ourselves

The sun shines through a window in a house.

Debates over California’s AB 1266, which is scheduled to go into effect in California in January 2014, are bringing out troubling arguments against transgender students in California. AB 1266 restates existing state and federal laws that ensure transgender students can fully participate in all school activities, sports teams, programs, and facilities that match their gender identity.…

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Advent: The Practice of Active Waiting

Two lit candles on a black background.

When I was a child, the run-up to Christmas was much more churchy than it is today.  Every year we started an Advent calendar on December 1 with a picture of the holy family, the shepherds, the kings on camels, the star with glitter glued to it. We opened the doors day by day, so…

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How To Protect LGBT Employees In Catholic Institutions

Stone Madonna and child with stained light

In this past year, at least one dozen people were fired from Catholic institutions because of LGBT issues. Some were fired because they legally married a same-gender partner. Others were fired because of their support for such marriages or because of their gender identity. In 2012, five people were fired for these reasons, so we…

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Roger Williams goes Baptist on legendary evangelist Billy Graham

An image of a church with a cross in the window.

Since Billy Graham stepped into the political arena, the man dubbed as America’s pastor kept good on his promise to “do all he can” to help Republical presidential nominee Mitt Romney. For starters, his son, Franklin Graham, who questioned if Romney and Obama were Christians in February 2012 announced that evangelicals can now vote for…

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Savage v. Santorum: Time For Christians To Be Radically Inclusive

Vaulted dome and rose windows in ornate church

October 11th marked National Coming Out Day, an annual celebration to promote a safe world for LGBT individuals to live truthfully and openly. Ironically, this year’s event came two days after the conclusion of the annual Values Voter Summit, a gathering that the Southern Poverty Law Center urged people to boycott this year because two…

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Silent Supporter? It’s Time To Come Out Of The Closet

Rainbow reflections on peeling plaster and railing

The religious right is out of the closet. No, not THAT closet (although I’m sure that door could swing open and reveal some hidden friends). No, the religious right is out, loud and proud in an entirely different direction. They have no qualms declaring the (widely-disproved) success of reparative therapy. They have unbound enthusiasm for protecting…

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