Recently I was asked to write an article for the Journal of Political Theology. This academic journal is the world’s premier journal about the intersection of politics and theology, and members of its editorial board include Cornel West, Miroslav Volf and Walter Brueggeman, among many other well respected and notable commentators and theologians in the world of politics and religion. The article I wrote, that was peer reviewed and published this month, is:

Winner Take All? – A Political and Religious Assessment of the Culture War between the LGBT Community and Conservatives

You can download it for free here. 

I used this amazing opportunity to dive into some new realms of the intersection of theology, social construction and politics. I really look forward to hearing what you all think about it.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

This is a Skype interview I did with Charles Lee, who gets his hustle on more than anyone I know! He did this interview as a lead-up to an event of his I’m speaking at the end of next month.

If you’ve heard me tell my story, just skip to 2:22 in the video where Charles asks me about:

1 message to the Church on what they have done right and what they could improve on

An overview of my research and a major lesson learned from it

And a few other little things here and there.

Hope you enjoy it.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

We only have 3 weeks left in our 4 year study of faith experiences and religious/spiritual acculturation within the LGBT community!

You can click here for all of the information (and answers to questions that were raised about it in the comment section) on The Marin Foundation’s current research study.

As an LGBT person, whether with a faith or not, please let your voice and experiences be heard.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

As many of you know, over the last four years The Marin Foundation has been running what has turned in to the largest national scientific research study ever done in the LGBT community regarding spirituality and religion. We have over 2,000 national participants from all 50 States (51 if you include DC), and neither one of those figures has ever been achieved before in a LGBT study on faith. Our study in coming to a conclusion August 1, 2010. We need your help! This is our final push to have people participate!

If you have, or have ever had, a same-sex attraction to any degree (whether or not your consider yourself LGBT or not), please anonymously participate here.

Then, would you please email this post to everyone you know who fits our target audience for this study so they can participate as well. It takes about 5 minutes to complete, and all we are looking for is the dead honest truth.

Whether you are an atheist who hates everything God or religion, or you are a super Christian, Jew, Mormon, Muslim, or you believe in any faith at all (or anywhere in between), we need your experiences.

The results from this study will be published in peer-reviewed mainstream academic journals, as well as it will turn into my second book to be released next year. As for the data analysis, The Marin Foundation is working with two of the most influential reserachers in the country who are not only well known, but they are from different ends of the faith/sexuality spectrum and the two most respected researchers in the field:

Dr. Michael Bailey from Northwestern University (an atheist, his research and his provocative book) and Dr. Mark Yarhouse from Regent University (an evangelical Christian who researches on sexual identity and his books here and here and here).

Here is a quick overview of the study and its key terms:

Title:  Religious Acculturation within the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Community

Key Definitions:

Acculturation: A cultural modification of an individual, group or population adapting to, or merging with another culture (Berbrier, 2004; Berry, 1990; Flowers et al., 1998; Miranda et al., 2006; Seibt et al., 1995).

GLBT: People who self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

Same-Sex Attraction:  People who have a sexual attraction to other people of the same sex. This can include people who self-identify as GLBT, people who are sexually celibate, as well as people who self-identify as ex-gay/post-gay and yet still have a same-sex attraction.

Religion/Religious: Organized, denominational religion tied to a church/temple/mosque/etc.

Spiritual: Individual spirituality that is unassociated with a religious denomination/church.

Creator: One Creator that has created all things (e.g. God, Allah).

High Power/Spirit: Individual higher power/spirit not associated with One Creator.

Overview:

In May 2006 The Marin Foundation (TMF) began to facilitate a four year research study called Religious Acculturation within the GLBT Community. To the researcher’s knowledge, it has since turned into the largest national research study ever done within the GLBT and religious communities. At the study’s projected conclusion on August 1, 2010, TMF is on pace to have achieved their goal of N = 2,000 national participants from the GLBT community, setting the standard for religious research within the GLBT community.

The goal of the study is to look at the acculturation levels of those within the GLBT community to their past, present and future spiritual and religious practices, if any exist; and how the different constructs surrounding sexuality and religion/spirituality are correlated to those practices. While there has been other research done on GLBT acculturation (Alquijay, 1997; Magana & Carrier, 1991; Seibt et al., 1995); as well as previous research regarding GLBT spirituality and religion (topics include the perceived religious conflicts experienced by the GLBT community with the Church (Clark, Brown & Hochstein, 1990; Grant & Epp, 1999; Schuck & Liddle, 2001), the GLBT community’s religious and spiritual commitment through persistence of faith (Sherkat, 2002; Yip, 2002), the role religion plays for straight family members of those in the GLBT community (Ellis & Wagemann, 1993; Lease & Shulman, 2003), and the broader attitudes of the straight, conservative religious-believing individuals and their thought processes towards the GLBT community (Cochran & Beeghley, 1991; Newman, 2002; Taylor, 2000)), TMF’s research is the first of its kind to directly look at levels of spiritual/religious acculturation in the GLBT population surrounding the following variables:

Seven main variables under the umbrella term of acculturation. For the scope of this study, the term acculturation is being defined as the interplay of how experiential cultural modifications within the GLBT community have on the following variables:

1. Acculturation of those with a same-sex attraction to the broader GLBT community

2. Religious acculturation of those within the GLBT community

3. Spiritual acculturation of those within the GLBT community

4. Religious background and practices of the GLBT community and their families

5. Why or why not the GLBT community is currently active in participating in religious functions

6. Social demographics of people with a same-sex attraction (including whether the participant is “out”, for how long, to who, age, ethnicity, orientation, current residing city and birthplace)

7. Self-identified degree of sexual orientation through the Kinsey Sexual    Orientation Scale

Each variable can also be looked at in connection to location, and to each of the other (sub)variables.

You can participate anonymously here! 5 minutes will change culture.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Yesterday I gave my responses to a media outlet’s questions (four of eight). Today, I’ll give my response to the other half of their questions.

It’s been a great on-going conversation for the first responses that I look forward to continuing, so let me know what you think about these as well:

Q5. Do you believe a person’s sexual orientation has anything to do with their faith? Do you think the way individuals form their opinions, values and beliefs is any different for a heterosexual vs. a homosexual? What factors come into play when we think about the basis of one’s faith and how that is formed/developed?

A: When someone has a same-sex attraction, whether they act on it or not, in one way or the other are automatically cast as deviant to conservative Christianity, and therefore conservative theology. Since my involvement over the years has continued to show me that statement is true, there is no way for GLBT people to have the same experience, teachings or community that heterosexual people inherently receive the right to have. Due to the system that is in place, the current outcome will keep perpetuating itself.   

Q6. According to the Barna Group study, 72 percent of straight adults and 60 percent of gay adults describe their faith as “very important”.  Based on the study, what do these numbers say to you?

A: I don’t care what people say is important, I care how people live out what is important to them. If those statements were true there wouldn’t be a culture war today. Proverbs 16:7 says, “when a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” Are we living at peace with the GLBT community? No. Are they living at peace with us? No. Therefore no matter what is communicated, both of us have a long way to go to even consider a statement that our faith is “very important.”

Q7. There were substantial differences in some core religious beliefs, too. Heterosexuals were twice as likely as homosexuals to strongly agree that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; two-thirds of heterosexuals believe the single, most important purpose in life is to love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, significantly higher than the half of all homosexuals who embrace the idea; and about half of straight adults and one-third of gay adults contend that their life has been greatly transformed by their faith. – What does this say/how do you translate it?

A: The whole culture war stems from a difference in theological belief systems. This data just puts numbers to an already well documented difference. The one thing I find disturbing is how we all have to single out a “most important”—is the rest of the Bible and its other overarching eternal principles not asimportant? My belief is that comparing social and religious acculturation off of a pre-planned option of “most important” roots the culture war even further into their various camps. It’s too easy to look from the outside and point to differences instead of living in the tension of what it is to end these differences together.

Q8. What are some of the trends/things happening in society relating to homosexuality?

A. I have hope in answering this question because I have seen two very clear trends as I speak and teach around the country—one trend from within the GLBT community and one trend from within conservative Christians. From the GLBT community: They are tired of feeling the pressure from their own GLBT hierarchy to conform to the social and religious norms that are “expected of them.” So they are pushing back and pockets around the country are trying to live out this new journey in relationship with each other, and also in relationship with many people who are considered their opposition. From the conservative world: The one thing that I hear more than anything else is, “I feel like the Lord is pulling me in a direction to be with the GLBT community, but I’m scared and don’t know what to do.” I have a little slogan that says, Right from the Gate you Can’t Relate. Understanding that you don’t understanding is how bridge building occurs and true Kingdom reconciliation happens. And it is happening.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

The Barna Group recently put out a research study regarding the “Spiritual Profile” of the GLBT community. Since its release I have been asked quite a few questions (by media and by general audiences) about my thoughts regarding their study. Until now I haven’t made any statements because I think this study does not provide anything close to the “Surprising Insights” they claim (more on this later). Also, in my opinion their usage of “Spiritual Profile” is misleading because they don’t have any amount of depth or generalizability to their study. They just overview some surface-level questions of religiosity to a group of 280(ish) people, which is a number not suitable to generalize to an entire population of people. With that said, many self-proclaiming evangelicals know nothing of the results that Barna released, so in that sense it is worthwhile to bring some thoughts to the forefront.

Last week, for the first time, I responded to some media folks who had questions about my take. The following are their questions, and the word-for-word answers I gave them via email. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what they asked, and how I responded!

For clarification, they asked 15 Questions in total. However, seven of the questions were asking the same thing, just re-worded. I responded to those seven question with combo answers to what I wrote below. When the article is published, I’ll let you all know. Here is Part 1 – four out of eight questions.

Q1. Can you summarize your experience in this particular area (Spirituality of homosexuals or Spirituality of heterosexuals and how the two compare)? What have you studied/learned/advocate? (In regard to heterosexuality and homosexuality?)

A: One thing has been very clear to me over the last nine years being immersed in the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community—they are searching for the exact same things we are in regards to trying to figure out life and faith, and how those things relate to our existence here on earth. There is a lot of self-inflicted (and church inflicted) spiritual/religious repression within GLBT people; and as with everyone else, the more something is repressed the more it longs to feel freedom.

Q2. What about after reviewing the Barna Group study? Does anything here standout to you? Any surprises? Etc.

A: Nothing really surprised me about Barna’s findings because from my perspective, their intent was to not dig too deeply. Their questions were a general scope of religiosity, and thus, their findings highlighted an already known difference between most GLBT and straight people. Their “surprising insights” are based off of the assumption that the GLBT community does not have, or has never had a high religiosity. Unfortunately, that baseline assumption tells a lot about Christian’s general perceptions of GLBT people and their overall lack of involvement and engagement in this topic.

Q3. How is the homosexual lifestyle impacting American culture? Do you think it is different today than it has been in the past?

A: Even the staunchest critic of the GLBT community has to give credit where credit is due: Gays and lesbians can mobilize quicker, and louder than any other group of people. That’s how movement’s happen. The goal of every movement is to influence and impact culture, and gays and lesbians have done a great job of fulfilling their movement’s vision.

Q4. How do you believe one’s sexual orientation plays into their faith? Do you believe it should have a major impact/influence?

A: I think for many people identity is rooted in the wrong place. My experience has shown me that until Christians start to refocus their wholistic identity in Christ and His countercultural ways, why should the GLBT community, on their own, shift their identity away from their sexual behavior? The point of the Gospel is to reconcile God to human, and human to human. We have the God to human part down; it’s the human to human part we haven’t quite figured out yet—especially with GLBT people. Faith journeys are not meant to be walked alone. And if we’re not willing to be intentionally committed to gays and lesbians no matter what the outcome, why should we expect them to just buy into our belief system?

Part 2, questions 5-8 are coming tomorrow.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Dr. Mark Yarhouse, Director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity (ISS), is conducting a study of mixed orientation marriages, which are defined as a marriage where one individual experiences same sex attraction and the other does not.

The purpose of the study is to understand the characteristics of these marriages and the experiences of individuals in them. Participants can be currently in a mixed orientation marriage or have been previously. If you or someone you know fits this description and would like to share your experience, participants are needed! The survey can be accessed online by going to www.mixedorientationstudy.com. The study is completely anonymous and confidential; however, participants are given the option of sharing limited identifying information to participate in future follow-up studies if desired.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org