Black ministers discuss homophobia in black churches at Howard University School of Divinity forum
March 27, 2009
It was a lively discussion today at the Howard University School of Divinity in Northeast Washington,DC where a panel of fair-minded black ministers gathered to discuss the hot topic of homophobia in black churches. This was the first time the Howard University Divinity School Student Government Association has held a forum specifically focused on LGBT issues. The panel was hosted by People for the American Way (PFAW), the National Educational Association (NEA), and the African-American Ministers Leadership Council. After welcoming remarks by Howard University School of Divinity Student Government President Joi Orr, Dustin Baker, a first-year seminarian from New Jersey, opened the program by discussing his personal journey and the importance of becoming a visible, openly gay black minister sharing God's message of inclusion. Sharon Lettman, executive vice president of PFAW, thanked Dustin for his remarks and commended the audience for attending the first session of the two-day forum. Lettman says hosting important forums like this is a part of PFAW's long-term strategy as she introduces the panel moderator.
[caption id="attachment_4989" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Howard University School of Divinity student Dustin Baker. "]
[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4990" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Sharon Lettman, executive vice president of People For the American Way."]
[/caption] Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Community of Hope AME church in Washington DC, served as moderator and, over the course of more than an hour, encouraged the panelists to analyze the complex ways religious homophobia alienates members of the black LGBT community and exacerbates health and spiritual struggles within the black community. His first question, addressed to Howard Divinity School Professor Rev. Dr. Ronald Hopson, was simply to ask, "What is it we're afraid of? How does homophobia manifest in the church?" Rev. Hopson said that a necessary part of the conversation is first addressing the irrationality of thinking that LGBT people in the church are a threat to "traditional marriage." Hopson says he considers homophobia in the church to be significantly dependent on "how people understand scripture and the place of scripture in understanding our ethical obligations to one another." [caption id="attachment_4985" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Rev. Tony Lee, moderator and senior pastor of Community of Hope AME in Temple Hills, MD."]
[/caption] Rev. Lee's next question on the "threat" of biblical liberalism in understanding the proper role of LGBT church members prompts Rev. Kenneth Samuel, pastor of Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain, GA, to declare that certain biblical passages have become "toxic texts" that "need to be interpreted in light of the truth and light of lens of the all inclusive love of Jesus." "There has always been a strong need to interpret every biblical text that it promotes life and does not destroy life," he concludes. Rev. Lee turns to ask another great question: Should one be considered homophobic if they believe that homosexuality is sin? Rev. Byron Williams, a syndicated columnist and minister at Resurrection Church in Oakland, California, says that people who are members of a privileged class (heterosexuals) often have trouble affirming the humanity of people they deem different from them. Williams argues that all Christians should be striving to embrace the cross of Jesus, a symbol of the intersection between human imperfection and eternal hope. He finds dismissive condemnations of homosexuality as sin to be suspicious and thinks that many Christians opposed to opposition to homosexuality did not formulate their opinions after reading scriptures against homosexuality. Instead, he believes many religious homophobes first decide that they despise gays, and then find biblical passages to back up their prejudices. On the other hand, Prof. Hopson replies that he is less interested in broadly labeling people as homophobic. He contends that for many people, a history of abuse or sexual exploitation in their lives may be hindering their ability to maturely address the issue of homosexuality. He holds that he's more committed to understanding people's experiences that have shaped their perspectives than in dishing out labels.
[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4986" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Howard Divinity School Professor Rev. Dr. Ronald Hopson."]
[/caption] At this point, HRC's Associate Diversity Director Donna Payne took an opportunity to point out that HRC's Equality Forward, a survey of over 5,000 LGBT people of color, found that many black LGBT people consider domestic violence a major part of their experiences and that they often live in fear of verbal abuse from the pulpit -- even as they remain hesistant to attend LGBT-affirming congregations. Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, a fellow in residence at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, says that there is an underlying problem not only with religious interpretations of biblical text, but with the church and its views on sexuality in general. He cites the contradiction that many heterosexual black pastors condemn homosexuality from the pulpit while remaining silent on their own sexual liaisons with women in the church - or with men. Not surprisingly, Sekou's passionate indictment of these hypocritical pastors produced many echoes of approval throughout the audience. The moderator agrees with Sekou's assessment and agrees that the black church's history is one in which "we don't have proper conversations regarding sexuality in the church." [caption id="attachment_4991" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Rev. Kenneth Samuel, senior pastor of Victory for the World church."]
[/caption] Rev. Samuel says that much of the trouble arises when congregations try to determine church policy. "It's a question of who is qualified to be deemed a true child of God?" he states. Rev. Samuel is searing in his condemnation of the religious homophobia that helps fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS in the black community. He says the intensifying scourge of HIV/AIDS in the community can be "traced back to notions of sinful nature." "Why would I be concerned about my - or your health - if I'm already condemned to hell?" he asks. " Homophobia is a health risk - especially to black church." HRC's Donna Payne compares people who have been deeply wounded by homophobia in their communities to "lost souls." People who have been rejected or feel unloved or unlovable are then unable to engage in responsible relationships with others, she contends. This sense of isolation and hopelessness ultimately leads to unsafe sexual practices. Prof. Hopson picks up on this theme: "We have done a violence to this community that we need to repent of. We need to start by telling the truth about yesterday and start by telling the truth about today that needs to be told. We've watched people die rather than tell the truth." Next, moderator Rev. Lee asks the panel how the church should appropriately deal with teaching children about sexuality. Payne responds by issuing a challenge to ministers, particularly of affirming congregations, to connect with organizations like HRC, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) and PFAW to help create a curriculum that helps churches teach sexuality in child-appropriate ways. To illustrate the extent of which religious homophobia can pervade one's experience from childhood even until death, Payne describes the "painful and hurtful" practice of some ministers and families "retransitioning" deceased transgender individuals at their funerals by burying them in clothes suitable of their birth gender. [caption id="attachment_4987" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Donna Payne, HRC's associate director of diversity."]
[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4984" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, a fellow in residence at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture."]
[/caption] Rev. Lee's final question asks how well-meaning people can become LGBT allies - even if they may not be where we want them to be on LGBT issues: Samuel: Open, honest, candid dialogue is the first step to dismantling wrong assumptions and prejudice taught by tradition. Keep learning; keep listening. Williams: People have to keep taking the risk of seeing people as individuals. Payne says that the groundwork is indeed being laid for these straight-LGBT coalitions through "safe space" talks. She encourages people to connect with her and HRC's Religion and Faith program for more information. Prof. Hopson offers the closing thought that we have to simply assume that everyone is doing the best they can. He challenges everyone to learn to treat people in a way that exceeds even their own understanding of who they are - or what they can become.
