Kentucky’s Republican Legislature supports the discredited practice of conversion therapy so strongly that both houses overwhelmingly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a bill to allow the practice. House Bill 495 was proposed as an “emergency” measure to reinstate the…
CBFNC focuses on diversity, inclusion and ‘serving together’ amid trying times
Last week’s annual gathering of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, hosted by Pritchard Baptist Church in Charlotte, centered the theme “Serving Together,” bringing forth unity in diversity among North Carolina congregations in the current political, social and economic…
Yeshiva University recognizes LGBTQ student club, reversing a longtime ban
Yeshiva University has approved a new club for LGBTQ students, reversing a policy that it has spent years defending in court.
The Ken Paxton Cruelty Show continues
Does Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton just sit around his office and think of new ways to be cruel? Sure seems like it. The churchgoing Southern Baptist, who was impeached by the Texas House but spared conviction by Trump loyalists…
Judge appears skeptical of Trump ban on transgender service members
A federal judge appeared reluctant March 12 to comprehend the legality of a Trump executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes repeatedly questioned the government’s lawyers for what she…
14 LGBTQ-affirming ministers lose credentials, more face investigation, over beliefs
Grinning before a congregation on the outskirts of Indianapolis, a woman named Rhonda was baptized in a horse trough in 2014 as her girlfriend and kids looked on.
Stakes are high as Supreme Court takes up conversion therapy case
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a Colorado case that addresses one of the most controversial of all debates about homosexuality and the church: Is so-called “conversion therapy” legitimate or abusive? The largely discredited strategy of helping…
Disney, Christianity and the erasure of transgender people
There is an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to erase the existence of transgender people. Since taking office in January, Trump has banned words like “gender,” “nonbinary” and “transgender” from government documents and websites; he’s ordered that all new…
I’m a gay student at a nonaffirming seminary: Why?
Editor’s note: In rare circumstances, BNG will publish an opinion piece without a byline to protect the identity of the author. In this case, all identifying information has been removed to protect the seminary as well. The point of the…
AWAB joins 10 other groups in Ash Wednesday statement to vulnerable people
The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists is among 11 Christian groups issuing an Ash Wednesday statement opposing President Donald Trump’s policies on LGBTQ rights, immigration and disruptions to federal funding for vulnerable populations. “We can’t mince words about what’s…
Views on LGBTQ rights differ by state, party and religious tradition
As legislators in some states seek to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, a new national survey finds public support for LGBTQ rights differs strongly by state, party and religious tradition. Although marriage equality appears to…
Utah’s flag ban: Does it target LGBTQ or promote political neutrality?
A Utah bill banning most flags in public school classrooms and government buildings will advance to a Senate vote one year after lawmakers rejected a similar bill inserted during the final hours of the session.