A federal lawsuit alleging discrimination in a foster parent program has been resolved, with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops dropping its opposition to a lesbian caring for refugee children. Kelly Easter was raised in a Southern Baptist home where…
When a teenager gets kicked to the curb by Christian parents
Editor’s note: This launches a series of opinion pieces over the coming weeks that will address the problems created by “ex-gay” ministries and those who continue to practice or advocate for the now-discredited forms of conversion therapy. The following column…
New platform of Texas GOP is laced with Christian privilege
The Republican Party in the nation’s most populous state controlled by that party has a new platform that invokes the name of God 17 times, calls for special privilege for Christians and demands that Christian prayers, Bible reading and the…
The SBC rebuffed its most extreme factions but remains extremely conservative
By some accounts, the Southern Baptist Convention once again rejected its most extreme factions during this year’s annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif. But by any outside measure, the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination remains extremely conservative. Defining the term “conservative” within…
Class action lawsuit on LGBTQ discrimination at faith-based schools continues to gain momentum
A class action lawsuit accusing the U.S. Department of Education of wrongly allowing discrimination against LGBTQ students at faith-based schools has grown in number of participants and in general support over the past 15 months. The Religious Exemption Project filed…
Weekly churchgoers are now the primary holdouts against same-sex marriage
Support for same-sex marriage in America continues to grow in all sectors except among the most faithful weekly churchgoers, according to Gallup. The latest polling shows a slight, one-point uptick from an already record high last year, from 70% to…
Marriage equality advocates preparing to fight again if the same reasoning that may overturn abortion rights is used against them
In the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, LGBTQ activists are concerned that same-sex marriage could be next. That’s why on Tuesday, June 7, LGBTQ Victory Institute held a press call to…
Here’s what’s wrong with the new Hardin Simmons Statement of Faith
As a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University’s class of 2019, I recently became aware of the board of trustees newly released Statement of Faith, which was adopted on May 19, 2022. Of particular note is the trustee’s declaration on sexuality and…
Franklin Graham says he’s not a preacher of hate, so let’s roll the tape and see
I have a couple of questions for Franklin Graham. For years I have granted him a sort of “don’t criticize” card because of my respect for his father, Billy Graham. But as Franklin has become more and more political and…
Faced with damning sexual abuse investigation, some in SBC seek to discredit the investigators
One week before Southern Baptists gather to respond to a damning independent investigation of sexual abuse problems, the lead story on the denomination’s news site is about “controversy” created by Guidepost Solutions tweeting support for Pride month. Guidepost is the…
My story of being trans and the conservative Baptist school that made me that way
Catchy headline, right? You may be asking how it was possible that a trans person could even begin to thank a conservative Christian university. No, this is not another piece on how conservative evangelical Christianity made my life so bad…
Meet the Mama Bears, who give away hugs and hope
A new documentary titled Mama Bears directed by Daresha Kyi has started sweeping the nation. Premiering at film festivals from coast to coast (and winning many awards along the way) this 90-minute film features three stories that encapsulate the heart…