There is a commonly held view that a conflict rages between religion and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) community. Conservative Christian leaders continue to make public statements against LGBTIQ people. Most recently, leader of the Christian Democrats, the Hon. Rev. Fred Nile, made comments that homosexuality should be defined as a mental disorder. In response, many LGBTIQ people steer clear of churches and other religious institutions, fearful that they will experience discrimination and rejection.
A 2008 study found that LGBTIQ were much more likely to identify as having “no religion” when compared to the general population. Similarly, the 2011 Census reported people in same-sex relationships were more likely to identify as non-religious than people in opposite-sex relationships. Given this data, and the comments from people like Fred Nile, it would be easy to assume that there is a “conflict” between LGBTIQ people and religion. However, for sociologists with an interest in the areas of gender, sexuality, religion and spirituality, it is important to go beyond the common assumptions and explore these issues in greater depth.
Since the early 1990s, social researchers around the world have explored the topic of LGBTIQ people and spirituality. Some have spent time in congregations that are accepting of all people, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality. Others have interviewed LGBTIQ people about how they reconcile their spirituality with their sexuality – two supposedly “conflicting” aspects of their identity. Unfortunately, when compared to the rest of the world, very little qualitative research on this topic has been conducted in Australia.
Last year I decided to fill part of this research gap by exploring LGBTIQ Christians’ experiences of belonging to churches in Sydney. I had the opportunity to spend a year working on one research project for my Honours degree in sociology. As a part of my research I visited three Christian communities that are accepting of LGBTIQ people, and interviewed a number people who identified in some way as being LGBTIQ and Christian.
My interest in this research topic stemmed from my own personal experience. I grew up in a Christian family, and my parents are both ministers of religion in The Salvation Army. When I was a teenager I began to realise I was more attracted to other guys than girls. At that stage I hoped it was “just a phase”. I didn’t want it to be true because I was afraid of how my family and church would react. There was a period of time where I stopped going to church because I didn’t think I could be gay and a Christian. Eventually, I found a church that was accepting of me and helped me understand the Bible in a way that doesn’t condemn LGBTIQ people.
My story is similar to many of the experiences I heard from people who participated in my research. Many people reconciled their spirituality and their sexuality by reinterpreting scriptures, viewing Jesus as a radical social reformer who stood on the side of the oppressed and marginalised, and by understanding God as a loving and accepting creator who made them the way they are.
People also felt a sense of belonging by being included in the many sacraments and rituals of the worship service, such as baptism and communion. In some cases, this extended to having their relationships recognised through a blessing or “holy union” ceremony.
Unfortunately, it seems harder for people to find accepting churches outside of the inner city. Many people I spoke to travelled long distances from their homes in the north, south and west of Sydney to worship in a community that accepted them for who they were. This limited the extent to which these people could get completely involved in the life and work of the church community.
As our understanding of gender and sexuality continues to develop, and society becomes increasingly more accepting of diversity, it will be interesting to see how this issue unfolds. As more and more Christians come to accept their LGBTIQ brothers, sisters, children and friends, they too will surely seek to belong to church communities that are open and affirming. This will ultimately challenge the relevance of conservative Christian leaders who continue to exclude LGBTIQ people from belonging to their churches.
