National Faith leader Statement on Anti-LGBTQ Bills
As religious leaders and people of faith, we are committed to creating a society that embraces the diversity of God’s creation and affirms the inherent dignity, agency, and worth of people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. We believe all people must be free to express their gender and sexuality, unburdened by discrimination, unequal treatment, or systemic injustice. We come from many places, backgrounds, and religious traditions, but we hold these commitments and beliefs in common.
Our faiths compel us to oppose legislation that seeks to stigmatize and marginalize transgender people in particular, legitimize discrimination against all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, or abuse the notion of religious freedom to deny basic rights and protections to others. In many cases, these bills further false narratives and lead to greater hostility and violence toward transgender and gender non-conforming people. These bills also threaten the dignity and equal treatment of LGBTQ people in general and violate the very tenets of love and justice that are the backbone of our religious traditions.
We will continue to speak out against all attempts to use religion to demonize, discriminate against, or bring harm to LGBTQ people, and transgender people in particular, in the public sphere. We encourage all elected officials to join us in publicly supporting policies that promote the civil and human rights of LGBTQ people, including non-discrimination and access to public accommodations. Together, we must commit to creating communities that embody justice for people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
Link to National Faith Leader Statement on Anti LGBTQ Legislation
Endorsers of the statement:
Imam Daayiee Abdullah
Executive Director, MECCA Institute
Dr. Michael Adee
Director, Global Faith & Justice Project
Rev. Dan Adolphson
Moderator, GLAD Alliance
Rev. Marie Alford-Harkey
President and CEO. Religious Institute
Dr. Ellen T. Armour
Carpenter Professor of Theology, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Rev. Raymond J. Bagnuolo
Chaplain and Minster Director, That All May Freely Serve
Rev. Dr. Lee Barker
President, Meadville Lombard Theological School
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara
Executive Director, Campaign for Southern Equality
Matt Berryman
Executive Director, Reconciling Ministries Network
Rev. Sofia Betancourt
Interim Co-President, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Dr. Ken Brooker Langston
Director, Disciples Justice Action Network
Rabbi Sharon Brous
Senior Rabbi, IKAR
The Rev. Elder Rachelle Brown
Interim Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches
Bishop Pat Bumgardner
Executive Director, Global Justice Institute, Metropolitan Community Churches
Rev. Jennifer Butler
CEO, Faith in Public Life
Rev. Dr. Noel Castellanos
President, CCDA
Rev. Dr. Michael Castle
President, Alliance of Baptists
Ms. Catherine Chapman
Executive Director, Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists
Richard Cizik
President, New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
Rev. Ann Craig
The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
Mr. Michael Crumpler
LGBTQ and Intercultural Programs Manager, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre
Professor of Social Ethics and Latinx Studies, Iliff School of Theology
Rev. Fred Davie
Executive Vice President, Union Seminary NYC
Ronald Degges
President, Disciples Home Missions
Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck
Executive Director, Methodist Federation for Social Action
Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer
General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
Ms. Marianne Duddy-Burke
Executive Director, DignityUSA
Rev. Eric Eldritch
Interfaith Coordinator, Center Faith (DC)
Rev. Brian Ellison
Executive Director, Covenant Network of Presbyterians
Rev. Dr. Marvin M. Ellison
Director of Alumni Relations, Union Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder
Presiding Bishop, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
Jane Fredricksen
Executive Director, FaithTrust Institute
The Rev. Wil Gafney
Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible, Brite Divinity School
Dr. Bruce Garner
President, Integrity USA
Rev. Elder Darlene Garner
Director of Emerging Ministries, Metropolitan Community Churches
Prof. William Graham
Former Dean, Harvard Divinity School
Rev. Dr. Larry Greenfield
Executive Director, Parliament of the World’s Religions
Dr. Sharon Groves
Vice President, Partner Engagement, Auburn Seminary
Rev. Dr. David Gushee
Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University
Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner
President Emerita, Religious Institute
Dr. W. Scott Haldeman
Associate Professor of Worship, Chicago Theological Seminary
Rev. Cedric A Harmon
Executive Director, Many Voices: A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender (LGBTQ) Justice
Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson
President, Auburn Seminary
Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza
Public Theologian in Residence, Faith Matters Network
Dr. Mary E. Hunt
Co-director, Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)
Zachary Johnson
Executive Director, Call to Action
Rev. Dr. Mark Johnston
Executive Director, Open & Affirming Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Dr. Serene Jones
President, Union Seminary NYC
Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter
Sr. Minister, First Unitarian Church of Dallas
Zr. Alex Kapitan
Co-founder, Transforming Hearts Collective
Nancy K. Kaufman
Chief Executive Officer, National Council of Jewish Women
Idit Klein
Executive Director, Keshet
Pastor Steve Knight
Founder and Board Member, Transform Network
Mr. Bruce Knotts
Director, United Nations Office Unitarian Universalist Association
Rabbi Debra Kolodny
Rabbi, Portland’s Un Shul
Dr. Joel Kushner
Director, Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity
Andrew Lang
Executive Director, Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ
Right Rev. Edward Lee
Bishop, The Episcopal Church
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Chair, Network of Spiritual Progressives
The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church
Rev. Barry Lynn
Executive Director, Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Rev. Dr. Joretta Marshall
Executive Vice President and Dean, Brite Divinity School
Rev. Dr. James McDonald
President, San Francisco Theological Seminary
Dr. Keisha E. McKenzie
Program Director, Believe Out Loud
Dr. Brian McLaren
Senior Fellow. Auburn Seminary
Alex McNeill
Executive Director, More Light Presbyterians
Rabbi Jay Michaelson
Affiliated Assistant Professor, Chicago Theological Seminary
Dr. Diann Neu
Co-Director, Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual
Jon O’Brien
President, Catholics for Choice
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Panken
President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Ms. Marilyn Paarlberg
Executive Director, Room for All (RCA)
Rev. Debra Peevey
Community Activist, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner
Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Dr. Judith Plaskow
Professor Emerita, Manhattan College
Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski
Executive Director, BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz
Bishop Tonyia Rawls
Founder, The Freedom Center for Social Justice
Bishop Gene Robinson
Retired Bishop of New Hampshire, The Episcopal Church
Rabbi Dennis Ross
Director, Concerned Clergy for Choice
The Rev. Canon Susan Russell
Senior Associate, All Saints Episcopal Church
Rev. Frank Schaefer
Pastor, United Methodist Church
Dr. Bernard Schlager
Executive Director Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion
Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer
Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy, United Church of Christ
Bishop John Selders
Co-Founder, Moral Monday CT
William Sinkford
Interim Co-President, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Mykal Slack
Co-Director, Freedom Center for Social Justice
Gregory Sterling
Dean and Professor, Yale Divinity School
Rabbi David Stern
President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rev. Kristin Stoneking
Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation
Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow
Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit
Rev. Dr. Justin Tanis
Managing Director, Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion
Aubrey Thonvold
Executive Director, ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation
Bishop Joseph Tolton
National Minister of Global Justice, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
Reverend Dr. Emilie Townes
Dean, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Rev. Cameron Trimble
CEO, Center for Progressive Renewal
Rev. Dr. David Vasquez-Levy
President, Pacific School of Religion
Rev. John Vaughn
Executive Vice President, Auburn Seminary
Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel
Director, Center for Sustainable Justice
Minister Naomi Washington-Leapheart
Faith Work Director, The National LGBTQ Task Force
Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Executive Director, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz
Executive for Program and Strategic Partnerships, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Rev. Dr. Traci West
Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies, Drew Theological School
Rev. angel Kyodo Williams
Founder and Senior Fellow, Center for Transformative Change
Dr. Newell Williams
President and Professor of Church History, Brite Divinity School
Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson
Former Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches
Rev. Dr. Karen-Marie Yust
Rowe Professor of Christian Education, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Ani Zonneveld
President, Muslims for Progressive Values
