Established in January 2006 with the
generous support of the Gill Foundation
and several anonymous donors, the
LGBTQ Religious Studies Center is a
theological think tank and a resource
for activists. By bringing together
academics who are activists and activists
who are thinking deeply about the role
of religion in both fostering and resisting
the movement towards justice, the
Center encourages new conversations
and offers new hope. The Center has a
specific mission to think about sexual
orientation and gender identity, but our
goal is to contribute to the increase of
justice and to the reform of the
Christian faith so it is more truthful,
more ethical and more just for all.
The movement to secure the rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
queer people is building momentum in
the US and around the globe. |
Like any
movement for social and political
transformation, this effort is rooted in
the deep spirituality of human beings
who are claiming and celebrating their
full humanity as part of God’s good
creation.
This movement for LGBTQ rights needs
the strong partnership of religious
communities who should be on the
forefront of any human rights campaign.
The LGBTQ Religious Studies
Center at CTS is proud to be such a
partner for religious and social
transformation.
As a theological think tank, the Center
provides faculty members time and
space to explore critical issues in theology
and ethics from an LGBTQ perspective. Graduate students also participate
through research assistantships, specially developed classes and community events—as well as pursue their own research as they complete their degrees. |
The goal is to change conversations
about religion and sexuality.
The Center also creates a variety of
resources for activists. Through
publications — whether faculty books,
articles or student papers — the Center
offers new language to use in the
debates about LGBTQ persons in
religion and society. Through
conversations and collaboration –
whether in roundtables, conferences or
e-mail networks – the Center brings
together activists in churches, in
national political organizations and in
the academy to deepen all of our
understandings and generate new
strategies for effective transformation.
In 2002, CTS founded the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Religious Archives Network as a unique resource for students and researchers studying the history of LGBT religious movements. For more information, please visit the LGBT-RAN site. |
