It is time to take sides

There is a growing movement within straight Christian churches and communities away from outright condemnation and exclusion. Many well-intentioned folks seek to be "build bridges," to show "love & grace regardless of whether it is or is not a sin," and to focus on how "we're all broken and sinful." Those may be good intentions, and even touch upon real truths, but they miss something deeper, fundamental, and more pressing. "I don't hate you" is no longer enough.
 

Elie Wiesel said “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 

Desmond Tutu said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

Queer people are tormented and oppressed. We are targeted for violence, discriminated against in jobs, ministry, accommodations, and daily life. The weight of having an integral part of who we are—which is celebrated in others—marked in us as sick and sinful leads to loss of faith, depression, and violence against ourselves.

We must all take sides. The question being asked is not whether “should I judge or should I not judge?” or “should I show grace or should I not show grace?” or even “can gay & straight Christians coexist within the body of Christ?” That is not the question being asked. We may wish it were, but it is not. 

The question asked is: is being gay or queer or trans a sin? That is the question which bars pastors from ministry, which kicks children out of houses, which instigates violence against queer people, and which fuels self-harm. Am I or am I not debased because of my orientation? That is the question being asked and we must all answer it. If we refuse to answer, or equivocate, or dance around it, or answer a different question, our answer is “yes.” And that answer is, frankly, death.

What do you hope for?

"What do you hope for?" My friend, and support team member, Sam Lundquist posed that question to me recently. And not just me, Sam is asking anyone who will stop and listen. The Hope Chronicles is Sam's dream project and it seeks to uncover the hope of our world. Sam asks deep questions to strangers and takes the time and attention to really listen. He's documenting hopes in journals, on camera, and second-hand through community listeners. While listening to my fellow human's hopes, I lower my shields and connect, somehow, with strangers. Our humanity links us.

Last month, Emily West wrote about healing and hope at her college, Hope. In many ways, hope is the currency of what we do with Sanctuary Collective. We envision the way things ought to be and we set about to realize our hope for a better, more justice society.

I hope that Sanctuary Collective becomes one of many partners to the Hope Chronicles. The best, truest sorts of hope inspire us to step outside of our dreams and create a new reality around us. The Hope Chronicles shines a spotlight on the things we all-too-often don't share with others. As our hopes come to light, let us partner with each other to bring them to life.

One of the most recent videos on The Hope Chronicles reminds me of what we already know: the quest for justice and equality spans this country and our world.

I lived in large cities my whole life and went to a secular university with plenty of affirming resources at my disposal. Our co-founder, Micah, had a different experience. He grew up in a small southern town and attended a small Christian university. His immediate community lacked adequate resources and though he desired to create change himself, he found few outside resources available to help him. Too often resources for LGBTQ folks are concentrated in centers where other resources already abound.

And so we do things differently. Sanctuary Collective supports the work already underfoot in communities around the country, we connect young folks to local mentors, and we speak and train for our own, varied experiences. I have personally been inspired by the hope which each of our Discipleship Program participants brings. And I am inspired by the hope which our supporters and prayer network, and donors invest in our work and the work of young adults around the country.

Take a moment to explore The Hope Chronicles, read them, listen to them, watch them. Soak them up and let them unlock your own hopes. And then find ways to put your hope into action!

Sanctuary Collective and the 2010 Equality Ride

The Soulforce Equality Ride is a somewhat annual bus trip involving 20 to 30 young people who make the decision to put their lives on hold for two months to travel across the country to colleges and universities that have policies or atmospheres that make it difficult or impossible to be out as queer or trans - or in some cases even as an ally. They travel to start dialogue with students and administration about how harmful and devistating these policies can be.

In January, right before our own Discipleship Program Gathering, Brian and I travelled down to Austin, Texas to help train the 2010 Riders on what the Bible has to say about justice, specifically for queer and trans folks. And last weekend I made the shorter journey down to Philadelphia to be with the Riders at their first stop at Valley Forge Christian College.

As I spent time with the Riders and had conversations both on the bus and out in the community of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, I reflected on the reasons why I think it's important for us at Sanctuary Collective to support and work with the Equality Ride.

First, and as a full disclosure, several of us on the Sanctuary Collective Leadership and Support Teams first met each other through participating on the Equality Ride ourselves. It's where I had my first experiences working for social justice on a broader scale, and also where I first had the support I needed to begin coming to terms with my identity as a trans man. In short, I support the Equality Ride because of the way it affects those who participate in it.

Second, I support the Equality Ride because of the conversations it inspires. Four years after the first Ride stopped at my alma mater, Eastern University, people are still talking about it. That's an awfully long conversation for a community where most of the people who were there at the time are now gone.

The final reason is perhaps more practical. It's important for us to partner with the Equality Ride because they are able to come in contact with people that Sanctuary Collective can not yet reach. As they travel, the Riders will come in contact with students and young people who are excited to work in their communities for LGBTQ justice. And the Riders will be able to pass along our website and our contact information so that they can receive the support they need as they do this important work.

I hope you'll join me in getting excited as those emails and phone calls start coming in!