Welcome or Affirming?: LGBTQ+ Conversations in the Nazarene, Methodist and International Church

I used to say that sexuality shouldn’t define identity. As Christians our identity is first as children of God and followers of Jesus before anything else. I realize now that as a heterosexual woman, being defined by something other than my sexuality is a privilege.

In this episode I'll start with my own journey from quiet support of my friend to fully affirming of LGBTQ+ people. This was prompted by reports that the Church of the Nazarene had removed the senior pastor of San Diego First Church for advocating for more open conversations around same sex marriage. I'll talk about the controversy in the church and expand to discuss the affects of evangelism and colonialism on anti-LGBTQ+ ideas internationally. Real light stuff, right?

Here are some reference materials that I used in writing this episode:
Hirsch, Debra, Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations About Sexuality and Spirituality, IVP, April 2015, page 114. On Amazon.com
From The Point, PLNU’s Student New Media "Dean of Theology and Christian Ministry Allegedly Fired Leaving Faculty, Community Members Shocked and Upset"
Paragraph 31 of the Nazarene Manual
Dee Kelley “A Hope For Change” 
From one of the critics of Dee Kelley https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/responses-by-point-loma-on-the-homosexual-controversy/
Gallup Poll from 2021
UMC membership and attendance statistics https://www.umc.org/en/content/united-methodists-at-a-glance
Church of the Nazarene Annual/Decadal Statistical Report
PBS News Article https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/where-african-countries-stand-in-their-struggle-toward-more-inclusive-lgbtq-laws
5 Countries in Africa That Have Legalized Same-Sex Relationships in the Past 10 Years
AP News article “Oil Spill from Shell” June, 2023