The LGBTQ Religious Studies Center: New Conversations, New Hope

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 ownresearch 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.

See also the LGBT Religious Archives Network.