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Gay Rights: The Religious Who Teach Non-violence, Non-condemnation of GLBT
Nov 8th, 2007 | 5 responses
Rev. Bob Graetz, friend of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., has criss-crossed the country, preaching and teaching, including in the heartland of America, the Midwest, which is mis-touted by some as a bastion of conservatism that is purported to condemn and freeze-out anyone who doesn’t conform to a narrow principle.
But, no one informed The Gateway-St. Louis Chapter of Lutherans Concerned, and other churches and convocations which have invited pastor Rev. Graetz to be celebrant at services. Rev. Graetz is author of the book A White Preacher’s Memoir: The Montgomery Bus Boycott. He was the only white pastor who openly participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and 1956 with Martin Luther King, Jr. and other black pastors and church people. His family’s house was fire-bombed twice for his and his family’s public stand.
More so, Rev. Graetz and his wife have served as instructors at The Soulforce Institute for Nonviolent Change, also held in the supposedly ‘closed’ Midwest.
Soulforce is an interfaith movement which uses the nonviolent principles of M.K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. to end spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.
Among other instructors of Soulforce: Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; Dr. Rodney Powell, who helped lead the Freedom Rides and lunch counter sit-ins; and Rev. Dr. Mel White, author of Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America.
Soulforce conducts “Twenty-four Hours of Justice” projects which attempt to bring truth and justice to other members of society, religious groups in particular, through marches, vigils, media events, direct action, and possible civil disobedience.
Soulforce has sponsored their events to take place in proximity to national conferences of Southern Baptists, United Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, as well as ELCA.
See more here: www.soulforce.org
H/t DLS
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5 Responses to “Gay Rights: The Religious Who Teach Non-violence, Non-condemnation of GLBT”
Thank you for writing on this topic, DR E.
It’s good to be reminded that sometimes the news that is seldom reported is the most important story.
It has always been so, but it’s a crying shame that it is.
People are affected by and inspired by what they hear, and by what they perceive to be ‘normal’.
When the stories of decency, justice and tolerance aren’t heard, they lose their fair share of the potential to affect and inspire.
By rights, news media who profit so much from disseminating the messages of hate, crime and destruction should make reparation by having regular features on the many examples of love and sacrifice that are there but for the reporting. But I”m dreaming an impossible dream …
Thank heaven for PBS who does, from time to time, seek out these untold stories.
Thank heavens for Dr. E who does so also.
(purple America map)
The church in U. City
[...] you heard of The Soulforce Institute for Nonviolent Change? I haven’t and I’m right here in the city with the Southern Baptist [...]
thank you DLS, that was a cool map. I wonder how people can figure all that out… maybe by last national election results. Also thank you for the church link.
Domajot, a jillion years ago when I was at a meeting of citizens and newspaper admin, I remember the guy who owned the newspaper saying ‘blood, sex, dog.’ To him those were the stories he wanted most. I objected to ‘dog’. They are such heroic creatures puttng up with humans and all, they ought have their own daily.
I’m laughing; I hope you are too
dr.e
[...] Rev. Bob Graetz was the only white minister to march with Martin Luther King Jr. during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and 1956. Their participation in the boycott made them targets of much harassment, as their house was twice the target of firebombings. Reverand Graetz and his wife Jeannie served an all-black Lutheran congregation in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. Today Rev. Graetz and his wife serve as instructors at The Soulforce Institute for Nonviolent Change. Rev. Graetz said: “We are a retired Lutheran pastor and spouse, whose oldest son was born gay, and who at the age of 37 died with AIDS. Having spent years coming to grips with and trying to understand the concept of homosexuality, we have ultimately come to recognize this condition as a special gift of God conveyed to some of his carefully selected daughters and sons. We have come to know personally thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons. And we have also become convinced that this condition is part of the ‘creative given’ rather than a personal choice by those individuals.” [...]