Recently, an American politician has increased his national standing since he became a Democratic candidate for president. Pete Buttigieg is the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
Two identities in conflict for some Americans don't appear conflicted when Buttigieg speaks of himself. In a recent interview with the Washington Post, he referred to a time when he wrestled with his identity as a gay man and a Christian (29 March 2019).
It's no surprise that many conservative American evangelical Christians continue to view same-sex relations as sinful. Evangelicals are highly represented in the Republican party and evangelical leaders have spoken out in support of president Trump. For these conservatives, the identities of American, Republican, and Christian seem highly integrated. And for many, the notion of being gay and Christian doesn't make sense.
Despite their views on same-sex relations, many evangelicals have shown a kinder face toward sexual minorities in recent years. A recent book by Mark Yarhouse and his colleagues of the conservative Wheaton College (formerly at Regent University) expresses this trend in the lead title, Listening to Sexual Minorities. Yarhouse is a favored speaker at many evangelical colleges and universities.
In contrast to what seemed like a more friendly environment for sexual minorities, evangelical leader, Franklin Graham, just issued a two-pronged attack on Buttigieg aimed at splitting the "gay Christian" identity. Here's a recent quote (WP, 25 April 2019):
“Mayor Buttigieg says he’s a gay Christian,” Graham wrote. “As a Christian I believe the Bible which defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicized. The Bible says marriage is between a man & a woman — not two men, not two women.”
Eventually, Democrats will decide who will represent them in the national election. Meanwhile, we can expect more people wrestling with religion and sexual identities. Some will look at their own identities while others look at their attitudes toward those identifying as gay Christians.
But there is another identity that might be in conflict for some-- party affiliation. We don't hear much about being gay Christian and Republican. Hopefully, no one will challenge the integration of gay Christian and American.
For those interested in the conservative and progressive interpretations of biblical texts, consider reading A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures
Buy from the publisher, WipfandStock, or at your favorite bookstore.
Now for some data. PRRI reported that most Americans support protections for people who identify as LGBT (2018). The supports is stronger among Democrats, but more than half of Republicans are supportive.
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