The Canary in the Mine: GLBT Inclusion and Young Adult Ministry

More good stuff from Otis Gattis, who argues that young adults see Christianity as anti-gay, which is increasingly seen as a signal for more subtle forms of oppression and exclusion.  According to Gattis, young adults increasingly see opposition to gay rights as equivalent to racism, and reject affiliations that conflict with their values.  The full essay is here.  

"As people begin to really study young adult views of Christianity and how gay and lesbian people fit into that story, I think we will find that young adults are not rejecting Christianity simply because it is perceived as anti-gay but that they are viewing gay people as the canary in the mine. Culturally, the gay experience has become a metaphor for the journey of self-discovery and a willingness to be true to one’s self in spite of persecution. And this is what young adults are, in part, looking for spiritually, places where they can connect to their true selves. If we listen they might tell us, “If a place is not only safe for gay people but is affirming of them, then perhaps it will be safe for me. Perhaps, I will be affirmed by this spiritual community when I find myself. Maybe this community is capable of helping me get there.”"