LGBTQIA+ affirming partners endorse Inclusive Church statement
The Inclusive Church logo
It continues to be essential for LGBTQIA+ Christians and their allies to know whether a church is a safer place to worship and belong.
To help this, and to assist in the de-cluttering of a mix of statements from different traditions and groups, five LGBTQIA+-affirming organisations have agreed to endorse and signpost to the statement of Inclusive Church, the educational charity which works with churches of different traditions, encouraging them to explore ways in which they may become more inclusive.
The Open Table Network already recommends that every church which hosts one of our Open Table communities considers joining Inclusive Church and affirming the Inclusive Church statement.
OTN Coordinator Kieran Bohan said: ‘Inclusive Church has influence and experience, and they can help you promote your inclusive ministry and community. Our Open Table communities tell us that visibility is important to help them reach isolated people who yearn to belong again, or perhaps for the first time, in a loving church.’
Our partners Affirm: Baptists Together for LGBT+ Inclusion, Dignity & Worth, OneBodyOneFaith, and Quest have also agreed to endorse the Inclusive Church statement.
By doing so, we hope to make it simpler for churches to indicate their commitment to inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people, and better assist churches from a breadth of traditions.
In our working together, we seek to encourage churches to grapple with issues that impact and affect LGBTQIA+ Christians, whilst also encouraging these communities to better understand the often connected experiences of people with marginalised identities.
Each individual organisation maintains its own work, charitable status, vision and values; which may also include membership and financial giving.
Visit the Inclusive Church Directory to find an inclusive church near you.
For more information, please contact Ruth Wilde (Inclusive Church): office@inclusive-church.org or Kieran Bohan (Open Table Network): network@opentable.lgbt.
