At the Church of the Holy Cross, we affirm the belovedness of all God’s children, regardless of their race, gender expression, differences in ability, or identity as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We do not do this for political or ideological reasons, but because we believe this spirit of inclusion and affirmation is what our Holy Scriptures call us to when they teach:

  • That the image of God (Imago Dei) is placed on every human being (Genesis 1:26-27)
  • That the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of sexualized violence and inhospitality to strangers rather than same-sex attraction (Ezekiel 16:49-50)
  • That Jesus and his disciples consistently sought out those who were outside the norms of religious practice in his day and included them in his message and community (John 4:7-15; Mark 2:15-17; Acts 8:26-40)
  • What the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are and that we discern them in the lives and relationships of our LGBTQIA+ siblings 
  • That the very nature of the Holy Trinity and the Universal Church affirm that God’s intention was always diversity within a unifying identity as members of the Body of Christ into which we have been baptized (Galatians 3:27-28; 1 Cor 12:12-27)

Holy Cross is a part of the Episcopal Church, a denomination that ordains LGBTQIA+ people to all orders of ministry and performs weddings for loving partners who desire covenantal marriages, regardless of the sex or gender of the couple.

If you’d like to explore more about the theology that brought us to this inclusive stance, we recommend the following resources:

Looking for an affirming church near you? Check out www.gaychurch.org.