When Diversity Includes Sexual and Gender Identity

      This week you watched compelling videos and read significant articles about the complexity of sexual and gender diversity in the Christian community. For the bulk of the history of Christianity, sexually or gender diverse individuals were cast away from the community of faith. In recent times, as society at large has embraced sexual and gender diversity, the Christian tradition has done significant harm to those who possess both Christian identity and sexual/gender minority identities. Generations of individuals with these intersecting identities have felt forced to reject their faith and embrace the sexual/gender minority community with which they affiliate. This pattern has begun to shift. Christian churches around the world are now reconsidering their perspective on sexual and gender diversity. Sexual/Gender diverse individuals are being invited back into the community of faith. Not all Christian traditions, denominations, or churches are doing so, and significant internal conflict among Christians is in play on this issue. Utilizing the material from this text (Chapters 1-15), the material from this week’s readings, and the video presentations, analyze your faith community's approach/perspective. If you do not have a faith community, analyze another of your close affiliation organizations (e.g. family, work, community, etc). Using the Record tool, identify the approach/perspective of both yourself and your faith community and your rational, and best understanding of your faith community’s rationale for their approach. Identify the in-group/out-group orientations and demarcations, and diversity dynamics that are present (Chapters 1-4). Identify your leadership’s identity developmental status’ as it relates to the intersection of faith and sexuality (Chapters 8-10). Describe your own internal, developmental, and interpersonal dynamics in relation to this diversity conflict