For Gay Christian Musicians, Work Balances Faith, Art, Love
Many Christian denominations denounce homosexuality as a sin. As a result, gay Christian singers, songwriters and musicians face a challenge in balancing their art, their sexuality and their faith. For those few who have decided to come out, it has meant giving up successful careers.
Singer-songwriter Jennifer Knapp has sold more than a million albums and earned Dove Awards on the strength of songs like her 1998 hit, "Undo Me." But in 2002, at the height of her career as a contemporary Christian artist, Knapp suddenly stopped making music.
"Knowing that I was going to have to publicly deal with my sexuality — it really made me consider how much I wanted to participate in music," Knapp says.
Seven years later, Knapp reemerged, no longer self-identified as a Christian artist — instead, she was a folk-rock musician, a person of faith and a lesbian. Knapp says that even after all that time, she still had doubts about coming forward.
"It made me very hesitant to get back up into the public level, knowing that there would be discussion about my sexuality on the whole," she says.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Dr. Teresa Hairston, publisher of Gospel Today magazine, says there are clear expectations regarding sexuality in the Christian church and in the Christian music industry.
"There is an assumption that as a minister of the gospel — and your expression of that ministry being in song — that you are an ambassador that carries with the gifting of the music a lifestyle that agrees with the Bible," Hairston says.
Yvette Flunder was an ambassador of the faith as the lead singer for the legendary gospel group The Hawkins Family. She was also a minister at the Love Center Church in Oakland, Calif., founded by group leader Walter Hawkins.
"At Love Center, we sort of practiced a 'don't ask, don't tell' environment," Flunder says. "Same-gender-loving people did exist in significant numbers, and do exist in significant numbers, but the determination was that it was problematic to be open about it. There were people in the ministry who were not able to reconcile same-gender sexuality and spirituality — particularly Christian spirituality."
Flunder eventually left Love Center to found The City of Refuge Church in San Francisco. After she came out, she discovered that religious groups aren't the only ones uncomfortable with openly gay Christian artists.
"It became clear to the record label that my theology was a potential liability ... not because I was unique as a same-gender-loving person singing gospel music, but because I was clear about my sexuality and clear about my theological position regarding human sexuality," Flunder says. That tension eventually led to the end of her record deal with a major Christian label.
Where Did Denominations Come From - News
Many Christian denominations denounce homosexuality as a sin. As a result, gay Christian singers, songwriters and musicians face a challenge in balancing their art, their sexuality and their faith. For those few who have decided to come out,
In contrast to this, the most recent century of Christian history has been characterized by different church bodies either merging or reinitiating fellowship with one another across denominational lines. However, as the various churches have come
I've had the privilege of attending various churches of many denominations over the past 59 years. Some were very good; some not good at all. Most has strengths and weaknesses in their ministries and services. Six months is my usual time to learn about
If they did pass this test, however, the key problem for the government would lie in proving that the grant of discretion over “denominations” in paragraph (k) was not constrained by the limitations on denominations of coinage in paragraph (a) of the
The school was the first meeting place for most of the denominations until they could build their own churches. In most frontier towns, church building was usually a low priority. In Guelph, three attractive, wood frame churches were built within six
The White of an Egg | Miscellaneous | Christian Monthly Standard
Before we get to the business of identifying where the various denominations have come from and gotten off to, I thought to make a comment about the business of translations — that is biblical translations.
It may seem to some that there are more versions of the scriptures now than at any time. Though probably not true, there are a host of versions out and about which were not so much as a thought in time a mere twenty years ago. The method of delivery has certainly sped up the process of deliberating over the meanings of words and getting them out to the publisher. That is a good thing. But is the product better? Do we, the end readers, spend any time examining the specific worth of the products?
Have you ever thought about the process that drove one set of specialists to inspect and offer a unique translation for the entire second phrase from Job 6:6 ( Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg? )? One major version inserted a Hebraism and another a transliterated word; and none of it means much to a common reader. Do you lose Job’s metaphor on taste in the TNIV ? I wonder why this was necessary. What intellectual process drove them to remove something so simple and seemingly straightforward? Is it to correct grave errors in the original languages; was the earlier English edition altogether wrong?
Where Did Denominations Come From - Bookshelf
Elementary education acts, Third report of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the working of the elementary education acts, England and Wales
Where do those figures come from ? — I may be mistaken ; it is from Mr. ... if the church does not wish, or if any of the denominations do not wish to part ...Religious Bodies: 1906: Separate denominations: History, description, and statistics
rather than ' ' Where does he come from t " From their standpoint they are ... The general statistics of the denomination at the close of the year 1906, ...The parliamentary debates
One of the desires of many denominations was to attach new members to themselves ; and interest ... and that the assistance was not to come from the rates. ...Herald of gospel liberty
When did we ever have a man of another denomination to express the wish that ... If your light does not come from Christ, you may surely class it as false ...The review of reviews
Where did this " frightful idra" come from? We are surprised, as we grow ... How can the denominations teach them Christian brotherhood when they do not ...Detect Information Directory
Where Did The Denominations Come From?
A definitive family tree chart of the origins of the various Christian denominations througout history.
Where did all the Christian Denominations come from?
See where all of the Christian Denominations came from and how they inter-relate on a flow chart and family tree.
John Mark Ministries | Where Did All The Different ...
Where Did All The Different Denominations Come From? By Rowland Croucher and others ... Where, >>when, and why did the early church change and why did we end ...
Evangelical Reunion - Chapter 2
Where Did Denominations Come From? We have seen that in the New Testament period there was one true church. ... Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? ...
So Many Denominations: Are They Jesus' Church or Apostasy?
Did Jesus begin modern denominations or are they apostasies begun by men? What does His word teach about the many modern denominations? Where did they come from?