At Baylor University, private baptist waco institution, texasthe question here is faith Identity has long been closely policed, but on Wednesday, students came together for something that was difficult to imagine until recently.
They called it “Everything is Neighbor.”
The event, organized by a coalition of student organizations, brought LGBTQ+-affirming Christian voices to campus as a deliberate counterpoint to a same-day stop by the far-right group Turning Point USA. political A group targeting young people.
For the first time, Baylor students are allowed to host high-profile events. LGBTQ+ Christian Advocates including President Kelly Robinson human rights campaignand the Rev. Paul Brandeis Rauschenbusch of the Interfaith Alliance. This was a rare moment when an openly gay Christian voice was given a recognized platform on campus.
related: One LGBTQ+ event could end 140-year relationship with Baylor for Texas Baptists
Kelly Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, speaks from personal experience about LGBTQ+ people and faith.human rights campaign
Robinson made it clear that the moment didn’t come easily.
“We are here, on this campus, in this moment, together, because this is not something that just happened,” she said. “This moment exists because people spoke up. Because students organized. Because our community decided that if harmful ideas have a platform, so should truth.”
She widened the opening beyond Baylor.
“Democracy doesn’t just happen every other November,” Robinson said. “Democracy is happening here right now, and we want you to know that in Washington, D.C., and on campuses across America, we are talking about you and your courage.”
The Turning Point USA event, part of a national tour, was closed to the press, including student journalists and local news outlets, shortly before it began. “All Are Neighbors,” by design, was open to students, faculty, staff, and the public.
And then people showed up.
According to baylor lariataccording to the university’s student newspaper, the event attracted about 270 ticketed attendees, and a total of about 350 people including speakers and guests, and the space was nearly full. The crowd was older than typical campus events, with a large mix of faculty, staff, and members of the Waco community, along with students. The newspaper reported that speakers repeatedly returned to the idea that faith is a reason, not a barrier, to LGBTQ+ inclusion.
related: Baylor University returns $643,000 in LGBTQ+ grant money as ‘inconsistent’ with values
Participants in the “All Are Neighbors” event will arrive at Baylor University for a community conversation.human rights campaign
Dr. Greg Garrett, an English professor at Baylor, said Turning Point USA once put him on a “faculty watch list” and used his comments to push back on the idea that faith and inclusion are mutually exclusive. lariat I will report it.
“They don’t understand a Baylor education and they don’t understand my deep faith,” Garrett said. But he also urged restraint, viewing the moment as a test of values rather than a conflict. “One of the things I have to remember is that the people who gathered at the Turning Point rally are not our enemies,” Garrett said. “We are called to love them.”
The Texas Baptist Convention, which has maintained a relationship with the university for more than a century, is becoming increasingly vocal as Baylor University seeks to more visibly embrace LGBTQ+ students and programming. Flashpoints include the university’s recognition of the student group PRISM in 2022 and the ongoing debate about how LGBTQ+ identities can or will coexist with Baylor University’s stated beliefs.
related: LGBTQ+ Christians invited to speak at Baylor University to counter Turning Point USA event
A faith leader speaks with participants at the “We Are All Neighbors” event at Baylor University.human rights campaign
This week’s events appear to have reopened that rift.
Leader within the tournament suggests that they are reconsidering their relationship Along with Baylor, he argued that hosting LGBTQ+ Christian speakers goes against traditional teachings. Meanwhile, the City of Baylor has taken the position that allowing the event to proceed reflects a commitment to dialogue, not an endorsement of the views expressed.
Still, the direction of travel cannot be ignored.
“You’re making a difference that a lot of people talk about,” Robinson told the crowd. “We are fighting for freedom without exception. We are fighting for democracy without exception. We are fighting for joy without exception.”
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
