Over twenty years ago, in 1996, I became the director of an organization in the Presbyterian Church (USA) whose mission was “to educate and equip the church to minister the transforming grace and power of Jesus Christ to those in conflict with their sexuality.” OneByOne was a part of a network of Evangelical groups operating within the PC(USA), all of which opposed ordination for LGBTQ+ persons. Heavily influenced by Evangelicalism, and to a lesser degree Pentecostalism, the organization used the language of “sexual brokenness” to describe all sexual expression outside the confines of heterosexual marriage—and a few within those confines. Its outlook on human sexuality and Christian discipleship was fear-based, controlling, and particularly marginalizing of LGBTQ+ persons.

Thanks to the Spirit’s work and relationships with an ever-expanding community of others, my understanding and ministry evolved into one that is “open and affirming” of LGBTQ+ persons. I listened to church leaders and theologians who had adopted an inclusive sexual ethic based on compelling interpretations of scripture and theology. I met LGBTQ+ Christians who celebrated their sexuality as a gift of God and somehow managed to remain in a church that rejected them—barring them from ordination and refusing to bless their faithful partnerships. I increasingly found Presbyterian General Assemblies unbearable, as sexuality debates raged and Christians dehumanized each other with speed and ease. I could no longer identify politically or theologically with the Evangelical cause as it was expressed in the PC(USA). Then I was introduced to Nonviolent Communication (NVC). I studied NVC intensively with a diverse spiritual community whose commitments to peace and reconciliation, as well as their acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons, exceeded that of any experience I had in the church.

In short, transformation worked its way in me, freeing me to participate in the healing and reconciling work of Christ. Throughout my twelve years of being a seminary professor and associate dean, I taught Nonviolent Communication and facilitated Restorative Circles for church leaders still deeply divided about human sexuality. I apologized to persons I knew had been hurt by my previous work, and committed myself to teaching, writing, and administrating from a position of support and advocacy for my LGBTQ+ students, colleagues, and others. I regret the ways that my words and work once failed to embody inclusion, justice, and care.

I am now the proud President of United Lutheran Seminary, a Reconciling in Christ seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As the leader of this community of faith and learning, I acknowledge the beauty and diversity of God’s creation, including all sexual orientations and gender identities. Together we are working to become culturally competent, actively identifying and resisting homophobia and heteronormativity (as well as other forms of bias) in our community and world.