Praise: Progressive Religious Groups

It is common among many LGBTQ bloggers to denigrate religion.  Certainly those religious groups who continually call for the restriction of rights of those who are not even members of their faith are earning reciprocal animosity.  However, just as it is not right for hate groups to link the LGBTQ community with Nazis or pedophiles, it is not right to link religious organizations that focus on love and accepting communities with those who preach separation and violence.

This morning's news on MSNBC included an article, Battling for Gay Rights, In Allah's Name, that caught my eye.  There has been so much fear and hate of Islam since the attack on the United States on 11 September 2001 and since there has been so much publicity of gays being tortured or killed in Islamic countries, like Iran, that I was surprised at first reading the title.

So, I decided to put together a list of all the religious organizations that I can find links for on the Internet that welcome members of the LGBTQ community.  Not those that preach hate but say that they welcome all, particularly those who are interested in changing their sinful ways, but those who are accepting and loving as, if there is a God, I believe that God must be.  The list is undoubtedly incomplete (please e-mail or leave a comment with corrections and additions), and is mostly limited to English-speaking North America.  No joke religions (sexual organizations with a pretense of religion) are included.

Christian

Baptist, The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
Baptist, Rainbow Baptists
Christian Scientist, Emergence International
Community of Christ, GALA (Gay and Lesbian Acceptance)
Eastern Orthodox, Axios
Ecumenical Catholic, The Ecumenical Catholic Church
Episcopalian, The Episcopal Church
Episcopalian, Integrity
Evangelical, Evangelicals ConcernedGay Christian Network
Hope for Peace and Justice
International Christian Community Churches
Latter Day Saints, Affirmation Gay & Lesbian Mormons
Latter Day Saints, The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
Lutheran, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries
Lutheran, Lutheran's Concerned/North America
Lutheran, Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministries
Methodist, United Methodist Reconciling Ministries
Metropolitan Community Churches
No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice
Pacific School of Religion
Pentacostal, The Affirming Pentacostal Church
Pentacostal, Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentacostals
Presbyterian, Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian, Presbyterian Voices for Justice
Quaker, American Friends Service Committee
Quaker, Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns
Quaker, Friends General Conference
Roman Catholic, Catholics United
Roman Catholic, Dignity USA
Roman Catholic, Fortunate Families
Roman Catholic, New Ways Ministry
Seventh-Day Adventist, Seventh-Day Adventist Kinship
Unitarian, The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
The United Church of Canada
United Church of Christ
The Witness (feminist)

Islamic

Imaan (British)
Muslims for Progressive Values

Jewish

Conservative Judaism, Keshet (also called Jewish Mosaic)
Gay Gevalt
Havruta
Humanistic Judaism, Society for Humanistic Judaism
Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation
Nehirim
Orthodox Judaism, Bat-Kol
Orthodox Judaism, Hod
Progressive Jewish Alliance
Reconstructionist Judaism, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Reform Judaism, Union for Reform Judaism

Other Religions

Buddhist, Soka, Gakkai
NeoPagan, Radical Faeries
Wiccan, McFarland (Old) Dianic

Interfaith / Multifaith

Allies Gather
The Interfaith Alliance
The Network of Spiritual Progressives
The Religious Institute
Soul Force


The sources for this list are The Liberty Education Forum, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Wikipedia, and I hope to have additions and corrections from you.