Los Angeles, CA -- Nov. 17, 2010 -- JesusInLove.org is celebrating its fifth anniversary as an online resource for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) spirituality and the arts.
“Christian rhetoric is often misused to justify hate and discrimination against LGBT people,” says Kittredge Cherry, the lesbian author and minister who founded JesusInLove.org. “We believe that God loves everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. That message is just as important today as it was five years ago.”
In honor of its birthday, the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com) is starting a new series on “Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People Today” by Patrick S. Cheng, theology professor at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. The series begins Wed., Nov. 17.
Since its launch on Nov. 17, 2005, JesusInLove.org has grown to serve more people in more different ways. The Jesus in Love Blog receives 30,000 visits per year and its e-newsletter recently surpassed 500 subscribers. It showcases a wider range of art and writing by more diverse contributors. The content has also grown beyond the original emphasis on gay Jesus art, and now includes a popular series on queer saints.
“We have won many honors for promoting religious and artistic freedom -- and we also get a lot of hate mail from conservative Christians,” Cherry says. A typical negative comment is, “Gays are not wanted in the kingdom of Christ! They are cast into the lake of fire.”
“The ongoing religious bigotry proves that JesusInLove.org is needed now as much as ever. Jesus loved everyone, including sexual outcasts,” she says.
JesusInLove.org grew out of Cherry’s own personal journey to reconcile being lesbian and Christian. Cherry was ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches and served as its national ecumenical officer. One of her main duties was promoting dialogue on homosexuality at the National Council of Churches (USA) and the World Council of Churches. Her books include “Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More” and “Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies and Celebrations.” The New York Times Book Review praised her “very graceful, erudite” writing style.
JesusInLove.org is a grassroots effort, with more than 99% of its funding coming from individuals, not institutions. This frees JesusInLove.org to present cutting-edge art and nurture each person’s unique spiritual journey.
“We take creative risks and show controversial material that most websites won’t touch,” Cherry says. “We specialize in new GLBT Christian art that is too queer for churches and too religious for GLBT organizations.”
For more info, visit the Jesus in Love Blog (www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com), JesusInLove.org, or contact info@JesusInLove.org.
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Monday, January 10, 2011
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