New exhibition in Decatur shines light on Black faith community's position on its queer members

As LGBTQ communities continue to struggle for inclusion, equal rights and equal care in the United States, religious communities with histories of discrimination must confront whether to accept or deny their own queer members.

To aid in these weighty considerations, Christian ministers from the Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur assembled an exhibition and produced a documentary titled “Seeing the Future of the African-American Church in the Rainbow” telling the stories of LGBTQ church members and leaders and the promise that an attitude of inclusivity holds for Black faith communities. 

In this interview, “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes speaks with Rev. Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins, the Columbia Theological Seminary professor behind the new exhibition and documentary.