Strong reactions to Baylor grant decision continue
Baylor University’s announced receipt of a grant for the study of “disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women” in the churches and its subsequent decision to return the grant continue to prompt strong reactions.
Less than a week after more than 60 church leaders endorsed an open letter of support for Baylor’s decision to rescind the grant, a group of 25 pastors produced their own open letter similarly expressing support for “the wise return of the Baugh grant.”
That second letter—sent to the Baptist Standard by John Durham, pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Waco—was published online July 18.
Four ministers who endorsed the previous letter—Durham, Jeff Warren from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Jim Heiligman from First Baptist Church in Bryan and Chris Johnson from First Baptist Church in San Antonio—signed it, along with 21 others.
“We fully agree that any grant that advocates for perspectives on human sexuality that are counter to biblical sexual ethics should be declined or returned. Right decisions are usually easy; righteous decisions are usually costly,” the brief letter states.
“We applaud this decision that Baylor has made and stand beside President [Linda] Livingstone’s leadership and wisdom in this matter.”
Public pastoral letter posted online
The same day that letter was posted online, Mary Alice Birdwhistell, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Georgetown, Ky., contacted the Baptist Standard to announce a “public pastoral letter” to Baylor.
That online letter opposed the university’s decision to “return the renewal of an existing grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation that would have funded research on trauma-informed practices for people marginalized by the church, including LGBTQIA+ individuals and women.”
Birdwhistell stated the initial group who signed the letter represented more than 100 “pastors and faith leaders from across the country with ties to Baylor University.” Of the pastors in that group, 90 percent are Baylor alumni, she wrote.
By Tuesday morning, July 22, the number of individuals who signed the online letter topped 350.
‘Research like this is urgently needed’
“While another group of pastors praised Baylor for its commitment to ‘hold together theological conviction and compassionate presence,’ we firmly believe denying funding for this research exhibits indifference and disregard for the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals and women in our congregations,” the public pastoral letter states.
“In addition, one of the most significant questions facing the Church today is how we engage LGBTQ+ people, a question that is tearing apart congregations and denominations worldwide. Research like this is urgently needed now more than ever before.”
The letter indicates those endorsing it represent “a wide array of theological, denominational, and political backgrounds,” but they “share a commitment to the spiritual care of our communities, which include LGBTQ+ individuals.”
“Over the years, we have witnessed the deep hurt, shame, condemnation, and exclusion this community has faced at the hands of the Church,” the letter states.
‘Heartbreak and hope’
The letter cites the need for “robust research” on the harm caused by religious rejection. It notes a 2020 study in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality indicating “LGBTQ+ individuals who experienced religious-based rejection were six times more likely to report high levels of depression and suicidal ideation.”
The problem particularly is acute among youth, the letter states. It points to a 2023 survey by The Trevor Project that revealed 4 out of 10 LGBTQ+ youth “seriously considered suicide in the past year, with many citing religious rejection as a key factor.”
“Our pastoral experience compels us to speak from the depths of both heartbreak and hope. We have received late-night calls from our LGBTQ+ congregants at risk of suicide, and we have officiated their funerals. We have wept with them as they shared stories of exclusion and debilitating shame,” the letter states.
“Yet, we have also witnessed their courage, fortitude, and deep faithfulness, even as we have seen the toll on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. We have also celebrated with LGBTQ+ congregants as they have found healing and discovered their God-given gifts, witnessed their profound contributions to our faith communities, and marveled at the unique ways they reflect the image of God.”
Real lives at stake
The letter concludes with an appeal to “consider not just the institutional policies of this decision, but the real lives at stake in the Church and the world.”
“When the Church becomes complicit in the very systems that cause trauma, we cease to be the Body of Christ and become instead an instrument of harm,” the letter states. “Maya Angelou once said, ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’
“We have known better for quite some time. It is past time for the Church to do better. And it is past time for Baylor to do better, too. We urge you to lead with courage and compassion.”
Respond with curiosity, rather than fear
Birdwhistell noted she collaborated on the letter with Aurelia Dávila Pratt from Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock and Carol McEntyre from First Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C.
Pratt told the Baptist Standard they “felt compelled” to write the letter after the group of more than 60 church leaders publicly voiced support for Baylor’s decision to return the grant.
“A lot of us—maybe a lot more of us—see the decision differently,” she said.
As an alum of both Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary and the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, Pratt voiced hope the university will set an example by “instead of reacting with fear, responding with curiosity.”
‘Critically urgent’ need
She called Baylor’s decision a “troubling precedent to set” and expressed her desire for both Baylor and churches to show “concern for real people” and their pain.
McEntyre, also a graduate of both Truett Seminary and the Garland School of Social Work, expressed a similar desire in a Facebook post.
“As a pastor, I’ve listened to countless painful stories of LGBTQIA+ individuals excluded and shamed by the Church. I have seen the profound harm this causes,” she wrote.
“That’s why I was so deeply disappointed by Baylor University’s decision to return the renewal of a grant from the Baugh Foundation. This funding would have supported vital research into trauma-informed practices for people marginalized by the Church—including LGBTQIA+ individuals and women.
“This research was about healing, about responding with Christ-like compassion to those who have been hurt in the name of faith. It’s not just needed, it’s critically urgent.”
Baylor stands by its Statement on Human Sexuality
When given the opportunity to comment, Baylor University provided the following statement: “It is Baylor’s longstanding practice not to respond to online petitions or open letters. We always appreciate the different viewpoints represented across the 150,000-plus members of the Baylor Family—students, faculty, staff and alumni—as well as from others on issues of importance.”
The university offered clarification regarding whether the recent rescinded grant was a renewal or a new award.
“The Diana R. Garland School of Social Work had received research funding from the Baugh Foundation in the past, but the recently rescinded grant was not a renewal of an existing award,” the university spokesperson said.
“The previous Baugh-funded research focused on churches and institutions, and the recently rescinded grant was meant to build on earlier research findings.”
The university also reiterated a statement made in the July 9 public statement from President Linda Livingstone: “Baylor also continues to strongly uphold the principle of academic freedom. As we reviewed the details and process surrounding this grant, our concerns did not center on the research itself, but rather on the activities that followed as part of the grant.
“Specifically, the work extended into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor’s institutional policies, including our Statement on Human Sexuality.”
CORRECTION: Date corrected for 2023 Trevor Project survey.