Leslie Center for Peace and Justice: GLBT Issues: Welcome

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ARE YOU gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning and trying to understand that reality in the light of faith? Are you straight but wrestling with the theological, Biblical, or social issues that surround human sexuality? Do you wonder how the Chaplain’s Office approaches all of these questions?

If so, you’re not alone. As a starting point in the conversation, the following four points can give you a framework for how we approach these issues as the Chaplain’s Office.

• As the Chaplain’s staff, we believe that all people are of sacred worth and we commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all people. This intrinsically includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons. We do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
• As individual chaplains, we represent a range of approaches. Most of us are completely open to and accepting of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons as part of God’s good, diverse family (in most cases, after we went through intense Biblical, theological, and prayerful searching). Some of us are still on the journey of discerning exactly how we approach these issues as issues, while at the same time remaining committed to love and support the persons who stand at the heart of the issues. None of us are condemnatory or intentionally hurtful.
• On campus at OWU, you will be able to find people that range the full spectrum from openly gay to closeted to questioning, from straight and supportive to homophobic and hateful. OWU is a microcosm of the world; if you can find it there, you can probably find it here.
• Student religious life groups each have their own character—independent of the Chaplain’s Office. We expect student groups and community campus partners to maintain attitudes of respect and tolerance of others, but we cannot dictate their stance on these issues. Feel free to ask questions and explore different groups in which you’re interested.

Overall, OWU is a largely supportive and tolerant community. You can find a home here. Feel free to explore the links at the top of the page for various resources that may be of interest to you. For many people, faith is an important component of life. Your orientation, gender identity, or gender expression should never exclude you from participation in the community of faith at OWU.