What Does it Mean to Be an Affirming Church?
An open and affirming church publicly declares through a covenant that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are welcome in all its full life and ministry. The UCC's Open and Affirming Coalition supports congregations, campus ministries and other settings through the ONA process.
Affirming church messages and imagery help LGBTQ Christians feel a sense of belonging, which is a basic human need. Research also shows that including people from diverse backgrounds leads to better innovation, trust and retention.
Inclusion
Having an affirming church means being part of a community that provides support to LGBTQ people. It also means providing education to others on issues that are important to the LGBTQ community.
Affirming churches often provide a space where people can ask questions about religious beliefs without feeling embarrassed or judged. This is especially true for those who are seeking answers about their own sexual orientation or gender identity.
Churches that are non-affirming can create a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ people by sending out anti-LGBTQ messages. In fact, studies have shown that anti-LGBTQ church messaging can lead to feelings of rejection and oppression among straight Christians as well (Sowe et al., 2019).
Churches that are non-affirming also limit their ability to support LGBTQ+ people and can even lead to physical or emotional distress (Washede, 2021). This is why it's important for LGBTQ+ Christians to find a church where they feel safe. The Church Clarity score rewards churches with clearly written, transparent LGBT policies accessible from their primary pages (Beliefs, About, or Values) or by having openly practicing LGBTQ members in leadership positions.
Respect
An affirming church treats people with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. This includes treating staff fairly in terms of pay and benefits, promoting inclusive dialogue and education, and providing support to LGBTQ+ people who have experienced discrimination or marginalization in the community.
In an exploratory study, researchers found that straight Christians perceive that an affirming church is more welcoming than a non-affirming one when both churches are described in identical ways on their websites. This finding is consistent with Youkhana and Wasshede’s (2015) theorization that belonging needs are cultivated by language and imagery, especially in a digitalized world.
An affirming church aims to cultivate the sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ members and allies by displaying symbols of inclusion, like the Pride flag, using inclusive pronouns and inclusivity in worship, supporting LGBTQ events within the community, and having LGBTQ members participate in leadership. Becoming an affirming church is a journey, and there are resources for congregations of every stage in the process.
Support
Many LGBTQ+ people struggle to find a church that accepts them. They rely on churches’ online presence to filter which ones are affirming and which are not. They use the language and imagery on their websites as a sign of belonging, as noted by Youkhana (2015) and Wasshede (2021).
Affirming churches also support LGBTQ+ community members by hosting events and providing resources such as counseling, mental health services, employment, housing, and legal services. They also work to educate others on issues related to inclusivity and social justice through workshops and seminars.
Congregations that want to be listed as Open and Affirming (ONA) make a public covenant that says lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people are welcome in all aspects of the life and ministry of their congregations, including membership, leadership and the sacraments. The UCC’s ONA Coalition provides resources and maintains an official registry of ONA congregations. It also offers support for other UCC congregations and ministries as they consider adopting an ONA covenant.
Education
In this time of church politics and conservative retrenchment, it has become increasingly common for progressive Christian congregations to label themselves as some combination of open, affirming or welcoming. However, many LGBTQ people have a hard time finding a church that will welcome them. They often rely on the church's website to filter churches and determine if they will accept them into all aspects of congregational life including sacraments, leadership and marriage.
Affirming churches work to educate their members and the community about the issues that affect the lives of LGBTQ+ persons and communities. This work includes providing education, acceptance, support and justice.
Churches can communicate their affirming stance by including pronoun icons on the front page of their website and having congregational leaders display their gender pronouns. These elements may help LGBTQ+ people feel more welcome and accepted in a church environment where they can meet their theorized need for belonging. Sowe et al. found that anti-LGBTQ church messaging is not only detrimental to LGBTQ+ Christians but also negatively impacts straight Christians.
An open and affirming church publicly declares through a covenant that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are welcome in all its full life and ministry. The UCC's Open and Affirming Coalition supports congregations, campus ministries and other settings through the ONA process. Affirming church messages and imagery help LGBTQ Christians feel a sense…