Inclusive Love: Seeing the Black Church in the Rainbow

In this moving, passionate reflection upon his own life and ministry, Ralph Basui Watkins examines his relative privilege experienced while growing up in a culture that valued strong masculinity, as exemplified by boys like him. But more than that, he compares his experiences to those of the LGBTQ+ community, deeply considering what it may have been like to grow up without a support system or role models in the church. He shares how he journeyed from a tradition that denied community and belongingness to LGBTQ+ people to a faith-driven acceptance and love for all. He encourages the church to better support all members of the Kingdom of God by focusing on the liberative and loving messages of the Gospel.