For The Bible Tells Me So: the biblical-theological necessity of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church

Over a quarter-century of ministry, Katie Hays has been learning and teaching that orthodox, biblical, Christian faith not only supports but demands the inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the church. For Galileo Church, the community Hays founded in 2013 on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas, it has been important to help every believer articulate this essential piece of discipleship. A seminar, also called "For the Bible Tells Me So," evolved into this booklet, which is a succinct rendering of a complex theological mystery: God's consistent and surprising embrace of those whom Very Religious People have cast out. Part One is a rapid read of the (very small) set of scriptures that seem to prohibit LGBTQ+ identity. Part Two presents an alternative to fact-checking every individual verse. If we read the Bible as a whole, Hays contends, one unified, unfolding story of the church's discovery of God's generosity, we can track a trend toward the inclusion of all people in God's family of beloveds. Human embrace of the marginalized "other" grows as God's own Spirit appears in the lives of those once thought to be outside of God's amazing grace. This edition also includes an open letter published on social media in 2017, "To the Dearly Beloved Queer Children of God," as an example of how biblical-theological study has provoked Galileo Church to action on behalf of LGBTQ+ Christians who seek inclusion in the church.