A Space for the LGBTQIA+ People of Faith
Believe Out Loud is an online community that believes it is important to remember all people are worthy of God’s love. Regardless of the efforts to constantly discriminate against LGBTQIA+ members, we have to remain grounded in deep faith in what is true.
What We Do
Our goal is to influence our society to understand that divine love is expansive and transformative. We highlight queer spirituality in all our programs, including but not limited to:
- Grantmaking programs supporting faith-driven LGBTQIA peacebuilders around the world
- Online worship services led by LGBTQIA+ faith leaders
Encouraging People Through Social Media
We also use our social media as a platform to affirm the divinity of queer people of faith and allies. We also help them heal from negative messages of people alienating them from access to spiritual resources.
Providing Spiritual Resources
We believe in the coexistence of faith and sexuality despite society telling us of their incompatibility. The high level of faith engagement of queer communities inspires us to meet their need for spiritual content.
Going beyond tolerance and acceptance, our resources use the LGBTQIA+ experience as a framework to understand the divine.
Expanding as a Ministry
Believe Out Loud is a ministry of the Cathedral of Hope – United Church of Christ. Known as the largest LGBTQIA+ church in the world, we are a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive congregation.
We welcome people from all racial, religious, cultural, sexual orientation, and gender-expression backgrounds. With that, we respect and highlight the perspectives of the diverse communities we serve.
Uniting Religious Communities
We are an intergenerational, multiracial, multi-faith, and sexually- and gender-diverse team engaging in partnerships across faith traditions and denominations. We are committed to expanding the possibility of what a faith community can do in the world.
Our Story
2021
December
In partnership with the Cathedral of Hope, Believe Out Loud honors World AIDS Day by featuring readings from a diverse interfaith group of LGBTQIA+ faith leaders and artists.
It also included a message of remembrance, radiance, and resilience.
2021
November
Believe Out Loud organized an international coalition of 37 organizations and more than 190 individuals to endorse a multi-faith statement of solidarity with transgender children in Texas after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into the law Texas House Bill 25.
This prohibits K-12 student-athletes from competing on school sports teams aligned with their gender identity.
2021
September
Believe Out Loud is acquired by the Cathedral of Hope – United Church of Christ, known as the largest predominantly LGBTQIA+ congregation in the world.
2021
May
Intersections International and Believe Out Loud, in partnership with the Evangelischer Kirchenkreis Berlin Stadmitte (KKBS), hosted an enlightening discussion on the role faith communities can play in breaking down the discriminatory beliefs and practices that hold us back as a global community.
2021
April
Believe Out Loud hosts its second Easter service featuring contributions from LGBTQIA+ artists, clergy, the Believe Out Loud and Union Theological Seminary interns, staff, and community members.
2020
December
We live-streamed our first Christmas service featuring the Believe Out Loud and Union Seminary interns, staff, and community members.
2020
December
In partnership with Intersections International, Believe Out Loud produced “Be Light Together,” an Advent devotional formatted for at-home printing and shared internationally.
2020
September
Intersections International hires Union Theological Seminary students, Kimberly Gordy and Sulkiro Song, to be interns with the Believe Out Loud program until their graduation in May 2021.
2020
June
In celebration of Pride Month, Believe Out Loud officially launched a mobile app, enabling the global community to find LGBTQIA+-affirming spiritual resources at the click of a button.
2020
June
On Pride Sunday, Believe Out Loud hosted its first interfaith pride service featuring contributions from our Muslim, Jewish, and Christian partners worldwide.
2020
May
Believe Out Loud curates a directory of affirming churches, mosques, and synagogues offering online services. Currently, 100 online offerings are listed, including nontraditional and international communities.
2020
April
Believe Out Loud presents its first digital worship service in celebration of Easter, featuring contributions from LGBTQIA+ clergy and artists.
2020
March
Intersections and Believe Out Loud host their last in-person pre-pandemic event, an evening with Joy Ladin about her book "The Soul of the Stranger: Reading God and Torah from a Transgender Perspective."
2019
June
Believe Out Loud launches a new website, representing our evolving identity as an online community for LGBTQIA+ people of faith and allies.
2017
October
Believe Out Loud takes the first steps to expand its work internationally by establishing relationships with LGBTQIA+ groups in the Caribbean and providing direct aid to LGBTQIA+ people affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
2012
November
Tremendous growth occurs across the entire online platform. Believe Out Loud surpasses 100,000 fans on Facebook and reaches 2 to 4 million people per month through viral messaging.
Believe Out Loud is recognized as an online leader in disseminating LGBTQIA+-inclusive Christian voices.
2011
September
Believe Out Loud shifts focus from exclusively reaching mainline Protestant clergy, expanding its mission to reach Christians of all kinds, regardless of denomination, affiliation, or role.
Non-Christian allies join to signal support, and our Facebook community grows by 400+ people a day.
2011
May
Believe Out Loud releases the "Got Moms" viral video, which stirred debate when Sojourners refused an ad to promote the video due to the video's message of welcome for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Christian church.
2010
February
Believe Out Loud moves from Progressive Christians Uniting and comes under the auspices of Intersections International and The Collegiate Church of New York.
2009
May
Public Religion Research Institute releases a study about the Mainline Protestant Clergy Views on Theology and Gay and Lesbian Issues. Results confirm the direction of Believe Out Loud and indicate a growing base of support within the church.
2008
December
The Religious Voices Project becomes "Believe Out Loud." Social marketing joins traditional offline messaging methods as part of the campaign's core strategy.
2008
March
Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) begins the Mainline Protestant Clergy Voices Survey, the most comprehensive survey of mainline clergy ever conducted. A wide variety of issues are covered, including their position on LGBTQIA+ civil rights.
2007
October
Religious Voices Project determines that a campaign to encourage clergy support of LGBTQIA+ equality is feasible.
2007
January
In consultation with policy staff at the Haas., Jr. Fund, Progressive Christians Uniting launches the Religious Voices Project, an exploratory initiative to determine where mainline Protestant clergy stand on gay and lesbian equality.
It also assesses methods to move more clergy toward LGBTQIA+ acceptance.
Founding Partners
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
GLAAD Religion, Faith & Values Program
Glad Alliance
Human Rights Campaign Religion & Faith Program
Institute for Welcoming Resources – National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Integrity USA
Intersections International
More Light Presbyterians
Progressive Christians Uniting
Reconciling Ministries Network
ReconcilingWorks
Room for All
The Collegiate Church of New York
UCC Open and Affirming Coalition
Welcoming Community Network
Making a Difference
Until we can always be our true selves in every community we exist in, we are here to create a space where LGBTQIA+ people of faith can find each other and are offered affirmation and support.
We are here for each other, and that alone can change someone's life.
Our Community
“I am a queer Jew and it's so important that there are spaces for those of us who don't want to give up the cultural heritage and community of our religious backgrounds just because of another aspect of our identities.”
- Rey Simon,
Facebook follower.
“I appreciate Believe Out Loud's stamina, faith, their diversity of voices, their "out-loudness, their "upbeat-ness, and their constant devotion to God and His people. We have a few Christian groups fighting for us, as LGBTQ believers, and it's wonderful to see this one so strong! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
- Jerome Stueart,
Facebook follower.
Our Mission
Believe Out Loud is a digital community working to move all people toward an expansive, transformative understanding of divine love.
We’d Love To Hear From You
Reach out to us today for more information about our community. We will gladly provide the answers you are looking for.