(ETH) – Recently we reported on how an Assembly of God Church in Texas had departed from the denomination and to fully affirm the LGBTQ Community. And now a new report is coming out of a First Baptist Church of Columbia that recently hosted a transgender named Austen Hartke, who is a “transgender theologian”.
The vent took place on Feb. 21st and 22nd. According to Hartke’s website, his “greatest passion is helping other trans and gender-non-conforming people see themselves in scripture,” The Rev. Carol McEntyre, the senior pastor at First Baptist, said when she first heard Hartke speak, she was very impressed. “We need to have him come to Columbia,” McEntyre said, calling it a “natural next step.” First Baptist Church isn’t the only church hosting Austen as several other churches in the Columbia region are sponsoring the event and pitched in funding for it.
McEntyre said she wants people to understand that there are “transgender Christians”, and this is an event for allies of the LGBTQ community and for those who want to learn more as well. “First Baptist Church has a long history of working towards LGBTQ inclusion,” she said, adding that the church held training on inclusion last August.
