William Stell, "Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity" (Princeton UP, 2026)

About this episode

William Stell discusses his book that challenges the narrative of evangelical opposition to homosexuality by highlighting a history of gay activism within evangelicalism.

Evangelicals claim that their opposition to homosexuality is an inherent feature of their faith, rooted in their unchanging beliefs about the Bible. Most scholars, journalists, and observers have accepted this account; in Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity ( Princeton UP, 2026) William Stell upends it. Arguing that the antigay majority in evangelicalism has been less dominant and more vulnerable than previously thought, Stell describes a network of authors, ministers, and professors—all veterans of major evangelical institutions—who worked in the 1970s and 1980s to persuade Christians that their churches should affirm the relationships and ministries of gay and lesbian members. By the late 1970s, some even thought that these activists might shape the future of evangelicalism.Of course, that speculation proved mistaken, and the antigay evangelical majority eventually overpowered the gay-affirming minority. Stell’s history of the rise and fall of evangelical gay activism shines a light on this largely forgotten chapter in American evangelicalism. Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews, Stell documents the…

People in this episode

Guest: William Stell

Topics covered

• evangelicalism
• gay activism
• antigay Christianity
• history
• LGBTQ+ issues
• religion

Keywords

• evangelicalism
• gay activism
• antigay
• history
• LGBTQ+
• Christianity
• William Stell

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Metropolitan Community Churches, Evangelicals Concerned

Books & works: Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity, Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?

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