Justin R. Cannon
Encyclopedia
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and the founding director of Inclusive Orthodoxy, an affirming outreach ministry to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans Christians centered around his booklet The Bible, Christianity, and Homosexuality (ISBN 978-1438249612), which is described by the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
as "an illuminating...analysis that argues the Bible doesn't condemn faithful gay relationships." (Michael McGough, July 18, 2005). He also is the founder of Rainbow Christians
Rainbow Christians
RainbowChristians.com is an online dating and social networking website that caters to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/transsexual Christians.-History:...
, the internet’s first gay Christian personals website and a contributor to the Gay Christian Network
Gay Christian Network
The Gay Christian Network, popularly called GCN, is a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight ally organization and ecumenical Christian ministry founded in 2001 by Justin Lee and administered from Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States....
online forum.
Justin graduated from Earlham College
Earlham College
Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...
in 2006 where he received his B.A. in French and Francophone Studies. During his studies at Earlham College
Earlham College
Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...
, he served on the editorial board for The Earlham Literary Magazine and started up the school's poetry appreciation group, Poetheads Anonymous. He is the editor of both Sanctified: An Anthology of Poetry by LGBT Christians (ISBN 978-1438247854), released July 2008, and Homosexuality in the Orthodox Church (ISBN 978-1456416874), released January 2011
His ministry originally started out under the name "Truth Sets Free". In 2007 he re-launched his ministry website under the name "Inclusive Orthodoxy." According to his website, "Inclusive Orthodoxy seeks a revitalization of the faith, which is both orthodox in theology and grounded in the progressive message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—a message of love, a proclamation of hope for the oppressed, an invitation towards all regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We are calling for the Church to extend its inclusivity upon the foundation of Christian orthodoxy, and to embrace the radical implications of the Gospel message, not despite Scripture and Tradition, but in light of it." http://www.truthsetsfree.net/about.htm His ministry affirms the divine inspiration of the Bible, the sacredness of Tradition, and affirms "...that there is a place within the full life and ministry of the Christian Church for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians, both those who are called to lifelong celibacy and those who are partnered."http://www.truthsetsfree.net/index.html
Cannon was featured as a "Future Gay Hero" in the prominent gay newsmagazine The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
(July 5, 2005) shortly before he graduated from Earlham College. He subsequently appeared on The Michelangelo Signorile
Michelangelo Signorile
Michelangelo Signorile is a gay American writer, a national talk radio host whose program is aired each weekday across the United States and Canada. He is a political liberal, and covers a wide variety of political and cultural issues...
Show on SIRIUS OutQ
SIRIUS OutQ
OutQ is a news, talk and entertainment channel on Sirius XM Radio, geared for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender audiences. The channel is available to Sirius and XM subscribers in both the United States and Canada....
, and his work was cited in the New York Times, and has even been well-received internationally as he was cited in the French glbtq magazine Préf ("Ainsi Soient-Ils" January/February #12 Issue). March 29, 2007, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
' Sacramento affiliate, News 10, ran a feature on Cannon and his website Rainbow Christians.
In 2006 Cannon was recognized as one of Out Magazine’s Top 100 most influential gay people of the year. Each year OUT Magazine, a national gay and lesbian general interest publication, honors one hundred individuals through a feature magazine issue and a special party/reception. Other honorees in 2006 included Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
, Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
, Michael Kors Iman, John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell is an American writer, actor, and director. He is best known for his motion pictures Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.- Early life:...
, and Lance Bass
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass , best known as Lance Bass, is an American pop singer, dancer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to work in film and television...
. In November 2007, he was honored as one of Instinct (magazine)
Instinct (magazine)
Instinct is a monthly American magazine geared toward gay men, published by Instinct Publishing, Inc. since 1997. Distributed by Curtis Circulation...
's
2007 Leading Men of the Year for his activism in the gay community.
He was ordained as a transitional deacon
Transitional deacon
In the Roman Catholic Church, a transitional deacon is a celibate man who has been ordained a deacon and who intends to become a priest. Transitional deacons are usually ordained to the diaconate after they complete their third year at the theological seminary. For several centuries, all Roman...
on June 4, 2011 in the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
and is pursuing priesthood through the Diocese of California.
See also
- List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality
- Blessing of same-sex unions in Christian churchesBlessing of same-sex unions in Christian churchesThe blessing of same-sex unions is currently an issue about which some Christian churches are at present in disagreement with other Christian churches...
- Religion and homosexuality
- History of Christianity and homosexualityHistory of Christianity and homosexualityThis article focuses on the history of homosexuality and Christianity from the beginnings of the Church through the mid 1900's. For current teachings of Christian Churches on homosexuality see Homosexuality and Christianity....
- Queer theology
- The Bible and homosexualityThe Bible and homosexualityThere are a number of direct references to homosexuality in the Bible.In Mosaic law, male homosexuality is identified as an "abomination".In the New Testament, Paul of Tarsus condemns arsenokoitēs, a term related to male homosexuality that is open to much interpretation; it could mean male...
- Anglican views of homosexualityAnglican views of homosexualitySince the 1990s, the Anglican Communion has struggled with controversy regarding homosexuality in the church. In 1998, the 13th Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops passed a resolution stating that homosexual acts are "incompatible with Scripture". In 2002, the Diocese of New Westminster, in the...
- Homosexuality and ChristianityHomosexuality and ChristianityChristian denominations hold a variety of views on the issues of sexual orientation and homosexuality, ranging from outright condemnation to complete acceptance. In accordance with the traditional values of Abrahamic religions, most Christian denominations welcome people attracted to the same sex,...
- List of LGBT religious organizations
External links
- Inclusive Orthodoxy / TruthSetsFree.net (Cannon's Online Ministry)
- SanctifiedAnthology.com (Cannon is the Chief Editor)