Ralph Blair
Encyclopedia
Ralph Blair is an American psychotherapist
and founder of The Homosexual Community Counseling Center in New York City
. In 1975, he founded Evangelicals Concerned, Inc. (or EC), a U.S.-wide network of gay and lesbian evangelical Christians and friends
.
Blair founded EC to provide hope, encouragement, teaching and fellowship to gays and lesbians seeking to integrate their sexuality with a theologically sound and committed Christian faith. EC uses conferences, publications and other venues to spread the Good News of God's grace and peace in Christ to a people called to lives of grateful service. EC sponsors summer regional conferences, winter Bible study retreats, and fall preaching festivals. The latter focuses on contributions from some of the great people of faith who have gone before us: John Wesley
, George McDonald, John Newton
and J. Gresham Machen are some of those honored at past EC preaching festivals. Blair also publishes a quarterly review of literature published about religion and literature.
For the Eastern and Western EC conferences, Blair invites as keynoters only evangelicals and only those evangelicals who support monogamous same-sex partnerships. These keynoters are invited only once, so that it cannot be said that EC retreads just a set few evangelicals.
, The University of Southern California
Graduate School of Religion, and The Graduate School of The Pennsylvania State University
. He also studied at Bob Jones University
, Dallas Theological Seminary
, and Westminster Theological Seminary
.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
and founder of The Homosexual Community Counseling Center in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1975, he founded Evangelicals Concerned, Inc. (or EC), a U.S.-wide network of gay and lesbian evangelical Christians and friends
Homosexuality and Christianity
Christian 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,...
.
Blair founded EC to provide hope, encouragement, teaching and fellowship to gays and lesbians seeking to integrate their sexuality with a theologically sound and committed Christian faith. EC uses conferences, publications and other venues to spread the Good News of God's grace and peace in Christ to a people called to lives of grateful service. EC sponsors summer regional conferences, winter Bible study retreats, and fall preaching festivals. The latter focuses on contributions from some of the great people of faith who have gone before us: John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
, George McDonald, John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
and J. Gresham Machen are some of those honored at past EC preaching festivals. Blair also publishes a quarterly review of literature published about religion and literature.
For the Eastern and Western EC conferences, Blair invites as keynoters only evangelicals and only those evangelicals who support monogamous same-sex partnerships. These keynoters are invited only once, so that it cannot be said that EC retreads just a set few evangelicals.
Education
Blair is a graduate of Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, The University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Graduate School of Religion, and The Graduate School of The Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. He also studied at Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
, Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system known as Dispensationalism...
, and Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
.
Books
- Undoing Every Do / Doing Every Don't (The Ten Commandments, The Religious Right & The Lesbigay Left) (2000)
- Christ2000 (1999)
- One Foolishness or Another (1999)
- Trust (1996)
- Anger (1995)
- Homosexualities: Faith, Facts, and Fairy Tales (1991)
- Jesus Who? (1986)
- Hope’s Gays and Gays’ Hopes (1983)
- Getting Close: Steps Toward Intimacy (1980)
- Homophobia in the Churches (1979)
- An Evangelical Look at Homosexuality (1972)
- Etiological and Treatment Literature on Homosexuality (1972)
See also
- LGBT-welcoming church programsLGBT-welcoming church programsLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender affirming religious groups are religious groups that welcome LGBT members and do not consider homosexuality to be a sin. They include entire religious denominations, as well as individual churches and synagogues...
- 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
- List of LGBT religious organizations