This is Fascism
By Wendell Griffen, Pastor, New Millennium Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
Mahmoud Khalil is a permanent resident of the
Rev. Wendell Griffen
United States. That legal status is denoted by a “green card.” Permanent residents are people from another nation who are, by law, permanently authorized to live and work in the United States. Permanent residents are protected by and subject to all the laws of the United States, individual states, and local jurisdictions.
One of those protections is the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The First Amendment guarantees Mahmoud Khalil, and everyone else in the United States, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom to engage in peaceful protest against governmental action. That was true long before Mahmoud Khalil was born. It was true long before Donald Trump was born. The First Amendment has been part of the Constitution of the United States since 1791.
Before he assumed the office as President of the United States, Donald Trump took an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That requirement is set out in Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution. It has been part of the Constitution since 1787.
All federal, state, and local officials are required to swear or affirm that they will support the Constitution of the United States. That requirement is set out in Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution. It has been part of the Constitution since 1787.
President Trump and members of his Cabinet also know that the First Amendment protects the freedom of transgender persons to association. However, the Trump administration is actively working to bar transgender people from military service, participation in sporting events, and in general.
They are demonizing transgender people. They are threatening them, defaming them, and treating them like villains, not neighbors, family members, and friends.
However, we must do more than lament. We must also envision a way out
A recent article by Mara Richards Bim in Baptist News Global provides clear proof about how Trump administration policies aim to erase gender identity from national discourse, and how that push is being mirrored by corporate strategies. The Disney entertainment enterprise dropped (think eliminated or erased) a transgender character from Pixar’s new animated series Win or Lose, but then added “an explicitly Christian character.” Surely Disney content creators and marketers know that trans people are followers of Jesus!
We should lament the bigotry, discrimination, and violence that Muslims and transgender people are suffering in ever increasing ways by rightwing politicians and their business sycophants. Our anger, anguish, and resolve to oppose the policies and practices associated with that bigotry, discrimination and violence are justified.
However, we must do more than lament. We must also envision a way out of the mess that Hateful Faithful politicians and policies are making for vulnerable people in the United States and throughout the rest of the world.
President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem know that the First Amendment guarantees Mahmoud Khalil and every other permanent resident in the United States freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom to engage in peaceful protest. The Welcoming Spirit Page2
Those politicians and policies are the result of a well-funded authoritarian vision and strategy that were conceived generations ago.
Hateful faith is the software that underlies the policies and practices of bigotry, discrimination, and violence being committed by fascist-minded politicians and gangster capitalists. That software did not begin with Donald Trump. In the words of South African liberation theologian Allan Aubrey Boesak, “Donald Trump is not an alien phenomenon that has fallen out of the clear blue sky. He is … the logical and inevitable consequence of American politics.”
Hateful faith is the software that underlies the policies and practices of bigotry, discrimination, and violence
Now we are confronted by the latest proof that Saint Paul was correct when he observed that we struggle against diabolical forces. This is a struggle, not a stroll. We are not going to overcome these forces unless we make the struggle a priority.
Muslims, transgender people, people of color, women and girls, immigrants, impoverished people, and other people are being sucked deeper into despair because of gangster capitalism, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, militarism, imperialism. The futures of our grandchildren and the creation are at stake.
I am determined to resist Hateful Faithful politics and politicians. I am seeking to work with others who are thinking about how to build a network of people who are determined to create a just society. Our work will require lobbying elected officials, recruiting potential candidates, developing think tanks and advocacy networks, and building robust messaging networks.
Let’s roll up our sleeves, put our minds together, and step up our vision, strategies, education, and activism. And we must preach, teach, socialize, give, lead, study, plan, and work as part of a multi-generational, inclusive, and global liberation movement against hateful theology, sacralized authoritarianism, fear-based bigotry, greed, hypocrisy, and the violence that goes with it.
The Welcoming Spirit
The Welcoming Spirit is a publication of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Association unless explicitly stated. To submit an article for consideration, please contact our Executive Director, Brian Henderson, at Brian@awab org or visit our website www.awab.org/newsletter for more information.
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Executive Director
James Rice III
Communications Coordinator
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Administrative Coordinator
AWAB Board of Directors
Lauren Ng, Chair, Executive Committee
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Erica Saunders, Secretary, Executive Committee
Cliff Matthews, At-Large, Executive Committee
Aubin Petersen
Donnie Anderson
Jordan Conley
Laura Levens
Scott Green
Victor Crentsil
Bob Sittig, Emeritus
Rick Mixon, Emeritus
Desk & Chair
Perspective from the Desk of our Board Chair
Lauren Ng Chair of the Board of Directors
“The Nature of Progress”
I recently read an interview[1] with Rev. William H. Lamar IV, pastor of the historic Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C., that made headlines earlier this year for being granted the trademark for the name and logos of the far-right extremist group, the Proud Boys. After the hate group vandalized Metropolitan in 2020, the court ruled that any use of the Proud Boys’ name or symbols would need to be approved by Metropolitan. Furthermore, Metropolitan has the rights to any money the hate group makes from selling their branded merchandise.
In the interview, Rev. Lamar reflects on the incident, saying, “This is who we are as a nation. And unfortunately, native persons, persons of African descent, poor persons, queer persons, have often been at the wrong end of American white supremacist and fascist violence.” Later in the interview, Rev. Lamar articulates something that I have often pondered: the non-linear nature of progress. Speaking with a frankness born from experience, he says,.
“We are entering a period that will get worse. Americans are also addicted to a childish eternal optimism, or the lie that American history is always in a straight line, moving progressively. It is not. There have been steps forward and multiple steps backward, which we see right now. That is indeed the American story.”
One step forward, two steps back. Two steps forward, one step back. Progress has never been linear or one-directional. It has always turned back on itself, taken circuitous routes, and both exhausted and invigorated those committed to its incremental gain.
Thanks be to God; we follow the one who knows a little something about non-linearity. In defiance of successive chronology, Jesus Christ died, then rose again. Death could not hold him. What felt like an impossible step backward when Christ was crucified was soon followed by an eternal step forward when the stone was rolled away.
Rev. William H. Lamar IV ends the interview with this to say about an oppressive system “made powerful by sickness and death and extraction:”
“The poetry of resurrection is that God says no to their death. The purpose of resurrection is for those who are believers to not be afraid of death. God says no to every one of their death-dealing schemes. I may die, but I will rise again. We will rise again. We keep coming. They need to understand that.”
Progress has never been and will never be linear. Backward, then forward, this way, then that way we go, knowing in the end that God has the final word, love prevails, and death shall never claim victory over life. We will keep coming, and the resurrected Christ will guide our way.
[1] https://faithandleadership.com/william-h-lamar-iv-it-our-victory? utm source=newsletter&utm medium=email&utm content=Read%20more&utm campaign=fl newsletter
Help AWAB Raise 1 Million Dollars!
Our 1-Million Dollar ‘Here We Grow’ Campaign is a significant step towards strengthening and empowering AWAB. Success allows us to build a robust and collaborative staff and an engaged board of directors, enabling us to provide high-quality LGBTQ+ resources to Baptists worldwide
As of February, 2025, we have already received funds or pledges totaling $524,021!
A “Welcoming Spirit”
The Executive Summary
Views & Inspiration from our Executive Director
Brian Henderson Executive Director
While preaching recently for one of our AWAB congregations, I commented, “To be clear, becoming welcoming and affirming isn’t a decision that necessarily fills the pews, but it is one that fills hearts and lives with HOPE that otherwise might never happen.” No matter what continent we find ourselves on, it seems so many of us are longing for hope these days. As you read this issue of The Welcoming Spirit I trust through its words, stories, numbers, and pictures, you sense hope with me.
While it is easy for me to get overwhelmed by the news and injustice facing our communities, it is the stories, voices, and commitment to justice by our ever-expanding AWAB family which give me hope and courage.
Our AWAB congregations, ministries, and educational partners do remarkable work and I want you to know how much your ministry is a blessing to more people than you realize. Whether your congregation, ministry, or student enrollment is large or small, whether you’re behind or ahead on your budget, whether you’re feeling like you’ve got things together or if you’re figuring out how to hold things in place, you’re not alone. Your work and commitment to welcoming and affirming ministry will provide hope for us all in this time and season of great uncertainty and anxiety. As I was visiting another member congregation and in its church office, I saw this sign:
Indeed, our lives are sacred. Your life is sacred. All of our lives are sacred. I pray the sacredness we share gives us each the courage we will need to stand up and speak out as necessary against all that will be against us ahead. AWAB family, you are not alone. If you’re looking for a listening ear, please don’t hesitate to reach out. AWAB is here for you.
Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis
Named as 2025 Annual Lecturer
by Laura Levens, Board Member & Lectureship Committee Chair
AWAB’s Lectureship Committee is thrilled to announce Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis as the speaker for our 4th Annual Lecture!
The Lecture will take place on Friday, September 19, at Seattle First Baptist Church in Seattle, WA, and we could not be more excited to welcome Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis as this year’s lecturer.
A distinguished scholar, pastor, and advocate, Dr. Sabia-Tanis brings decades of experience in ministry, academia, and social transformation. Currently serving as an associate professor of Christian Ethics and Social Transformation at United Theological Seminary, he has been a powerful voice for LGBTQ+ justice in both religious and public spaces. His leadership spans congregational ministry, theological education, and national advocacy, including work with the National Center for Transgender Equality, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, and the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion.
For four years, our Annual Lecture has created space for bold conversations at the intersection of faith, justice, and LGBTQ+ inclusion. We look forward to gathering once again for an inspiring and transformative evening.
Stay tuned for more details soon and visit our lectureship page.
CBF General Assembly & ABC Biennial Breakfasts Keynotes Announced
Please plan to attend breakfast with AWAB at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis, MO, on Wednesday, June 25, or at the American Baptist Churches USA Mission Summit in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Friday, July 4.
In partnership with Baptist News Global, AWAB is excited to announce Rev. Paul Raushenbush of the Interfaith Alliance (Washington, DC) will be keynote speaker at the CBF General Assembly breakfast. Rev. Dr. Cliff Matthews, Jr., Senior Pastor of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church (Charlotte, NC) will be keynote speaker at the ABC Mission Summit breakfast.
To register for the CBF breakfast, visit here.
To register for the ABC breakfast, register here.
AWAB and CQCL Unite for a Rally in D.C.
AWAB will be joining the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders (CQCL) for a Rally at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, April 14, the day after Palm Sunday. The “Triumphal Entry” accounts of Jesus entering Jerusalem can be viewed as a protest march. The gospels remind us how Jesus stood up to the Empire and authorities of his day in defense of the marginalized and disinherited.
AWAB and the CQCL seek to act similarly as we witness the surge in antiLGBTQ+ legislation to the erasure of our civil rights history and the targeting of the trans community. Further, we recognize all marginalized people are at risk.
AWAB and the CQCL invite all LGBTQ+ communities, people of faith, allies, and advocates to stand with us as we hear from speakers and show support for our greater LGBTQ+ family. If you are unable to join in person, we encourage you to share this with your networks in the Greater DC area.
Registration is not required, but it is highly encouraged to help us create a powerful and organized gathering. By registering, you'll receive important event updates and details so that you have the most up-to-date information about the rally. Clergy are invited to wear rainbow stoles.
You can learn more about the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders and their other work here.
Spotlight on Books
AWAB celebrates with Rev. Dr. Christine Wiley as her latest book, Don’t Give Me That Old Time Religion, hits online outlets and bookshelves this month. Christine and her husband, the Rev. Dr. Dennis Wiley, are longtime AWAB friends and supporters. In this latest book, Rev. Wiley addresses how spiritual experience is recognized as essential in the sociocultural heritage of African Americans and often presumed to be an asset to Black wellbeing. She examines this assumption by listening to stories from Black women of religion’s impact on their mental health and well-being.
AWAB Executive Director, Brian Henderson, fully endorses Parenting With Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love your LGBTQ+ Teen as a most helpful resource for parents and pastors.
“Your kid just came out to you, and amid the flurry of emotion or worry you might feel, you know you would do anything to protect their health and happiness.”
Heather Hester, coach, advocate, and host of the #1 rated podcast, Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen, combines an honest retelling of her own son’s comingout experience with wide-ranging
research, conversations with dozens of professionals, and the unique experiences of other families to provide the ultimate guidebook for parents embarking on this journey. With trustworthy information and an accessible, straightforward plan, Parenting with Pride provides actionable yet profound tools and mental shifts to help parents support their teens and themselves and to be a catalyst for change in their communities.
AWAB partners with Sophia Theological Seminary
Sophia Theological Seminary offers a 27-month Master of Divinity degree. The year-round academic calendar runs from June to May, and students are accepted into year cohorts of 12-15 students. Sophia’s curriculum is built around two primary concepts: (1) complete integration, across disciplines and across artificial categories of “academic” and “applied” and (2) seminars sustained around a single “theme” for the semester. STS is an inclusive community where learning is collaborative and where we labor together within and beyond the Seminary in service to God’s creation and God’s people. To learn more, visit here.
By vote of the Board of Directors we welcome the following into our association:
Providence, RI
Morehead, KY
First Baptist Church in America
First Baptist Church
By vote of the Board of Directors
we welcome the following into our association:
University Baptist Church Hattiesburg, MS
The Crossing UW Madison
Member Spotlight
Check
out what’s
been happening around The Association
AWAB was pleased to visit with Pastor Cindi Byron-Dixon at Peace Community Church, Oberlin, OH
Executive Director Brian Henderson is here greeted by congregational leader, Mary Ann Robinson at The Baptist Church of the Great Valley, Devon, PA.
While at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in Little Rock, AR, it was wonderful for AWAB to catch up with Revs. Aidsand and Betty Wright-Riggins
AWAB was honored to bring greetings in Washington, DC, on his trip to the United States to Metropolitan Bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili of the Peace Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia
Member Spotlight
Check
out what’s
been happening around The Association
Madison Avenue Baptist Church (New York, NY) hosted a viewing of the Mama Bears documentary
AWAB’s second CBF Thriving Congregations Cohort met at the American Baptist Home Mission Societies national offices and included pastors and members of Royersford Baptist Church, The Green Church, and First Baptist Church of Pottstown
AWAB was glad to be present for the opening night of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Christian Educators Conference in Decatur, GA
Member Spotlight
Pastor Philip Stargate on receiving his Master of Divinity
Special Congratulations To:
Mesa Abierta in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who commissioned Ilán Carlos Pabellon-Roman for Christian ministry, Ilán is the first Baptist, trans-man to be a candidate for ordination on the island
First Baptist Church (Pitman, NJ) and Pastor Randy Van Osten receiving recognition by its local Board of Education for its work with students in conjunction with Fig Leaf Thrift, a thrift shop ministry run out of the church facility
At long last, this exciting contribution to welcoming and affirming ministry in Baptist life is soon to be in your hands. While our original timeline has changed, the book is nearing its production stage. It’s not too late to support this project. Please visit: awab.org/50th-anniversary-book where we will post updates as the book enters production.