Hannah Kardon, pastor at Urban Village Church, said that the incident, while emblematic of a pre-existing divide, points toward the work in progress. In June, pride flags were vandalized by an unknown individual at Wicker Park Church a transgender flag was marked with an X and a rainbow flag marked with the words "We love kids." Wicker Park pastor Jason Glombicki said this unfortunately supported his "general lived experience" as a gay man, though the plan is to keep new pride flags up. Frequently, this determination moves beyond the theoretical. She noted that the same can be true within LGBTQ spaces, as members of the community tend to mistrust religion "because of the harm witnessed or experienced."Īccording to Crosby, division can be a pervasive mindset, generating the perception that queer individuals don't belong in faith spaces. "Sometimes it's said by people in religious forums that we have to divorce ourselves from our queer selves to function in religious spaces," Crosby said. Meanwhile, the divide between communities grows deeper. Daniel Bahner, education director for Keshet, a Jewish LGBTQ organization, said that though "LGBTQ folks have been around in our communities forever," whether or not they are visible depends on feeling safe. According to Chicago-based minister Alicia Crosby, the common narrative is snake-eats-tail if a queer individual of faith feels alone, they may not ever be visible to others. Ravenscraft said that for queer individuals, discovering identity can result in leaving or being forced out of communities of faith, but others remain - often quietly. Religion is, Ravenscraft said, a lens through which to view the world.įor some, the lens can crack. Ravenscraft agreed, saying that much of the "spiritual development and ethical development" of young people happens behind stained glass windows. "Most queer people I've known have had some kind of experience in a church," Hundl said. Hundl said that this easy story defies reality. The common narrative, one Affirming Worship works against, is that queerness and faith are disparate.