Saying God Again: Making Sense of Spiritual and LGBT Identities in Religious Science

• In Event: 090 - Section on Sociology of Sexualities Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 09. Sexual Identities

Abstract

How can an individual's sense of spirituality be affected by her or his lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer identity? It is argued that religious traditions such as Christianity fundamentally reject identities held by LGBT* individuals, and these social locations are often discussed as diametrical opposites. However, a relatively modern movement known as Religious Science indicates a safe space for many LGBT* people in search of spiritual homes. To analyze this space for LGBT* individuals devoted to Religious Science, I conducted ten semi-structured interviews with members at the Center for Spiritual Living in Santa Rosa who identify as lesbian, gay, and transgender. All participants have held membership at the Center for at least four years. Results indicate that lesbian, gay, and transgender individuals experienced "coming home" to a sense of spiritual structure since rejecting the religious and cultural traditions of their childhoods. Participation in a specifically spiritual community also held greater prominence for respondents than participation in LGBT* communities. Additionally, the age of respondents indicated an effect on the understanding of their own spiritual lives. These findings suggest patterns unique to non-heterosexual adherents within a spiritual movement that has yet to be fully explored.

Author

• Cary James Escovedo, California State University-Sonoma