Abstract
When therapists are working with families with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) members, discussions of family acceptance and rejection can be salient to the therapeutic process. For many families, decisions around acceptance and rejection are often informed by Christian religious beliefs. However, little is known about how Christian pastors conceptualize consequences associated with family acceptance and rejection and how religious involvement can be both a source of help and harm. This queer theory informed qualitative study utilized in-depth interviews with 21 mainline Protestant Christian pastors to understand their perspectives, informed by their faith, on the consequences of family acceptance and rejection of LGB family members. Using thematic analysis, four themes were identified that highlighted participants’ understandings of (1) how family acceptance can change relationships within and outside of the family; (2) how rejection harms LGB individuals and their family system; (3) how rejection harms LGB peoples’ relationships with multiple aspects of religiosity; and (4) how familial rejection can liberate LGB people to create chosen families and find affirmative religious communities. Findings from this study provide support for family therapists to explore the role of religion in familial processes of acceptance and rejection of LGB members, as well as how religious faith and communities can be a positive resource or source of harm for LGB individuals.
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Data Availability
The dataset generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the data being qualitative data that could identify a research participant as well as participants not consenting to data release.
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Coburn, K.O., McGeorge, C.R. Perspectives of Mainline Protestant Christian Pastors on the Consequences of Familial Acceptance and Rejection of LGB Members: Understanding the Role of Religion for Family Therapists. Contemp Fam Ther 44, 360–372 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-022-09652-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-022-09652-7