Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Anne J. Hacker

Abstract

AbstractPrejudice and discrimination stigmatize members of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community as abnormal, which has been attributed to religious opposition and the exercise of ministerial privileges or religious liberty within the law. Religious organizations may indirectly contribute to the public legal rights of members of the LGBTQ community. But little is known about the perspectives of religious faith leaders (RFLs) and how they influence the development and implementation of pro-equality and hate crime policies. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of RFLs from one community in a midwestern state. The narrative policy framework (NPF) provided the theoretical foundation for the study. The key research questions focused on the insights of participants toward pro-equality, hate crime policy, and religious tenets of faith regarding the LGBTQ community. Applying a qualitative non-experimental method, data were collected from interviews of nine Christian clergy participants. Key findings include RFLs’ engage in political action to affect public policy; the same-sex relationship issue has caused divisions within religious denominations subject to theological diversity within the Christian faiths; education, inclusion, and spiritual love remain as their guiding principles; and as a matter of due process RFLs prefer public policies that promote the safety and welfare of the LGBTQ community. Recommend a study with non-Christian RFLs’ participation. Current study implies that a humanistic perspective may develop among RFLs for positive social change.

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