Bishop T.D. Jakes On The Black Church’s Shifting Stance On Homosexuality

Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times

Bishop T.D. Jakes thinks it is “absolutely” possible for the LGBT and Black communities to coexist.

Jakes, who joined HuffPost Live on Monday, opened up to host Marc Lamont-Hill about his thoughts on the relationship between these communities.

 “I think that it’s going to diverse from church to church every church has a different opinion on the issue and every gay person is different,” Jakes said.

While Jakes believes churches are allowed to practice and preach values shared by their respective leaders, he also advocates that LGBT people attend a church that aligns with their own beliefs and values. And although he admits that his individual stance on homosexuality is both “evolved and evolving,” he says all LGBT people should be treated with tolerance and respect.

“LGBT’s of different types and sorts have to find a place of worship that reflects what your views are and what you believe like anyone else,” he said. “And the church should have its own convictions and values.”

Jakes also reaffirmed that members of the LGBT community, like all American citizens, deserve equal protection under the law.

“Once you begin to understand that democracy, that a republic actually, is designed to be an overarching system to protect our unique nuances then we no longer look to public policy to reflect biblical ethics,” Jakes said.