The Revs. Dennis and Christine Wiley are the husband-wife team at Washington DC's historic Covenant Baptist Church, the black Ward 8 congregation that is one of the most LGBT-affirming in the District. It's also the "first and only traditional black church" in the District of Columbia to perform same-sex unions. Not everyone in the congregation initially welcomed the church's inclusive message, the Wileys write in an op-ed in the Washington Post.
On Tuesday, the D.C. Council voted to legalize same-sex marriage. This historic measure passed 11 to 2, with the two no votes cast by council members Yvette Alexander of Ward 7 and Marion Barry of Ward 8—the ward where our church sits. Both wards are east of the Anacostia River and have the highest percentages of black residents in the city. Both members said that the majority of their constituents, who live in the same communities where many of our parishioners live, do not support gay marriage.
We have seen the resistance that Alexander and Barry were talking about. We know it has deep cultural and historical roots. But we have also seen that this resistance is not stuck in concrete. After that first ceremony in our church, we were pleased and relieved; many members and guests told us how beautiful the service had been. But not everyone who attended shared this feeling. After most of the guests left, one longtime parishioner approached us, shaking. In a voice filled with rage, she asked how we could desecrate the sanctuary with such an ungodly act. She vowed to no longer be a member of our church. After leaving our congregation, she contacted denominational leaders and local newspapers, including The Washington Post, to complain about our "immoral" behavior. She also took us to court in an unsuccessful attempt to recoup two years of tithes because, in her opinion, we had misled her in presenting ourselves as a "real" Baptist church.
The Wileys add: "The conservative strand of black religion is evident in what Harvard professor Peter Gomes calls "bibliolatry"—the practice of worshiping the Bible rather than worshiping God. It is also found in a "literal" interpretation of the Bible that focuses more on the letter of the text than on its spirit, and concentrates on passages about domination, oppression, hierarchy, elitism and exclusion rather than on the major themes of love, justice, freedom, equality and inclusion that run throughout the Bible.
Background:
WATCH: Fenty Signs Historic Marriage Equality Bill
D.C. Mayor Fenty Signs Marriage Equality Bill
Prominent Black Pastors rally for Marriage
Anti-Gay Ministers Want Referendum on D.C. Marriage
Marriage Equality Debate in D.C.'s Black Community
Anti-Gay Black Pastors Threaten to Unseat Council
D.C. Council Votes to Recognize Other States' SSMs
The Wileys are doing fantastic work.
They are a beacon of hope and truly are an inspiration for others in the black church.
Outstanding service and very affirming. I hope to make it again one day soon...
Posted by: Shane Moseley | 20 December 2009 at 19:25
Looks forward to Dan Savage's and/or Andrew Sullivan's acknowledgement of this story, which flies in the face of their "blacks vote against gay causes/caused Prop 8 to pass" meme.
Hello? Dan? Andy?
Posted by: Andy Niable | 20 December 2009 at 20:29
This is a great story. The DC and NYS marriage votes showed that "blacks" were not opposing marriage. The majority of black DC councimlmembers voted for marriage (only two voted no) and in NYS it was the white, ethnic vote that doomed marriage. Only two black senators voted against it.
Milky Loads Sullivan can kiss my black azz. haha, he might like that.
Posted by: Homo N Harlem | 20 December 2009 at 20:40
the wileys are DEEP
people like that can change the world
Posted by: Truly, Q | 21 December 2009 at 04:37
These are the types of pastors we should support more both by attending their churches and financially
Posted by: Brian | 21 December 2009 at 10:58
thank god for real christians!
may they continue to slay the louder more visible homohating hypochristians!
THEY must reclaim the churches who dog us
peace
alicia banks
eloquent fury
Posted by: alicia banks | 21 December 2009 at 20:37
@ Truly, Q:
People like the Wileys have changed the world. The ones who knew in their gut that slavery was just down right wrong even though it was sanctioned by scripture, etc, etc.
Civilization has advanced to the point it is now because of progressive thinkers, people who live what they preach, people just like the Wileys.
Bless them.
Posted by: Taylor Siluwe | 22 December 2009 at 09:25