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Various Christian denominations do not consider homosexuality or transgender identity to be sins.^[1] These include entire denominations, as well as individual churches and congregations. Some are composed mainly of non-LGBT members and also have specific programs to welcome LGBT people, while others are composed mainly of LGBT members. Additionally, some denominations which are not LGBT-affirming include LGBT member-organized groups which are not officially sanctioned by the denominations themselves. There are also ecumenical or parachurch programmes that explicitly outreach to LGBT people but do not identify with any particular church, tradition, or denomination.

History

The history of Christianity and homosexuality has been much debated.^[2] The Hebrew Bible and its traditional interpretations in Judaism and Christianity have historically affirmed and endorsed a patriarchal and heteronormative approach towards human sexuality;^[3][4] throughout the majority of Christian history, most Christian theologians and denominations have considered homosexual behavior as immoral or sinful.^[5][6] However, a number of theological scholars have made biblical case arguments for LGBTQ inclusion.^[7] Today, various Christian denominations are accepting of homosexuality and transgender identity and inclusive of homosexual and transgender people, such as the Episcopal Church,^[8] the Presbyterian Church,^[9] United Church of Christ, and the Metropolitan Community Church. Formed in 1991, The Evangelical Network is a network of evangelical churches, ministries and Christian Workers that are a part of the LGBT community. The Evangelical Network holds an annual conference and provides education, ministerial support, and networking capabilities.^[10]

in the 19th century, John Church (minister) was considered to be the first minister to openly perform same sex marriages in his English church.^[11] In 1946, Archbishop George Hyde of the Eucharistic Catholic Communion (a small denomination not in union with the Roman Catholic Church) celebrated mass for gay men in Atlanta.^[12] In 1956, the Church of ONE Brotherhood was founded in Los Angeles by a gay-rights activist.^[13] In 1962, a Congregationalist pastor began an overt pastoral ministry to gay people in New York City. In 1976, the Episcopal Church officially became fully LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming.^[14] In 1979, Allen Bennett became the first openly gay Rabbi.^[15]

While Unitarian Universalism is no longer explicitly a Christian religion, it does have Judeo-Christian roots. Both the Unitarian Universalist Association^[16] and the Canadian Unitarian Council^[17] have officially affirmed LGBT people and have openly advocated for gay rights.

Denominations

International

• Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists^[18]
• Affirming Pentecostal Church International

Africa

• Anglican Church of Southern Africa^[19]
• Deo Gloria Global Apostolic Network in South Africa^[20]
• Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (Southern Synod)^[21]
• Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK) NOTE: Each congregation may determine its own decision on gay marriage and gay ministers.^[22]
• Methodist Church of Southern Africa^[23] NOTE: The church "accepts same-sex relationships (as long as such relationships are not...marriage)".
• Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa^[24] NOTE: Each minister may exercise his or her conscience and support same-sex unions.

Asia

• Aglipayan Church – officially known as Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Philippine Independent Church, an Independent Catholic and Anglo-Catholic^[25] denomination. The church has adopted an official and binding position of inclusion and full acceptance of LGBT individuals and organizations since 2017 after the question of inclusiveness was raised in an official leadership meeting by a gay member of the church in 2014. Its youth organization wing has also repeatedly elected presidents, vice presidents, and executives who belong to the Filipino LGBT youth sector.^[26] On February 24, 2023, the church ordained Wylard "Wowa" Ledama, a trans woman, to the diaconate as the church's first trans cleric.^[27]
• Anglican Church of Korea^[28] NOTE: The Anglican church has some clergy and congregations that support LGBT rights.
• Church of South India^[29][30] NOTE: The CSI opened ordination to transgender persons, has ministries specifically for transgender rights and some clergy support gay rights. The CSI is among the Anglican churches that "are open to changing Church doctrine on marriage in order to allow for same-sex unions" according to the BBC.^[31]
• Evangelical Church of India^{[citation needed]}
• United Church of Christ in Japan^[32]
• United Church of Christ in the Philippines^[33]

North America

Anglican

• Episcopal Church (United States)^[34]
• Evangelical Anglican Church In America^[35]

Baptist

Neutral positions

Some Baptist denominations in the United States do not have official beliefs about marriage in a confession of faith and invoke congregationalism to leave the choice to each church to decide.^[36]

• American Baptist Churches USA^[37]
• Progressive National Baptist Convention^[37]
• National Baptist Convention, USA^[37]
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship^[38]

Affirming positions

• Alliance of Baptists (USA) ^[39]
• Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (USA) ^[40]
• Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms^[39]
• Aliança de Batistas do Brasil^[41]
• Fraternidad de Iglesias Bautistas de Cuba^[42]

Catholic (independent)

• American National Catholic Church^[43][44]
• Catholic Apostolic Church in North America
• Ecumenical Catholic Church^[45]
• Ecumenical Catholic Communion^[46]
• Evangelical Catholic Church^[47]
• Old Catholic Church^[48]
• Traditionalist Mexican-American Catholic Church^[49]

Lutheran

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: the ELCA's document A Social Statement on Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust ^[50] notes "While Lutherans hold various convictions regarding lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships, this church is united on many critical issues. It opposes all forms of verbal or physical harassment and assault based on sexual orientation. It supports legislation and policies to protect civil rights and to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, and public services. It has called upon congregations and members to welcome, care for, and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection."
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada^[51]

Methodist

• United Methodist Church's General Conference, voted forward a conservative "Traditional plan", defeating the more liberal "One Church plan." No discretion is allowed to ordain gay, lesbian, or bisexual clergy in same-gender relationships, or marry gay couples.^[52] There is no prohibition on the ordination of transgender clergy and the Judicial Council ruled, in 2007, that transgender clergy can remain ordained.^[53][54] The United Methodist News Service reiterated that there is no rule against transgender clergy.^[55] The vote on the "Traditional Plan" was 53 percent in favor to 47 opposed.^[56] The Judicial Council reviewed the plan and upheld 10 petitions while declaring 7 petitions, approximately 40 percent of the plan, unconstitutional.^[57][58][59] UMC's Book of Discipline Article 4. includes this statement: "All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services... " and later, within part 304.4: "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church."^[60] Previously, Annual Conferences had affirmed LGBT clergy and relationships through resolutions.^{[61][62][63][64][65]} The South Carolina Annual Conference had passed a resolution supporting transgender rights.^[66][67] The Western Jurisdiction elected the denomination's first openly and partnered lesbian bishop in 2016.^[68] The North Central Jurisdiction considered an openly gay nominee for bishop although not elected.^[69] The Northeastern Jurisdiction passed a resolution supporting the option of allowing same-sex marriages.^[70] On May 7, 2018, the Council of Bishops in the United Methodist Church, had proposed allowing individual pastors and regional church bodies to decide whether to ordain LGBT clergy and perform same-sex weddings, which came to be known as the One Church plan. Their proposal was rejected by the February 26, 2019 General Conference vote.^[71] The highest level of the United Methodist Church will now strengthen punishments for 1) pastors who are non-celibate gay people, or 2) pastors who perform same-sex weddings. Nevertheless, the Western Jurisdiction, the German Central Conference, and other annual conferences within other jurisdictions have announced that they will not enforce the Traditional Plan and some of these have continued to ordain LGBTQ clergy,^{[72][73][74][75][76][77]} for example Methodist lesbian bishop Karen Oliveto and Methodist gay bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth.
• United Church of Canada shares both the Methodist and Reform traditions. In 1925, Canadian Methodist Church, Canada, Congregationalists and some churches of the Presbyterian Church in Canada united to form the United Church of Canada.^[78] Within the United Church of Canada, congregations decide if they are Affirming or if they perform same sex marriages. In 1988, the General Council came to the decision that sexual orientation would no longer be a barrier to membership or candidacy for ministry. In 1992, the Affirming Ministry Program was developed by Affirm United/S'affirmer Ensemble to "provide congregations with the opportunity for education, discernment and commitment regarding becoming radically inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in all aspects of the life and work of their ministry." As of June 2023, 310 United Church ministries and communities of faith are Affirming Ministries, and 189 are in the process of becoming Affirming Ministries. In 2022, there were 292 Affirming Ministries, making up just over 10% of UCC communities of faith.^[79]

Pentecostal

• Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentecostals
• Gay Apostolic Pentecostals

Presbyterian

• Presbyterian Church (USA)^[80]

Reformed

• Reformed Church in America^[81] NOTE: Gay pastors may serve congregations if they were ordained in another denomination; some member churches allow gay marriage.
• United Church of Christ^[82]
• United Church of Canada Each individual congregation decides for itself whether or not to be affirming or to solemnize same sex marriages. Over 150 United Church congregations are either Affirming or are in the process of becoming Affirming congregations. There are a number of other church bodies (some Presbyteries and Conferences) that have been designated as Affirming. (see #Methodist)

Other

• Community of Christ (Latter Day Saints)^[83]
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)^[84]
• Ecclesia Gnostica^{[citation needed]}
• Friends General Conference (Quakers)^[85]
• Highlands Church Denver, Denver, U.S.A.^[86]
• International Council of Community Churches^[87]
• Life Journey Church, Indianapolis, U.S.A.^[88]
• Mennonite Church Canada^[89] NOTE: Each congregation determines its own position
• Mennonite Church USA^[90] NOTE: Each conference determines its own position
• Metropolitan Community Church^[91]
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province^[92]
• National Association of Congregational Christian Churches^[93][94] NOTE: Each congregation is free to determine its own policy
• Swedenborgian Church of North America^{[citation needed]}
• Unitarian Universalist Association^[95] NOTE: Although no longer exclusively Christian, the denomination originated as such and is 'mainline'
• Unity Church^[96]

Europe

• Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland Old Catholic Church^[97]

• Austria: Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria^[98]
• Belgium: United Protestant Church in Belgium^[99]
• Croatia: Evangelical (Lutheran) Church in Croatia^{[citation needed]}
• Czech Republic: Českobratrská církev evangelická (The Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren)^{[100][101][102][103][104]}
• Czech Republic: Čeští kvakeři, z. s.^[105] (Quakers)^[106][107]
• Czech Republic: Starokatolická církev v České republice (Old Catholic Church)^[108][109]
• Denmark: Church of Denmark^[110]
• France: United Protestant Church of France^[111]
• Finland: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland^[112] NOTE: The church permits prayers of celebration following a civil union or marriage
• Germany: German Lutheran, reformed and united churches in Evangelical Church in Germany^[113]
• Germany: The Social Ethics Ministry of the Central Conference of the United Methodist Church in Germany^[114]
• Germany: Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany^[115]
• Iceland: Church of Iceland^[116]
• Italy: Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy (CELI)^[117][118]
• Italy: Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches^[119][120]
• Ireland: Church of Ireland^{[121][122][123]} NOTE: Two former archbishops of Dublin, two diocesan bishops, and several congregations affirm LGBTI people in the Republic.
• Ireland: Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland^[124]
• Ireland: Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)^[125] Quakers in Ireland allow their meetings to celebrate same-sex marriage but do not require meetings or members to take part.
• Ireland: Unitarian Church in Ireland^[126]
• Netherlands: Protestant Church in the Netherlands NOTE: to be decided by the local church council,^[127] a map exists showing local churches affirming LGBT ^[128]
• Netherlands: Remonstrantse Broederschap ^[127]
• Netherlands: Mennonite Church in the Netherlands^[129]
• Nordic and Baltic Episcopal Area Conferences of the United Methodist Church^[130]
• Norway: Church of Norway^[131]
• Poland: Christian United Church in Poland^[132]
• Spain: Spanish Evangelical Church^[133]
• Sweden:
  • Church of Sweden^[134]
• Switzerland:

  

  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in Geneva (Genf)^[135]
  • Offene Kirche Elisabethen - LSBK Lesbische und Schwule Basis Kirche ^[136]
  • Regenbogenkirche,^[137] a project of the Evangelisch-methodistischen Kirche Adliswil-Zürich 2
  • Swiss reformed churches in Swiss Reformed Church^[138]
• United Kingdom (UK)
  • Church of England^[139][140] NOTE: The church defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but also supports same-sex civil partnerships.^[141] "The church has no truck with homophobia and even supports clergy who are in civil partnerships."^[142] The C of E allows prayers to follow a civil same-sex marriage, and allows civil partnerships for gay priests.^[143] In 2016 the Bishop of Grantham, Nicholas Chamberlain, came out as the first openly gay bishop in a relationship.^[144] The C of E voted to affirm transgender people.^[145] The church approved services to celebrate and mark a person's gender transition.^[146]
  • Church in Wales^[147][148] NOTE: A majority supports same-sex marriage; the church said LGBT people can be “honest and open, respected and affirmed”. The church also permits gay priests to enter into civil partnerships.^[149] The church voted to explore approving same-sex marriages and blessings for civil partnerships.^[150]
  • Church of Ireland congregations in Northern Ireland may be affirming NOTE: the denomination remains in conversation as a whole;^[151] in 2011, a senior cleric entered into a same-sex civil partnership and kept his post.^[152]
  • Scottish Episcopal Church.^{[153][154][155]}
  • Church of Scotland^[156] NOTE: As of May 2022, the Church of Scotland permits ministers to conduct same-sex weddings.^[157]
  • The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)^{[158][159][160]} NOTE: Not all Quakers view themselves as Christian; they are however an historically Christian religious group.
  • International Council of Community Churches^[87]
  • Methodist Church of Great Britain^[161] NOTE: The Methodist Conference voted to permit same-sex marriages on Methodist premises by ministers.
  • Unitarian and Free Christian Churches^[162]
  • United Ecumenical Catholic Church^[163]
  • United Reformed Church^[164][165]
  • Open Episcopal Church

Latin America

• Argentina - Evangelical Church of the River Plate^{[citation needed]}
• Argentina - United Evangelical Lutheran Church^{[citation needed]}
• Argentina - Evangelical Methodist Church in Argentina^{[citation needed]}
• Brazil - Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil
• Brazil - Christian Community of God (Authenticists)^{[citation needed]}
• Brazil - Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil (since 1998)^[166]
• Brazil - Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil^{[citation needed]}
• Brazil - United Presbiterian Church^{[citation needed]}
• Chile - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chile^[167]
• Chile - Lutheran Church in Chile^[168]
• Colombia - Methodist Church of Colombia Openly LGBTQ+ pastors may serve in churches and also same-sex/same-gender weddings can be celebrated.
• Costa Rica - Costa Rican Lutheran Church^[169]
• Costa Rica - Episcopal Church of Costa Rica^[170]
• Cuba - Episcopal Church of Cuba^[171]
• El Salvador - Episcopal Anglican Church of El Salvador^[172]
• Peru - Lutheran Church of Peru^[173]
• Mexico - Anglican Church of Mexico NOTE: The Church currently defines marriage between a man and a woman. Clergy have been allowed to be in same-sex relationships. On 2020, three bishops released a statement explaining that they are discussing issues related to the LGBT community and church teaching, and are working towards a common understanding. One bishop has openly spoken in support of same-sex marriage, and became the first Anglican bishop in the country to participate along his diocese in an LGBT Pride Parade in 2021.
• Mexico - Metropolitan Community Churches in Mexico
• Mexico - Ecumenical Catholic Church^[174]
• Mexico - Mision Cristiana Incluyente ^[175]
• Uruguay - Evangelical Church of Uruguay^{[citation needed]}

Australia

• Affirming congregations within the Anglican Church of Australia^[176][177] NOTE: The Diocese of Perth, and other bodies, have voted to support same-sex relationships^[178] The Diocese of Gippsland appointed an openly and partnered gay priest.^[179] Though the Anglican Church of Australia does not have an official policy on homosexuality,^[180] in the Seventeenth Session of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia in 2017, the Anglican Church of Australia passed a motion recognising "that the doctrine of our church, in line with traditional Christian teaching, is that marriage is an exclusive and lifelong union of a man and a woman, and further, recognises that this has been the subject of several General Synod resolutions over the past fifteen years".^[181] In 2018, the Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier, released an ad clerum reiterating the current position that clergy cannot perform a same-sex marriage.^[182]
• Uniting Church in Australia^[183][184]
• United Ecumenical Catholic Church in Australia^[185]
• Metropolitan Community Church^[91]
• Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)^[158]
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