For the Bible Tells Me So
Progressive Christians Uniting and
St. Matthew’s Church Sponsor Screening and Discussion on Faith and Homosexuality

Glendale, CA, November 30, 2007. Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU) and St. Matthew’s Church of Burbank/Glendale invite the public to a free screening and discussion of For the Bible Tells Me So, the new, award-winning documentary on the painful clash between faith and sexuality. The screening will be held on January 27th at 6:00 PM at St. Matthew’s Church,1920 W.Glenoaks, Glendale. A discussion led by St. Matthew’s Senior Pastor, The Rev. Keith Banwart, Jr. and The Rt. Rev. Paul Egertson, Bishop Emeritus of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, will follow the film.

Through the experiences of five Christian American families – including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson – we discover how thoughtful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child and navigate through the painful attitudes of some in religious communities. The debate over sexual orientation remains an issue on which Christian denominations splinter. Insightful voices such as those of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Harvard’s Peter Gomes discuss how religious communities have often used a misinterpretation of scripture as a foundation for church-sanctioned anti-gay bias and have caused great pain to GLBT people and their families. .

Progressive Christians Uniting, founded ten years ago to support Christian theology and activism in support of peace and justice, has always advocated full inclusion of GLBT people in the church and in society. St. Matthew’s Church is a GLBT welcoming congregation and is one of twelve “Reconciling in Christ” congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Representatives from Progressive Christians Uniting and from several open and affirming congregations will be present.

The public is most cordially invited to attend. A free-will offering to defray the costs of the program will be received.