While the format of the meeting I had gone to was a traditional Black gospel service, the theme wasn’t: Sexual Activism, Justice and the Bible. The Black Church has historically been the site of Black activism, but can the Black Church combine racial/sexual/spiritual activism? Why not? As one panelist argued “oppression is oppression, hungry20is hungry.”

During American slavery, the Bible was “interpreted” to oppress and control African Americans. Slaveowners hired preachers to read the enslaved people the parts of the Bible that kept their minds enslaved. Many African American Christians are still oppressed by a slave mentality.

According to the panel titled “Allies in Partnership of Faith,” Black homosexuality/bisexuality/transgenderism brings additional layers to that oppression. The panelists challenged African American Christians to read the Bible for themselves so that they can take spiritual ownership of their own sexualities. They discussed how spirituality informs sexuality. The panelists challenged Christians to question what the Bible really=2 0says about gender construction: How can the Bible be read to embrace feminine men and masculine women? They discussed the question: Is homosexuality nurture or nature? (One panelist answered that question with a question, “Does it matter?”). Liberation would require change from the comfort of what we already believe. Change would not be easy; to quote a panelist, “You can8 0t have change and comfort.”

Contrary to what some believe, Christianity and the Bible are not anti-intellectual. Harvard, Yale and other elite universities have divinity schools.

Why did NBJC choose San Francisco to have its conference? On the surface, San Francisco may seem to be an unlikely place for igniting any national African American movement—SGL or not. No one I know would call this city a “Black Gay Mecca.” The African American presence on Castro Street is negligible (if any at all)—even the gay media here marginalizes SGL African Americans.

Did NBJC assumed that San Francisco would be racially progressive because of its reputation for being sexually progressive? I don't know. I do know that in his autobiography, f ormer Mayor Willie Brown plainly stated that San Francisco’s “progressive” City Hall was racist; he wrote about “progressive” San Francisco’s political system deliberately excising African American politicians. Once upon a time, there was a significant African American20presence in San Francisco, but no longer. San Francisco’s Black population has dwindled more than any other major city in America. The African American economic powers have dwindled as well. Black San Francisco’s culture/activism is often dissipated, subsumed, phased out or diluted in the name of “diversity.” Obviously, Black San Francisco has its own unique racial adversity—part of which is “progressive” denial.

However, adversity has often ignited a Black movement. As one NBJC panelist reminded us, “Black activism in the South was spurred by mean white folks in Mississippi.” But San Francisco shows that racial adversity evolves and so Black activism must evolve as well. “Adversity taps our creativity and our possibility,” one NBJC panelist reminded us.

So could NBJC’s town hall meetings, amidst the racial/sexual politics of “progressive” San Francisco, spur a unique national movement? I don’t know, though I do believe NBJC’s town hall meeting served a need. There are SGL African American Christians who need community, gu idance and sharing new ways of understanding the Bible. Perhaps they will reach out to other Christians and spiritual people as well. Maybe these SGL African American Christians will be on the forefront of changing the discussion of sexuality in Black America.

The main problem I had with the NBJC meeting was the lack of dissenting ideas. The panel discussion could have been a lot more dynamic if the listeners had been challenged with some opposing point of views. NBJC brought together “progressive” heterosexual and same gender loving religious leaders, why not have a variety of viewpoints as well? Perhaps a speaker could have proposed an alternative to marriage. Perhaps someone could have pointed out that some of the sexual mores in the Bible helped controlled the spread of fatal, incurable STDs. Perhaps a panelist should have argued that a child was the responsibility of the two people who produced it. Instead, every panelist was pro-gay marriage. Every panelist embraced homosexuality. The discussion became predictable. The panelists were just “preaching to the choir.”

Still, I applaud the participants and the organizers. Everyone I met was warm and friendly. The mood was embracing and upbeat—and yet at times thought-provoking. San Francisco definitely was blessed to have this event.

The National Black Justice Coalition is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Its Religious Affairs Program seeks to change the conversation in America from homosexuality’s being a “sickness” and a “sin” to one of genuine understanding, acceptance and eventual celebration of same-gender loving people.

The National Black Justice Coalition is headquartered in Washington, D. C.

Kheven LaGrone is the editor of “Alice Walker’s The Color Purple,” a collection of literary criticism on the controversial novel.