The Global Law and Development (GLAD) Project for the LGBTQ Rights and Feminism hosted a presentation, delivered by Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, on the pluses and minuses of faith based equality.

Rev. Canon Albert Ogle has lived and worked in Southern California since 1982, when Integrity sponsored his immigration from Ireland and helped to establish a program for high risk street youth in Los Angeles.  He has served in the Diocese of Los Angeles as one of the first openly gay clergy (with Canons Malcolm Boyd and William Leeson).  He was Youth Director of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center and Acting Executive Director in 1985.  Rev.  Ogle was one of the religious leaders active in the San Diego/Orange County region for Marriage Equality.  He worked closely with his community of St. Paul’s Cathedral where he is Residentiary Priest.  Rev. Ogle has been very active with the local Integrity group at St. Paul’s and also serves on the California Council of Churches Impact Board (working on social justice legislative action throughout California).

His presentation focused on how theological/ biblical approaches often deflect the real experience of LGBT people in 76 countries where homosexuality is criminalized.  Financial and moral support for the further marginalization of LGBT people and exclusion from HIV prevention and health services often comes from the USA (recently illustrated by the Federal law suit filed by Sexual Minorities Uganda against American evangelist Scott Lively). According to Rev. Ogle, progressive religious voices within these countries cannot find enough financial support from churches in the USA or Europe because of outdated policies requiring Provincial support of all projects within their jurisdiction. He then pondered the question, “How do we repair our colonial past and move towards God’s invitation to share in God’s reign of justice and peace?”