A Christian bookstore chain in the US will cease selling the works of an author who expressed a positive opinion about marriage equality.
Jen Hatmaker, writer of religious inspired works such as For the Love and A Modern Girl’s Guide to Bible Study, is essentially banned from LifeWay Christian Resources.
The store, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, is unhappy with Hatmaker’s ideas. According to the Christian Post, the writer was asked if she supported marriage equality.
‘From a civil rights and civil liberties side and from just a human being side, any two adults have the right to choose who they want to love,’ Hatmaker said in an interview with the Religious News Service. ‘And they should be afforded the same legal protections as any of us. I would never wish anything less for my gay friends.’
‘Not only are these our neighbors and friends, but they are brothers and sisters in Christ,’ she continued. ‘They are adopted into the same family as the rest of us, and the church hasn’t treated the LGBT community like family. We have to do better.’
A few days after the interview was published, LifeWay announced its decision.
‘In a recent interview, [Hatmaker] voiced significant changes in her theology of human sexuality and the meaning and definition of marriage — changes which contradict LifeWay’s doctrinal guidelines, LifeWay spokesman Marty King said, according to the Christian Post. ‘As a result, LifeWay has discontinued selling her resources.’
Some used Twitter to offer Hatmaker support:
So @JenHatmaker makes LGBT people feel like the church might actually want them and Lifeway stops selling her books https://t.co/pDh1on22Ui
— Julie Rodgers (@Julie_rodgers) October 27, 2016
Hey @JenHatmaker – let’s forgive them. They know not who the hell they crucify. Proud of you, my brave true warrior sister.
— Glennon Doyle Melton (@Momastery) October 28, 2016
Folks who say supporting LGBT people is “the easy way out” need only watch the hateful backlash against Jen Hatmaker. It’s right, not easy.
— Rachel Held Evans (@rachelheldevans) October 26, 2016