In order to fulfill its mission to provide effective research and educational programming for clergy, seminarians, church laity, LGBT activists, and the general public on the history and current concerns of LGBTQ people within communities of faith, CLGS is invested in building an intersectional praxis that fosters community building across and within religious affiliation, ethnicity, gender, race and class. In listening to the concerns of a number of local LGBTQ leaders in the African American and Asian/Pacific Islander communities in particular, the Center established the Roundtable Project in 2008. Since then, CLGS’ Roundtable Project has expanded to include the Transgender Religious Roundtable in 2013 and the Jewish Roundtable in 2016.
The Roundtable coordinators collaborate with local and national organizers, lead trainings, courses and workshops, and produce culturally relevant community-based resources for faith communities and LGBTQ people of faith.
CLGS Roundtable Projects:
The African American Roundtable: Fosters dialogue about the intersections between faith, gender and sexuality among black church and faith leaders (including scholars of religion), among black church congregations, among black LGBTQ persons and between each of these constituencies.
The Asian & Pacific Islander Roundtable: Cultivates and brings together coalitions and networks of API LGBTQ and API allies across the country that affirm the dignity and spiritual wholeness of API-LGBTQ people of faith.
The Catholic Roundtable: Builds community among leaders (lay and ordained), scholars, artists, educators, and activists to develop culturally-appropriate programs and resources that affirm the dignity and value of LGBTQ Catholics and allies.
The Jewish Roundtable Project: Brings together scholars, leaders and activists to develop strategic thinking toward building culturally-appropriate programs and coalitions that affirm the dignity and human worth of LGBTQI Jews and allies. Rooted in Jewish tradition, the Jewish Roundtable promotes the exchange of best practices, encourages LGBTQI Jewish leadership, and develops educational resources for Jewish and allied faith communities.
The Latinx Roundtable: Provides Latino/a families and communities with the tools to understand, accept, and affirm LGBTQ person in families, communities, and churches as well as creating dialogue about the intersections of Latino/a and LGBTQ social justice issues.
The Transgender Religious Roundtable: Creates affirming spiritual and religious resources for transgender people, supports trans-identified seminarians, clergy, and other faith leaders, and encourages religious communities, churches, seminaries, and other faith-based organizations in their affirmation of the full dignity of people of all genders.