Baylor University rejects grant over LGBTQIA+ advocacy requirements

WACO, Texas – Baylor University announced on Wednesday that it has rescinded its acceptance of a grant intended to research inclusion and belonging in the church.

University President Linda Livingstone said the school’s Center for Church and Community Impact would return the money from the grant’s foundation.

The grant was supposed to help the center’s research on inclusion and belonging in the church with a focus on LGBTQIA+ people in congregational settings.

‘Inconsistent with Baylor’s institutional policies’

What they’re saying:

“As we reviewed the details and process surrounding this grant, our concerns did not center on the research itself, but rather on the activities that followed as part of the grant,” Livingstone said. “Specifically, the work extended into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor’s institutional policies, including our Statement on Human Sexuality.”

The school’s Statement on Human Sexuality hasn’t been updated since Oct. 2009 and reads as follows:

Baylor University welcomes all students into a safe and supportive environment in which to discuss and learn about a variety of issues, including those of human sexuality. The University affirms the biblical understanding of sexuality as a gift from God. Christian churches across the ages and around the world have affirmed purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm. Temptations to deviate from this norm include both heterosexual sex outside of marriage and homosexual behavior. It is thus expected that Baylor students will not participate in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching.

Livingstone also reaffirmed the school’s commitment to its “Christian mission” and “historic Baptist identity.”

“We recognize that this situation has caused concern and confusion for many within the Baylor Family and among our broader community of churches, partner organizations, and supporters,” Livingstone said. “This has been a learning opportunity for many involved in this situation, and we aim to work alongside our college and school leaders, faculty, and research community, particularly during these challenging times for higher education.”

Livingston said the school remains committed to its role as a research university that “encourages rigorous inquiry and thoughtful exploration of complex issues.”

She also said it was committed to “providing a loving and caring community for all – including our LGBTQIA+ students.”