Date: February 27, 2023
VTS celebrates the call and holiness of LGBTQIA+ persons, but the story is unfinished. The full narrative of LGBTQIA+ individuals and their experiences on the Holy Hill needs to be heard. Our archivist, Joshua Waits, has taken up this task and is launching Called and Holy: The Virginia Theological Seminary LGBTQIA+ Oral History Project.
Historically, VTS’s gender and sexual policies have mirrored the larger church in ways that have harmed and liberated. This project will give voice to those that have experienced the love and grace of God, as well as pain and harm in regard to their sexuality and gender identity. The archives will record the story of those who lived, struggled, and debated the theology and pastoral concerns that shaped the seminary’s LGBTQIA+ history.
The Bishop Payne Library will house and preserve the voices of seminarians, alumni, faculty, emerita, and staff that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, their allies, and those that debated and shaped seminary policy, as well as the culture surrounding the community throughout our history. Those interested should contact AskArchives@vts.edu.
Please consider adding your voice to the symphony of people that challenged, forgave, and blessed Virginia Theological Seminary with their unique image of God!
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and President of General Theological Seminary