Major Mile Marker: Iconic Baptist University Christens Its First LGBT Student Org

Every now and then, a news story serves as a major marker of cultural change. File this one thusly.

Texas’s Baylor University — an icon in American Christian education — has charted its first LGBT student organization.

On April 20th, the Baylor Lariat delivered the news:

Baylor officially chartered Prism, an LGBTQ+ and allies student organization, on Tuesday after beginning its process back in the fall of 2021.

Heber Springs, Ark., senior and Prism president Lor Duncan said last fall, Student Activities had several listening sessions with different members of the Baylor community. From there, four student volunteers were picked to help create a constitution to begin the process of the charter.

It seems there’ll be secrets involved:

Duncan said the team created their constitution and membership agreement to protect students who have not come out yet. Duncan said there were a lot of people involved in the process of chartering the organization, including both students and faculty.

The group’s mission statement, as listed on the Baylor Connect page:

The mission of Prism serves Baylor University and its students through creating a respectful space that embraces diverse sexual identities (community) focused on continuous learning for the Baylor community, giving voice for LGBTQ+ students to the administration (care), and creating opportunities for all students to access resources through connection, belonging, and education.

More from Lor, courtesy of Waco’s KWTX:

“We are providing not only a space for LGBTQ+ students to have a community and have respectful discussions about sexuality, gender identity, and how those things can intersect with faith and spirituality, but we also want to provide resources; educational, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional.”

It’s not something one might’ve expected from a Christian school. But Christian institutions — and Christianity — are changing. And not just in ways related to homosexuality and transgenderism:

Christian University’s Residence Hall Gets ‘We’re Here! We’re Queer!’ LGBT Mural

Christian Divinity School Recites Prayer to the ‘Great Queer One,’ Who’s a ‘Drag Queen and Trans Man’

Christian Church Will Host Drag Show for Youth Ages 12-18

Christian Church Leads Prayer to the ‘God of Pronouns,’ the ‘Great They/Them’ Who Breastfeeds

Christian University Directs Students to Islamic Center, Offers the Quran to Praying Students

Catholic University Speaker Calls for Christians to ‘Crucify Their Whiteness’

Christian Speaker Gets Canceled by Christian College for Teaching Christian Students Christian Ideas

Back to Baylor, not only is it Christian, but Baptist.

LGBT promotion has also recently made news in another most unlikely place — the state of Alabama:

New Public Charter School Specializes in LGBT Affirmation — in a Rose-Red Statehttps://t.co/uwsNdrGNvd

— Alex Parker (@alexparker1984) May 27, 2022

When the Rainbow thrives in the Baptist church and the Bible Belt’s buckle, America’s transformation is complete.

The Christian faith was once known for its rigidity, perhaps most of all where sex was concerned. And the belief in a Creator centered on the notion that “male and female He created them.”

But these days, male and female just aren’t enough.