Christianity and homosexuality: contradictory or complimentary? A qualitative study of the experiences of Christian homosexual university students

Abstract

Students at tertiary institutions encounter many challenges beyond academic performance, for some these challenges entail the acceptance of their sexual identity alongside their religious beliefs. For centuries, the acceptance of homosexuality within the Christian religion has been a contentious issue. Whilst some Christians believe that Christianity and homosexuality can coexist, others advocate that the notion is contradictory to the basic tenets of the Christian faith. Homosexuals and bisexuals are generally considered marginalised groups in society, which have experienced discrimination in many ways. Drawing on social identity theory and utilising a qualitative approach this phenomenological research study aimed to explore the individual experiences, views and opinions of ten students about their sexuality and their religion. All participants acknowledged that they were either homosexual or bisexual and considered themselves to be Bible-believing Christians. Snowball sampling was used to identify and invite potential participants to be part of the research study. The researcher used a semi-structured interview schedule to guide the interviews which were recorded with the participants' consent. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The main findings of the research indicated that participants experienced the church as a very unwelcoming environment and fellow Christians as extremely judgemental. Feelings of rejection and of isolation were reinforced by people and a system that participants felt should have been supportive. This study holds potential benefits for educators and counselling practitioners at university institutions as it provides the opportunity to learn about the dynamics and views of this often marginalised group whose religious experiences may adversely impact on their studies.

Studying sexuality: LGBTI experiences in institutions of higher education in Southern Africa

“…Religion forms a big part of the policing of sexuality with homosexuality being highly policed and sanctioned in many religions regardless of Constitutional rights. In their article, Nkosi and Masson (2017) explore being a Christian and a homosexual university student. These articles remind us that with increasing diversity in terms of rural/urban background, cultural diversity and other kinds of 'difference' university spaces could increasingly become contested spaces.…”

Queer desires and emotional regimes in Swedish Free-Church contexts

“…Several studies show that Christian LGBTQ people constitute a particularly vulnerable group in terms of discrimination and exclusion. 9 Internationally, research has examined various areas in relation to LGBTQ, sexuality and Christianity. For example, studies have focussed on changes in views of homosexuality, 10 Christianity and sexuality in relation to gender, 11 attitudes to and negotiations about sexuality, 12 bisexuality and Christianity 13 and experiences of stigma and vulnerability.…”

Queer studies and religion in Southern Africa: The production of queer Christian subjects

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