MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Baylor University is returning a $640,000 grant that was awarded to study the inclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people in church settings, just days after announcing it to the public.
- The university cited concerns that the grant activities extended into, "advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor's institutional policies."
- Paul J. Williams, head of the Baylor University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association (not affiliated with the university), called the decision "incredibly cowardly" and believes it was motivated by pressure from conservative donors.
- According to Baylor Univeristy President Dr. Linda Livingstone, the dean of the Garland School of Social Work and the principal investigator "voluntarily offered" to return the grant funds.
- While some Baylor students and alumni supported returning the grant, Williams expressed concern that the decision sends a message that Baylor is not welcoming to LGBTQ+ students, though President Livingstone stated the university remains, "committed to providing a loving and caring community for all."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Baylor University is returning a $640,000 grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation that was awarded to The Center for Church and Community Impact to study the inclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people in church settings, just days after announcing it to the public.
The university cited concerns that the grant's activities extended, "into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor's institutional policies."
"I find this so incredibly cowardly and I find it unindicative of a university that is trying so hard to be a tier one university that it would send back a grant for any sort of research," said Paul J. Williams, the head of the Baylor University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association, an organization not affiliated with the university.
The grant supported the center's academic research aimed at exploring inclusion and belonging in the church, with a particular focus on LGBTQIA+ individuals in congregational settings.
Williams believes the decision was financially motivated.
"It was very clear to me that the university got pushback from very conservative people who are probably major donors, and that President Livingstone felt no other option than to rescind the offer and return the money," Williams said.
In a statement, Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone said the dean of the Garland School of Social Work and the principal investigator voluntarily offered to rescind their acceptance of this grant and return all associated funds, a decision she stated is, "in the best interest of Baylor University."
Livingstone clarified that their concerns, "did not center on the research itself but rather on the activities that followed as part of the grant, specifically the work extended into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor's institutional policies."
Some Baylor University students and alumni 25News Reporter Dominique Leh spoke with agreed with the decision to return the grant but felt the university shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
Williams told me the decision sends a message to LGBTQ students that Baylor is not a welcoming place. However, in her statement, President Livingstone said, "We remain committed to providing a loving and caring community for all—including our LGBTQIA+ students."
The original announcement Baylor University made of accepting the grant can be read below,
Baylor University:
“The Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) has been awarded a $643,401 grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation to foster inclusion and belonging in the church. Through academic research, this grant will help us better understand the disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women within congregations to nurture institutional courage and foster change.
“We are always so grateful for the support and encouragement of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation for our ongoing research in assisting congregations in ministering to marginalized populations,” said Dr. Gaynor Yancey, C3I director and the Lake Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Congregational and Community Health. “For several years, they have assisted us with funding for research to study the inclusionary practices of congregations with people who are marginalized in numerous ways.”
Many LGBTQIA+ individuals and women experience what researchers call "institutional betrayal" within their faith communities – situations where the institutions they depend on for spiritual support fail to protect them or even actively harm them. This might involve exclusion from church activities, family estrangement and painful conflicts that leave lasting emotional wounds. This study, Courage from the Margins: Inclusion and Belonging Practices for LGBTQIA+ and Women in Congregations, prioritizes their voices, giving them a safe space to share their experiences and guide positive change within faith communities. Central to this work is C3I's focus on those who have felt the brunt of institutional betrayal from congregations and the team’s desire to illuminate the fundamental human needs for belonging and support.
“This grant will focus on the lived experiences of emerging adults. It will assist us in filling out the bigger picture of congregations' practices that result in an environment of belonging,” Yancey said. “Through our research, we want to expand our picture of what congregations do and do not do in their caring practices with all people about their experiences of belonging.”
Researchers will recruit two groups of 25 individuals from across the country (ages 18-24) to a series of confidential interviews, focus groups, and surveys to facilitate a deeper understanding of their lived experiences with congregations. Information gleaned will directly inform trauma-sensitive training resources that C3I will develop for congregational use, providing guidance on inclusivity and institutional courage. C3I will pilot the curriculum at a gathering of congregations, measuring success through attendance and feedback specific to what a congregation plans to implement, such as the adoption of more inclusive language. Findings will be shared through online publications, digital platforms, faith-based conferences and academic articles.
Social work values and competence through the ethical integration of faith and practice prompt C3I to constantly and consistently nudge faith-based organizations to be proactive in establishing institutional courage. The study will help congregations develop:
· greater cultural sensitivity and humility,
· trauma-informed approaches to ministry,
· concrete steps toward genuine inclusion, and
· environments where all members can thrive.
“The generous support of the Baugh Foundation allows C3I to deepen its work at the intersection of faith, justice and community and is both timely and essential,” Dr. Jon Singletary, dean of the Garland School, said. “Congregations have the potential to be spaces of healing and belonging, yet too often they become sources of exclusion and harm. This grant equips us to listen deeply, study carefully and partner faithfully with churches seeking to become more just and welcoming communities.”
At C3I, they "believe that when congregations thrive, they become sources of strength and support for individuals, families and communities" which is why the C3I team is excited about the potential this research has to bring about meaningful change and lasting impact. Listening to and understanding the stories of these often-marginalized populations can promote a trauma-sensitive sense of belonging, cultural humility and institutional courage in congregations.
“This is about our hearts, for sure, and how we act on God's softening of our hearts toward those who live life in the margins and shadows, rarely experiencing a sense of belonging,” Yancey added. “Congregations are uniquely positioned in community life to be those places of care."
For more information, contact C3I at C3I@baylor.edu. “
President Livingstone's message to the Baylor family can be read below:
Dear Baylor Family,
I want to provide an important update regarding a recent matter involving a grant awarded to the Center for Church and Community Impact within the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. This grant supported the Center's academic research aimed at exploring inclusion and belonging in the church, with a particular focus on LGBTQIA+ individuals in congregational settings.
Dean Jon Singletary and principal investigator Dr. Gaynor Yancey have voluntarily offered to rescind their acceptance of this grant on behalf of the School of Social Work and return all associated funds to the granting foundation. Provost Nancy Brickhouse and I support this decision and agree this is the appropriate course of action and in the best interests of Baylor University.
We remain committed to providing a loving and caring community for all – including our LGBTQIA+ students – because it is part and parcel of our University’s mission that calls us to educate our students within a caring Christian community.
Baylor also continues to strongly uphold the principle of academic freedom. 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. 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.
Please be assured that Baylor’s institutional beliefs and policies remain unchanged. Our commitment to our Christian mission and our historic Baptist identity continues to guide our approach to academics, student life, and spiritual formation. We affirm the biblical understanding of human sexuality as a gift from God, expressed through purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman.
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. 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.
Baylor remains deeply committed to its unique role as a Christian research university — one that encourages rigorous inquiry and thoughtful exploration of complex issues. We will continue to support our faculty and researchers in pursuing meaningful scholarship, while ensuring that such work aligns with our institutional processes.
I hope this communication provides clarity into what has been a difficult week for many within the Baylor Family. Thank you for your prayers and continued support for Baylor University.
Sincerely,
Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President
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