The Rev. Daniel Willson signed on as the Williamsburg Baptist Church’s latest leader with the intention of shaking things up. Under his direction, the church adopted a policy of affirmation toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning — LGBTQ — individuals, and it’s part of a larger effort to promote inclusiveness.
“I felt like there was a lot of opportunity here,” said Willson, a father of four who moved to Williamsburg and took the position at the church in May 2015. “It’s all about a greater understanding of God’s love.”
The church’s updated constitution openly extends membership opportunities to the LGBTQ community, who were previously allowed to join but not so openly encouraged. The change followed a unanimous vote from members present at a July 23 meeting.
“We think this is an important step because our culture continues to be, in many ways, unsafe for LGBTQ people,” Willson said.
One trend that affected him was the prevalence of suicide, depression and other issues within that community. According to the University of Southern California’s Williams Institute, 40 percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
The affirmation policy has resulted in some members leaving the church, located on Richmond Road near the College of William and Mary. But Willson said others began attending specifically because of that message, and others who were previously thinking about leaving chose to stay. The church has seen gays, bisexual and lesbians, as well as parents of LGBTQ children, in attendance.
George Greenia, professor emeritus at William and Mary, a practicing Catholic and a gay man, praised the church’s efforts.
“It’s a wonderful addition to the general spirit of the community,” he said, adding that he knows several gay students who attend services at Willson’s church. For Greenia, it’s important for LGBTQ people to find welcoming churches if they hope to explore their spirituality and deepen their faith.
The communities stories of discrimination and overcoming obstacles can impact other parishioners as well.
“Diversity is our strength,” Greenia said. “Gay people have a lot to contribute to any faith community.”
Greenia commended other local institutions, such as St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Bruton Parish and Rabbi David Katz’s Temple Beth El, for working toward a more inclusive message as well. Unitarian Universalists also incorporate it as one of their core beliefs, which Willson lauded.
An evolution of faith
That message is polar opposite of one such as the Nashville Statement, a declarative opposition to same-sex marriage and gender fluidity signed by a national group of conservative evangelicals — the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood — on Aug. 25. The group was in Nashville for the Southern Baptist Convention.
It’s a worldview familiar to Willson, who was raised by Southern Baptists in an “ultra-conservative context” that opposed drinking, rock music and women wearing pants. But as he grew up and went on to earn two master’s degrees in college — first at Pensacola College and later at Duke — he knew he was fully committed to the LGBTQ community and other causes of social justice.
“I grew up in an environment where we were consumed by questions of the afterlife,” he said. But all the talk of eternal hellfire made him question his priorities. “I began to change my mind about what the Bible is really about.”
He chose to focus on one of the book’s simpler messages: “Love God and love your neighbor.”
“Things became simpler and clearer and more elegant in how it’s put together,” Willson said.
Still, he emphasized that he’s not trying to buck the Bible in favor of cultural trends. He reiterated the church’s ability to sometimes stand against culture, particularly when it prioritizes greed and violence.
Willson also voiced concern about research showing churches are losing young people. He said to address that requires asking some tough questions, such as how to better handle scientific issues and avoid a “crisis of trust” with churchgoers.
“I think the church raises atheists too often, and I don’t want to do that,” he said.
But for Willson, at least, those difficult questions can lead to a sturdier foundation for his faith.
“The faith that I have now is much more beautiful than what I had growing up,” he said. “I find my faith today so much more compelling than my 20-year-old self, but my 20-year-old self would probably call me a heretic.”
Birkenmeyer can be reached by phone at 757-790-3029.
