June 12, 2015
I first saw her picture on a Christian anti-gay website. The caption refereed to her as a “false teacher” determined to “peddle junk religion.” With that endorsement I was sure she would be just the right person to feature for a “Feminism Is” post!
From a recent RNS article:
“I stopped being afraid a long time ago when I realized that negative, angry, unfulfilled people are not in charge of my destiny,” said Flunder, who is married to spouse Shirley Miller. The couple has been together for 30 years. “God’s anointing and favor enables me to rise above negative opinions and to see that there are more people with us than against us. I love living life from this place.”
Here are some facts about her from her public Facebook page:
Bishop Flunder founded the City of Refuge UCC in 1991 in order to unite a gospel ministry with a social ministry. City of Refuge is a thriving inner-city congregation that celebrates the radically inclusive love of Jesus Christ.
In 1984 Bishop Flunder began performing and recording with “Walter Hawkins and the Family” and the Love Center Choir. Other gospel music recordings include “There’s Power “with the City of Refuge Praise Ensemble, “We Won’t Be Silent Anymore” with The Fellowship Mass Choir, and “How Sweet the Sound”, with the Grammy Award winning Chanticleer.
Bishop Flunder is a Trustee and Adjunct Professor at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley California.
And there’s so much more to admire about her!
Read, “Black lesbian bishop Yvette Flunder is ‘using my energy to find peace’” on Religion News Service.
Read “Gay Black Church: An Interview with Bishop Yvette Flunder” on Religion Dispatches.
Listen to a two-part interview on the Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender Religious Archives Network website.
