The Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS) has found itself at the centre of a firestorm after students questioned its promotion of an LGBTQ symposium aimed at getting Christians to become more tolerant of the abominable lifestyle.
Students at the institution were shocked when they recently received an email from the school’s Office of Student Affairs inviting them to the LGBT+ Faith and Sexuality Symposium under the theme “Faith and Sexuality in the Jamaican Context – How Might the Two Walk Together?” The event is scheduled for June 19, 2025, in Kingston, and according to the organisers, is intended to explore the intersection of religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ identities.
“This hybrid event offers both in-person and virtual participation and will provide a safe space for respectful dialogue, education, and meaningful connection among individuals from diverse faith and LGBTQ+ perspectives,” the email stated.
The JTS, through its Office of Student Affairs, stated that the symposium is “important” and urged persons interested to submit their names for registration and planning purposes.
“We look forward to your participation in this timely and transformative discussion,” the student affairs office concluded.
But the email has left some of the students at the Christian-based learning institution outraged at what they perceive to be the institution’s blatant support of an event promoting a lifestyle which the Bible strongly condemns. Several of the students have expressed this concern to the leadership.
“This is a Christian institution, and our stance cannot be ambiguous, you know; we need to be clear. Based on the tone of the email, it sounded like we were being encouraged to attend and to keep an open mind. So, that made us very uncomfortable,” one student told the Freedom Come Rain newspaper.
Among those who hit out against the promotion of the event were student body leaders. The students feel the event is aimed at subtly deceiving them into accepting the LGBT lifestyle.
“We have to speak the truth to the LGBT community in love and encourage transformation,” the student stated.
According to the JTS website, the institution was launched in January 1960 to meet the need for the development of evangelical church leaders who could respond appropriately to the cultural, educational, economic, and social challenges of the Caribbean. It provides a university-level programme of study, which it says are taught from a solid Christian foundation. The institution, like most Christian Bible Colleges in the island, has been struggling to attract students in recent years as the society pursues more secular interests.
One student said the institution did not seem to be as firm in its stance to promote the Christian view on societal issues.
“Time gone, JTS would have been unwavering, but no, it’s more like, okay, let’s see how we can meet them in the middle and be more accepting. That’s what we got,” the student stated.
The Freedom Come Rain called several of the numbers listed on the institution’s website to obtain feedback from the leadership, but they all rang without an answer.
The in-person portion of the symposium is to be held at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters and will feature plenary presentations and panel discussions by faith leaders, scholars, and LGBTQ+ activists. Personal stories will be shared, and there will be a breakout dialogue session “to foster engagement and identify community-based actions.”
The event is being hosted by known gay rights lobby groups, the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) in partnership with Christ Church, the Global Inter-Faith Network (GIN), Rainbow Faith and Freedom (RFF) and the UWI Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) Unit on the Mona Campus.
“By promoting the use of inclusive language, the symposium will explore how faith communities can provide pastoral care and support to LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, ensuring a welcoming and affirming environment for all,” stated a document explaining the aim of the symposium.
The event will take an interfaith approach and will see representation from “varying faith spaces” and representatives from different religious traditions, who are expected to share their perspectives and insights on faith and sexuality.
It clearly states that the aim of the symposium is “to create a safe space for open and respectful dialogue on topics like same-sex attraction, gender identity, and diverse sexual orientations in the context of faith.”
Given the expressly stated focus of the symposium, the Christian students believe the agenda is more on finding a middle ground rather than evangelising and getting those in the LGBT community to acknowledge that their lifestyle contravenes God’s laws.
“We started speaking out because we realised that they were not interested in being transformed; they were more interested in how can we meet in the middle? How can they co-exist with us? How can they infiltrate the church/faith communities? How can we be more tolerant and accepting of them? That is what we got, and that’s why we started pushing back, and you know, the leadership of the school didn’t seem as firm,” the student stated.
But despite the backlash, the institution has remained firm in its stance to facilitate students attending the event. The Office of Student Affairs in a follow-up email said it was not endorsing the event, but the school is seen as a faith-based institution and was invited to be a part of the conversation. An apology was tendered for triggering any confusion, and those who expressed an interest in attending were acknowledged, with a promise to submit their names.
The event seems to have secured the endorsement of other theological colleges on the island. A preliminary agenda for the event shows that it is to be moderated by former dean of studies and lecturer at St Michael’s Theological College Dr. Anna Kasafi Perkins. One of the main presenters will be Reverend Marjorie Lewis, a minister in the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and past president of the United Theological College of the West Indies. She is also a past general secretary of the Jamaica Council of Churches. Also expected to moderate one of the panel discussions, is Dane Lewis, who for years, served as the executive director of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays.