A previous version of this article was published by the Institute on Religion and Democracy
Baylor University rejected a $643,401 grant to study “the disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women” in the church. Baylor President Linda Livingstone announced the decision this afternoon, reaffirming that the viewpoints promoted by the research conflicted with traditional Baptist teaching on sexuality.
“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,” Livingstone wrote.
The grant to Baylor’s Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) originally aimed to develop training resources for churches and take “concrete steps toward genuine inclusion” of LGBTQ+ people.
Garland School of Social Work dean Jon Singletary and C3I director Gaynor Yancey have agreed to rescind their acceptance of the grant. The grant funds will be returned to the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, a nonprofit that supports progressive causes and has previously donated to Baylor’s C3I.
Livingstone informed the Baylor community that the university remains committed to being “a loving and caring community for all—including our LGBTQIA+ students.” Livingstone also emphasized that the university continues to value academic freedom.
The announcement acknowledged the confusion and pushback surrounding Baylor’s acceptance of the grant.
“Please be assured that Baylor’s institutional beliefs and policies remain unchanged. … 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,” the Baylor president wrote.