Clinical Implications for Helping Professionals Learned from the Pastoral Care of LGBTQ+ Youth

Authors

• John Willis Ward, Belmont UniversityFollow
• Heather Deal, Binghamton University
• Gaynor Yancey, Baylor University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Publication Title

religions

Abstract

This qualitative article is informed by queer theory, and more specifically queer theology, and explores how youth ministers in various denominations care for LGBTQ+ teenagers in their congregations. Seven youth pastors from three major denominational groups were interviewed from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), Alliance of Baptists, and Presbyterian Church, USA (PC-USA). Participants had to identify as LGBTQ+ affirming, though their congregations could be in various states of affirmation. Thematic analysis found the following significant categories: confidentiality, implications of whole church engagement, student-led engagement, theology/image of God, and degree of support for identity development.

Recommended Citation

Ward, J. W., Deal, H., & Yancey, G. (2025). Clinical Implications for Helping Professionals Learned from the Pastoral Care of LGBTQ+ Youth. Religions, 16(12), 1556. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121556