Brandan Robertson
Brandan Robertson (born June 24, 1992) is a gay writer, activist, minister, and TikTok "religious" influencer. [1] He has written on the subjects of millennials, social justice, and Progressive "Christianity", and he is an LGBTQ activist. Robertson serves as the Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in Queens, New York.
Brandan Robertson | |
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| Born | June 24, 1992 Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Theological work | |
| Era | Early 21st centuries |
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Biography
[edit]He became a Christian at the age of 12 in a Baptist church.[2]
In 2014, he received a Bachelor of Arts from the Moody Bible Institute.[3]
In September 2014, Robertson was named the national spokesman of "Evangelicals for Marriage Equality", an organization that sought to encourage evangelicals to support civil marriage equality, even if they were unable to support sacramental marriage equality in the church.[4]
In November 2014, Robertson led the effort to convene a historic meeting between Southern Baptist leaders and LGBT+ movement leaders during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. This meeting opened the doors for conversations and collaboration between some of the most influential religious leaders in America and leading LGBT+ activists. In 2015, Robertson's work was the subject of an MSNBC documentary film about his work to convince Southern Baptist leaders to support marriage equality.[5]
In February 2015, publisher Destiny Image canceled its book deal with Robertson, citing his support for LGBTQ inclusion.[6] The book was later published.
In March 2016, Robertson wrote an op-ed for Time magazine in which he claimed that he could not "in good conscience, remain aligned with the modern manifestation of the [evangelical] movement."[7] Robertson's writing and work now focus on mindfulness, contemplation, and progressive Christianity, rather than espousing traditional doctrines or dogmas of a particular religious denomination.
In 2017, he also obtained a master's degree from the Iliff School of Theology.[8]
In 2017, he became pastor of the Missiongathering Christian Church (CC(DOC)) in San Diego.[9] Robertson also obtained a Masters of Arts in Political Science from Eastern Illinois University in 2020. [10]
In 2022, Robertson began his PhD in Biblical Studies at Drew University.[11] In 2023, Robertson was called as the Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in Queens, New York (interdenominational congregation part of both RCA & UCC). [12]
Personal life
[edit]Robertson previously identified as bisexual, but now identifies himself as gay.[13]
Bibliography
[edit]- Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table (St. Martin's Essentials, 2025)
- Building Your Digital Sanctuary (Cascade Books, 2023)
- Dry Bones and Holy Wars: A Call for Social and Spiritual Renewal (Orbis Books, 2022)
- Filled To Be Emptied: The Path of Liberation for Privileged People (Westminster John Knox Press, 2022)
- Nighttime Devotionals For Teen Boys (Rockridge Press, 2021)
- Strength In Faith: A 52-Week Devotional For Men (Rockridge Press, 2020)
- Nomad: A Spirituality For Traveling Light (Augsburg Books, 2020)
- The Gospel of Inclusion: The Christian Case for LGBT+ Inclusion (Cascade Books, 2019)
- True Inclusion: Creating Communities of Radical Embrace (Chalice Press, 2018)
- Gay and Christian, No Contradiction (Metanoia Media, 2017)
- Our Witness: The Unheard Stories of LGBT Christians (Cascade Books, 2017)
- Nomad: A Spirituality for Travelling Light (Darton, Longman, and Todd Books, 2016)
References
[edit]
- ^ "How Brandan Robertson, a.k.a. the 'Tik-Tok Preacher,' Is Taking on the Anti-LGBTQ Teachings of His Faith". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Alex Morris, How Brandan Robertson, a.k.a. the ‘Tik-Tok Preacher,’ Is Taking on the Anti-LGBTQ Teachings of His Faith, rollingstone.com, USA, June 30, 2021
- ^ Jeff Brumley, Former Southern Baptist youth pastor, now LGBTQ activist, booted from annual SBC meeting, baptistnews.com, USA, June 16, 2017
- ^ Robertson, Brandan. "The Story Behind Our Launch". Time. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ "Evangelizing Marriage Equality Among Evangelicals". MSNBC. MSNBC. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ Dias, Elizabeth. "Young Evangelical Leader Loses Book Deal After Coming Out". Time. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ Robertson, Brandan (March 8, 2016). "Conservative Politics Are Corrupting Evangelicalism". Time.
- ^ Sdvoyager, Meet Brandan Robertson, sdvoyager.com, USA, JANUARY 6, 2020
- ^ Sdvoyager, Meet Brandan Robertson, sdvoyager.com, USA, JANUARY 6, 2020
- ^ Vitae, [1], brandanrobertson.com, USA, October 17, 2023
- ^ Drew University, [2], drew.edu, USA, August 10, 2020
- ^ https://www.brandanrobertson.com/bio
- ^ "Brandan Robertson (@brandanrobertson) • Instagram photos and videos".
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
- 1992 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American LGBT people
- 21st-century Protestant religious leaders
- American bisexual writers
- American LGBT rights activists
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) clergy
- Iliff School of Theology alumni
- LGBT people from California
- LGBT people from Maryland
- LGBT TikTokers
- Moody Bible Institute alumni
- People from Elkridge, Maryland
- Protestant writers
- Queer theologians
- LGBT Calvinist and Reformed ministers