Thomas Brown

"The place of meeting of sexuality and spirituality is the person of Jesus Christ, who challenges me to be as integrated and differentiated as possible." - Thomas Brown

This episode of Queer Spirit interviewed Bishop Thomas Brown, the 10th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine and the first openly gay man to hold that position. The conversation included details of Brown's journey from a United Methodist Church in Michigan to the Episcopal Church in Maine, the necessity of seeing Jesus Christ as a figure who calls us to be integrated, and how communities and religious congregations prepare themselves to be changed.

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About

On June 22,2019, the Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Brown was ordained and consecrated as the tenth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine – the first openly gay man to be elected to that church office in this state. (The Maine diocese is made up of more than 10,000 people in 59 churches and ministries from Kittery to Fort Kent.) Prior to coming to Maine, Thomas served parishes in Brattleboro, VT and Winchester, MA.

In an earlier interview, Bishop Brown reflected on how New Hampshire some 16 years ago had elected the first openly gay man, Gene Robinson, as bishop of that diocese. Looking back on that time, Brown said, “It was just a great moment for American Christianity – a great moment to proclaim a message of God's love. Change in the culture continues to happen when we are authentic and tell the truth about who we are."