For years, John Ryan felt sick.
To him, the way he felt about himself and his sexuality were an illness that needed healing, but he didn’t think he could find the cure until he reflected on his spirituality.
“I was always told it was wrong, I pushed it out of awareness and denied it,” says Ryan, of Point Breeze, now 37.
Until he realized that he could come to terms with his faith and come out, Ryan says he couldn’t be his authentic self.
“One of the things that God showed me was that this part of me was very loved,” he says, looking back after 17 years out of the closet.
Faith communities throughout the Pittsburgh area also want to elevate that message, especially during the spring season of Lent celebrated in many Christian churches.
Jeff Miller, a member of the steering committee for Circle of Faith Pittsburgh, says for many working through the coming out process, struggling with faith that rejects them is a difficult process.
“When I finally stopped trying to convince God there was a mistake, I was finally able to accept myself,” he says of his own journey.
The more than 20 faith organizations in Pittsburgh represented by Circle of Faith acknowledge that people are created as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, from a place of love and inclusion.
“Even though we’re all different, faiths are different, faith communities are different, we can all stand together,” Miller says.
Many who reference the Bible often point to edicts of the Old Testament instead of the life of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, Ryan says.
“Christ always welcomed the outcasts,” he says. “Christ is coming from a place of love.”
Ryan wrote a book published last year called “Christ-Centered Consciousness” about his experience to relate to other LGBT people who might find themselves in a similar situation.
“Life is about being true to yourself as God created you and helping other people discover their authentic selves,” says Ryan, now pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling at Duquesne University.
Circle of Faith Pittsburgh is trying to foster a place for that spiritual discovery among the LGBT community, begun during Pittsburgh Pride last year with 250 people who circled the Highland Park reservoir in a gesture of acceptance and inclusion, Miller says. The group is working on a similar event in Market Square this June, he says.
In the communities represented by Circle of Faith–which includes more than just Christian-based groups–the accepting nature of the congregations are apparent but not overwhelming,” Miller says.
“When you go in, you sense that you are welcome no matter what,” he says.
John Ryan’s book, “Christ-Centered Consciousness,” is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com or balboapress.com.
For more information about Circle of Faith Pittsburgh, visit the group’s Facebook page.
