Troy Perry
Troy D. Perry ( Troy Deroy Perry Jr. ) (born July 27, 1940 ) is an American Protestant theologian and clergyman and the founder of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a Christian denomination that initially focused on the LGBT - Community in Los Angeles . Troy founded the Metropolitan Community Church on October 6, 1968.
Life
Troy grew up in a Pentecostal church, became a preacher in that church and married the daughter of a pastor with whom he has two sons. Over the years, Troy increasingly recognized his homosexual orientation and was no longer able to suppress it. This led to the divorce of his marriage and the end of his office as a Pentecostal preacher.
Establishment of the Metropolitan Community Church
In 1968, after a suicide attempt and after the police arrested a close gay friend who often "bullied" gay bars, his Christian faith grew and he decided to create a Christian haven for homosexual people. Troy ran an advertisement in the gay magazine The Advocate and held the first services in a small rented house. From this the Metropolitan Community Church developed over the next few years, which has now spread to 300 locations worldwide.
Support the human rights movement
Troy became active in numerous LGBT organizations and chaired some of these groups. He had a seat on the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations . In 1978 he was honored by the American Civil Liberties Union with the Humanitarian Award . Troy has received honorary doctorates from Episcopal Divinity School (Boston), Samaritan College (Los Angeles), and Sierra University ( Santa Monica , California) for his civil rights activities; he was also awarded the Humanitarian Award by the Gay Press Association .
In 1977 Troy was invited to the White House by President Jimmy Carter to discuss the legal situation for LGBT people . In 1995 Troy was invited by President Bill Clinton to a conference in the White House to discuss HIV / AIDS , and also in 1997 to a conference in the White House on "hate crimes."
In 2005 he ended his work as a moderator in the MCC. Pastor Nancy Wilson followed him in the MCC. Troy remained active with public appearances and the writing of books.
Marriage in Canada
Troy lives in Los Angeles with his longtime partner Phillip Ray De Blieck, whom he married in 2003 under Canadian law and with whom he celebrated a church wedding in the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto .
After their wedding in Toronto they returned to California , where they are fighting in court for the recognition of their Canadian marriage in the US state of California; the first instance decision was in their favor at the beginning of 2006. The state of California then successfully appealed the decision of the California court of origin. The appeal judgment was given in early October 2006. A revision of the judgment at the highest regional court is now aimed for.
Books
Several books by Reverend Troy have appeared:
- The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay , Autobiography
- Don't Be Afraid Anymore , published by St. Martin's Press
- Profiles in Gay and Lesbian Courage , published by St. Martin's Press
- Is God Gay? , Co-author
- Our God Too , co-author
- 10 Spiritual Truths For Gay and Lesbians * (* and everyone else!) , 2003
Web links
- (Official site of Reverend Troy Perry)
- (Metropolitan Community Churches, official site)
- Profile on Religious Archives Network lgbtran.org
Individual evidence
- ^ Oct 5, 2006. News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007 ; accessed on November 2, 2016 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Perry, Troy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Perry, Troy D. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American Protestant theologian and clergyman |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 27, 1940 |