ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the religious orientations of gay, lesbian and bisexual Christians in the UK. It presents research evidence which suggests that the self plays a far greater role than church authority as the basis of the respondents' Christian faith. The data are drawn from a national survey of 565 self-defined non-heterosexual Christians, which was designed to examine a host of issues in relation to sexuality and spirituality. Qualitative data from questionnaires and interviews, suggests that the respondents, if asked to choose, would consider 'spirituality' rather than 'religiosity' as a more accurate description of their Christian faith. The respondents' personal experiences of possessing 'problematic' sexualities significantly inform the construction and expression of their Christian identities. The reliance on the self, while drawing upon a broad Christian framework, has led to much diversity within the gay, lesbian and bisexual Christian community in terms of, for instance, theological orientations, involvement in political activism and lifestyles, as well as sexual values and practices.
