A 14-point statement on gender identity issued Aug. 29 by a little-known organization called as the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW), termed by Christianity Today magazine as "complementarians," drew immediate pushback from other Christians.
Within 24 hours, the "Nashville Statement" was being hotly refuted by a growing number of Christians, as well as the mayor of Nashville, Tenn., who didn't want his community associated with the anti-LGBTQ manifesto.
An ad hoc group calling itself Christians United for LGBT+ Inclusion in the Church posted its own multi-point statement rejecting the CBMW's declaration. The Rev. Morgan Guyton, a frequent contributor to United Methodist Insight from his blog Mercy Not Sacrifice, said he signed on to the Christians United statement because he found it "solid, holistic, orthodox theology."
Popular Lutheran pastor the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber posted the "Denver Statement" on her blog, Sarcastic Lutheran. She noted that the Denver declaration was created by "some of the queer, trans, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, gender-queer, asexual, straight, single, married image-bearering Christians at House for All Sinners & Saints (Denver, Co)."
Religion News Service columnist Jonathan Merritt, a gay man who wrote that his father signed the Nashville Statement, advised those outraged by it to "take a deep breath. [It] won't change anything." He then proceeded to dissect the Nashville Statement as poorly timed, coming in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, as well as being unrepentant for past hurts caused to LGBT+ people by the church, and for attempting marginalize LGBT+ people.