Mormon Church Reverses - Announces Children Of LGBTQs Can Be Baptized

The Mormon Church, aka the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has announced a reversal of its 2015 policy and will allow the children of LGBTQ parents to be baptized.

Beginning immediately, LGBTQ parents will be able to request a blessing for their child or children.

At the age of eight, a Church member will contact the parents and propose that the child have a baptism.

“Effective immediately, children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender may be baptized without [governing] First Presidency approval,” the church posted on its website, "if the custodial parents give permission for the baptism and understand both the doctrine that a baptized child will be taught and the covenants he or she will be expected to make.”

The announcement for the new policy was made at the Church’s 189th Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City today by President Dallin Oaks.

While certainly good news, the Church’s position on same-sex marriage will remain unchanged with gay Mormons being expected to remain celibate.

The church's doctrine will remain that having same-sex attraction is not a sin, but acting on it is.

However, the Mormon church will no longer label same-sex couples "apostates." An apostasy is the abandonment of a religious or political belief or principle.

The church added that the shift in policy positions come, in part, as an effort "to reduce the hate and contention so common today."

This all comes on the heels of the Governor of Utah signing a new, tougher hate crimes law to help, in part, address anti-LGBTQ violence.

The Trevor Project's Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy & Government Affairs, issued this statement in support of the change in policy:

"The Trevor Project welcomes any faith group's public commitment to treat the LGBTQ community fairly and equally, and this statement by the LDS Church to change course is a move in the right direction that will make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ Mormons. We hear from LGBTQ young people in crisis every day who struggle to reconcile being part of both the LGBTQ and faith communities, and decisions to end policies of exclusion can help LGBTQ youth feel seen, loved, and less alone."

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.

And Zeke Stokes, Chief Programs Officer for GLAAD, tweeted this:

This change demonstrates that hearts and minds are changing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There is no conflict between being a person of faith and being LGBTQ or loving our LGBTQ friends, family, and neighbors. https://t.co/i2z5DGIakY

— Zeke Stokes (@zekestokes) April 4, 2019