An Indiana pastor, who thought he had the majority of support from his 400-member congregation for his LGBTQ inclusive views, was forced out of the church after appearing in drag on HBO's reality series, We're Here.
Reverend Craig Duke, the former pastor at Newburgh United Methodist Church, appeared on the series to express solidarity with the LGBTQ community.
He also participated to support his 23-year-old daughter, Tiffany, who identifies as pansexual.
The Rev. Craig Duke's pastoral duties have been terminated after he sought to demonstrate solidarity by appearing in drag alongside prominent drag queens in the HBO reality series “We’re Here.” https://t.co/ud3ddQHlo1
— ABC News (@ABC) December 9, 2021
The 62-year-old was nominated and chosen by River City Pride organization–an LGBTQ+ pride group in nearby Evansville–to participate in the Emmy-nominated docuseries because of his vocal advocacy for equality and social justice.
Now in its second season, We're Here is a series led by renowned drag queens Shangela, Eureka O'Hara and Bob the Drag Queen.
They travel to small towns across the US, transforming locals into drag queens and "promoting/creating safe and inclusive spaces for the community's queer population."
In last month's episode, Duke flawlessly lip-synced and danced to Kesha's "We R Who We R."
You can watch a clip of his performance in the video, below.
"It was an incredibly wonderful, refreshing, deepening, powerful spiritual experience," Duke told Religion News Service at the time.
He continued:
"I was surrounded and immersed in a culture that I've never been immersed in, and one of the things in ministry, if you want to involve people different than yourself in your ministry, you have to go to where people different than you are."
"The invitation to be part of the show allowed me that."
But a "prominent" individual, backed by a few other members of the congregation at Newburgh United, strongly objected to his donning drag.
Emails began circulating attacking Duke, who said they "felt personal."
Why are they judging him? At the end of the day,God has the final word! Let people live!
— Susan (@Susan29472116) December 9, 2021
One of the emails from a disgruntled congregant, read:
“You have thrown NUMC under the bus to elevate a minority of individuals."
“You have thrown NUMC under the bus to elevate a minority of individuals,”
This is exactly what Jesus would have said.
— Adam Best (@AdamRobertBest) December 9, 2021
Another email, according to Duke, said "Satan must be pleased with the discord over LGBTQ rights."
This is absolutely heartbreaking. He had a message he preached for years, thought his congregation was behind him, and they backstabbed him out of pure ignorance and hatefulness. God bless this man and his heart. Jesus is proud of him.
— ETHEREUM (@stopsayingthatx) December 9, 2021
Pastor works to create love and inclusion
Lovers of Christ respond with *checks notes* hatred and persecution
Cool. Cool.
— Shaun Benson (@shaunmbenson) December 8, 2021
Prior to the episode being broadcast, some congregation members complained they weren't warned about his appearance on the show, which included some filming taking place at the church.
In response, Duke wrote a letter to the congregation and apologized for damaging their trust in the leadership but said he was "willing and excited to share God’s love with the LGBTQ community on a national level.”
No wonder people are leaving churches in droves. This pastor did a nice and cool thing to support members of his community (the community I grew up in actually) and got punished for it.
— BenTiberius (@BenTiberius) December 9, 2021
This is very disturbing. A pastor showing genuine compassion for a person in his community should always be viewed as a good example.
— Kathy Nather (@mycandiopinion) December 8, 2021
Under United Methodist Church protocol, a pastor does not have the option to resign.
But after being concerned for his mental health due to the backlash, Duke spoke to his immediate supervisor, regional superintendent Mitch Gieselman, and requested to be moved to a different church.
Said Duke:
"It just got to the point where the conflict, the anger grew too much, and so for my mental health, too, I started to back away, and I told my district superintendent that the conflict was so much, it was at such a level from some, that I was unable to be an effective leader."
Insider said the church confirmed in a statement Duke had been "relieved of his duties," following his appearance on We're Here.
The church said:
"While there is a diversity of opinion regarding the moral implications of Rev. Duke's actions, he has not been found to have committed any chargeable offense or other violation of the United Methodist Book of Discipline."
"In short, Craig has reached a place where he feels unable to continue to serve in parish ministry at present."
I'm not a religious person, but I believe in love. It's absolutely wrong what the church did to Pastor Craig for appearing on #WereHereHBO and #Istandwithpastorcraig
— TrashBat (@TrashBat666) December 7, 2021
This is the current state of the church, so when people ha e a problem with the anointed teaching the truth to save souls, this happens because others did not.
Methodist Pastor Craig Duke during his drag performance in an HBO show “We’re Here.” https://t.co/GiN3hXpHWc
— Christine Brejcha (@ChristineBrejc1) December 9, 2021
He wrote to the congregation explaining he was nominated to participate in the series because of the division in both his own church and the UMC.
He expressed his “only hope and goal was and is to bring the message of God’s unconditional love to a community that has been greatly marginalized."
The co-creator and executive producer on We're Here said everyone on the show's team was "heartbroken" over the news.
Our show is intended to bring people together and bridge differences, and we are heartbroken that it would be used to harass and bully such a wonderful pastor out of his ministry. The We're Here family joins with Pastor Craig and his family during this challenging times. https://t.co/1jGUwYZ6xF
— Johnnie Ingram (@JohnnieIngram_) December 6, 2021
This is heartbreaking & so unChristian, @umcjustice @UMNS. Pastor Craig Duke & his family should be elevated within #UMC & the Newburgh congregation should be chastised. Please help/share. @BishopOliveto @revelevans @ShaneClaiborne @itsmejjwarren @UMWomen @RevJacquiLewis @jmcbray https://t.co/znkZbUryRn
— 👂🏼like “Mike”🗣Mich Says #GetVaccinated💉😷 (@MichaelPLS) December 7, 2021
The controversy caused a ripple effect, resulting in the resignation of Duke's wife Linda, who was the pastor of youth ministry.
The church administrative assistant Erin Sexton also resigned.
She and her husband, Chris, organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover living expenses for Duke and his family.
So far, the campaign has raised over $58,600.
"Pastor Craig Duke gracefully engaged a community that has experienced disproportionate church-based trauma and exclusion to proclaim a message of God’s love for all of creation." @inlayterms https://t.co/nfG70I5XDX
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 6, 2021
Duke will still be allowed to live in the NUMC parsonage with a reduced salary from the church, but he and his family must relocate no later than February 28.
"My message all along has been: 'God loves you, period, as you are, where you are.' Not, 'God loves you if —.' God loves you unconditionally, and that hasn't changed," Duke told Religion News Service.
