May 9, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
A Sunnyside pastor is set to release a new book exploring the intersection between queer identity and the Christian faith, offering a “lifeline to millions of people” who have been told to choose between their sexuality and their religion.
Rev. Brandan Robertson, pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in Queens, is set to release “Queer & Christian: Reclaiming Our Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table”, on May 25 with an event at Manhattan’s Middle Collegiate Church.
In Queens, the book launch celebration will take place on Thursday, May 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Sanger Hall, 4820 Skillman Ave. The event will feature Robertson in a talk, reading and Q&A moderated by Guiseppe Spolentini.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Registration is required to attend.
Robertson, who came out as gay while he was in college, said his own experiences and struggles inspired him to write the forthcoming book.
Robertson said he wrestled with his faith for four years, struggling to “remain faithful” so that he could become a pastor and “please God”. He said he even underwent a year of conversion therapy before realizing that he could no longer “lie to himself”.
The Sunnyside-based pastor argues that the Bible is “not as clear on LGBT issues” as his church made him believe, stating that he hopes his book will spark inclusion in Christianity and help members of the LGBT community “reclaim their rightful place in God’s church.”
“It was important to create an accessible guide to help encourage LGBT people that there is space for them within the Christian church and within God’s love, and to help equip Christian allies of the LGBT community to know how to respond when people say that the Bible is anti-gay, or how to respond when people say you can’t be gay and Christian,” Robertson said.
He added that he also hopes to combat a perceived rise in right-wing Christian nationalism across the US, stating that anti-gay rhetoric within the Christian faith can be “tremendously harmful” for young people struggling with their sexuality.
“Even as a 12-year-old, while I didn’t know I identified as gay… I remember very vividly hearing my pastor say that homosexuality was an abomination, and I knew intuitively that that was about me,” he said. “That led me to years of anxiety and depression.”
He cited studies indicating that young people are five times more likely to have suicidal ideations if they grew up in a conservative religious household while struggling with their sexuality.
“As a pastor, I sit with 60-year-olds who are coming out and telling me about a lifetime of shame and mental health struggles that they’ve had to go through as they’ve tried to conform to conservative Christian beliefs.”
Robertson has planned a 40-city tour to promote the book after its release, with a specific focus on conservative regions in the South and Midwest.
“I know that those communities are feeling distress, and I know that LGBT people are being targeted in very real ways,” Robertson said.
However, he also pointed out that Sunnyside Reformed Church has not been immune to anti-gay rhetoric despite its location in an ostensibly more liberal part of the country.
Sunnyside Reformed Church is located at 48-03 Skillman Ave. Via Google Maps
Robertson said the church has received numerous angry phone calls and letters simply because it has a gay pastor. He also noted that there are at least 50 churches in New York City that still carry out conversion therapy.
“The reason I’m going to the South and the Midwest is because those communities exist and they’re doing the real hard work, because the majority of people surrounding those churches, for instance, are probably right-wing Republicans who do think being gay is a sin.”
Robertson believes homophobia and transphobia have been emboldened by the Trump Administration, citing President Donald Trump’s executive order making it US policy that there are only two genders.
“Of course you’re going to feel emboldened to step out and allow your own transphobia or homophobia to be more vocal,” Robertson said.
Robertson’s book has received endorsements from a number of prominent national and international figures, including former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, who described the book as an invitation to all Christians to “ponder” the message of the Bible. Former CNN presenter Don Lemon, meanwhile, described the text as “essential” for anyone looking to reconcile their identity with their spirituality.
Robertson said he hopes the book will let all LGBT Christians “know the truth” that they have always been welcomed by God and encourage them to explore progressive and inclusive faith. The book will also answer a number of frequently asked questions, including practical and theological guidance on coming out, dating, and engaging with non-affirming Christians.
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