Steven Kindle was educated in a fundamentalist college and fell under its homophobic influence for several years before rejecting it. Through Clergy United, he consults with clergy and congregations in understanding homosexual issues, conducting seminars and workshops on the Bible and homosexuality throughout the country. Steven holds graduate degrees from Harding Graduate School in Memphis, Tennessee (M.A. Systematic Theology; and M.Div.), and was ordained in 1967, with standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. He has served as senior pastor for two "Open and Affirming" congregations. He is married, lives with his wife in Southern California, and his website is: www.clergyunited.com.

John Rankin was raised a secular humanist, an agnostic Unitarian, prior to his conversion to a biblical and evangelical faith in 1967. He holds graduate degrees in theology from Gordon-Conwell and Harvard, is author of the three-volume series, First the Gospel, Then Politics..., and host of the Mars Hill Forum series on university campuses and other venues. John and his wife Nancy were married in 1977, and have four children. His website is: www.teinetwork.com.

Jerry Seidler served as moderator of the forum. He was Rabbi at the Rutland Jewish Center from 2002 to 2005.


Steven Kindle and John Rankin held a previous forum on 16 April 2004 at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas. They addressed the topic: Is Same-Sex Marriage Good for the Nation?

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