06/12/2026
Su Yon Pak, Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Union Theological Seminary, argues that far-right political efforts to use gender and s*xuality as "culture war" tools are a power grab that distracts Christians from the Gospel’s true mission: caring for "the least of these." Pak emphasizes that historical and contemporary focus on policing s*xual morality serves to deter the church from its actual mandate to "release the captive, feed the poor, and heal the sick." She contends that faith is not only compatible with q***rness but that q***r experiences can actually support and deepen one’s faith. By advocating for a return to the Gospel’s core principles of radical love, acceptance, and inclusion, Pak suggests that the path forward lies in building personal relationships, fostering community, and focusing on proximity—showing up for one another—rather than engaging in the divisive rhetoric currently dominating the political sphere.