BY: DM
Published 5 days ago
Baylor University has secured a $643,401 grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation to study and foster inclusion for LGBTQIA+ individuals on its campus. The institution, steeped in Baptist traditions, traces a rocky path when it comes to LGBTQIA+ students. But lately, that path’s gaining traction.
In 2015, Baylor lifted its official ban on “homosexual acts,” swapping it out for language affirming a “biblical understanding of sexuality.” That change reflected shifting campus views, but it didn’t mean official club recognition or sweeping support. In response to the growing noise, Baylor’s Board of Regents agreed to explore how LGBTQIA+ students could be supported, while keeping in line with the university’s biblical values, according to Texas Monthly. The school eventually approved a new group called Prism, but only under tight restrictions. It couldn’t promote or advocate for sexual relationships outside of a biblical marriage.
Now, the university is taking its initiatives a step further. With the help of the new grant, Baylor will begin exploring ways to make LGBTQIA+ students safer on their 180-year-old campus.
Baylor University is becoming more LGBTQIA+-friendly.
The grant Baylor received on June 30 will have a huge impact on the religious university. This investment will fund the “Courage from the Margins: Inclusion and Belonging Practices for LGBTQIA+ and Women in Congregations” study program. Baylor’s Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work leads the multi-phase research initiative.
Under the terms of the award, C3I will begin research activities this summer. The team will recruit two cohorts of 25 university students to participate in confidential interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Data collection will continue through Fall 2025. Afterward, the team will pilot trauma-sensitive training materials at a regional convening of congregations. Success metrics will include attendance, feedback on inclusive language adoption, and follow-up surveys to gauge shifts in congregational practices.
“We are always so grateful for the support and encouragement of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation for our ongoing research in assisting congregations in ministering to marginalized populations,” said Dr. Gaynor Yancey, C3I director. “For several years, they have assisted us with funding for research to study the inclusionary practices of congregations with people who are marginalized in numerous ways.”
Dr. Jon Singletary, dean of the Garland School, also praised the foundation’s vision. “The generous support of the Baugh Foundation allows C3I to deepen its work at the intersection of faith, justice, and community and is both timely and essential,” he said in a statement. “Congregations have the potential to be spaces of healing and belonging, yet too often they become sources of exclusion and harm.”
The study’s findings will be made available to the public.
Baylor’s study will expose how institutional betrayal—through exclusion from activities, family rejection, or spiritual harm—shapes the faith journeys of LGBTQIA+ individuals. It will then turn those insights into action. The research team develops practical, trauma-sensitive training tools to help congregations practice real inclusion. They also pilot a curriculum that focuses on cultural humility, trauma-informed ministry, and clear steps toward belonging.
Once they complete the project, the team will share their findings widely through online publications, digital platforms, faith-based conferences, and peer-reviewed articles, giving congregations nationwide the tools to build more welcoming communities inspired by Baylor’s work.
Do you think Baylor’s new grant signals real change, or just good PR? Comment below!
