Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Religion News
Danny Cortez is a Dangerous Man

Danny Cortez is a Dangerous Man

Last updated on: December 12, 2014 at 9:26 pm by Jeff Hood

Danny Cortez is a Dangerous Man 2014-12-12T21:26:12-06:00 Jeff Hood

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Darkness filled the sky and night was upon me. Throughout my drive to the airport, I thought about the death of my grandmother. I was hurting. The last thing I wanted to do was entertain a former Southern Baptist pastor from California. Though I invited Danny Cortez to speak to multiple groups in North Texas, I just wasn’t in it when I pulled up to the curb at the airport. Danny is an unassuming man small in stature and quick to smile. When he got in the car, I tried to strike up some small talk. Desperate to engage the greatest theological questions of our time, Danny wasn’t interested in small talk.

Our group was bigger than the venue and we had to find space with more room. Upon finding a suitable location, Danny Cortez started to tell his story. From the people that he sent to repairative therapy to the lesbian that has become one of his dearest friends to his gay son, we encountered the intensity with which Danny has wrestled with questions of orientation and gender. The conversion of Danny to a place of supporting full inclusion was a process. Though he knew it would cost him his job, Danny decided to tell his Southern Baptist congregation that he had changed his mind and now supported the celebration and participation of all people in the life of the church. Ultimately, Danny persuaded his church to keep him as their pastor and agree to disagree about issues of human sexuality and gender. The Southern Baptist Convention wasn’t having it and kicked them out not long after the decision. In the group, most of the people listening didn’t even think that such a church was possible. Danny repeated the same conclusion over and over again throughout the visit to every group and in every venue, “As Christians, we must believe that the process is just as important as the destination.”

From a home to a large progressive Baptist church to the largest LGBT church on the planet, Danny Cortez did not stop talking about love and embracing the other. Though I am much more radical and abrasive than Danny, his message caused a tremendous stirring in my soul. How do I treat those I disagree with? How do I love those who know nothing but hate? What would Jesus do in this age of polarities? The questions are not the most profound pieces of theology that I can muster, but I am more interested in following Jesus than profundity. I know that the follower of Christ must love well along the way. By choosing to believe that all people have value regardless of their beliefs and daring to seek to love them all, Danny is a dangerous man for all sides. Jesus was too.

Amen.

fresh writings

Thoughts

Broadway Baptist Church

California

Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ

New Heart Community Church

queer

repairative therapy

southern baptist

Southern baptist Convention

Southern Baptist preacher

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

spirit

theology

Wilshire Baptist Church

Previous Post

December 12, 2014

My Message at the Funeral of Frances Hood...My Grandmother

Next Post

December 16, 2014 poetic words thought in the struggle

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Danny & Jeff fresh writings latest poetics north texas fellowship of reconciliation Sermon theology from death row Thoughts Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Assyrian king threatened Jerusalem and received a prophecy from Isaiah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nebuchadnezzar Shalmaneser Sennacherib Tiglath-Pileser