Fuller says some churches allow same-sex marriage. But ban on married gay students remains.

During its May meeting, the board of a prominent evangelical seminary reaffirmed its belief that LBGTQ relationships are not in line with biblical teachings. However, the president of Fuller Theological Seminary acknowledged in an email to supporters that some Christian denominations do approve of same-sex relationships, a departure from the usual stance of evangelical seminaries.

The acknowledgment that faithful Christians in different denominations may have varying views on same-sex relationships has raised questions about whether married gay students from affirming denominations would be welcome at the school, and what would happen to faculty members who support same-sex marriage. Despite these discussions, there has been no official change to the seminary’s policy banning LBGTQ relationships for students.

Recent events have tested the school’s community standards, including a lawsuit filed in 2019 by a former student who was dismissed for violating the policy by being married to another woman. Another student was expelled for refusing to support the school’s views on sexuality in 2024. The school’s president appointed a task force to review its stance on sexuality, and a draft policy proposed allowing students from traditions that affirm LGBTQ relationships to live according to their beliefs while at Fuller.

In a recent email update, the Fuller president confirmed the school’s current position on sexuality while acknowledging that some Christians have different views. He emphasized the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives while maintaining the institution’s commitment to historic Christian teaching. The school will continue to develop guidelines for faculty and students to uphold its commitments on marriage and human sexuality.

Fuller Theological Seminary, founded in 1947 by radio evangelist Charles Fuller, is one of the largest evangelical seminaries in the United States. Despite differing views among faculty members, the school’s community standards regarding same-sex relationships remain unchanged on its website.

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