The following letter is written by Rev. Dr. Brian Henderson. Brian is a pastor living in Denver, Colorado.

Dear Dr. Duffett:

I am an alumnus of Eastern College ’96, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary ’99, and Palmer Theological Seminary ’09, and through my educational and theological journey, it was my experience through Eastern that after decades of suppression, I found the courage and conviction to be true to my reality…that being a man who is gay. I’ve worked through and continue to work through so much to be true to who I am.

It is beyond insult that you and Ron Sider would sign the letter addressed to President Obama requesting the right to discriminate against people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, or otherwise. If this is the direction you are leading Eastern University and its schools, you are standing on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the Gospel, and further, you have no place being president of the institution that has sought to present the whole gospel, to the whole world, through whole persons.

Please, stand on the right side of history. Do not malign so many of Eastern’s students and alums who are out and still closeted solely because we are the humans we are.

Sincerely,

Brian Henderson, DMin, MDiv