Baylor Backtracks, Returns LGBT Grant over Conflict with Christian Mission
Baylor University on Wednesday reversed course over a controversial grant to study LGBT inclusion within the church, saying it is returning the funds and still affirms the “biblical understanding of human sexuality.” The controversy began June 30 when Baylor’s Center for Church and Community Impact within the School of Social Work said it had been awarded a $643,401 grant to “better understand the disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women within congregations to nurture institutional courage and foster change.” The grant came from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation.
But Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone on Wednesday said the grant’s goal conflicted with the university’s mission. A private Christian university in Waco, Texas, Baylor’s official mission is to “educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.”
Livingstone said the grant’s work wrongly crossed into advocacy.
“Dean Jon Singletary and principal investigator Dr. Gaynor Yancey have voluntarily offered to rescind their acceptance of this grant on behalf of the School of Social Work and return all associated funds to the granting foundation,” Livingstone said. “Provost Nancy Brickhouse and I support this decision and agree this is the appropriate course of action and in the best interests of Baylor University.
“We remain committed to providing a loving and caring community for all – including our LGBTQIA+ students – because it is part and parcel of our University’s mission that calls us to educate our students within a caring Christian community.
“Baylor also continues to strongly uphold the principle of academic freedom. As we reviewed the details and process surrounding this grant, our concerns did not center on the research itself, but rather on the activities that followed as part of the grant,” the president said. “Specifically, the work extended into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor’s institutional policies, including our Statement on Human Sexuality.”
Addressing alumni and supporters concerned about the university’s perceived embrace of LGBT causes, Livingstone wrote: “Please be assured that Baylor’s institutional beliefs and policies remain unchanged. Our commitment to our Christian mission and our historic Baptist identity continues to guide our approach to academics, student life, and spiritual formation. We affirm the biblical understanding of human sexuality as a gift from God, expressed through purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman.”
“We recognize that this situation has caused concern and confusion for many within the Baylor Family and among our broader community of churches, partner organizations, and supporters,” she added. “This has been a learning opportunity for many involved in this situation, and we aim to work alongside our college and school leaders, faculty, and research community, particularly during these challenging times for higher education.
“Baylor remains deeply committed to its unique role as a Christian research university -- one that encourages rigorous inquiry and thoughtful exploration of complex issues. We will continue to support our faculty and researchers in pursuing meaningful scholarship, while ensuring that such work aligns with our institutional processes.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published July 10, 2025.
