A Timeline of Public Witness
Public memory needs receipts. This timeline gathers the public record around Holy Queer: The Coming Out of Christ. The book did not appear after the conversation became convenient. It entered the public square as Black queer theology, memoir, and prophetic Christian witness in 2023, before later national attention gathered around adjacent works.
A release announcement described Holy Queer as grounded in the Black church experience and as "a journey into the divine souls of Black queer folk that mirrors Jesus Christ."
Read the release announcement →Holy Queer: The Coming Out of Christ by Rev. Karmen Michael Smith was released by Poor Culture Press.
Buy the book →Religion News Service profiled Rev. Karmen Michael Smith and Holy Queer, highlighting Black church inclusion, queer Christian belonging, and the author's critique from inside the tradition he loves.
Read the RNS feature →The Riverside Church Pride Sunday materials listed Rev. Karmen Michael Smith as preacher and identified him as a Black queer theologian and author of Holy Queer.
View Riverside Church materials →Holy Queer was recognized by Religion News Service among notable religion and spirituality books of 2023.
View RNS recognition →Rev. Karmen Michael Smith was featured in "Sacred Harmony: Navigating Faith and Identity," a public conversation connecting Holy Queer to faith, identity, and Black queer witness.
View University of Mississippi event →Coverage of LGBTQ+ Christians and Black queer church life included Rev. Karmen Michael Smith and Holy Queer as part of the national conversation.
Read national coverage →Associated Press coverage of Brandon Thomas Crowley's later book included Rev. Karmen Michael Smith as a voice in the broader national conversation about Black churches and LGBTQ+ Christians.
Read AP coverage →Holy Queer is not a footnote to the conversation. It is part of the record.
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Available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.