Obama Appoints Openly Gay Man to Faith-Based Council

The White House announced today new members of of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and among the new members is the head of HRC’s faith program. Harry Knox, HRC’s Director of Religion and Faith Program will serve a one-year term on the council, which is composed of religious and secular leaders and scholars from different backgrounds.

According tho his bio on the HRC site, Knox has:

“Seen the creation of a national speakers’ bureau that reaches more than 10 million Americans monthly and a weekly preaching resource that provides scriptural commentary to ministers and lay people interested in an ecumenical gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender perspective on the Bible. He has also been instrumental in creating a national network for 22 progressive state clergy coalitions around the country. Knox has been featured on programs as diverse as “The Michael Medved Show,” the BBC News, PBS, NBC, CBS and national and local newspapers and has co-authored an article on GLBT issues and world religions for Conscience magazine…

Under Knox’s leadership, Georgia Equality was successful in passing the state’s first GLBT-inclusive legislation, the Georgia Anti-Domestic Terrorism Act, and in obtaining domestic partnership benefits for employees at Coca-Cola, BellSouth, Delta Airlines, Atlanta Gas Light and Cingular Wireless. He was the recipient of the 2000 Cordle Award for Promotion of God’s Diversity and Lancaster Theological Seminary’s 2005 Robert V. Moss Medal for Excellence in Ministry. Denied ordination because he is gay, Knox has taken his ministry outside the Church, speaking out for those who have been marginalized and forsaken.”