Christian Lesbian Singer Jennifer Knapp Tired of Labels, Says 'Love Is Universal'
Jennifer Knapp, a former Christian artist who came out as a lesbian in 2010, said she sometimes feels tired of the labels people place on her, arguing that "love is universal" in the wake of her latest album release.
"Love is universal, that's why you see it so much in the music that we have ... where it contracts and where it succeeds and where it fails. It's the greatest muse for any musician in the history of writing because everybody knows that experience," Knapp said in an interview with Curve magazine published on Monday.
"Obviously, I have a lot to say about LGBTs and the faith conversation because it's affected me personally. But when I'm exhausted by being 'Jennifer Knapp, gay/lesbian, ex-Christian rocker, whatever,' I'm just happy to be able to pick up my guitar and play a song about love," she added.
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"At the end of the day, we all have our own story and our own experience. As a songwriter, that's all that's ever really mattered to me — being able to write about what it's like to be alive, to love, to fail, to succeed, to be spiritual, to doubt ... all that stuff is the gasoline that's running the engine of what I get to do."
"Love Comes Back Around," the album released on Friday, continues Knapp's departure from contemporary Christian music.
The singer gained fame in the Christian music industry in the late 1990s, but left the scene in 2002. In 2010, she came back with a new album, and declared that she is gay.
Knapp explained at the time that she understands where the teaching that homosexuality is a sin comes from, and insisted that while she still believes in God, that teaching "is not one that I could back."
Michael Brown, host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show "The Line of Fire" and president of FIRE School of Ministry, argued in 2014 that Christian stars like Knapp coming out as gay is a sign of "biblical ignorance" and "moral compromise."
"That's what opened the door for Contemporary Christian Music artist Jennifer Knapp to 'come out,' and that's what opened the door for Jars of Clay frontman Dan Haseltine to voice apparent support for same-sex 'marriage' as well as for influential leaders like Rob Bell and Jim Wallis to advocate for redefining marriage," Brown wrote at the time.
"At any other time in Church history, ideas like this would not been countenanced for a split second among committed followers of Jesus who were grounded in the Word, but today, professing Christians are questioning some of the most basic scriptural truths about morality," he added.
"You can expect a lot more surprises in the coming days – both from pastors and music artists – but as painful as this is to witness, it is a necessary separation that will ultimately divide those who seek to change the Word from those who seek to submit to the Word."
