A Bill Banning Reparative Therapy Spurred an Unlikely Relationship

Published: Sept. 6, 2018, 2:35 p.m.

This spring, California assemblyman Evan Low introduced legislation that would have designated paid \u201cconversion therapy\u201d services as a fraudulent business practice. Until last week, Low\u2019s measure seemed set to pass. It moved through both of California\u2019s legislative chambers and governor Jerry Brown had shown no sign of opposition. But last Friday, Low quashed his own legislation after meeting with Christian leaders who had expressed concerns about how the bill might affect their ability to minister to those in the LGBT community. \u201cSome would say this is crazy,\u201d Low, who is gay and the chairman of the legislative LGBTQ caucus, told The Los Angeles Times. \u201cWhy would you pause when you don\u2019t need to, when you\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat?\u201d One answer was Low\u2019s relationship with Kevin Mannoia, the former president of the National Association of Evangelicals and a leader in the Free Methodist Church. Over the course of the summer, Mannoia met with and developed a relationship with Low. Last week, Mannoia wrote an op-ed for The Orange County Register expressing his opposition to the bill\u2014and to reparative therapy. Low dropped the bill the next day. In his years working as an evangelical leader, Mannoia has learned to build relationships with those with whom he may disagree. So what does it take? \u201cBeing willing to commit to them as people \u2026 and what we believe to be right and appropriate in reflecting Christ well,\u201d said Mannoia. \u201cNot primarily driven by the political agenda, nor even the possibility that we may be used or manipulated, but simply doing what is right because it\u2019s right.\u201d Mannoia joined Morgan Lee, associate digital media producer, and Richard Clark, director of editorial development for SmallGroups.com and PreachingToday.com, to discuss how this story unfolded and what it says about the future of relationships between evangelicals and the LGBT community in one of the country\u2019s most progressive states.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices