Author of the “Gospel of Inclusion” joins other faith leaders calling on the Illinois House of Representatives to pass marriage equality during fall veto session
CHICAGO — Bishop Carlton Pearson, “a voice of reason in a world of extremes,” will deliver the keynote speech at the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality on Tuesday, October 22. A progressive teacher, activist, leader and peace agent, Bishop Pearson is the founder and spiritual director of New Dimensions Chicago, a multicultural and inclusive “metacostal” spiritual community that emphasizes expanded consciousness, inclusive love and self-actualization.
Bishop Pearson is the author of “The Gospel Of Inclusion” and his most recent book is titled “God Is Not A Christian, Nor A Jew, Muslim, Hindu…God Dwells With Us, In Us, Around Us, As Us.”
Bishop Pearson joins a roster of LGBT leaders and their allies, plus representatives of the broad coalition working to make Illinois the 14th state to provide equal access to the freedom to marry. Other faith leaders will also speak at the rally alongside leaders from the LGBT, labor, immigration, women’s health, business and sports communities. Religious leaders also speaking at the rally include:
Pastor Jamie Frazier, Senior Pastor, Lighthouse Church
Rev. Mark Kiyimba, Leader of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala, Uganda
Pastor Rachelle Brown, Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Martin Woulfe, Minister, Springfield Unitarian Universalist Church
The March on Springfield rally will take place from 1 to 2:30 pm. Rock The March, a free one-hour concert featuring top LGBT talent with Illinois roots, will precede the rally from Noon to 1 pm. At the rally’s conclusion, Illinois families will lead the attendees on a march around the State Capitol.
About the March
The March on Springfield for Marriage Equality will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, the scheduled first day of the fall veto session of the Illinois state legislature. The “March on Springfield” is part of a broad grassroots strategy to secure final passage of Senate Bill 10, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act,” already approved by the Illinois Senate. Once adopted, Illinois will become the 14th state plus the District of Columbia, to treat all of its citizens equally under state marriage laws, and all married people in Illinois will be treated equally under federal law. For more information, visit www.MarchOnSpringfield.org, or find the March at www.facebook.com/MarchOnSpringfieldForMarriageEquality or on Twitter @IllinoisMarches .