Culture: Chris Pratt says "No Church Defines Me or My Life"
Actress Ellen Page has a beef with actor Chris Pratt. Why?
Page accused Pratt of belonging to an “infamously anti lgbtq church.”
Chris Pratt is well known for his role as Andy Dwyer on the television series Parks and Recreation, and perhaps even more for his role as “Starlord” in Guardians of the Galaxy. Ellen Page has had success on screen in Juno and Inception. Page is an atheist, and came out as gay in 2014.
Pratt made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and they discussed Pratt’s recent experiences with fasting. When clips made their way to Twitter, Page to quote an update from the Hollywood Reporter, and asked why Colbert did not ask Pratt about his church community’s beliefs on human sexuality.
Pratt responded to Page on Instagram using the story feature, a portion of which you can read here:
Pratt said:
"It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which 'hates a certain group of people' and is 'infamously anti-LGBTQ.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone."
Despite what the Bible says about divorce my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk. They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender.
My faith is important to me but no church defines me or my life, and I am not a spokesman for any church or any group of people. My values define who I am. We need less hate in this world, not more. I am a man who believes that everyone is entitled to love who they want free from their fellow man.”
Both Pratt and Page are familiar figures to Millenials and Gen Zers, and represent the present state of discussion on LGBTQ matters. While Page has granted that religion has been a source of beauty and good, she has also be clear in her belief that it has often been used for evil and oppression.
Pratt, meanwhile, does not make clear whether he fully agrees or disagrees with his church’s teachings about sexuality, but he is clear that he is comfortable in that community, and has found his church to be helpful. Pratt says he “believes everyone is entitled to love who they want,” but that is not an endorsement, only a statement concerning his respect for freedom.
Pratt, in some ways, may be representative of those in younger generations. He attends the church, but says that the church does not define him, nor his beliefs.
Pratt is like a lot of older Millennials (he’s 39). Are his beliefs representative of Millennials in your congregation? In what ways do you see the give and take between Pratt and Page mirrored among emerging generations in your context?