: It Takes a Gay Church

The Cathedral of Hope, a predominantly LGBT congregation in Dallas, has decided to be the third Texas institution in a month to attempt a presentation of the Terrence McNally play Corpus Christi. Two earlier attempts to stage the play, which features a gay Christlike figure, were canceled due to security concerns.

The Cathedral of Hope, affiliated with the United Church of Christ, will present a touring production of Corpus Christi, not the student production canceled at two other locations. Performances are scheduled in early June.

According to local public broadcaster KERA, "The decision by the world's largest gay church to present Corpus Christi follows the refusal by Fort Worth's Rose Marine Theatre to stage the play. That one-act version was a student production and was offered to the Rose Marine after it was cancelled last month at Tarleton State University in Stephenville. Cathedral of Hope Senior Pastor Jo Hudson says THIS show will go on."

"Our worshipping congregation felt positive that this is an important move for us to bring this play," Hudson told KERA. "No doubt there will be people who send hate mail or hate e-mail, or make threatening phone calls, and we're prepared to respond to people who are offended in some way by it."