Christian singer Jennifer Knapp is continuing to push the discussion around sexuality and faith after surprising the church by coming out as a lesbian four years ago.
In a recent interview, the artist said that Christians should be engaged in conversations about homosexuality within the church.
"I do think the conversation is important," she said on the Bad Christian podcast. "It's not only one in terms of social consciousness, I think it's an opportunity for the church to be really receptive to what it means to be kind and to be compassionate to the real life goings on and the spiritual of every one of its people."
Knapp still identifies as a Christian, and in contrast to historic church teaching on the issue and what many of her own fans believe, she insists her sexual orientation is not in conflict with her faith.
"I don't think homosexual orientation, whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, I don't think sexual identity in any way is a sin," she said.
"I understand where the teaching [that says] homosexuality's a sin comes from. However, in understanding that teaching, it's not one that I feel is one that I could back."
The singer-songwriter has been in a long-term relationship with a woman but revealed in a previous interview this year with the Religion News Service that they do not attend church together.
Explaining her views further, Knapp said in the Bad Christian podcast that she follows the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, which teaches that scripture, tradition, experience, and reason all interact to form a person's faith.
"All four of those things have to marry together to inform what we think we know or what we might know about God," Knapp said.
"And so I think it terms of the LGBT conversation you have to be willing to entertain what that conversation is. It's not good enough to just simply say to somebody that's a sin. For some people it's not. Even Paul talked about that. What's good for me may not be good for you."
Knapp is currently promoting her recently released "Hymns of Christmas" album with Margaret Becker.
