Michael S. Piazza
Encyclopedia
Michael S. Piazza is a spiritual visionary, author, and social justice
advocate who currently serves as senior pastor of Virginia-Highland Church in Atlanta, Georgia
, a congregation dually affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists
and the United Church of Christ
. He also is the co-executive director of the Center for Progressive Renewal, a non-profit, Atlanta-based church development organization primarily servicing UCC congregations, as well as President of Hope for Peace and Justice a non-profit organization
aimed at progressive
-leaning people of various religious faiths.
Rev. Piazza is best known as the former senior pastor and dean of the Cathedral of Hope
in Dallas, Texas
, ,, which, under his leadership, grew from approximately 350 members to more than 3,500.
A native of the U.S. state of Georgia
, Piazza has served in ministry for more than three decades as pastor of churches in Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida. He holds a bachelor's degree
in History from Valdosta State University
in Georgia and a Master of Divinity
from the Candler School of Theology
, Emory University
in Atlanta.
In August 1999, The Advocate
magazine named Piazza one of the most influential people in the gay
and lesbian
rights movement and he was honored by Pacific School of Religion with its “Leading Voice” award for his social justice work on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. His published books include "Liberating the Gospel"; "Liberating Word, A Daily Reflection for Liberals, Volume One: The First Testament"; "Gay by God: How to be Lesbian or Gay and Christian" (formerly "Holy Homosexuals"); "Queeries: Questions Lesbians and Gays have for God"; "The Real antiChrist: How America Sold its Soul"; "Prophetic Renewal: Hope for the Liberal Church," designed to help restore vitality to liberal congregations; and "Liberating Hope: Daring to Renew the Mainline Church" co-written with Rev. Cameron Trimble.
Piazza and his partner Bill have been together since 1980 and have two daughters.
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
advocate who currently serves as senior pastor of Virginia-Highland Church in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, a congregation dually affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists
Alliance of Baptists
The Alliance of Baptists is a fellowship of Baptist churches and individuals in the United States. In its theology and social stances, the Alliance is characterized as a progressive or liberal Christian fellowship...
and the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
. He also is the co-executive director of the Center for Progressive Renewal, a non-profit, Atlanta-based church development organization primarily servicing UCC congregations, as well as President of Hope for Peace and Justice a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
aimed at progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
-leaning people of various religious faiths.
Rev. Piazza is best known as the former senior pastor and dean of the Cathedral of Hope
Cathedral of Hope (Dallas)
The Cathedral of Hope is a predominantly LGBT congregation located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas . The Dallas Cathedral of Hope is said to be the world's largest inclusive "liberal Christian church with a primary outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons", with a...
in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, ,, which, under his leadership, grew from approximately 350 members to more than 3,500.
A native of the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Piazza has served in ministry for more than three decades as pastor of churches in Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida. He holds a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in History from Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University, also referred to as VSU, or Valdosta State, is an American public university and is one of the two regional universities in the University System of Georgia. Valdosta State is located on a campus at the heart of the city of Valdosta...
in Georgia and a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from the Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
, Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
in Atlanta.
In August 1999, The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
magazine named Piazza one of the most influential people in the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
rights movement and he was honored by Pacific School of Religion with its “Leading Voice” award for his social justice work on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. His published books include "Liberating the Gospel"; "Liberating Word, A Daily Reflection for Liberals, Volume One: The First Testament"; "Gay by God: How to be Lesbian or Gay and Christian" (formerly "Holy Homosexuals"); "Queeries: Questions Lesbians and Gays have for God"; "The Real antiChrist: How America Sold its Soul"; "Prophetic Renewal: Hope for the Liberal Church," designed to help restore vitality to liberal congregations; and "Liberating Hope: Daring to Renew the Mainline Church" co-written with Rev. Cameron Trimble.
Piazza and his partner Bill have been together since 1980 and have two daughters.