About LGBTRAN
Overview
The LGBT Religious Archives Network (LGBT-RAN) is an innovative venture in preserving
history and encouraging scholarly study of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) religious movements around the world. LGBT-RAN has a two-fold basic
purpose. First it assists LGBT religious leaders and groups in determining how best to preserve their records and papers in
appropriate repositories. Secondly, LGBT-RAN provides an electronic information clearinghouse for these archival
collections and other historical data about LGBT religious history for the use of
historians, researchers and other interested persons. LGBT-RAN can best be understood
as a "virtual" archive. It is not a physical repository that collects
and preserves papers and records. Instead, LGBT-RAN is a resource center that
enables the preservation of history and makes historical information easily accessible
through this web site. Initiated in 2001 as a project of the Chicago Theological Seminary,
LGBT-RAN has been a program of the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry in Berkeley, California, since 2008
Recognizing that history is written from the perspective of those who preserve their
records, LGBT-RAN's overarching purpose is to ensure the preservation and accessibility
of the voices and experiences of a great diversity of LGBT religious leaders and groups.
Mission Statement
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Religious Archives Network (LGBT-RAN) coordinates and supports the identification, collection and
preservation of personal papers and organizational records from lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender religious movements. To encourage scholarly
research and historical study of these important movements for social
change, LGBT-RAN disseminates information about these records and provides
and facilitates access to them, using digital technology when possible.