Robert Goldstein, B.D., S.T.M.

It has been a blessing of a ministry of 37 years and life to become an ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church in America in 1975. After great struggle, I came out as gay in 1987 and as asked to leave the ministry of what was becoming the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. After a three year exile with wonderful people in Kansas City, MO, and with the support of a bishop Sherman Hicks I was reinstated in 1991 and was a Lutheran pastor until 2011. I served congregations in New Jersey, Chicago and San Francisco -the last which I brought back into the ELCA in 2010 after being removed for calling a lesbian clergy couple for their ministry in the Castro.

My former wife, Carol Brighton, has remarried and lives in New Jersey. Our two daughters both lived in Chicago until recently. I spend time serving the LGBTQ Center on Halsted in Wrigleyville, Chicago, as well as writing my long term book on religion and secularity, enjoying two grandsons with my elder daughter, Lynette. Alison is now in Mexico working.I'm excited by my book drawing upon my philosophical and theological training under the late Paul Holmer and the late George Lindbeck validated by the ordinary church life of ordinary Christian people.

Much of my time is spent reading far and wide. On occasion I enjoy bicycling and walking along the Lake Michigan lakeshore.