Epistemological frameworks, homosexuality, and religion: How people of faith understand the intersection between homosexuality and religion

Some gay men, lesbians, and other progressives view orthodox religious believers as perpetrators of oppression. Conversely, many orthodox believers, or as they might self-identity, people of faith, believe that gay men, lesbians, and other progressives wish to marginalize people of faith. Using Hunter's epistemologically based distinction between progressive and orthodox worldviews to understand the differences in perceptions, this article explores how numerous people of faith understand reality as it intersects the issue of homosexuality, both in the wider culture and in social work. The author suggests that to provide effective services to an increasingly diverse society and to remain grounded in the Code of Ethics, social work must work toward a more inclusive profession that accepts both progressives and people of faith.