CHRISTIAN MEDIA FRAMING OF GAY MARRIAGE ______________________________ A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia _________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts ____________________________________ by ALEX JACOBI Dr. Debra Mason, Thesis Supervisor MAY 2016 ii The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the thesis entitled CHRISTIAN MEDIA FRAMING OF GAY MARRIAGE presented by Alex Jacobi, a candidate for the degree of master of arts, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Dr. Debra Mason Dr. Cynthia Frisby Dr. Victoria Johnson Dr. Yong Volz iii DEDICATION To my family — Mom (Christi), Dad (Steve), Zach, Gran Gran (Ginny), Grancy (Charles), Amy, Clark, and Gracie: Your eternal love and acceptance has made me who I am today. To my best friends — Lizzie Lee and Malorie Paine: When the road was dark, you were always my light. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I chose this topic because as a Christian I’m always looking for answers or a place to stand in the gray parts of life, both to help my own faith and to guide others. For me, sexuality and gender fluidity was a confusing reality that when dropped into my religious background, made for restlessness in my mind. Instead of choosing between the worlds, embracing sexual authenticity or choosing religious orthodoxy, I opted for finding the middle road where the truth often lies. This study helped me on that road, and in the end I decided it was not black-and-white answers that gave me the peace I sought, but I instead found peace in the love of a God who held my hand through it all. No one does anything truly good alone, so of course, there are people to thank for the completion of this study. Thank you to my thesis chair, Dr. Debra Mason. Without your constant guidance and expectance of me, this study wouldn’t have happened. Also, I am eternally grateful that you provided me with an office space and free coffee. Thank you to my committee members, Dr. Cynthia Frisby, Dr. Victoria Johnson, and Dr. Yong Volz. You all offered me different types of perspectives, which was extremely helpful in crafting a well-rounded thesis. Thank you to my undergraduate professors at University of Tennessee at Martin, especially Tomi McCutchen Parrish. Without you guys, I would still be a shy girl who didn’t know her capabilities. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. vi ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................5 Why Media is an Important Facet of Religion Religion in the Media The Religion Beat Today Christian Media LGBT Issues in U.S. News Media LGBT People in U.S. News Media Framing Theory LGBT Frame 3. RESEARCH QUESTION......................................................................................24 4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................25 Reading Process 5. RESULTS ..............................................................................................................35 Defining Rodriguez and Blumell’s Frames Used In This Study Political evolution to equality. Religion as equality Religion as tradition. iii Marriage equality is harmful to children. Inevitability as a concession to equality. Inevitability as a myth. Defining the New Frames Developed in This Study Same-sex rights versus religious rights. Gay marriage issue is dividing the church. Avoidance of issue. Government policy isn’t a solution. Summary of Frames Found How Coverage Changed Over Time Religion as tradition. Religion as equality. Law-related frames. Gay marriage issue is dividing the church. Government policy isn’t a solution. Avoidance of issue Marriage equality is harmful to children. Inevitability as a myth. Inevitability as a concession to equality. How This Study Compares to Evangelical Christians’ Views How the Data Compares to Rodriguez and Blumell’s 6. CONCLUSION......................................................................................................62 Limitations and Future Studies iv Ending Thoughts REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................68 APPENDIX 1. ARTICLES IN SAMPLE........................................................................................73 2. ANALYSIS OF ARTICLE SAMPLE FROM CHRISTIAN TODAY ..................76 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Number of frames in articles of 2010 ............................................................................41 2. Number of frames in articles of 2011 ............................................................................41 3. Number of frames in articles of 2012 ............................................................................42 4. Number of frames in articles of 2013 ............................................................................42 5. Number of frames in articles of 2014 ............................................................................42 6. Number of frames in articles of 2015 ............................................................................43 7. Number of frames in whole article sample....................................................................43 vi CHRISTIAN MEDIA FRAMING OF GAY MARRIAGE Alex Jacobi Dr. Debra Mason, Thesis Supervisor ABSTRACT This mixed methods study explores Christian media’s framing of gay marriage from 2010 to 2015, looking at a sample of articles on Christianity Today’s website before and after gay marriage became legal. Using mixed methods, the researcher looked at these articles and identified what frames were used from 2010 to 2015, how those frames have changed over time, how those frames relate to the public opinion of each time period, and how those frames compare to existing research about framing of same-sex marriage in mainstream media. By looking at a Christian magazine’s framing of gay marriage and using it as a lens through which to view culture, this study will hopefully shed some light on how the relationship between Christians and the gay community has changed, offering explanation and perspective on an issue that might not be so clear-cut as media make it out to be. vii INTRODUCTION Religion is an important facet of life in the U.S., with more than 75% claiming a faith, and all but 4.7% of those claiming the Christian faith (Pew Research, 2015). This means that Christian values are a significant thread in the tapestry of U.S. culture. As LGBT rights have grown in the U.S. and more people have come out of the closet (Pew Research estimated in 2013 that 3.5% to five percent of the population are in the LGBT community and that statistic will likely grow), those Christian values have been challenged, forcing those of faith to reevaluate their views on sexuality. This sexual awakening has led some Christians to soften their views and others to hold tighter to the reins of traditional doctrine. Many resistance efforts toward LGBT rights come from those who aim to maintain traditional Christian doctrine, showing that the relationship between these two groups is an important aspect of the gay rights movement. Because of the importance of this relationship, this study will aim to look at how Christian media has covered gay rights, specifically gay marriage, in order to glimpse Christians’ views. The study will show how Christianity Today’s coverage of gay marriage has changed over time, how that coverage compares to public perception, and how that coverage compares to an existing study on framing of gay marriage in The New York Times in 2013. Even though little research exists about how Christian media have covered the LGBT community, there is no doubt a relationship between the groups exists, and it is not always one of harmony. Stephen Hunt (2009) says that to many Christian churches, the LGBT community is seen as “a thorn in the flesh,” a group with an ailment that is the 1 result of “the churches’ spiritual complacency or even machinations of the satanic” (Hunt, p. 1). Of course, over time, other churches have developed a more liberal bent, offering the LGBT community a place in the congregation or offering counseling to those who identify as LGBT. Yet, even with the progress made, in many churches, there is still the idea of “love the sinner, hate the sin,” insinuating that those with a non-heterosexual sexual orientation still have a sin to work out, a problem to correct. Even though disapproval is still dominant among evangelicals, as time as gone by, evangelical attitudes toward LGBT people have softened. Denunciations of those who are LGBT are not as common, and Christians no longer employ ex-gay therapy, the idea that one can make homosexuality go away through counseling and prayer. Yet, some Christians opt for remaining celibate because many churches still do not practice full- blown acceptance of the LGBT lifestyle. A minority of denominations ordain LGBT clergy, with many