affirming

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of affirm

plural affirmings

1. The act of one who affirms something; an affirmation.

comparative more affirming · superlative most affirming

1. That affirms.

   an affirming smile and approving nod

2. ChristianityAccepting of same-sex/same-gender sexual relationships – or, more broadly, the gender identities, sexual orientations, and sexual relationships of LGBTQ people – on the same terms as those of cisgender, heterosexual people.

   The majority of Episcopal churches that you’re visiting will be fairly affirming.

   2018, Carol A. Shepherd, quoting Connor Gwyn, Bisexuality and the Western Christian Church: The Damage of Silence, Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, →DOI, →ISBN, page 245

   3 more examples

   We remain because we are not without hope that the liberating spirit of Christ will make itself known through our insistence upon sharing fully in the life of the church as lesbian and gay Christians. We also stay because of the vital experiences of community with other lesbian, gay, bisexual and affirming Christians — community made possible by our mutual willingness to become visible to, and vulnerable with, one another.

   1992, William R. Johnson, “Protestantism and Gay and Lesbian Freedom”, in Betty Berzon, editor, Positively Gay: New Approaches to Gay and Lesbian Life, updated and expanded edition, Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, →ISBN, page 150

   For Paul would readily admit that as a Christian who is gay he knows first-hand what it means to experience the grace of God, divine grace that is received in the context of a welcoming—but not automatically affirming—church.

   1998, Stanley J. Grenz, Welcoming but Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality, Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, →ISBN, page xii

   The Church of the Nazarene should be an affirming church because, as Wesleyans, we believe the Spirit shapes us and can even help us enter the process of reconciliation when we have been wrong.

   2023, Katie A. Donaldson, “The Spirit Transforms”, in Thomas Jay Oord and Alexa Oord, editors, Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming, [United States]: SacraSage Press, →ISBN

   Synonyms: open and affirming