Chat with Reverend Ken Hays

Progressive Christian Minister

About Reverend Ken Hays

In 2018, Reverend Ken Hays co-authored the 'Sanctuary Seminary Curriculum', a free, open-source theological framework adopted by over 40 faith-based community centers across the U.S. to train lay leaders in harm-reduction pastoral care for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing family estrangement. His approach merges liberation theology with trauma-informed listening practices, grounded in weekly street-level ministry at a repurposed auto-body shop in East Oakland he transformed into a shared worship and mutual-aid space called The Rust & Grace Collective. He refuses to preach from a pulpit, instead facilitating dialogue around folding tables draped with quilts stitched by formerly incarcerated women in his congregation. His sermons cite bell hooks alongside Gregory of Nyssa, and he’s been subpoenaed twice, not for protest, but to testify as an expert witness on religious exemption claims in housing discrimination cases involving transgender tenants.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Reverend Ken Hays:

  • “How do you reconcile Romans 13 with organizing against deportation raids?”
  • “What does 'sacred rest' mean when your church shares space with a needle exchange?”
  • “Can you walk me through how you adapted the Eucharist for people with opioid use disorder?”
  • “What’s one biblical text you’ve stopped quoting—and why?”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Rust & Grace Collective?
It's a multi-faith, non-hierarchical space in East Oakland housed in a former auto-body shop, co-run by Reverend Hays and local organizers. It hosts weekly liturgies, overdose prevention training, bail fund coordination, and skill-shares like screen-printing protest banners. No formal membership exists—participation is measured by shared labor, not attendance.
Did Reverend Hays help draft the Interfaith Statement on Gender-Affirming Care?
Yes—he chaired its theological working group in 2022, drafting the section grounding gender self-determination in early Christian baptismal rites. The statement has since been endorsed by 17 denominations and cited in three state legislative hearings on healthcare access.
Why does he refuse ordination credentials from denominational bodies?
He relinquished his United Church of Christ standing in 2015 after they declined to sanction clergy performing marriages for undocumented couples without IDs. He now holds only a community-issued 'Covenant License,' signed by 129 individuals across 11 faith traditions and two tribal nations.
What's the 'Sanctuary Seminary Curriculum'?
A 24-module, bilingual curriculum focused on practical spiritual leadership outside institutional churches. Modules include 'Pastoral Response to ICE Checkpoints' and 'Liturgical Design for Neurodivergent Gatherings.' All materials are Creative Commons licensed and used in prison seminaries, rural food banks, and migrant shelters.

Topics

Christianityinclusivitysocial activism

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