Detective's sermon calling for LGBTQ executions far outside many Christian teachings, expert says

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It is a fringe belief to think the Bible advocates for the government to arrest and quickly execute LGBTQ people, an expert on American religious history says.

But a Knoxville, Tennessee, pastor, who also is a Knox County sheriff's detective, continues to defend the belief and the sermon he preached on it earlier this month.

"This is a particularly forceful expression of Christian anti-gay sentiments," said Vanderbilt University professor James Hudnut-Beumler. "It’s far outside a very broad range of Christian teachings."

Detective Grayson Fritts is the pastor of All Scripture Baptist Church.

On June 2, Fritts gave an hour-long sermon to his congregation about believing that all levels of government should arrest, try, convict and "speedily" execute members of the LGBTQ community on no more grounds than a cellphone photo of a person participating in a Pride event. Fritts based his sermon on an Old Testament passage and argues that a New Testament chapter reinforces it.

There are many different types of Baptists

Located near downtown Knoxville, the church describes itself on its website as independent and fundamental.

Independent Baptists are congregations not beholden to an association or convention.

And Baptists span the theological spectrum, but at a minimum that typically means they believe in baptism for people who can profess the Christian faith and not infant baptisms. The largest and most well-known group of Baptists is the Southern Baptist Convention, which All Scripture is not associated with.

Fritts' church is affiliated with The New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement and is listed along with 29 others on the movement's website, which explicitly states that it is not a denomination.

Churches and pastors associated with this "revival of what the old IFB once represented" maintain their independence, but agree on 11 core doctrines, including only using the King James Version of the Bible, anti-Calvinism and hard preaching, the website says.

Defending sermon: Tennessee detective responds after backlash for hate-filled sermon

Hudnut-Beumler said Fritts' June 2 sermon could certainly be described as hard preaching, which the movement's website says is preaching "the entire Bible without apology."

Fritts told reporters Thursday that other pastors, specifically Baptist pastors, do not speak like he does because they are afraid of causing offense and losing churchgoers and their offerings.

As a result of the hate-laced sermon, prosecutors are reviewing all of Fritts' pending cases. The detective took a voluntary buyout from the sheriff's department two weeks ago and is on paid sick leave until July 19, when the buyout takes effect.

"I think there’s always a concern when someone's exercise of their gifts in the pulpit turn to an extreme or a violent direction and that can come from any corner," Hudnut-Beumler said.

"Our First Amendment gives people the right to say it in the first instance to say what they believe, but the consequences for saying what they believe may indeed be that you suffer disaffirmation of your fellow citizens."

Fritts' sermon goes beyond the usual messaging of even LGBTQ opponents that are typically decried, Hudnut-Beumler said.

And LGBTQ advocates swiftly condemned Fritts' sermon and raised concerns it could incite violence against members of the community. Fritts delivered it on the first Sunday of Pride Month, which honors the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, considered a galvanizing moment in the gay rights movement.

Christians in Tennessee oppose detective's sermon

The sermon is not sitting well with Christians in Tennessee, either.

It grieves Chris Turner, director of communications for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, that anyone would claim biblical authority for such a position.

"I don’t see how anyone who confesses the gospel and preaches the gospel can take a position of advocating harm against any other human being in any way," Turner said.

The mission board oversees the daily ministry operations of a network of Southern Baptist churches in the state. Turner said Southern Baptists believe homosexuality is a sin, but they do not hate the individual.

Detective preaches: Tennessee detective's church sermon calls for execution of LGBTQ people

"That does not mean that we are in a position to condemn someone,” Turner said. “We would say that person would need to experience the grace of the gospel and the forgiveness of sin."

The Rev. Paul Purdue, pastor of Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville, called Fritts' sermon gross and hurtful. He said Jesus repudiates the retaliation idea of an eye for an eye.

"It's completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus who said that you love the lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind and you love your neighbor as yourself. It's contrary to the Golden Rule to do unto others as you would have done unto you," Purdue said. "I would say its contrary to the main Jewish and Christian teaching."

Purdue's congregation is fully accepting of people who identity as LGBTQ and will be participating in Nashville's Pride celebration this month.

He worries the "crazy preacher" is driving people away from God and a healing community.

"We need more Christians to say this is just wrong," Purdue said. "It's wrong and you are loved."

Follow Holly Meyer and Amy McRary on Twitter: @HollyAMeyer and KNSAmyMc

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Detective's sermon calling for LGBTQ executions far outside many Christian teachings, expert says