Reverend Michael Gott is the senior minister at Unity of Houston, a large congregation in a large U.S. city.
A former fundamentalist, Gott is a well-known figure in New Thought spirituality for over two decades, initially gaining recognition as a musician and recording artist. He later became a Unity teacher and minister, and he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Centers for Spiritual Living for his contributions to contemporary spiritual music.
Reverend Gott joined Unity of Houston in 2011 and became its senior minister in 2017. He is known for his passion for teaching New Thought principles and for his emotionally impactful speaking style.
Great, someone was liberated from fundamentalism, became a progressive minister, and has a thriving spiritual career. Is there anything else we should know about him? Oh, yeah, he’s gay.
New Thought denominations emphasize the inherent goodness of all people and the inclusive nature of the divine, which provides a theological framework for LGBTQ+ affirmation. This has led to an environment where LGBTQ+ people can not only be members but also serve in leadership roles, including as ministers.
Sunshine Cathedral is a religious buffet line. We are high church and contemporary, humanist, New Thought, interreligious, and Progressive Christian. We’re a Queer Divine Science community church with multiple affiliations. This “open at the top” approach is inspired by and compatible with the principles of New Thought.
With MCC, UCC, Unitarian Universalist, Quakers, and Episcopalians around, and more recently some flavors of Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist, New Thought is not the only spiritual space where queer leaders can be found, but it has historically been more affirming than many other religious traditions.
New Thought prioritizes personal spiritual experience and universal love over strict dogma and tradition. The Queer God Squad exists to help people experience new thoughts about religion, spirituality, and sexual wholeness.
