Brian G. Murphy is a co-founder of the Queer Theology podcast and organization, which provides resources, community, and educational opportunities exploring the sacred nature of queerness within the scope of spirituality.
Brian grew up evangelical Christian and was active in mainline Christianity in his early adult life. He studied film production and religion at the University of Southern California (2003-2006), which led to post-graduate work in Hollywood before beginning his own creative and coaching ventures. He considers himself a storyteller, especially as it pertains to LGBTQIA+ experiences, and his work has been featured by Buzzfeed, NBC News, and Vice.
In 2007, Brian participated in the Soulforce Equality Ride, a national bus tour that brought young LGBTQ+ activists and allies to Christian colleges across the United States to engage students and administrators in dialogue about inclusion and faith. The ride took place at a time when same-sex marriage was legal only in Massachusetts. nearly a decade before its nationwide legalization in 2015 and when most Christian campuses enforced policies that barred openly queer students. The Equality Ride was therefore a groundbreaking act of faith-based activism, challenging institutions to reconcile doctrine with human dignity and sparking conversations that would ripple through both religious and queer communities for years to come.
That same year, he also participated in the Right to Marry campaign in upstate New York, publicly advocating for marriage equality and equal protection under the law. These experiences helped shape his lifelong commitment to social justice and faith-based activism.
After moving to New York City in 2007, Brian became a member of Marble Collegiate Church (2007-2014) and later served on the leadership team for the 20s/30s group. In 2009-2010, he worked remotely with The Simple Way, an intentional Christian community in Philadelphia founded by Shane Claiborne, contributing to the launch of Conspire Magazine and helping manage communications for Red Letter Christians, co-founded by Tony Campolo.
In 2010, Brian co-founded the Legalize Trans campaign with Asher Kolieboi, an artistic and activist movement that emerged during a time of growing visibility but persistent violence against trans people in the United States. The campaign’s message was simple, bold, and affirming, and became a rallying call at events like the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and across online platforms. In a year when transgender visibility was rising amid deeply concerning rates of transphobic violence, the Legalize Trans movement helped normalize affirming, unapologetic expressions of trans and queer identity, emphasizing that visibility itself could be a powerful act of resistance.
In 2011, Brian attended the first-ever Wild Goose Festival in Shakori Hills, North Carolina, alongside Fr. Shay Kearns and other queer Christians. At the time the festival featured no openly LGBTQ+ speakers, so Brian and his friends wore Legalize Trans shirts each day to create visibility and spark conversation. That small act of presence would become a seed for what eventually grew into QueerTheology.com.
Together, Brian and Fr. Shay have since built Queer Theology into an international hub for spiritual exploration and liberation. Their work addresses topics such as purity culture, queer embodiment, transgender theology, and the intersections of faith and justice. The project has reached over one million people in more than 200 countries through its website, podcast, and video content. Their devotional, Queersthe Word, invites readers to engage Scripture through affirming and transformative queer lenses.
In April 2023, Brian converted to Judaism, completing his beit din and mikveh at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles on April 24, 2023. He began attending Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood in spring 2022 and became a member in January 2023. His interfaith and inter-spiritual experiences deepen his approach to theology, emphasizing both the goodness of God and humanity across traditions.
Brian is in a queer, open marriage, which informs his activism and relationship coaching work. Through his coaching practice, RelationShift, he supports queer and polyamorous couples in building connection through spirituality, communication, and authenticity. His writing emphasizes that healthy sexuality and faith can coexist, offering pathways to healing and embodiment.
In September 2025, Brian released his first solo book, Love Beyond Monogamy: How Polyamory Can Enrich Your Spirituality, Faith, and Relationships. Alongside Fr. Shannon, he has co-authored a forthcoming book, Reading the Bible Through Queer Eyes: Good News for LGBTQ+ People from Genesis to Revelation, scheduled for release in fall 2026.
These works arrive at a pivotal moment in American history. On November 10, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a petition to revisit Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. For Brian and others in the LGBTQ+ faith movement, this reaffirmation serves as both relief and reminder the fight for inclusion and equality is ongoing. His scholarship and ministry continue to offer a theology of hope and belonging in times when progress can still feel fragile.
Through Queer Theology, Brian and Fr. Shay have created an expansive online community offering:
- A private discussion app for web and mobile
- Monthly coaching calls and discussion groups
- Quarterly worship experiences
- Themed small groups and trans/nonbinary-only channels
- Spaces for topics like creativity, polyamory, and faith-based activism
This inclusive approach has redefined how queer believers engage with faith communities, offering connection without judgment and theology without erasure.
Since fall 2024, Brian has split his time between New York City and Maryland, continuing his teaching, writing, and coaching while expanding Queer Theology’s reach. His work remains a vital contribution to the ongoing story of faith, justice, and queer liberation.
(This biographical statement was written by Aubrey St. John for a fall 2025 Queer & Trans Theology class at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and with additional info provided by Brian Murphy and edited by Tiarra Hill. Photo credit: Curtis Brown Photography.)
Biography Date: November 2025