Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min. is the senior minister of the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale and is an auxiliary bishop of the Global Justice Institute.
Durrell was born in 1966 at St. Michael’s Hospital, Miller County, Arkansas. He grew up in Arkansas and East Texas in a family of Baptists, Methodists, and Roman Catholics. Baptized in a Baptist congregation, Durrell early on identified with the Catholic side of the family. As a teen Durrell became briefly involved in an Assemblies of God church, but midway through college discovered the Episcopal Church and was confirmed as an Episcopalian (St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Dallas, Texas). He wanted to enter the priesthood but was told by his bishop, “It is the policy of this diocese to not ordain ‘avowed’ homosexuals.”
After graduating with a B.A. degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Durrell discovered Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), joined, and within months entered their clergy training program known as Samaritan College. In the Samaritan program Durrell learned from such noted Queer scholars as Mona West, PhD, Jim Mitulski, Irene Travis, MCC Founder Troy D. Perry, and Elias Farajaje Jones, ThD (later known as Ibrahim Farajaje). Durrell completed the program in 1996 and was ordained by Rev. Shelly Hamilton in 1997.
After pastoring for some years, Durrell went to graduate school earning an M.A. degree from Goddard College (2003, Plainfield, Vermont), a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary (2006, New York City, winning the Hudnut Preaching Award and the Auburn Seminary Maxwell Award for Excellence in Parish Ministry), and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Episcopal Divinity School (2009, Cambridge, Mass., winning the William J. Dietrich Memorial Prize for Urban ministry). He also earned various certificates, e.g., a Reiki Master’s certificate (Hagerstown Community College), a Metaphysical Practitioner’s Certificate (College of Divine Metaphysics), and a certificate in Church Management (Villanova).
After a course of study (United Divine Science Seminary) Durrell was also ordained a Divine Science minister and would eventually be a clergy member of the International Council of Community Churches. He was for a short time a member of the UUA’s Church of the Larger Fellowship. Durrell is a life-member, former board member, and former District President of the International New Thought Alliance, an honorary member of the Affiliated New Thought Network, and a member of the Divine Science Ministers Association.
Durrell met his life partner, Bishop Robert Griffin, D.Min., in Denton, Texas in 1996. They became a couple in 2000 and have been together since. They were legally married at the Sunshine Cathedral in 2015. The eleven co-officiants of the ceremony included the retired Vice-Moderator of MCC Reverend Elder Don Eastman, Jewish Rabbi (Reconstructionist) Noah Kitty, Divine Science minister Rev. Cindy Lippert, and Episcopal Hebrew Bible Scholar Rev. Wil Gafney, PhD.
In 2017, Bishop Durrell was a United Nations Association-Broward Chapter “Global Goals, Local Leaders” honoree.
In 2019, Durrell and Robert accepted a gay foreign exchange student from Brazil (Mario). Mario became part of their family, and they went from being his “American Gay dads” to being simply his “dads.”
Bishop Durrell’s ministry has covered several areas of service. Durrell served as interim pastoral leader in Waco, Texas and then as the AIDS Chaplain for the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas. He served as the MCC pastor in Longview, TX, Assistant Pastor at Agape MCC in Fort Worth and the Coordinator of Pastoral and Education Services for Tarrant County AIDS Interfaith Network. Next, he was an assistant pastor at New Light MCC in Hagerstown, MD and then the pastor of MCC Christ the Liberator in New Jersey.
Finally, Durrell moved with his husband Robert to Fort Lauderdale in 2006 to join the staff of the Sunshine Cathedral. Soon after joining the staff of Sunshine Cathedral, then pastor Rt. Rev. Grant Lynn Ford incardinated Durrell into the Independent Catholic priesthood. For a little over a year Durrell was the Canon Precentor (Liturgist) for the Cathedral and then at the end of 2007 was elevated to the position of Canon Pastor and soon after his title changed to "Senior Minister."
Since 2012 Bishop Durrell has been the Dean of The Samaritan Institute, the religious education arm of the Sunshine Cathedral and a Divine Science ministerial school. In 2020, Durrell began a 6-year commitment as president of the Divine Science Federation making him a Communion Head (prior to that he served as Vice-President). In 2024 Dr. Durrell Watkins was consecrated an auxiliary bishop for the Global Justice Institute by Bishop Pat Bumgardner, the GJI founder. Bishop Durrell’s episcopal duties include communications for GJI and advocacy for the Transgender, Intersex, and Non-binary children of God.
Durrell has worked on the ground for LGBTQ affirmation and HIV care in both Jamaica and Cuba, was an advocate for marriage equality in Florida and the U.S., and has spoken at conferences and churches in Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Austria, Germany, and across the U.S. He is a frequent guest anchor on Queer News Tonight (Happening Out Television Network) and is the lead anchor for the Queer God Squad (same network). He is also a cohost for Divine Science Everywhere (New Thought Media Network).
Bishop Durrell is a published writer. His works include:
- “The Sacred Power of Drag” an essay to be published in an anthology named Legendary (University of Delaware Press) expected release date 2026.
- “God is Love”, The Essence of Ministry: A Devotional for Clergy Embracing Children’s Spirituality, Virginia Theological Seminary 2024.
- A monthly commentary in “Outclique Magazine” (since June 2024).
- “Ezra-Nehemiah”, The Queer Bible Commentary (2nd ed.), West & Shore-Goss, eds., SCM Press, 2022
- The Sacra
- Saved from Salvation, Lulu, 2014
- Wrestling With God Without Getting Pinned: Old Stories, New Thoughts, & Progressive Spirituality, Outskirts Press, 2010
Durrell's unpublished academic theses:
- M.A. Thesis: “Queerealities: A Theatre Performance Piece Exploring Queer Studies, Gender Roles, and Religious Attitudes” (2003)
- M.Div. Thesis: “The Gospel of Che: A Liberation Rhapsody” (2006)
- D.Min. Thesis: “Popular Entertainment as Queer Canon” (2009)
(This biographical statement provided by Bishop Durrell Watkins.)
Biography Date: October 2025