Amy Grant announcing that she’s hosting a same-sex wedding for her niece has upset conservative pastor Franklin Graham.
The contemporary Christian singer-songwriter, 62, shared the family news in an interview, ahead of her receiving the Kennedy Center Honors. The article noted how, in recent years, the “Breath of Heaven” songstress had voiced support for the LGBTQ community, through which she has a big fanbase. Also, she and her country music star husband, Vince Gill, are planning to host their niece’s wedding on their family farm. Grant said it was her family’s “first bride and bride” nuptials.
Grant told the outlet that her reaction to her niece coming out was that it was “a gift” to the family.
Graham — the outspoken head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, founded by his late father — has publicly criticized the six-time Grammy winner over the news.
Graham is known for being against same-sex marriage, comparing it to “polygamy or incest.”
While the post was on Graham’s social media pages, the “Baby, Baby” singer received a lot of support in the comments. Some included, “Thank you Amy, for your courage and love for all of God’s people — I know it comes at a cost,” wrote one person. Another called Grant “a wonderful example of Christian witness for decades. So many of her songs have helped me through tough times. I’m so sorry that all you can do is judge and condemn. You’ve got the whole gospel wrong. Very sad.” …
The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. on CBS. Singer Brandi Carlile, who helped honor Grant at the event, told Entertainment Tonight about the support Grant has given her through the years, especially after she came out in 2002.
Grant’s music “was this really big part of my childhood. I always saw Amy and knew Amy as a faith-based singer, as a Christian singer specifically,” six-time Grammy winner Carlile said.
Grant attended the event with Gill, marking her first red carpet appearance since she suffered a head injury in a bike accident this summer. She was was briefly hospitalized.
