Gay seminary student says school barred him from running for office

A Baptist minister and student at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta said this week that his school won't let him run for student government because he's gay. Christopher Brown, 29, planned to run for student body president of ITC's Morehouse School of Religion, but after participating in a debate with other candidates, his plans were undermined when the school told him he wasn't allowed to run for office. The school's dean, William Perkins, stated in a letter that Brown was prohibited from running because of disruptive behavior while he was youth pastor at an Augusta church and "unacceptable leadership behavior including fighting" in an ITC dorm. Perkins would not elaborate on the accusations, but Brown denies them, saying he was dismissed as youth pastor at the church because he's gay. After appealing the ruling Brown received a letter from the school stating that he did not "exemplify Christian character before God and the total ITC community." Brown is scheduled to graduate next year with a master's in Christian education and divinity from ITC. The school represents six denominations.