When Scott Lively opened a coffeehouse in Springfield a few months back, it generated a lot of controversy.
Lively is a minister and pastor of the Redemption Gate Mission Society, which describes itself as a “a multi-denominational, multi-racial, multi-ethnic group of Christians with one purpose: to bring a better quality of life to the people of Springfield by advocating and demonstrating Biblical principles in every area of life”; among its efforts is a campaign to add the words “In God We Trust” to the front of Springfield City Hall. The mission is headquartered at the Holy Grounds Coffee House, on State Street, which offers Bible study groups and other Christian activities.
Lively is perhaps best known, however, for his leadership of the anti-gay Abiding Truth Ministries. In 2009, he traveled to Uganda with other evangelical ministers to give talks about efforts to outlaw homosexuality in that country—efforts that include a bill that would punish homosexual activity, in some cases with the death penalty.
In a recent article, Lively described that bill as a “serious overcorrection,” insisting that he had nothing to do with its drafting. He went on to write, “In my view, homosexuality (indeed all sex outside of marriage) should be actively discouraged by society—but only as aggressively as necessary to prevent the mainstreaming of alternative sexual lifestyles, and with concern for the preservation of the liberties of those who desire to keep their personal lifestyles private. Marriage-based culture served humanity very favorably during the centuries when homosexuality was disapproved but tolerated as a sub-culture in America, England and elsewhere. It has obviously not fared well in the decades since the so-called sexual revolution kicked open Pandora’s Box and unleashed both rampant heterosexual promiscuity and ‘Gay Pride’ on the world.”
Lively’s arrival in Springfield sparked concern, particularly about the number of high school kids who were reportedly skipping school and instead spending their time drinking the free coffee offered at Holy Grounds. Adding to the concerns, in January, shortly after the coffee shop opened, its manager, Michael Frediani, was arrested for failing to register in the city as a Level 2 sex offender, a requirement of his conviction, in 1995, of the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl. Frediani was living in an apartment above the coffee house at the time, according to the Springfield Republican. He resigned from the position after his arrest.
Those controversies died down, and in recent months Lively has stayed out of the public eye. But that doesn’t mean that local social-justice activists have forgotten about his presence in the city. Tomorrow, the newly formed group Stop the Hate will hold a demonstration against the minister’s anti-gay rhetoric outside his coffee shop “to take a stand against Scott Lively and his spreading of hate and homophobia in Springfield and around the world,” according to an announcement.
Activists will gather at Arise for Social Justice, at 467 State St. (not far from Holy Grounds), at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11. They will then hand out flyers “to raise awareness in our community about [Lively’s] hate-mongering around the world. There is no room for hate in Springfield!”
For more information, contact stopthehatespringfield@gmail.com.
