The Reverend Dr. Brandon Thomas Crowley is an African-American pastor, preacher, author,
and scholar in religion, theology, and queer theory. Since 2009, he has served as the Senior Pastor of the Historic Myrtle Baptist Church in Newton, Massachusetts, one of America’s oldest Black congregations founded by formerly enslaved persons at the end of Reconstruction.
In addition to his pastoral role, Dr. Crowley is a Lecturer in Ministry Studies at Harvard
University’s Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has taught courses at Boston
University, Emory University, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, the New
York Theological Seminary, and the Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.
Reverend Crowley earned a Ph.D. in Church and Society and a Master of Sacred Theology with a certificate in social justice from Boston University’s School of Theology. He also earned a Master of Divinity from Harvard University's Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion with a certificate in moral cosmopolitan pastoral leadership from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Reverend Crowley’s manuscript is titled Queering Black Churches: Dismantling Heteronormativity in African American Congregations with Oxford University Press. His scholarship reflects his commitment to challenging societal norms within African American faith communities while forging innovative pathways for the future.
Beyond his pastoral and academic roles, Dr. Crowley also serves on various boards and is a
leader in several communal organizations. He is the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the African American Lectionary Inc. and serves as an inaugural member of the Council of
Religious Practitioners and Scholars for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Additionally, he is an active member of the Harvard Alumni Council and membership selection committee and the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Community Benefits and Needs Assessment committees. Ordained in the Progressive National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., and licensed in the National Baptist Convention of America, Dr. Crowley brings a wealth of wisdom and dedication to his work.
If you’d like to learn more about Brandon and their work, go to www.brandoncrowley.com
