Anti LGBT+ bishop who vowed to keep his church open ‘unless he was in jail or hospital’ dies from coronavirus
Bishop Gerald Glenn has died from zcoronavirus. (Bishop Gerald Glenn/ Facebook)
Anti-LGBT+ preacher Gerald Glenn, who vowed to continue holding church services unless he was “in jail or the hospital”, has died from coronavirus.
Bishop Glenn, leader of the New Deliverance Evangelistic Church in Virginia, held his last church service on March 22, according to Queerty.
He was consistently against LGBT+ rights throughout his career, and previously said: “As I read the Bible and as I interpret it, I think it is prohibited for a man to lie with a man and a woman to lie with a woman… I am opposed to same-sex marriage. I see no justification, no biblical basis for it.” He also said that the Pride flag promotes the “homosexual agenda”.
He had been warned by public health officials against holding gatherings of more than 10 people, but he flouted the advice and insisted that members of his church had already been “healed”.
The preacher said during a service: “I firmly believe that God is larger than this dreaded virus, you can quote me on that.”
He said that “people are healed” in his church and would not be harmed, and that he would continue to defy social distancing regulations “unless I’m in jail or the hospital”.
He added: “I am essential. I’m a preacher! I talk to God!”
According to Facebook post by the church: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved bishop Gerald Glenn, the founder and pastor of New Deliverance Evangelistic Church on Saturday April 11, 2020, at 9pm.”
His wife has also been hospitalised with coronavirus.
In Louisiana, another anti-gay pastor who flouted a public lockdown to bus in thousands to his megachurch was arrested earlier this month and is facing misdemeanour charges.
Pastor Tony Spell has refused to close down Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge despite the lockdown, instead bussing in more than 1,800 people to attend his Sunday morning service.
