D&J Arc-en-ciel

D&J Arc-en-ciel, formerly known as David & Jonathan, is a French Christian LGBTI+ association founded in 1972 in Paris. It emerged from a round-table discussion on "Christianity and homophilia" and was initially the name of a regularly published bulletin, referencing the deep alliance between the biblical figures David and Jonathan. The group officially became a non-profit association under the French law of 1901 in October 1983. Its primary activities are organising debates and meetings for homosexual people of Christian faith, providing a listening space for LGBTI+ Christians who struggle to reconcile their religion with their sexual and romantic orientation. Originally Parisian, the organisation expanded across France with local groups in several major cities. It is affiliated with inter-LGBT, the Centre LGBT Paris-Île-de-France, ILGA-Europe, RAVAD, the Réseaux du Parvis, the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups, and many local associations. It is also accredited to intervene in schools and prisons. In 2012, the association advocated for the opening of marriage to same-sex couples and for medically assisted procreation for all women, engaging in reasoned debate with opposing clergy members. In March 2024, the association was renamed D&J Arc-en-ciel to mark a "generational renewal that calls for an increasingly inclusive movement." The association is structured around three main activities: sharing and exchange groups, spiritual times, and engagement at the interface between churches/spiritual places and the LGBTI+ associative world. It has about 400 members across some twenty local groups, about a quarter of whom are women. It also organises convivial and spiritual weekends that bring together all members regardless of their geographic location. In April 2014, one year after the adoption of the law on marriage and adoption for same-sex couples, the association highlighted the testimonies of married homosexual couples and homoparental families, and published the first issue of the "Dossiers de David et Jonathan." It also innovated in its spiritual offering with the monthly "Fêtez-Dieu" gathering in the Paris region and regularly in local groups across France, a time of prayer, recollection and celebration highlighting the diversity of spiritualities among members. In 2024, the association officially changed its name to D&J Arc-en-ciel, a choice voted in general assembly that remains faithful to its origins by keeping the initials "D&J" while seeking greater inclusivity and visibility.

D&J Arc-en-ciel, originally named David & Jonathan, was founded in 1972 in Paris by a group of people who had participated in a round table on "Christianity and homophilia" in Paris. The creation of the group took place in the context of associative activity claiming to be Catholic that was beginning to address questions of social justice and what was not yet called gender: women's rights with the creation of the group Femmes et hommes en Église the previous year (1970) and homosexuality, in a logic of liberal Catholicism. David et Jonathan was initially the name of a regularly published bulletin and refers to the alliance and deep relationship between David and Jonathan. The group officially became a non-profit association under the French law of 1901 in October 1983. Its main activities were organising debates and meetings between homosexual people of Christian faith. The association thus opened a listening space for LGBTI+ Christians who have difficulty reconciling their religion with their sexual and romantic orientation. Originally Parisian, the organisation expanded across France, with local groups appearing in several major French cities. From the creation of the Jewish LGBT association Beit Haverim in 1982, links were formed between the two associations, leading in the 2000s to joint evenings or trips. In 2011, a joint trip by David et Jonathan, Beit Haverim and the Muslim LGBT association Homosexuels musulmans de France was organised in Israel and Palestine. The association is a member of inter-LGBT, the Centre LGBT Paris-Île-de-France, ILGA-Europe, RAVAD, the Réseaux du Parvis, the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups and many local associative groupings, and is accredited to intervene in schools and prisons. In 2012, the association took a position in favour of opening marriage to same-sex couples and medically assisted procreation for all women, fuelling a reasoned debate with members of the clergy who opposed it. In March 2024, the association was renamed D&J arc-en-ciel to mark a "generational renewal that calls for an increasingly inclusive movement." In April 2014, one year after the adoption of the law on marriage and adoption for same-sex couples by Parliament and its validation by the Constitutional Council, the association highlighted the testimonies of homosexual couples who had married since and of homoparental families. This was the occasion to write and publish the first issue of the "Dossiers de David et Jonathan." As an association of Christian inspiration, David et Jonathan also innovated in its spiritual offering: it proposed the "Fêtez-Dieu" gathering once a month in the Paris region and regularly in local groups across France. This time of prayer, recollection and celebration highlights the diversity of spiritualities present among members. In 2024, the association officially changed its name to D&J Arc-en-ciel. This choice, voted in general assembly, remains faithful to the origins of the association by keeping the initials "D&J," but seeks greater inclusivity and visibility.

• 2024

  Renamed D&J Arc-en-ciel, voted in general assembly, to mark greater inclusivity and visibility.

• 2014

  Published the first issue of the "Dossiers de David et Jonathan" and highlighted testimonies of married same-sex couples and homoparental families.

• 2012

  Advocated for opening marriage to same-sex couples and medically assisted procreation for all women.

• 2011

  Joint trip with Beit Haverim and Homosexuels musulmans de France to Israel and Palestine.

• 1983

  Officially transformed into a non-profit association under the French law of 1901 in October.

• 1982

  Links formed with the Jewish LGBT association Beit Haverim.

• 1972

  Founded in Paris under the name David & Jonathan by participants of a round table on "Christianity and homophilia".

Christian LGBTI+ association open to all spiritual search paths, providing sharing groups, spiritual gatherings and advocacy.

1. 1Accueil | D&J Arc-en-cieldj-arcenciel.org
2. 2Notre histoire | D&J Arc-en-cieldj-arcenciel.org
3. 3David et Jonathan - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4D&J arc-en-ciel - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org