- Chris Pratt posted a lengthy Instagram story on Monday defending his church.
- It came after Ellen Page called the church "infamously anti-LGBTQ" after Pratt discussed his spirituality on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert."
- Pratt attends Zoe Church a Christian congregation in Los Angeles with ties to Hillsong, a popular church attended by many A-listers, including Selena Gomez and the Kardashians.
Chris Pratt has defended his church on Monday, days after Ellen Page called it "infamously anti-LGBTQ."
"It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which 'hates people' and is 'infamously anti-LGBTQ,'" Pratt, 39, wrote in an Instagram story post on Monday. "Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone."
Pratt is known to attend Zoe Church, a Christian congregation in Los Angeles with ties to Hillsong, a popular church regularly attended by celebrities including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, the Jenners, and Kardashians.
Zoe Church's pastor and founder, Chad Veach, modeled his church after Hillsong, according to The New York Times. He has also spoken at an Australian branch of the congregation.
Veach has not been vocal about this stance on social issues, but Hillsong has been accused of forcing members to "pray the gay away" and overcome gay demons, according to a Daily Beast exposé published in 2016.
Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF
— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 8, 2019
If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed. Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all
— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 9, 2019
In 2015, Hillsong founder Brian Houston published a blog called "Do I Love Gay People?" in which he said he believed marriage should be between a man and a woman.
"Hillsong Church welcomes ALL people but does not affirm all lifestyles. Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid," he said.
On Monday, Pratt defended his own Zoe Church, saying churchgoers supported him following his divorce from Anna Faris in 2017.
"Despite what the Bible says about divorce my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk," Pratt said in the Instagram story. "They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender."
Pratt said his faith was "important" but that it did not "define" him.
"My values define who I am. We need less hate in the world, not more," he said. "I am a man who believes that everyone is entitled to love who they want free from the judgment of their fellow man."
Page first spoke out against Pratt's church after the actor detailed his faith and spirituality on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
He had just finished Bible-themed fast, which he said his pastor inspired him to participate in.
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