Ninja Christian

Caleb Kaltenbach & the Tension of Loving Gay Parents with Grace & Truth

Caleb Kaltenbach was born in 1978 in Columbia, Missouri, the only son of two university professors. When he was two years old, his parents divorced and each pursued same-sex relationships. From that point, Caleb spent many hours riding back and forth on I-70 between Columbia, where he lived with his father, and Kansas City, where he spent weekends, summers, and holidays with his mom and her partner, Vera.

Although his father remained closeted for years, his mom and Vera personified "out and proud." Often they would take Caleb along to LGBT clubs, late-night parties, and gay pride parades. A born extrovert, he was generally good with whatever she wanted to do, and her social community became...