{
  "id": 3686847,
  "title": "In Dolly Parton’s theology, God and acceptance shared the same stage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/in-dolly-partons-theology-god-and-acceptance-shared-the-same-stage-3686847",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T06:23:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-death-religion-lgbtq-6c8d0046b90ef8490ebe1233aeb69008"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In her 1994 memoir, Dolly Parton reflects on the abandoned church in rural Tennessee where she developed her understanding of God. Rather than being deterred by the church's history of sex, drugs, and violence, Parton embraced it as a place of spiritual connection. \"I would sing hymns to God for a while and look at dirty pictures for a while and pray for a while,\" she recalled. \"One day as I prayed earnestly, I broke through some sort of spirit wall and found God.\" Parton's theology blurred the boundaries between sacred and secular, drawing people from various backgrounds to her music and message. Though her Christian faith was no secret, even in the face of church intolerance, Parton's public support for LGBTQ+ rights resonated with many in the community. For queer Christians, Parton's affirmation served as a beacon of hope, reinforcing their belief that God accepts them as well. \"For queer Christians, experiencing another queer Christian—or another queer-affirming person that is Christian—is important to your journey. Dolly, for me, was one of those lights,\" said Ciarra Jones, a 32-year-old workplace consultant from Oakland, California.",
  "summary": "LOS ANGELES (AP) — In her 1994 memoir, Dolly Parton recounts in vivid detail the place where she found God. It was an abandoned church, in rural Tennessee where she grew up , that had become known as a haven for sex, drugs and violence. Rather than see the used…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Dolly Parton's legacy: How she used her millions to give back",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/dolly-partons-legacy-how-she-used-her-millions-to-give-back",
        "published": "2026-08-26T13:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Carly Pearce recalls meeting Dolly Parton at 16: \"I couldn't believe she was real\"",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/carly-pearce-recalls-meeting-dolly-parton-at-16-i-couldnt-believe-she",
        "published": "2026-08-26T16:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "From 9 to 5 to Steel Magnolias: Dolly Parton’s cinematic legacy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/from-9-to-5-to-steel-magnolias-dolly-partons-cinematic-legacy",
        "published": "2026-08-27T04:27:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "From 9 to 5 to Steel Magnolias: Dolly Parton’s cinematic legacy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/from-9-to-5-to-steel-magnolias-dolly-partons-cinematic-legacy-3665218",
        "published": "2026-08-27T04:27:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "In Dolly Parton’s theology, God and acceptance shared the same stage",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/in-dolly-partons-theology-god-and-acceptance-shared-the-same-stage",
        "published": "2026-08-27T06:03:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}