Brent Hawkes is a native of Bath, New Brunswick and a graduate of Mount Allison University. Former New Brunswick schooteacher, he received a Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity College, University of Toronto. In May 2001, Rev. Hawkes received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity College.
As the Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, Rev. Hawkes has been at the forefront of ministry to the Gay & Lesbian Community in Toronto. He has served the community at large with distinction, championing several Human Rights initiatives, especially benefiting the Gay & Lesbian Community.
In 1994, Rev. Hawkes received the City of Toronto Award of Merit, the highest civilian award given by the City of Toronto. In 1995, he received a Global Citizen Award from the United Nations Toronto Association, for his work in advancing human rights in Canada. Rev. Hawkes has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
He has done this through helping society to better understand and increase awareness and acceptance of the issues affecting this community. He has helped thousands of gays and lesbians and their families come back into spiritual relationship with God.
He has constantly challenged the church to examine important issues, prejudice against gays and lesbians, inclusive language as well as ordination of women. He has played a significant role in promoting the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. He was a past co-chair for the Campaign for Equal Families. Rev. Hawkes has continually championed for equal rights for gays and lesbians and women and has continually challenged the status quo with regards to racism, poverty and housing.
Rev. Hawkes made history in January 2001 when he married a gay couple and a lesbian couple by following an ancient Christian tradition, the publishing of banns of marriage in church on three consecutive Sundays; in July 2002 the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favour of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto's right to perform legal same-sex marriages (the court ruled that refusing to register the marriages is discriminatory and unconstitutional, and gave the federal government two years to make the necessary changes to accommodate the decision).
Rev. Hawkes lives with his partner of 23 years, John Sproule, in Toronto, Canada.
