Tag Archives: Equality / Inclusion

Cordileone: The Value of “Getting to Know Gay Catholics”

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In an interview with KQED News Fix, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone discusses (among other things) the value of “getting to know” gay Catholics. The full interview also covers Catholics and the excesses of capitalism, immigration, and the San Francisco Giants. (The report notes that “While Cordileone seemed a bit uneasy discussing the pope’s comments about homosexuality , he warmed up when asked how a San Diego native could root for the San Francisco Giants over his hometown Padres”).That discomfort is clearly visible in his body language. Watch.

Below the fold are the extracts of the report, which refer specifically to LGBT issues.

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Methodist Church begins mass consultation on gay marriage – Telegraph

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The Methodist Church in the UK is to conduct a consultation of its members on whether to respond to the introduction next year of marriage equality, with approval for same – sex weddings in its churches.

The Methodist church could become the first major Christian denomination in Britain to conduct same-sex weddings after launching a consultation of its members about changing its official teaching.

Members of more than 5,000 congregations across mainland Britain are being asked to take part in a mass listening exercise which involves questions on changing the definition of marriage.

Churchgoers have until February to air their views before the findings are put before Methodist Conference, the church’s decision making body.

Under the terms of the Same-Sex Marriage Act, which comes into force next year, religious groups can perform gay marriage ceremonies if they actively opt-in as a group.

Although a handful of small Christian groups including the Quakers and Unitarians have made clear that they will conduct the weddings the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches are opposed.

– Telegraph.

The Church of England has just published the recommendations of its investigations, which resulted in the recommendation that ministers should be permitted (but not compelled) to conduct church blessings. The Church of Ireland is currently engaged in its own investigation. The global Catholic Church is preparing to conduct an Extraordinary Syynod on Marriage and Family, preceded by its own worldwide consultation. In the US, decisions by the ECLA and PCUSA to permit ordination of openly gay and lesbian clergy came after their own processes of extensive listening, study and consultation. Whatever the ultimate recommendations of the processes by the Methodists and Church of Ireland, one positive outcome is guaranteed: a greater understanding by all, of the issues involved.

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Women Bishops for Wales

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The Church of England has still not resolved the difficult issue of approving women bishops while still satisfying the die – hards resisting reform. However, the Church in Wales has led the way, in approving, by convincing margins, the ordination of women bishops. I doing so, they, resisted strong pressure to make special provision for the minority who had been trying to hold the church to ransom.

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Church in Wales backs women bishops Continue reading →

NZ Anglican Clergy Support Gay Marriage – in Church.

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,In New Zealand, marriage equality is now built into national law, and gay marriages have begun. In a notable sign of the times, both bishops, a comfortable majority of Anglican clergy and a narrow majority of other synod members at an Auckland church conference voted in support of a motion to change church rules, and start conducting gay weddings, in church. The motion failed only because passage required a stronger, two thirds majority..

 Auckland Anglicans have said no to gay marriage – despite church heads being in favour of it.

A motion to press the issue has failed at this weekend’s conference, despite both Auckland bishops and a majority of clergy being in favour.

72 members of the synod voted to push for gay marriage, 65 were against and eight abstained.

80 of the clergy support conducting single sex marriages, but with 44 against and four abstentions the motion fell short of a two-thirds majority.

If it had passed the vote would have been the first step towards allowing homosexuals to marry within the Anglican church.

The Auckland clergyman who’s been pushing for the Anglican church to conduct gay marriages, says he’s not disappointed at losing the vote.

The Reverend Glyn Cardy believes change is still in the wind.

“I’m very positive about where Auckland is. Really it shows that people do want to see change, the vast majority of the synod wants to see change.”

Pro-Gay Christians “Breaking Out”!

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At Religion Dispatches, Peter Montgomery reports on two recent developments, that demonstrate how some Christians are “Breaking out”  – that is, breaking from the more customary religious hostility, and coming out publicly in support of LGBT inclusion and equality.

In the first, he discusses the incident in Australia, where PM Kevin Rudd, challenged by a Christian pastor over his support for equal marriage, defended his stance on Christian principles.

As someone has noted in the comments thread,

If you get a chance to see the video, check it out. The smug look on the pastor’s face quickly changes to one of deer-caught-in-the-headlights terror as he realizes he’s been bested.

So – here’s your chance to watch it, right here (followed by the introduction to Montgomery;s reflection):


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Polish LGBT Christians’ Letter to Pope Francis

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The Bondings 2,0 report yesterday on a more pastoral tone from the Catholic Primate of Poland, Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, included reference to an open letter to Pope Francis from a group of LGBT Christians, Faith and Rainbow.

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Here’s the full text of the letter, taken from the group’s own website, which has helpfully published it in the original Polish, and in English. Continue reading →

The LGBT Christian “Not All Like That” Video Project

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Readers of Queering the Church, and of Queer Church News, will not need to be told that queer Christians exist, know that there is no inherent conflict between faith and their sexuality or gender identity, and that we have a continuously expanding number of straight allies in faith. That’s why my site exists, and is a message I am constantly promoting. Now Dan Savage, creator of the “It Gets Better Video Project” has got the message, and given his backing to video project inspired by It Gets Better, to express Christian support for the LGBT community.

Not All Like That Project: Christians Come Out For LGBT People With Dan Savage’s Support

Dan Savage got so sick of people coming up to him after talks and TV appearances informing him that not all Christians were bigots and against full equality of LGBT people that he came up with a word for them — “NALTS” — for “Not All Like That.”

Part of the gay sex columnist and author’s frustration was that he wanted these Christians, who were so eager to tell him about their enlightened stance, to focus their efforts on telling that to the Christian leaders who were condemning gay people and telling it to LGBT people, especially young Christians, who need to hear that not all Christians are… well, “like that.”

Now some Christians have taken Savage’s challenge — and even adopted his title. Christian blogger John Shore and Wayne Besen, from Truth Wins Out, with the blessing and support of Savage, have launched NALT, The Not All Christians Are Like That Project. Based on the format of the “It Gets Better” campaign, the website launched on September 4th as a platform for Christians who want to send a direct message of welcome and acceptance to the LGBT community.

-continue reading at  Huffington Post

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A Polish Change of Tone for Gay Catholics

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Evidence for a change in tone from Catholic bishops to  the LGBT community continues to mount – even in Poland, where the Catholic Church is powerful, and legal protections lag behind the rest of the European Union. Bob Shine reports, for Bondings 2.0:

Pope Francis & Polish Bishop Inspire Hope in Nation’s LGBT Catholics

Bondings 2.0 reported yesterday on the question of why Catholic bishops did not respond more positively to Pope Francis’ “Who am I to judge?” remarks in July. Recent comments by Poland’s leading Catholic figure are an example of how more positive speech about LGBT people in the papacy’s wake can and is inspiring hope for a new tone among LGBT Catholics.

Polskie Radio reports that Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, archbishop of Gniezno and primate of Poland, said the Church “will not turn its back on homosexuals” when asked about Pope Francis’ July statement on gay priests. Further, the radio station reports:

“Asked by Poland’s Rzeczpospolita daily whether the pope’s words had ‘started a revolution in the Church,’ Archbishop Kowalczyk said there was ‘nothing new’ in the pope’s comments.

“ ‘Homosexuality is a known phenomenon throughout history, both in the world and in the Church,’ he said.“

” ‘The Church will not turn its back on homosexuals. They are its members, as human beings, just like everyone else.’ “

The archbishop affirmed that one’s sexual orientation is no reason for exclusion from the Catholic community and he knows of “very worthy people” who had ‘homosexual tendencies.’

– continue reading at Bondings 2.0.

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“Who Are We to Judge?” – Gay Catholics – Episode 3 (Video)

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In Episode 3 of this Ignatian Press Youtube series on gay and lesbian people in the Church, Arthur Fitzmaurice and John Paul Godges discuss hopes and goals for gay Catholics in the Church. “That’s what I hope for”, says John Paul Godges, “for lesbian and gay Catholics in the future is open public integration”.

Watch the entire Gay Catholics series on the IN Network:http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=…

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Gay Christian Youth Minister Uses Grindr To Outreach To Gays (Video)

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A gay Criristian on Grindr who’s not looking to make you an ex-gay convert? Go figure! (Actually, there are plenty of non-self loathing, well adjusted gay Christians, but that’s another post for another time.)

Openly gay methodist youth minister, Michael James Alexander Szalapski of Clarksville, Tennessee uses the Grindr app to reach out to gay Christians and invite them to his gay-friendly church. Szalapski was recruited to work with youth at his church specifically because he was gay and the church felt the youth of their congregation would benefit from in his insight and experience. Progressive, right?

Filmmaker Christian Hendricks, stumbled upon Szalapski on the mobile app as part of his project “South of Ohio,” in which he travels through the South of United States, documenting things of interest.

Hendricks interviewed Szalapski and discussed his use of the “dating” app as a recruitment tool. That conversation led to some interesting insight into Szalapski’s own journey in his faith.

Check out this clip! (The whole segment is interesting, but skip to around the 3:00 minute mark for the Grindr sound bites.)

– continue reading at  Instinct.