Category Archives: Faith & Witness

Woman sitting alone in rustic church

Coming Out as a Child of God

Living in the closet is sort of like staying in the womb! It’s safe! At least we can fool ourselves into believing it is safe. But safe isn’t always comfortable. It’s a struggle between who we are and who we want to be. With how

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

One Man’s Pilgrimage

Part One: The Outer Pilgrim When I arrived home from Spain the other day, it occurred to me that perhaps you would like to read about some of my recent experiences as a peregrino (pilgrim) walking for 14 days on the Camino de Santiago. Let

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

Gay Morality: Yes or No?

I was on my way to Kuala Lumpur when I started thinking about the past year and what came to pass in my own life and in my church’s, Gay Christian Community in Cape Town, South Africa. I suppose my melancholic mood was brought on

Wood frame house

Choosing Our Neighbors

Two years ago we bought a house in a marginal, but up and coming, neighborhood. On one visit to check out the house we eventually bought, we were greeted by one of the neighbors. He was friendly enough, but it was clear he was “checking

Wood frame house

Neighbors

Who is my neighbor? That’s the question the legal expert on Jewish law asked in the gospel reading. Today we need to challenge our comfortable attitudes about the person who is our neighbor and our Christian response to that person. You see, it’s easy to

Glasses resting on Bible

Fear, Faith, Freedom

When I was a little girl, many years ago, my mother was terribly afraid of storms, a fear that was, no doubt, brought on by her having been in a house that was completely destroyed by a tornado in her early adulthood. This fear was

Black man praying

Loving Those on the Religious Right

Jesus reminded us that it is easy to love those who are near to us, but asked, “What reward do you have?” One of the toughest challenges lesbians and gays make for the Religious Right is that Scripture witness to the great gettin’ up morning,

Black man praying

Responding to Persecution

What?! Do people shame you?! Tell you how you are an abomination and that God hates you?! Treat you like a pervert and tell all your friends and family that you are going to hell?! Are YOU ever lucky!! You have an opportunity to know