Category Archives: The Church

LOVE in the hot summer

Called To Love and Forgive

The toxic teachings of our churches and parishes have left the lives of many gay people tattered and torn. From birth many of us have been rhetorically baptized in a spiritually cancerous bile that has dampened our spirit and pierced our soul. That cesspool of

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

God Is Coming… And Is She Pissed!

Four days before Christmas, I was very suddenly sacked from my job, the excuse given being that I (who had received a glowing performance review every month I was there) suddenly “lacked the proper skill-set” for the position. My former supervisor, however, later told the

Friends hugging on a hike

Study: Welcoming Congregations More Active on Issues of Social Justice

Congregations that have undertaken formalized efforts to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members are more active in social justice, more comfortable addressing sexuality issues and less concerned that LGBT advocacy will reduce membership, according to two national surveys released today. The surveys –

Wooden Church Tower

Mainline Called Uncounted Force for Change

The White House has an oft-overlooked religious ally for solving the country’s social problems through greatly expanded government programs, if a new survey of senior pastors in mainline Protestant churches is a good indication. Republican politicians and commentators have opposed President Obama’s economic stimulus initiatives

First Presbyterian Church

Setback for Presbyterian Gay Clergy

Gay clergy in the Presbyterian Church will have to wait for yet another round of voting before they’ll be approved for ordination. A presbytery vote on removing the prohibition against gay clergy has failed – but by a closer margin than the last time a

St. Peter’s Square, Vatican, Rome

Blair to Pope: Use Your Brain, Man!

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has a message for the pope – time to ditch the church’s official homophobia! “We need an attitude of mind where rethinking and the concept of evolving attitudes becomes part of the discipline with which you approach your religious

Wedding rings on dictionary

Gay Marriage Isn’t New, It’s Tradition

People who argue against same-gender marriage as some new-fangled perversion of marriage don’t know their history very well. Contrary to myth, Christianity’s concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

Man holding bible

The Illusion of Certainty

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) Like many Christians, I have been curious and dismayed about what seems to be the increasing appeal of fundamentalism and fundamentalist thinking within

Black man playing with a magnifying glass

Hyper-Muscular Christianity

In Seattle, self-described “charismatic Calvinist” Mark Driscoll preaches that “Jesus is a pride fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand, and the willingness to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship…I cannot worship a guy I can