To what extent does our experience of sexuality interact with our sense of personhood? This is a question that has come up in conversation and times of reflection. As I navigate the variety of ways this conversation around faith and sexuality is articulated in different parts of the Christian community, I often encounter what has…
DetailsThis idea of “the space between” is something I’ve been pondering for a while. Terri, who did some initial work on our arts initiative, coined the phrase as the title for our upcoming new arts website. The thought was of the space between you and the frame (ie. the frame around a painting)- the space…
DetailsAs some of you know, I started work on my doctorate degree last week. I’ve always loved to learn and I am excited after 12 years to be back in school. It is a three – four year program of studies that are meant to coincide with continuing on in your ministry position. So while…
DetailsIt is not really that surprising to read an article in the New York Times about tensions on Christian college campuses in relating and responding to their lgbt students. The article highlights a few American schools, most of whom I’m unfamiliar with. But given my relationship with a number of colleges, I well know the…
DetailsOn Palm Sunday, I led our congregation in a time of confession that connected with the previous week’s anti-bullying initiatives. My daughter then sang a song called, “Don’t Laugh at Me”: I am a little boy with glasses the one they call a geek.A little girl who never smiles ’cause I’ve got braces on my…
DetailsThe Day of Silence and Day of Dialogue are coming up and I’ve been pondering some of the inherent ironies in these two initiatives. The Day of Silence is an initiative of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network). GLSEN “strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless…
DetailsDriving down south for spring break I wrote the following: I saw a forest decimatedher trampled leaves were weeping. “Apocalypse” her branches cried. Who smugly says she deserves it? Orange buds then redmistake spring for fall…… drip like blood. tenacious, fighting, breathing, budding, living Encased in the crypt of consumerismdefiant dancers declaring….. the restoration of…
DetailsI recently had an article published in the Christian Educator’s Journal. This is a publication that reaches over 4,000 teachers and administrators who serve primarily in Christian schools. I thought I would share the article here too: It was a story I’d heard before, but hearing it in the Christian school I’d graduated from, brought…
DetailsI’ve just returned from New York City – not exactly the place one might imagine as a place of deep quiet renewal. But in the first evening of the 2 and half day arts encounter I was participating in, I felt my soul sigh in the best sense of the word. I felt like a…
DetailsIn the midst of all the multi-faceted layers of diversity we have explored, I find it curious that the benefits of applying Paul’s guidelines in Romans 14 are not applied more widely to the question of covenanted same-sex unions. The reality is that there is diversity in perspective on this matter in our families, our…
DetailsWhen we look to the actual community of same-sex attracted and gay Christians, we see men and women committed to Christ, committed to engaging the Scriptures as God’s revelation to them, and committed to journeying as faithful disciples. And among them, we see the reality that this is a disputable matter. There are those who…
DetailsWhen we look at the issues that Paul raises as disputable matters in both the book of Romans and his first letter to the Corinthian church, it can be easy to consider the matter of eating meat previously sacrificed to idols or the appropriate day for worship to be fairly benign issues. When we then…
DetailsJohn Wesley is credited with the articulation of the quadrilateral for theological reflection made up of Scripture, experience, tradition and reason. It has been likened to a three legged stool in that Scripture is always seen as the foundation with the other three factors providing support. In this section of this disputable matter series, I…
DetailsWhen we consider the potential usefulness of viewing covenanted same-sex unions as a disputable matter in the Christian community, we must understand the diversity with which we approach and seek to interpret scripture. The sheer fact of such difference ought to motivate us to embody a posture of humility rather than self-righteous judgment of one…
DetailsThe reality is if we refuse to consider the matter of covenanted same-sex relationships to be disputable, we inevitably put ourselves in a position of discounting those with who we disagree despite their profession of faith in Christ and regard for the Scriptures. This is no small matter. Today, one cannot simply write off as…
DetailsThis post kicks off a series wherein I will tackle the question of whether covenanted same-sex unions ought to be considered a disputable matter. I grew up in a denomination that did not ordain women into ministry offices until 1995. The hottest years of the debate happened during my teens and early twenties. I remember…
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