NORMALLY the only clergy attending the annual Gay Pride march in Belfast are those present to demonstrate. But on Saturday, Protestant clergy were both protestors and participants. For while Church of Ireland ministers joined a Unitarian clergyman in the Belfast Pride march as supporters of the gay festival, Free Presbyterians and other religious opponents of the city centre event protested on the pavements. [Continue Reading]
Belfast Telegraph Video: Belfast Gay Pride 2008
5 August 2008
Part 1 includes a conversation with CAI supporter Rev. Chris Hudson. Part 2 includes an introduction by Tom Hartley, Lord Mayor of Belfast. [Continue Reading]
The Irish News: Gay Pride parade attracts thousands
4 August 2008
Changing Attitude Ireland, a new organisation representing gay Christians in Ireland, said they had decided to join Pride in response to the MPs remarks. “This is the first time our banner has been displayed at Pride in Belfast because it was important to increase our visibility and to show people that there are alternative Christian views than those espoused by Iris Robinson,” retired Church of Ireland minister, the Rev Mervyn Kingston, said. Organisers claimed the large turn-out was in response to the controversy stirred up by Mrs Robinson, who recently called homosexuality “an abomination”. [Continue Reading]
The Observer: Pride marchers mock anti-gay MP
3 August 2008
Changing Attitude Ireland, a new organisation representing gay Christians throughout the island, said they had decided to join Pride in response to the MP’s remarks. ‘This is the first time our banner has been displayed at Pride in Belfast because it was important to increase our visibility and to show people that there are alternative Christian views than those espoused by Iris Robinson,’ said a retired Church of Ireland minister, the Rev Mervyn Kingston. He said there was growing support within the Church of Ireland for equality for gay people inside the Anglican Communion. ‘At the Church of Ireland synod in Galway last May we had a stall for the first time and I counted only three delegates who refused to take our leaflets and only one who objected to our presence,’ Kingston said, holding up a poster with the words: ‘Iris We Love You.’ [Continue Reading]
Irish Times: Rite & Reason
7 July 2008
“Listening process vital to bring gay, lesbian clergy in from margins
The Church of Ireland has long held within its ranks gay and lesbian clergy. It is time to welcome them, and gay and lesbian laity as well, writes Mervyn Kingston. [Continue Reading]
Hard Gospel Project responds to Changing Attitude Ireland
5 July 2008
Feedback on Hard Gospel material, such as our latest resource, Faith and Difference (available at www.hardgospel.net), is always valued. The discussion card on Human Sexuality which is referred to is no different to any of the other issues addressed in this resource, in that there will be a range of strongly held and differing views. [Continue Reading]
Church of Ireland Gazette: Bishops’ Listening Process and Hard Gospel Project challenged by ‘Changing Attitude’ official
4 July 2008
A co-founder and the Secretary of Changing Attitude Ireland, the Revd Mervyn Kingston, has expressed trenchant criticisms of the bishops’ Listening Process regarding gay and lesbian people in the Church, and has voiced similar criticisms of the Hard Gospel Project’s dealing with the subject. [Continue Reading]
Gay Clergy Count: Visibility and Listening in the Church of Ireland
1 June 2008
By Mervyn Kingston, Search – A Church of Ireland Journal, Vol.31 Number 2. Summer 2008
How many gays and lesbians do you know? The reality is that gays and lesbians are to be found in every family, church and denomination. Look around and it will not be long before you see a gay son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt or uncle, nephew or niece, cousin or close friend. We all have them, but it is just that we may not know about them. If we are to be a truly open and inclusive church, then we need to find ways to welcome by our words and actions those who are often made to feel marginalised and isolated. [Continue Reading]
RTE News: State urged to protect same-sex couples
10 March 2008
Fine Gael has called on legislators to give legal protection to same-sex couples and Sinn Féin has accused the Government of rolling back gay rights won in the courts. Both were speaking following a call by a senior Anglican churchman for inheritance and other rights to be given to gay couples living together. Church of Ireland Archdeacon Gordon Linney last night called for legislation to protect cohabiting gay couples. [Continue Reading]
