The Bible – or at least, certain passages of it – is used to defend discrimination against same-sex relationships, regardless of the fact that those writings are thousands of years old, coming from a time and a culture that was also against the eating of shellfish and the trimming of beards. It is odd that such Old Testament injunctions would appear to have more power over some Christians than the clear example that Jesus sets of total inclusivity, accepting all people and even giving preference to those whom others have rejected. Jesus never mentions same-sex relationships. One of Paul’s epistles does, but it is clear that Paul believes all people are heterosexual, and so if they are engaging in homosexual activity they are only doing it out of naughtiness. [Continue Reading]
IDAHO service 2011: “Challenging homophobia at home and abroad”
Welcome to our service on IDAHO Day 2011 – International Day Against Homophobia. At this time each year we join with brothers and sisters throughout the world who are concerned that Christian conscience cannot accept that God’s love embraces only heterosexuals. This afternoon in St George’s we are united with others in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick in welcoming and accepting our family members and friends who are gay or lesbian. The theme of our service is —“Challenging homophobia at home and abroad.” [Continue Reading]
Rt. Revd. David Kerr sermon for IDAHO 2011, “Challenging Homophobia at Home and Abroad”
Thank you for the invitation to speak at this annual IDAHO service; I count it a great privilege to share in the worship today and to address you. Our theme this year is a very broad ranging one and while it is a very important one, it seems almost too great for us to be able to respond to in any meaningful way. When we contemplate the range of vicious and violent homophobia around the world in Uganda, Nigeria, certain parts of America and indeed in many other places it seems impossible to challenge. Yet all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. [Continue Reading]
Canon Ginnie Kennerly’s IDAHO 2011 sermon in Dublin
That’s because as today’s New Testament reading reminds us, “Christ has abolished the law – (that’s the law regarding the division of Jews and Gentiles) – so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, to reconcile both groups to God in one body, putting their hostility to death through the cross”. Divisions between human groups and communities and factions are not of God; divisiveness is against the teaching and practice of Christ; so let us strive not to define ourselves as against but for other human beings, however badly they may have behaved, however different their culture and traditional values are from our own. [Continue Reading]
