Mary Glasspool, the First Lesbian U.S. Bishop

Mary Glasspool, the First Lesbian U.S. Bishop
by Michael A. Jones
The Episcopal Church makes history again. Back in 2003, it was the ordination of openly gay Bishop Eugene Robinson that sent waves through the religious world. Now, six years later, the Episcopal Church will welcome its first lesbian ordained bishop with Rev. Mary Glasspool in Los Angeles.
Rev. Glasspool, currently an Episcopalian priest in Maryland, was elected bishop over the weekend. She'll become one of two auxiliary bishops for the Los Angeles diocese, joining Rev. Diane Jardine Bruce, who was elected on Friday. The two will become the first women bishops of the entire diocese.

And now, a personal statement by Rt Rev. Glasspool:
Provide a description of your walk with God in Christ that brought you to this moment of discerning a call to the episcopate in our diocese.


And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14b, RSV)

I was born in February 1954, on a rainy Tuesday (Tuesday’s child is full of grace) in Staten Island Hospital, New York, where my father was Rector of St. Simon’s Episcopal Church and Vicar of All Saints’. Both my parents grew up in the Episcopal Church, and each modeled a profound faith in God that was given to me as gift while I grew up. We moved to Goshen, N.Y., in April of 1954 where my father was Rector of St. James’ Church for the next 35 years until his death in 1989. As with most children, I suspect, God was more transcendent than immanent, more other than palpable in community to me.

It was during my college years (1972-1976) that I began to discern a vocation to ordained ministry and concomitantly to discover my sexuality. Both these areas were sources of intense struggle for me, as I wrestled with such questions as; Did God hate me (since I was a homosexual)? or Did God love me? Did I hate (or love) myself? Was it really possible, not to mention appropriate, for women to be priests? My father’s answer to this last question was a resounding NO, and true to his own colors he never publicly supported women’s ordination, although I became something of an exception to the rule.

God was still transcendent and other to me as I entered Episcopal Divinity School in the Fall of 1976, just as the General Convention in Minneapolis was wrestling to recognize the reality of women called to be priests, the new Prayer Book, and what to do with the Philadelphia 11 and the Washington 5 as we termed them at EDS. My role models at that time represented two different ways of doing things in response to God’s call: Carter Heyward and Carol Anderson. Carter, for me, represented the courage to break through barriers – not without cost – in order to become fully the person God is calling you to become. Carol represented the sacrificial love of the Church that manifested itself in restraint, and also came at great cost. Both of these courageous women have continued to model for me the integrity of responding to God’s call with your whole person, being exactly who you are.

After my ordination to the Diaconate on June 13, 1981, I became Assistant to the Rector at St. Paul’s Church in Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia) under the tutelage and rectorship of Jim Moodey. God was beginning to be more in Christ for me, more present, closer, more a part of my daily walk. I grew a lot in three years at St. Paul’s, staying in touch with my spiritual director: Martin Smith, and being the only full-time cleric at the resource size parish when Jim was elected Bishop of Ohio and the parish moved into transition. When the next Rector of St. Paul’s was called, I accepted a call to become Rector of St. Luke’s and St. Margaret’s (SLAM, as we affectionately referred to ourselves) in the Allston section of Boston. For the next seven years I helped the Holy Spirit build up this exciting branch of the Body of Christ while simultaneously dealing with a host of urban issues such as immigration, housing as a right, the four-pronged economic justice plan that came out of General Convention in 1988 and focused on land trusts, cooperative housing, worker-owned businesses and community development credit unions. And, because the kairos appeared to be coming, I had the privilege and subsequent joy of nominating and working with Barbara Harris, as she became the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion.

It was in Boston that I met my life partner, Becki Sander, as she was studying for a dual degree in theology and social work. We have been together since 1988, and Becki has just earned her Ph.D. in Social Work, having written an excellent thesis on Restorative Justice. God has blessed us richly and continues to do so.

In something of a surprise move, God next called me south of the Mason-Dixon Line to St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, Maryland where I had the honor of being Rector for the next nine-and-one-half years (1992-2001). While striving to be honest about who I was (when asked directly about my sexuality I responded honestly and directly), it was also a time in the church when uncertainty about issues of sexuality reigned. The good people of St. Margaret’s gave me room to be myself without asking explicit questions, and I gave them room to be themselves: (at that time) a relatively conservative, but Jesus-loving parish of untapped potential. This resulted in a mostly joy-filled love affair during which the parish grew by leaps and bounds (St. Margaret’s is now one of the most exciting parishes in this diocese) and I grew profoundly in my knowledge and love of the Lord. The cost, however, was that my partner, Becki, was invisible as far as the parish was concerned, although we developed deep friendships among our different colleagues outside of St. Margaret’s.

In the Spring of 2001, the Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Maryland accepted a call to a parish in Arizona, and I was among those who tested out whether or not God was calling me to work on a diocesan staff. Because the Bishop Diocesan, Bob Ihloff, wanted to make it clear that we were building a team ministry and I was to work with the Bishop Suffragan, John Rabb, as well, the title was changed to Canon to the Bishops. I was called, and after much laughter and countless tears as St. Margaret’s and I celebrated our time together, I began my new job on October 1, 2001.

For the first three years of my eight-year tenure (so far), I grieved the loss of being a Parish Rector, at St. Margaret’s in particular. In my heart, I believe there is a significant part of me that is and always will be a parish priest. I use that to remind myself of the kind of service a diocesan staff should try to provide for the diocese. So, for example, if I’m sending an “allclergy” e-mail, I try to imagine what it’s like to be sitting at my desk as Rector of a parish reading the e-mail. Is it clear? Does the Diocese know what it’s doing? I promote with the staff the fact that we are here to serve the Diocese, so that whenever we are receiving a phone call or e-mail we should be ready to help in whatever ways we can, and if we can’t, we should be able to refer people to someone who can.


I have come to love what I’m doing now with all its challenges and opportunities to learn. Since I have described many aspects of my current job in others parts of this application, I won’t repeat them here. The Diocese of Maryland has recently been through a search process, the election of our current Bishop: Eugene T. Sutton, his Consecration a year ago, followed rapidly by Lambeth and now, preparation for the upcoming General Convention in Anaheim. Eugene has asked me to stay on, amidst other staff changes, and this I’ve done, committed to the transition, and along with Bishop Rabb, trying to help Bishop Sutton be the best possible Bishop for Maryland God is calling him to be. Yet I find myself yearning for something new and different. In my spiritual life, I am experiencing a “holy unsettledness” - perhaps the stirrings of a new call?

When one of the clergy in our diocese asked if he could submit my name for Bishop Suffragan of Los Angeles, I went to your web site, read the material, and thought: “Wow! This is exciting! I would love to explore this new possibility and discover what God is up to now.” With respect to the episcopal part of discerning this possibility, I would say two things. One is that functionally, I do many of the ministries our bishops do without having been elected. I travel all over the Diocese of Maryland visiting a different parish each Sunday to preach and celebrate the Eucharist and support individual clergy and the congregations committed to their charge in their own mission and ministry in Christ. I represent the bishops on a variety of different committees and commissions. I do Mutual Ministry Reviews, facilitate Vestry Retreats, lead spiritual retreats, and provide pastoral care for the clergy and their families. Obviously I do not have the same authority as a bishop - but that lack comes with the advantage of knowing that some people speak to me instead of either of the bishops precisely because they don’t want to speak to the bishops!


The second thing is simply to say that it’s time. It’s time for our wonderful church to move on and be the inclusive Church we say we are. I believe that the Diocese of Los Angeles is in alignment with the kairos – ready to move boldly into the future, with a strategic plan centered in the love of God and purposed with bringing God’s Reign of Justice and Love further into being, modeling for the whole Church an episcopal team. And maybe, just maybe, God is calling me to be a part of that exciting future.

Next Chapel of Ss. Serge & Bacchus Mass, and Rev. Donna Anniversary Mass, Sunday, December 6, 2009.

Next Chapel of Ss. Serge & Bacchus Mass, and Rev. Donna Anniversary Mass, Sunday, December 6, 2009.

Anniversary Mass at 11:00 AM, Rev’s Donnas’ 8 year anniversary of her ordination to the Priesthood !


Chapel of Ss. Serge & Bacchus at 5:00 PM


Second Sunday in Advent: Violet. Mass of same (p 3). Second collect of the H. Nicholas (p 163).

MEDITATIONS
The Second Sunday in Advent



Intent: The God Within

THE COLLECT

Show us Thy face, O holy undefiled radiance, our true gracious physician, Thou healer of our souls! Come to us, for we are Thy sheep, and Thou art our good shepherd! O Light of our soul, the sun of our heart who givest our being the things of the Light, Thou art our witness that we have no comfort save in Thee. We have heard every voice but no other voice save Thine can please us; for it is Thou alone whom we have loved from the beginning to the end. Come to us, and abide with us, O redeeming Light, Thou who art the cross of light that gives life to the universe.
Amen.

THE LESSON

The lesson is taken from the writings of the Gnostic Fathers:

Cease to seek God in created things on the outside, but seek Him within thyself; and thus learn who it is that takes possession of thee and says: “My God, my consciousness, my understanding, my soul, my body.” Then learn whence is sorrow, and rejoicing, and love, and hate, and being awake, and being asleep, and getting angry against one’s will. Now if thou inquire into these things thou shalt find Him in thyself, one and many, like the atom, and thus thou shalt find the way out from thy lesser self.

THE GOSPEL

The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Philip:

Those who sow in the winter reap in summer. The winter is the world, the summer the other aeon. What comes out of the winter is the summer. Let us sow in the world that we may reap in summer. But if any man reap in winter, he will not reap but pluck out.


Hope to see you there!

Rev's John, Gerry, Donna & Amber

Re: Next Chapel of Ss. Serge & Bacchus This Sunday, August 2

August 2
Eighth Sunday after Trinity: Green. Mass of the same (p. 79).
MEDITATIONS
The Eighth Sunday After Trinity
Intent: Wisdom

Hope to see you there!

Rev.'s: John, Gerry, Amber and Donna


________________________________________
THE COLLECT
O God, who art the Wisdom of the wise and the Strength of the strong, whose Beauty shines through the whole universe; may we so open our hearts to the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that we may ever be strong in Thee, and may show forth in our lives Thy divine Beauty.
Amen.
________________________________________
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians:

We speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. The natural man receiveth not the things that are freely given to us of God. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual discerneth all things; yet he himself is discerned of no man.
________________________________________
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Philip:

Those who are in the truth will be perfect when all the truth is revealed. For the truth is like ignorance; while it is hidden it abides in itself, but when it is revealed and recognized it is praised inasmuch as it is stronger than ignorance and error. The Logos said: If you know the truth, the truth will make you free. Ignorance is a slave, knowledge is freedom. When we recognize the truth we shall find the fruits of the truth in our hearts. If we unite with it, it will bring our fulfillment.

Second Collect of the Master Phillipe (p 147).

Happy Memorial Day! NEXT Chapel of Ss. Serge and Bacchus June 7th

Hello Friends of the Chapel of Ss. Serge and Bacchus,
Our next Gnostic-Christian Eucharist Service especially for the GLBT Community will be at 5:00 PM, Sunday, June 7th, at Ecclesia Gnostica/The Gnostic Society, 3363 Glendlae Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039. Celebrant: Rev. Fr. John Goelz. All are welcome!
Hope to see you there,
Rev. John Goelz, Rev. Donna Owen, Rev. Deacon Gerry Szeman, and Rev. Amber Tidwell.
MEDITATIONS
Pentecost (Whitsunday)
Intent: Coming of the Holy Spirit
________________________________________
THE COLLECT
Eternal Spirit of Wisdom, source of love and light; thou norm of the Father and the Son, who comest into the soul of man as the balance of righteousness and truth, we hail thee! Most holy comforter, dove that deifiest mankind; thou presence most secret and adored in all the worlds, hear our prayer! Thou who art the fire of Pentecost, who movest upon the face of the waters; who comest down as a mighty wind; and who renewest the face of the earth, we glorify thee, and rejoice in the all renewing majesty of thy deathless might, now and forevermore.
Amen.
________________________________________
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the Kephalaia of the Paraclete:

The fount of every blessing and all the invocations is the mother of life, the first Holy Spirit, the first mother who has come forth the father and first appeared, the glorious one who is the beginning of all emanations that have come to this world. Know that the grains of the dust of the earth can be measured, with the whole universe, one can count the grains of the dust of the earth year after year; but the length of time the Holy Spirit passed with the father, that one cannot count. He first formed her in his inner chambers in quiet and in silence; but when she was needed, then was she called and came forth from the father of greatness; she looked after all the aeons of the light.
________________________________________
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. John:

Jesus said unto His disciples: I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that She may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Her not, neither knoweth Her; but ye know Her, for She dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more, but ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also. The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, she shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


From the Gay Saints Calendar at: http://www.otkenyer.hu/halsall/lgbh-gaysts.html#perp

May 30 ORC *St. Joan of Arc
c.1412-1431
and *La Rousse
and *Catharine de La Rochelle
An Image of Joan of Arc is available online. See also another image.
Joan, who was executed at the age of 19, lived, as Marina Warner notes, one of the most classically heroic lives of any woman in history. She is the national heroine of France. She also refused to wear women's clothes and had her hair cut in the typical male "basin" style of the day. Even during her trial she insisted on male attire, an insistence which angered her prosecutors.
from Compton's Online Encyclopedia, (AOL, Downloaded 7/22/94)
JOAN OF ARC (1412?-31). One of the most romantic figures in European war history was Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who saved the kingdom of France from English domination. She has also been called the Maid of Orleans and the Maid of France. When she was only 17 years old, Joan inspired a French army to break the English siege of the French city of Orleans and to win other important victories. Joan of Arc (in French Jeanne d'Arc) was born in the village of Domremy, in the Meuse River valley, probably in 1412. She was the daughter of a wealthy tenant farmer. From her mother she learned how to spin, sew, and cook, and also to love and serve God. She spent much of her time praying in church. For almost 100 years France and much of Europe had been fighting in what became known as the Hundred Years' War. The English occupied much of northern France and the Duke of Burgundy was their ally. Because the impoverished French king, Charles VII, had not yet been crowned, he was still called the Dauphin (See Charles, Kings of France). Reims, where the coronation ceremonies for French kings had been held for 1,000 years, was in enemy hands (See Reims). The valley where Joan lived was constantly overrun by armies and guerrilla bands.
Joan was only about 13 when she first saw a heavenly vision. She later claimed that St. Michael had told her to be a good girl, to obey her mother, and to go to church often. For some time, however, she told no one of the visions. When St. Catherine and St. Margaret commanded her to journey to the Dauphin in order to inspire his armies to clear the way to Reims for the coronation, she told her parents and others. Her father refused to let her go. Joan's visions continued to command her. Her friends, who believed that she was truly inspired, secured boy's clothing and a horse for her. Several rode with her on the long trip to the Dauphin's court at Chinon. Perhaps as a test, the Dauphin made one of his courtiers pretend to be the king. Joan, however, went directly to the true king and greeted him. The Dauphin and his councilors were not entirely convinced of her mission, however. Months of doubt and indecision followed while she was questioned. Slowly an army was gathered. The Dauphin equipped Joan with armor, attendants, and horses. A special banner was made for Joan to carry into battle. On one side were the words "Jesus Maria" and a figure of God, seated on clouds and holding a glove. The other side had a figure of the Virgin and a shield, with two angels supporting the arms of France. When the army at last moved toward Orleans, Joan was not its commander, but her presence inspired the soldiers with confidence. At Orleans, after Joan disapproved of the plans made for entering the besieged city, her own plan was adopted. From the city she led a series of sallies that so harassed and discouraged the English that they withdrew. In one of the skirmishes Joan was wounded. On May 8, 1429, the victory was celebrated by the first festival of Orleans. The army entered Reims on July 16. The next day the Dauphin was crowned king as Joan stood by with her banner. A decision was made to attack Paris, but the new monarch's hesitation and indecision prevented Joan's soldiers from concerted attack. Nevertheless, Compiegne and other nearby towns were taken. A French attack on a Paris salient was driven back and Joan was again wounded. Charles VII disbanded his army for the winter and retired southward. Through the cold months Joan chafed at royal delay. In the spring she returned to Compiegne, now besieged by forces of the Duke of Burgundy. On May 23, 1430, Joan, on a sortie into the Burgundian lines, was separated from her soldiers and captured.
Trial and Execution
As a prisoner at Beaurevoir, she attempted to escape, but was injured in the leap from the donjon tower. Later she was sold to the English, who vowed that she would be executed. They removed her to Rouen, where she was held in chains. Although the English wanted Joan's death, they desired her to be sentenced by an ecclesiastical court. The Burgundian- controlled University of Paris provided the charges of heresy and witchcraft. It also provided some of the members of the court. Other members came from areas under English occupation. Chief of the court was the bishop of Beauvais. Joan was handed over to this bishop on Jan. 3, 1431. The sittings began on February 21 and continued intermittently for months. Joan's appeal to be sent before the pope for judgment was denied. On May 23 she was condemned to be burned unless she recanted. She had been held for many months in chains, threatened with torture, and harassed by thousands of questions. In spite of all this, she had maintained her shy innocence, often confounding her oppressors with simple, unaffected answers to tricky questions. Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret, she said, still counseled her.
Faced with death in the flames, she recanted, but many historians think she did not understand what was meant in the statement of recantation. As a result of her submission, her punishment was commuted from death to life imprisonment. This leniency enraged the English, however, and it was not long before she was accused of relapsing from her submission. On May 30, 1431, when she was only 19 years old, Joan was turned over to civil authority and burned to death at the stake.
Charles VII had made no effort to save Joan. Some 25 years later he did aid her family to appeal the case to the pope, and in 1456 a papal court annulled the judgment of 1431. On May 16, 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic church.
Select bibliography
Catholic Encyclopedia - entry on Joan of Arc (available online)
There is an interesting web site devoted to original texts and later discussions about Joab of Arc.
Marina Warner, St. Joan of Arc: The Image of Female Heroism, (London: 1981, pb. Penguin, 1985), esp. 149-59
Charles T. Wood, Joan of Arc and Richard II: Sex , Saints and Government in the Middle Ages, (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1988)

Next Chapel of Serge & Bacchus Mass this Sunday, May 3rd

Hello Friends,

Just a quick reminder to let you know that we will be holding our monthly Chapel of Saints Serge & Bacchus (and Perpetua and Felicity) for THE GNOSTIC SOCIETY GLBTQ Community and Friends this coming Sunday, May 3rd, at 5:00 PM. Hope to see you there!

Rev.’s: John, Donna, Gerry and Amber

The Chapel of Saints Serge and Bacchus Blog at:

http://chapelofsergeandbacchus.blogspot.com/

scroll down for Gay saints calendar entry for Friday, May 8th

ECCLESIA GNOSTICA CALENDAR
Third Sunday after Easter: White. Mass of same (p. 51). The Third Sunday After Easter
Intent: Divine Protection
________________________________________
THE COLLECT
O great alone-born, hear us this day when we cry to Thee, O One-Father, almighty spirit, the firstborn of every living being and every Aeon! Help us, O holy angels! May our afflictions both within and without swiftly flee away from us, so that the benevolent powers may come to us, remain with us, and protecting us, guide us to Thine ineffable Light!
Amen.
________________________________________
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the Chaldean Oracles:

The soul of man, with nothing in it subject to death, should press God closely to itself; but now it is all drunk, for it glories in the Harmony under whose sway the mortal frame exists. Seek out the channel for the Soul-Stream, whence it is that the Soul fell into slavery to the body, and to what state thou shalt rise again. Those who flee the reckless fated wing of Fate and stay themselves in God, draw to themselves the fires in all their prime as they descend out of the Father. And the soul is nourished all these aeons by the empyrean fruit which it gathered from God, who is our home, and our true Self.
________________________________________
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Thomas:

Jesus said: Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you shall find the kingdom; because you come from it, and you shall go there again. Jesus said: If they say to you: 'From where have you originated', you say to them: 'We have come from the Light, where the Light has originated through itself. It stood and it revealed itself in their image.' If they say to you: 'Who are you?', say: 'We are His sons and we are the elect of the Living Father.' If they ask you: 'What is the sign of your Father in you?', say to them: 'It is a movement and a rest.'

From the GAY SAINTS CALENDAR:

May 8 COE/ECUSA *Julian of Norwich, mystic
1342- c. 1417
Mother Julian qualifies as transgendered for her name, if nothing else. But that is not her main interest for lesbian and gay people. Mother Julian was one of the foremost English mystics of the middle ages. As a young women she had series of intense visions, or "showings" as she said, of Jesus. She then lived as an anchoress, a sort of local hermit, for the rest of her life meditating and writing down he meditations on these visions. There is a pretty poor modern English version put out by Penguin, but the edition in the Classics of Western Spirituality Series is well worth the extra cost. Julian, although no feminist, experienced God directly as "our mother", and experienced God as pure love. She also saw Jesus as a loving mother, full of warm and care for her children. Julian's immensely attractive spirituality emphasize that God love's human beings, and that in the end "all will be well, and all shall be well, and all will be well". In her awareness of the motherhood of God, in her emphasis on God's love and manifest intention that "every kind of thing will be well", Julian's spirituality has the called many who have encountered it back to a joyful Faith. And a Faith that is not joyful hardly seems worth the effort.
Chapter 60 (from Long Text of "Showings")
"The Mother can lay her child tenderly to her breast, but our tender Mother Jesus can lead us easily into his blessed breast through his sweet open side, and show us there a part of the godhead and of the joys of heaven with inner certainty of endless bliss. And that he revealed in the 10th revelation, giving us the same under standing in these sweet words which he says: See how I love you, looking into his blessed side, rejoicing"
Chapter 31 (from Long Text of "Showings"), a passage Julian referred back to repeatedly,
"And so our good Lord answered to all questions and doubts which I could raise, saying most comfortably: I may make all things well, and I can make all things well, and I shall make all things well, and I will make all things well, and you will see yourself that every kind of thing will be well"
Chapter 11 (from Short text of "Showings")
"Thus I chose Jesus for my heaven, whom I saw only in pain at that time. No other heaven was pleasing to me than Jesus, who will be my bliss when I am there; and this has always been a comfort to me, that I chose Jesus as my heaven in all times of suffering and of sorrow."
Select bibliography
Catholic Encyclopedia - entry on Juliana of Norwich (available online)
See the Julian of Norwich homepage, which includes a link to an icon of Mother Julian, as well as much written material.
Julian of Norwich's Revelations, an online article by by Gretchen Denlinger.
Julian of Norwich, Showings, trans. Edmund Colledge and James Walsh, (New York: Paulist Press, 1978)

WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER!

WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER!

The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew:

As it began to dawn towards the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the Angel said unto the women: Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus, who was crucified. Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that he is risen from the dead. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did run to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying: All hail. And they came and took Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. http://www.gnosis.org/ecclesia/lect045.htm

“The Savior swallowed up death - (of this) you are not reckoned as being ignorant - for he put aside the world which is perishing. He transformed himself into an imperishable Aeon and raised himself up, having swallowed the visible by the invisible, and he gave us the way of our immortality. Then, indeed, as the Apostle said, "We suffered with him, and we arose with him, and we went to heaven with him". Now if we are manifest in this world wearing him, we are that one`s beams, and we are embraced by him until our setting, that is to say, our death in this life. We are drawn to heaven by him, like beams by the sun, not being restrained by anything. This is the spiritual resurrection which swallows up the psychic in the same way as the fleshly. “ The Treatise on the Resurrection, The Nag Hammadi Library http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/res.html

“What great confidence at the hour of death shall be his who is not attached to this world by any affection. But the sickly soul does not know what it is to have a heart thus separated from all things, nor does the natural man know the liberty of the spiritual man. Yet, if he truly wishes to be spiritual, he must renounce both strangers and friends, and must beware of no one more than himself.”

“…Grace is a supernatural light, a certain special gift of God, the proper mark of the elect and the pledge of everlasting salvation. It raises man up from earthly things to love the things of heaven. It makes a spiritual man of a carnal one. The more, then, nature is held in check and conquered, the more grace is given. Every day the interior man is reformed by new visitations according to the image of God.”

Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ http://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imb3c51-59.html

the Gnostic Chapel of Saint Jeanne D'Arc Blog at:

http://saintjeannechapel।blogspot.com/

Chapel of Ss. Serge and Bacchus Mass Sunday, March 1st @5:00 PM

Hello,

Just a reminder to let you know that this Sunday, March 1st we're having our Monthly Gnostic-Christan Mass for the Chapel of Ss. Serge and Bachhus again at 5:30 PM. Being that this is the first Sunday following Ash Wednesday, and the first Sunday in Lent and the Easter Season, we will be administering blessed ashes, for those who were unable to attend our Ash Wednesday Mass.

First Sunday in Lent: Violet. Mass of the same (p 28). [homily] Blessing and distribution of ashes may be repeated (p 27).

THE COLLECT
O loving God, look upon Thy children who have answered Thy call! Come to us with Thy mighty aid in our time of need. Cleanse us of all darkness and ignorance, let our tears be turned to jubilation, let Thy most glorious power watch over us until we enter Thy light. Let Thy great brightness come and cause the path to be lit before us, let Thy angels bring to us Thy garments, Thy crowns and Thy garlands; let our way be restful, let the door open before us into the column of glory, let us cross over in the ships of Light and rest for evermore. Amen.

THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the words of the Holy Prophet Mani: The man whose mind is full of light is the one to whom belongs wisdom; as soon as he hears truth he welcomes it to himself; but he whose mind is without light, who is alien to it, does not take it to himself, nor does he listen to it. And every weak soul which has not learned the truth belonging to her is doomed to remain without any rest or happiness. God’s enlightening word is sweet when it finds ears to hear it; it does not lodge in a closed mind, makes not its way into a polluted shrine. Let us therefore examine our shrines, so that in cleanliness they may receive the Light.


THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Thomas:Jesus saw children who were being suckled. He said to his disciples: These children who are being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom. They said to Him: Shall we then, being children, enter the Kingdom? Jesus said to them: When you make the two one, and when you make the inner as the outer and the outer as the inner and the above as the below, and when you make the male and the female into a single one, so that the male will not be male and the female not be female, when you make eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in the place of a hand, and a foot in the place of a foot, and an image in the place of an image then shall you enter the Kingdom.

Hope to see you at Ecclesia Gnostica and the Chapel of Ss. Serge and Bacchus Tomorrow!

Rev.'s Donna, John, Jerry & Amber

"Remember O Soul, that thy body is dust and to dust it shall return." Ash Wednesday Blessing as used by the Ecclesia Gnostica.

Great Gay Quotes

It always seemed to me a bit pointless to disapprove of homosexuality. It's like disapproving of rain. - Francis Maude

In response to a reader who complained that a gay couple was moving in across the street and wanted to know what he could do to improve the quality of the neighborhood. 'You could move.' ~ Abigail Van Buren, "Dear Abby,"

The only queer people are those who don't love anybody. - Rita Mae Brown

My own belief is that there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world at large with surprise and horror. ~ W.Somerset Maugham

If homosexuality is a disease, let's all call in queer to work: "Hello. Can't work today, still queer." ~ Robin Tyler

I'd rather be black than gay because when you're black you don't have to tell your mother. ~ Charles Pierce

Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

The one bonus of not lifting the ban on gays in the military is that the next time the government mandates a draft we can all declare homosexuality instead of running off to Canada. - Lorne Bloch

You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight. ~ Barry Goldwater

Drag is when a man wears everything a lesbian won't. - Author Unknown

My mother took me to a psychiatrist when I was fifteen because she thought I was a latent homosexual. There was nothing latent about it. - Amanda Bearse

I was standing in the middle of Manhattan, and heard a man say "They ought to take all these homos and put them on an island somewhere." I said, "Merry Christmas, Bozo, you're on it." - Jim David

(and, of course, the ever famous quote:) The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision.

A NEW SPIRITUALITY FOR GAYS

article online at http://www.coolcatdaddy.com/cyrwyn/GaySpirituality.html

Here's a short excerpt from the article:

"With increasing documentation, gay historians and anthropologists are chronicling the lives of gay people within our culture and in other cultures of the past and present. There is a growing body of work demonstrating other cultural attitudes toward homosexuality and how gayness was integrated into those cultures. It appears that only late western culture since the eleventh century has been strongly homophobic. The ancient Greeks, founders of our way of thought, glorified homosexuality, although it had to fit a conventional, patriarchal social behavior. Neither did early Christianity condemn homosexual love, as is commonly but erroneously believed. Jesus spoke of the “Rache”, a derogatory Hebrew term for homosexuals, admonishing his followers not to condemn them. "

What does the Bible say about Homosexuality?

What does the Bible say about Homosexuality?

http://www.cathedralofhope.com


In our Judeo-Christian society, the documents known as the Bible serve as the primary guide on most issues. It is interesting that many Christians take literally the references to homosexual acts while interpreting other text with great flexibility. One person reported listening to a nationally known woman speak in her campaign against homosexuality. She spent much time quoting impressively from Leviticus. the listener accepted much of what the speaker had said until realizing that by Levitical standards, the crusader had herself broken many biblical laws; women speaking in church, women teaching men, wearing a dress made of cotton and polyester, and probably others of which he was unaware.

What does the Bible really say about homosexuality? Actually, very little. Jesus said nothing at all, which is most significant. Considering the relatively small amount of attention the Bible gives to the subject, we must ask ourselves why this is such a volatile issue while other subjects (e.g. judgment, pride, hypocrisy) about which the scriptures say a great deal, receive much less passionate attention. Before looking at specific passages, let us note that everyone understands the scriptures on and through the light of what they have been taught. The Bible was not written in a cultural void, and many of its instructions and laws we simply classify as less relevant today (e.g. prohibition of eating pork).

Nowhere in the Bible is the idea of persons being homosexual addressed. The statements are, without exception, directed to certain homosexual acts. Early writers had no understanding of homosexuality as a psycho-sexual orientation. That truth is a relatively recent discovery. The biblical authors were referring to homosexual acts performed by persons they assumed were heterosexuals.

The Sodom Story

A chief text for condemnation of homosexuality has been the Sodom story. This story has often been interpreted as showing God's abhorrence of homosexuality. In the story, two angels in the form of men were sent to Sodom to the home of Lot. While they were there, all the men of the city, "both young and old, surrounded the house --everyone without exception," and demanded that the visitors be brought out, "so that we might know them" (verse 5). Lot begged the men to leave his guests alone and take his daughters instead. The men of the city became angry and stormed the door. As a result, they were all struck blind by the angels.

There are several problems with the traditional interpretation of this passage. Whether or not the intent of the men of Sodom was sexual, the inhospitality and injustice coming from the mob and generally characterizing the community were "the sin of Sodom". Jesus himself refers to the inhospitality of Sodom. If, indeed, the men were homosexuals, then why would Lot offer them his daughters? What is threatened here is rape. The significant point then is that all rape is considered horrible by God. The story deserves another reading by all of us.

It should be noted that all of the men of Sodom could not have been homosexual or there would have been no need to destroy them since they would have all died off with no heirs. Quite likely they were a mixed group of evil men attempting to be abusive to people who were different. Ironically, lesbian and gay people are often the victim of that sin.

Although the traditional interpretation of the Sodom story fails as an argument against homosexuality, there are several other Old Testament passages which do condemn homosexual acts. Again, it should be noted that these passages do not deal with same-sex orientation, nor is there any references to genital love between lesbian or gay persons.

Homosexual Acts

Of thousands of Old Testament passages, only two make explicit reference to homosexual acts; Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13. Both of these passages are a part of the Levitical holiness code which is not kept by any Christian group. If it were enforced, almost every Christian would be excommunicated or executed. It has been logically argued that science and progress have made many of the Levitical laws irrelevant for us. For example, Tim LaHaye states that, although Levitical laws prohibit intercourse during menstruation, medical authorities do not view it as harmful; and, therefore, it should not be viewed as sinful. He further explains, "those laws were given 3,500 years ago before showers and baths were convenient, before tampons, disinfectants, and other improved means of sanitation had been invented". With that, LaHaye makes this law irrelevant and rightly so. Ironically, though, in his book, The Unhappy Gay, the Levitical laws are one of the chief cornerstones. Much of the holiness code is now irrelevant for us as moral law. Thus, having children which was of exceptional importance to the early Hebrews is now made less relevant by overpopulation, just as the prohibition against eating pork and shell-fish has been made irrelevant by refrigeration.

The Bible never addresses the issue of homosexual love, but has several examples of same-sex love. David's love for Jonathan was said to exceed his love for women. Ruth's relationship with Naomi is certainly an example of a deep, bonding love. The Bible does value love between persons of the same sex.

Jesus' Attitude

In the context of the New Testament there is no record of Jesus saying anything about homosexuality. This ought to strike us as very odd in light of the great threat to Christianity, family life, and the American way that some would have us believe homosexuality is. Jesus saw injustice and religious hypocrisy as a far greater threat to the Realm of God.

Episcopal priest, Dr. Tom Horner has written the Gospels imply in two places that Jesus' attitude toward lesbians and gays would not have been hostile. The first is found in the story of Jesus healing the Centurion's servant. The word used for the servant is "pais" which in the Greek culture referred to a younger lover of an older more powerful or educated man. Clearly the story demonstrates an unusually intense love, and Jesus' response was wholly positive.

The other hint of Jesus' attitude is seen in his comments about eunuchs. Jesus opposed divorce in opposition to the abuses experienced by women. It is in the context of marriage which Jesus said that "some eunuchs were born so; others had been made eunuchs and still others choose to be eunuchs for the Kingdom's sake."

Jesus' remarks about celibacy and castration are clear, but a male child being born without testicles is a rare birth defect. It is only in our day that the Kinsey Institute has demonstrated that sexual orientation is likely determined prior to birth. It could well be that those to whom Jesus refers as being "born eunuchs" are the people we call lesbian or gay.

Jesus' attitude toward eunuchs differed greatly from the fundamentalist Pharisees of his day. To them, eunuchs were excluded from the covenant and barred from worship and participating in the community of faith. Jesus' graceful approach to eunuchs is beautifully pictured in the promise of the prophecy of Isaiah 56:4-8, "To the eunuchs...I will give them an everlasting name that will not be taken away."

In Jesus' day there were three types of persons called eunuchs: celibates, those who were slaves and were castrated so that children would not be born to them, and those who were "born eunuchs" or homosexuals. Royal and wealthy households would use castrated slaves to work with and guard the concubines and women slaves. However when assigning slaves to female members of the royal family they would choose homosexual slaves. With female members, the concern was not just unwanted pregnancies, but also rape.

It is against this background that we must read the story found in Acts 8:26-40. In this passage the Holy Spirit sends Philip the Deacon to witness to and baptize an Ethiopian eunuch of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. One of the earliest converts to Christianity was a person excluded for sexual reasons from the Old Testament community.

Paul's References

Paul's statement in Romans 1:18-32 has been taken as the strongest New Testament rejection of homosexuality. He is concerned about the influence of the pagan culture on the Roman Christians. After giving a detailed description of a world that "exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator, " he continues, "Therefore, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lusts for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty of their perversion."

What Paul was referring to was homosexual temple prostitution which was performed by various cults (though far more cults used heterosexual prostitution). Again, Paul is not referring to same-sex love, and he clearly has no concept of persons for whom this lifestyle is "natural."

Paul's other reference to homosexual acts is similar to that of 1 Timothy 1:8-11. Both passages contain lists of persons to be excluded from the Realm of God. The interpretation of these passages depends on two Greek words which have always presented a problem for translators. In the King James Version, they are translated "effeminate" and "abusers of themselves with mankind." In the Revised Standard Version, they were combined and rendered homosexuals; however, these are not the Greek words for homosexual, so that translations reflects the scholars' bias. The New International Version illustrates the difference in these two words by translating them "male prostitute" and "homosexual offenders". The Jerusalem Bible uses the terms "catamites and "sodomites". Catamites were youth kept especially for sexual purpose; they were usually paid large sums of money. Neither passage refers to persons of same-sex orientation, but to people who used their sexuality for personal gain.

The Love of Christ

Jesus did a great deal to change many social customs and ideas. He elevated the position of women, and they were ultimately his best and most faithful disciples. He did this by example and by commandments which were absolutely inclusive of the rights of all people. Yet, in the name of the Christ whose love encompassed all, the Church has been the most homophobic of all institutions. This should not be surprising when we realize that the Church is still the largest institution which is primarily racially segregated.

The final and central message of he New Testament is that ALL persons are loved by God so much that God's Son was sent as a means of redemption from a disease by which we are all afflicted. The cure for this disease cannot be found in any set of actions. Neither homosexuality nor heterosexuality is redemptive. God's love through Christ was given to all people.

The Theological Reflection

For the Christian, sin must be understood as a disease which results FROM a broken relationship with God and which results IN a broken relationship with one another and with ourselves. Hence, Jesus' supreme command is to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Christianity is not a religion with new rules and laws, but is rather a new relationship with God. Those things which the legalists are fond of labeling "sins" are actually just symptoms of the much deeper disease of alienation and estrangement. Much of the energy of the Church has been spent dealing with symptoms while leaving the disease intact. Jesus did not seem overly concerned about the legal transgressions of those to whom he ministered. Rather, he was much more concerned with healing the physical, spiritual, emotional, or relational brokenness of people. Perhaps if the Church would again give itself to the healing/reconciling ministry of Jesus, then some of the symptoms about which we are so concerned would begin to disappear.

That brings us to the question: Is homosexuality a symptom of brokenness? In some few cases perhaps so. Yet, obviously pointing fingers of blame and accusation is not Christ's way. Rather, Jesus accepted people as they were and allowed love and acceptance to work its miracle. However, most lesbians and gays have been lesbian or gay for as long as they can remember. For them, it is a much a natural characteristic as their eye color or their handedness. Kinsey Institute research has suggested that homosexuality may well be genetic or a least linked to some prenatal factors. Certainly most competent psychologists would concur that sexual orientation is set prior to the age of five in most persons. It is, therefore, not a matter of choice, so it cannot be a moral or ethical issue.

Many Christians insist that God can change/cure the homosexual. In the book, The Third Sex, there are six reported cases of homosexuals whom God has "cured". Of these six, at least four are known to have returned to their gay life style. Many lesbians and gays spend most of their lives trying, with no success, to persuade God to change them. It is like trying to get God to change your eye color. What option then is left to these persons? They have been told that they can't be gay and be Christians; and since all efforts have failed in their struggle not to be gay or lesbian, then their only recourse, according to the Church, is that they can't be Christian. So the Church has discounted or discarded as much as 10% of the population.

If they are excluded from the life of the Christian community, who then will tell them of God's inclusive love and of Jesus' reconciling death? Are they left to assume that God is so narrow-minded as to exclude them for something over which they have no control and for a choice they did not make? When will the Church finally be brave enough to say with Paul, "in Christ there is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female," gay or straight. God has enough love for all!

Rev. Michael Piazza

Gay Religious Humor: Rings a Bell?

Gay Religious Humor: Rings a Bell?

Twelve priests were about to be ordained. The final test was for them to line up in a straight row totally nude in a garden while a beautiful, big breasted, nude model danced before them. Each priest had a small bell attached to his manhood, and they were told that anyone whose bell rang when she danced in front of them would not be ordained because he had not reached a state of spiritual purity.

The beautiful model danced before the first candidate, with no reaction. She proceeded down the line with the same response from all the priests until she got to the final priest, Carlos. As she danced, his bell began to ring so loudly that it flew off and fell clattering to the ground. Embarrassed, Carlos took a few steps forward, and bent over to pick the bell up.

Then all the other bells began to ring.

Was Jesus Gay? Bishop Robinson challenges evangelical views on the family

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_05044family.shtml

An Anglican bishop has sparked outrage by suggesting that Jesus challenged what many evangelicals see as traditional models of the family.

Some conservatives have even interpreted his comments as a suggestion that Jesus was gay.

The Rt Rev Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church of the United States, pointed out that Jesus was an unmarried, "non-traditional man" who did not uphold family values, "travelled with a bunch of men" and enjoyed an especially close relationship with one of his disciples.

His comments, made in a recent address at the Christ Church of Hamilton and Wenham in Massachusetts, have enraged traditional Anglicans, some of whom have interpreted his comments as a suggestion that Jesus was gay, and said the Bishop should be "struck down by thunder and lightning bolts".

Bishop Robinson, whose consecration in 2003 contributed to a schism between some evangelicals and liberals in the worldwide Anglican Communion, was giving an address entitled "Homosexuality and the Body of Christ: Is There a New Way?"

In answer to a question from the congregation about how the acceptance of homosexuality could be squared with the scriptural emphasis on redemption for sins, the Bishop replied: "Interestingly enough, in this day of traditional family values, this man that we follow was single, as far as we know, travelled with a bunch of men, had a disciple who was known as 'the one whom Jesus loved' and said my family is not my mother and father, my family is those who do the will of God. None of us likes those harsh words. That's who Jesus is, that's who he was at heart, in his earthly life.

"Those who would posit the nuclear family as the be all and end all of God's creation probably don't find that much in the gospels to support it," he said.

David Virtue, a conservative evangelical commentator who runs the website, VirtueOnline, called the comments "rubbish", despite the fact the bishop's arguments were based on a reading of scripture.

He said: "It is appalling deconstructionism from the liberal lobby which will spin even the remotest thing to turn it into a hint that Biblical figures are gay. It is so utterly preposterous to imply that Jesus's relationship with John was homo-erotic, but twisting the truth is the only way these people can get scriptural justification for their lifestyles. Can you imagine Calvin, Luther or Erasmus saying something like this? It is a wonder that thunder and lightning bolts don't strike Bishop Robinson down."

Canon Chris Sugden, a spokesman for the evangelical organisation, Anglican Mainstream, said: "He's really selective in what he's addressing. He makes no mention of Jesus's teaching on marriage, for instance. And he does not acknowledge that nowhere in the text or in ancient literature is there any suggestion of any form of sexual impropriety among Jesus or the disciples. Jesus broke the cultural traditions of the time and has women mixing with men in public and having them teaching. Those of us who put scripture as a priority are called on to obey the scripture even when that is in conflict with our culture.

"Bishop Robinson is saying that the culture has moved in his direction and that it's all becoming accepted, so he's looking for ways to interpret scripture to support that instead of realising that scripture asks us to do the unpopular thing and stand against the prevailing culture."

Mike Barwell, a spokesman for Bishop Robinson, said: "Jesus was a non-traditional person who broke all the rules and hung out with all the wrong people. Anything else that people infer from the Bishop's comments is all speculation."

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ekklesia

Discuss Send to a friend Daily email

The REAL reasons Americans are opposed to gay marriage?

Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Can Religion Change Your Sexuality?

Perspectives - Vol. 1, No. 3 - Can Religion Change Your Sexuality?
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=283

Barb Chandler

Recently there has been increasing attention to support groups that promote change from homosexual to heterosexual behavior. These ex-gay ministries have been around for years, however, with the advent of 'the moral majority', 'traditional family values', and other values promoted by the religious right, they have become much more widespread.

My partner and I heard a testimonial from an ex- lesbian. She said that she has attended to a church-sponsored support group, and was 'in recovery' from her lesbianism. Her story was entwined with the familiar assumptions that those who are anti-gay pronounce with undaunting authority.

This women said that she came from a dysfunctional home. Her mother was an alcoholic and, her father sexually abused her. She became very depressed, and was suicidal. Her sister, who was lesbian, suggested that she visit a gay/lesbian bar. She did, and liked it. To be 'in' with the crowd, she cut her hair short, bought a motorcycle and a pickup, donned leather apparel, and thus made her entrance into the bar scene. She turned to drugs and alcohol, went through many relationships, and hit bottom. She begin a relationship with a woman who would turn her life around. Both of them decided that they needed to turn to God for help since they felt that their lesbianism was at the root of their depression. They begin to go to church, and found a support group that made the claim to heal people of their homosexuality. They went, and made the choice to stop being sexual with one another. They wanted to maintain their emotional relationship, and continue to live together. However, a woman from the support group told them that they needed to live separately. They both decided that this was for the best, and, after a tearful goodbye they separated. The speaker said that her 'recovery from lesbianism' is a constant struggle, which she maintains by continuing to go to 'counseling', praying for God to heal her of her lesbianism, and removing herself from temptation.

I found this testimonial to had quite an emotional impact upon me. Actually encountering a person face to face who believes her lesbianism is evil, and is a 'continual struggle', was a definite trigger for me. I was saddened by the fact that people who are anti-gay/lesbian find it necessary to project their distaste upon others, and claim that their way is the only moral way. I wondered how the talk would impact those people who may be struggling with personal issues regarding homosexuality. Would they be vulnerable to 'conversion' groups. Instead, I hoped that they can reconcile their homosexuality with their spirituality, and if not, then will look for a group which will give them positive support.

The generalizations in this woman's testimonial was, in my experience, a prime example of the assumptions that some ministers, priests, and facilitators of support groups commonly make. They see homosexuality from a pathological standpoint, are convinced that homosexuality is inherently evil and is against God's plan for humankind. They believe it is their 'Christian' duty to change people who exhibit homosexual behavior to heterosexual. Not only is this a waste of time and money, but it can prove psychologically damaging. Treatment takes many different forms; counseling, psychotherapy, aversion therapy, support groups, exorcism and prayer. The assumptions underlying treatment is that God thinks homosexuality is wrong because this is what the Bible says. Therefore, as long as the person is willing to repent of their homosexuality, God will heal them. In addition, these people think that sexual orientation is a matter of choice, and can be easily changed. Research findings suggest that efforts to change homosexuals are nothing more than a social prejudice garbed in psychological language.

Perhaps the strongest testimonial of what a negative impact counseling to change one's homosexuality has on a person's life is an autobiography by Mel White, the gay man who did ghostwriting for the likes such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robinson. Mel was raised as an evangelical, the church which typically encourages ministries as counseling homosexual's to change their orientation. He discovered he was gay early in his life. The book details the extremes he went through to try to avoid his homosexuality. He tried, very unsuccessfully to be heterosexual by getting married and having children, went through years and years of therapy, shock treatments, depression, despair, suicidal thinking, and promiscuity. It was not until he accepted his homosexuality that he begin to lead a happy life. He is now a very strong advocate of gay and lesbian rights, and is the Dean of The Cathedral of Hope MCC/Dallas.

Mel's reactions to his homosexuality seems to be a very typical response of a person who has been raised hearing about how God considers homosexuality to be an abomination, and how society considers those who are homosexual as 'perverts' and 'sexual deviants'. A person is apt to hide their sexual orientation from their relatives, friends, and sometimes even from themselves. They strive to find a quick fix to the emotional pain and conflict they are in. It is this attitude that these groups appeal too, with their false promise of everything being all better once you repent of your homosexuality. Besides the promise of 'quick fix', gaining acceptance and support of the group has alot of appeal to a person who believes they need this type of acceptance and support.

There are general characteristics that groups such as these have. They often use manipulation, fear, and deception to maintain a hold on members. They often shower the members with unbelievable amounts of affection and approval for staying in the group and meeting their expectations, which is called love-bombing. Groups also control and distort information from the outside. Thus it becomes a sin to read any 'worldly' publications or 'spiritual pornography'. These groups make an extremely sharp distinction between right and wrong, good and evil; everything in the group is positive, godly, and everything outside is negative, satanic. Ambiguity, doubts, and serious questions are not tolerated. The authority of the group's leadership is virtually absolute. All problems are oversimplified and deflected either away from the group or back towards the individual. Trying to change a person's God given sexuality is not only very unethical, since the counselor relies on their own agenda rather than the client's, it can become deadly. For example; the National Institute of Health reports that 'about 30% of youth suicides are by gay and lesbian people who recognize that they are homosexual and realize that they cannot change their sexual orientation'. There are professional organizations that have spoken out against the practice of categorizing homosexuality as moral depravity or mental illness. The American Psychological Association released a statement on homosexuality in July 1994. "The research on homosexuality is very clear. Homosexuality is neither mental illness nor moral depravity. It is simply the way a minority of our population expresses human love and sexuality. Study after study documents the mental health of gay men and lesbians. Studies of judgment, stability, reliability, social and vocational adaptiveness all show that gay men and lesbians function every bit as well as heterosexuals. In August of 1994, the American Psychological Association sent a proposal to one of its committees that would declare as unethical: attempts by a psychologist to change a person's sexual orientation through therapy, referral of a patient to a therapist or organization who attempts to change people's sexual orientation". The American Medical Association released a report in December 1994 which calls for "nonjudgmental recognition of sexual orientation by physicians. Finally, the American Psychiatric Association took homosexuality off of its list of mental illnesses many decades ago.

I hope that through this expose clergy and pastoral counselors will become aware of the influence that these ex-gay/lesbian ministries have upon the spiritual and psychological lives of gays and lesbians. If any of you reading this article are struggling with spiritual issues regarding your homosexuality there are many organizations that you can turn to for help. Most mainstream churches have gay and lesbian ministries that celebrate homosexuality as God's gift, and are advocating for equal rights for gays and lesbians.

A Resource List

Books

* Stranger At The Gate. To Be Gay and Christian in America, Mel White, 1994.

* Is The Homosexual My Neighbor? Another Christian View, Letha Scanzoni and Virginia Mollenkott, 1978.

* Ex-gays? There Are None! What It Means To Be A New Creature In Christ, Sylvia Pennington, 1989.

* A Complete Workbook for Demystifying the Bible's Position on Homosexuality. Torrey Stuart

Barb Chandler is a regular contributor to "Perspectives".

Reference
Chandler, Barb (1996). Can religion change your sexuality? [Online]. Perspectives. [1996, July 15].

Buddhism and sex in Japan and the Homosexual

http://www.westernbuddhistreview.com/vol3/homosexuality.html

"From the earliest times until today, indigenous Japanese religion, known as Shinto, has maintained a sex-positive ideology, particularly with regard to the role of sex in procreation. Even now, it is possible to see in village festivals processions which feature enormous carved wooden phalli which are taken out of the local shrine and paraded around the fields so as to bless them and make them fecund. Unlike in Christian creation myths where the advent of awareness of sexual dimorphism is seen to mark a deterioration in the human condition (resulting in expulsion from Eden), in Japanese mythology the divine ancestors Izanagi and Izanami are shown to be curious and experimental about sex. The male Izanagi, tells his female companion that he would like to take his ‘excessive part’ and insert it into ‘the part where you are lacking.’ From this divine union springs the Japanese race. Although Shinto is largely without a developed theological system, when sex is theorized, it is usually understood to be a good thing, a ‘Way’ or doo, originating with the divine ancestors. As one seventeenth-century theologian explains:

From the beginning of the two support oomikami, Izanagi no mikoto and Izanami no mikoto, down to the birds and the beasts who receive no instruction, the intercourse of male and female is a way, like nature, that has been transmitted to us. Since the procreation of descendants is a great enterprise, it must be revered.[3]

The first challenge to Japanese nativism came with the introduction of Buddhism in the seventh century. It was in contrast to Buddhism, the ‘Way of the Buddha’, that native beliefs became codified as Shinto or the ‘Way of the gods’. It is, of course, impossible to describe the Buddhist attitude toward sexuality because ‘Buddhism’ is reformulated and re-expressed in different cultures and at different times, adopting and redefining aspects of the cultures in which it has taken root. However, as with Christianity, there are broad outlines or features that have persisted over time and that can be pointed to when attempting to make generalisations. Firstly, early Buddhism discerned two forms of lifestyle appropriate to Buddhist believers: monastic and lay. For those men and women ordained as bhikkhus or bhikkhunis, total celibacy was required, while lay followers undertook to take five ‘training principles,’ the third of which was ‘kaamesu micchaacaaraa verama.nii sikkhaapada.m samaadiyaami’ (I take the rule of training ‘verama.nii sikkhaapada.m samaadiyaami,’ not to go the wrong way ‘micchaacaaraa,’ for sexual pleasure ‘kaamesu’). Unlike the Christian penitentials of the medieval period, Buddhist texts do not go into great detail explicating exactly what the ‘wrong’ and ‘right’ ways regarding sexual pleasure actually are. As with other actions, they are subject to the application of the golden mean: ‘[t]he deed which causes remorse afterward and results in weeping is ill-done. The deed which causes no remorse afterwards and results in joy and happiness is well done’ (Dhammapada). Rather than essentialising actions as good (puñña) or bad (paapa), Buddhism instead utilised an ethic of intention, understanding acts as skillful (kusala) or unskilful (akusala). Motivations were skillful or unskilful, not in relation to a creator deity’s designer-realist agenda but in terms of the degree to which they resulted in a lessening of desire. In Buddhism, desire was a problem, not because it was evil but because the attachment it produced caused suffering.

Buddhism was essentially disinterested in procreation which was, after all, seen as the mechanism whereby beings were chained to a constant round of rebirths in sa.Samara. This necessarily brought it into conflict with the indigenous cultures of Eastern Asia where, under Confucian influence, the perpetuation of the family line was seen as an obligation to the ancestors. Yet, although doctrinal Buddhism had little interest in procreation and never developed a discourse about it, Mahayana Buddhism did utilise the powerful imagery surrounding the sex act as a hermeneutic device. From the fifth century in northern India, various Buddhist schools developed which utilised sexual imagery as a means of communicating metaphysical truths such as the non-differentiation of Samara and nirvana. Male Buddha and Bodhisattva figures were represented in sexual union with their female consorts, thus giving a heightened exposure to female elements within the tradition. Practitioners occasionally went beyond symbolism and integrated sexual practices into their rituals. However, as with Taoist sexo-yogic practices designed to promote long life, these practices were not meant to result in ejaculation but to transmute sexual into spiritual energy. The Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism founded by Kuukai (774 -835) developed its own form of Tantra, Tachikawa Ryu, ‘the main sex cult of Japan’[4] which taught that the loss of self in the sex act could lead to an awakening of the spirit. These developments represent an important difference between Buddhism and Christianity with regard to sex. As LaFleur comments: ‘there does not seem to be anything comparable in Europe to the Japanese Buddhist use of sexual union as either a religious symbol, or as increasingly became the case, as itself a context for religious realization’[5]. What was remarkable about certain trends within Japanese Buddhism was that sex came to be viewed as a good in itself apart from its role in procreation. In Japanese Buddhism, the divorce of sexuality from procreation enabled sex to become a religious symbol released from the domesticating realm of the family.

Although present, Tantric sexual imagery which involved the unification of male and female was of marginal influence in Japan. Far more pervasive in male Buddhist institutions was the influence of homoerotic and even homosexual imagery where beautiful acolytes were understood to embody the feminine principle. The degree to which Buddhism tolerated same-sex sexual activity even among its ordained practitioners is clear from the popular myth that the founder of the Shingon school, Kooboo Daishi (Kuukai), introduced homosexual acts upon his return from study in China in the early ninth century. This myth was so well known that even the Portuguese traveller, Gaspar Vilela had heard it. Writing in 1571, he complains of the addiction of the monks of Mt. Hiei to ‘sodomy’, and attributes its introduction to Japan to Kuukai, the founder of Koyasan, the Shingon headquarters[6]. Jesuit records of the Catholic mission to Japan are full of rants about the ubiquity of pederastic passion among the Buddhist clergy. What particularly riled the missionaries was the widespread acceptance these practices met with among the general populace. Father Francis Cabral noted in a letter written in 1596 that ‘abominations of the flesh’ and ‘vicious habits’ were ‘regarded in Japan as quite honourable; men of standing entrust their sons to the bonzes to be instructed in such things, and at the same time to serve their lust’[7]. Another Jesuit commented that ‘this evil’ was ‘so public’ that the people ‘are neither depressed nor horrified’[8] suggesting that same-sex love among the clergy was not considered remarkable."