Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

Faith and Pride: the foundation of what we believe

Stafford Carson says

we believe that planting our feet on any foundation other than the Bible is a dangerous and perilous place to stand.

And I agree with him. It is important for ‘orthodox’ Christians to understand that many gay Christians believe exactly the same thing. Our disagreement is not in the foundation of what we believe, it is that one group believes that the Bible teaches one thing, and another group believes that it teaches another. Neither side ignores parts of the Bible, or decided that they know better than God.

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Aside

A prayer for England after the #londonriots #prayforlondon

As violence continues across England, let us pray to Our Blessed Lady for London and other cities across the country:

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother look down in mercy upon England, thy dowry, and upon us who greatly hope and trust in thee.

By thee it was that Jesus, our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more.

Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the cross, O Sorrowful Mother, Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold, they may be united to the Chief Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son.

Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith, fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee in our heavenly home.

Amen.

 

Faith and Pride: on being offensive

A few people have suggested to me that I gave my Faith and Pride talk, Jonathan Loved David, to be offensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. I gave that talk because it was what I sincerely believe, and I thought other people would be interested in what I had to say. Faith and Pride isn’t about being argumentative or offensive, it is about putting forward an alternative point of view. It is about saying that you can be gay and Christian.

The full article On being offensive can be read here.

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Faith, Hope and Charity

Martyrs Faith, Hope, Charity and their mother ...

SS Faith, Hope and Charity, pray for us. Image via Wikipedia

At Antioch, the passion of the seven holy brothers Machabees, with their mother, who suffered under King Antiochus Epiphanes. Their relics were translated to Rome and buried in the church of St Peter ad Vincula.

At Vercelli, the birthday of St Eusebius, Bishop and Martyr, who for his confession of the Catholic faith was sent into exile by the Emperor Constantine to Scythopolis in Palestine, and thence to Cappadocia. He afterwards returned to his Church and suffered martyrdom at the hands of the persecuting Arians: but his memory is more especially honoured on December 15, on which day he was ordained bishop, and his feast day is kept on December 16.

At Nocera dei Pagani in Campania, the birthday of St Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, Bishop of Santa Agata die Goti and Confessor. He was noted for his zeal for souls, his writings, his preaching and his example. Pope Gregory ⅩⅥ added him to the list of the Saints. Pius Ⅸ declared him to be a Doctor of the Universal Church, and Pius Ⅻ declared him heavenly patron before God of all confessors and moral theologians. His festival, however, is observed on the day following.

At Rome, on the Via Latina, the holy martyrs Bonus (a Priest), Faustus and Maur, with nine others, who are written of in the Acts of Pope St Stephen.

Likewise at Rome, the passion of the holy virgins Faith, Hope and Charity, the children of St Sophia; they obtained the crown of martyrdom under the Emperor Hadrian.

At Philadelphia in Arabia, the holy martyrs Cyril, Aquila, Peter, Domitian, Rufus and Menander, crowned on one day.

At Perge in Pamphlia, the holy martyrs Leontius, Attius, Alexander and six other husbandmen, who were beheaded under the governor Flavian in Diocletian’s persecution.

At Gerona in Spain, the birthday of St Felix, Martyr, who, after various kinds of tortures, was ordered by Dacian to be lacerated until he rendered up his unconquered spirit to Christ.

In the neighborhood of Paris, St Justin, Martyr.

At Vienne, France, St Verus, Bishop.

In the district of Lieuven, St Nemesius, Confessor.

At Winchester in England, St Ethelwold.

At Rome, on the Esquiline, the Dedication of the church of St Peter ad Vincula.

And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors and holy virgins.

℟ Thanks be to God.

from The Roman Martrology,
Nihil Obstat: Hubertus Richards, STL, LSS, Censor Deputatus
Imprimatur: E. Morrogh Bernard, Vicarius Generalis,
Westmonasterii: Die 23a Februarii 1962

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correcting Stafford Carson on ‘Gay Pride sermon’

Faith and Pride Poster July 2011

This morning I was pointed towards Gay Pride sermon on the blog of the Rev’d Stafford Carson, by my friend and colleague, Stephen Glenn.

His post is about tonight’s inaugural Faith and Pride event which is being held in All Souls‘ Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church, Elmwood Avenue, Belfast.

I have commented on his article, but as my comment is still awaiting moderation (by a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the “Presbyterian Church in Ireland”), I am re-posting it here.

Thank you very much for the publicity for our inaugural event. I’d like to clarify that the event in All Souls’ is not a service as such. There will be no hymns, just two talks by two speakers.

For those who don’t know, tonight’s event has a second speaker,

Paula Rita Tabakin who will explore homosexuality from a Jewish reform perspective using texts and traditions.

from Faith and Pride website

Speaking before tonight’s event, Andrew said:

The evidence is compelling. David and Jonathan spoke about each other as if they were spouses, and aspects of their relationship only make sense if you see them as a couple.

Readers may be able to access this morning’s Sunday Sequence programme on BBC Radio Ulster via BBC inlayer, which had an article on tonight’s event as highlighted by William Crawley.

Anyone who wants to come tonight to hear the two short talks, is welcome. It’s at 7pm in All Souls’ Church, Elmwood Avenue, Belfast.

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