Gay and Christian in the World of Today II

[fritzkep]

REALLY hopeful about the interview with Pope Francis.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-churchs-obsession-with-gays-abortion-and-contraception-means-it-could-fall-like-a-house-of-cards-8827784.html

[CellarDweller115]

Very interesting article, thanks Fritz!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Next week will be the 40th anniversary of the first ordination of women to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church, which took place in Philadelphia in 1974.

Also, the Church of England has finally approved the ordination of women as bishops.

[CellarDweller115]

I was at a luncheon today, and discussion turned to the new pope.

These people are not conspiracy theorists, I've known them for years, however, more than a few thought that the new pope was getting sick a lot, and that he's being poisoned by people at the Vatican, because he's too progressive.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Speaking of popes, a vial of the blood of Saint John Paul II has been exposed to view after Mass at the cathedral in Philadelphia this weekend.

I mean no offense to Roman Catholics, but ... eeeew.

This isn't the Middle Ages. I can understand people perhaps wanting to make a pilgrimage to his tomb and pray there, for example, but ... sending a vial of his blood on a road trip?

Who saved a sample of his blood, and when, and why? 

[bubba]

[CellarDweller115]

Pastors are leaving their congregations after losing their churchgoers to QAnon

Sophia Ankel Mar 14, 2021, 12:02 PM

On the morning of the Capitol riot, Vern Swieringa told his wife during a walk with their dogs: "Something is going to happen today. I don't know what, but something's going to happen today."

The Christian Reformed Church pastor from Michigan had been watching for months as some members of his congregation grew captivated by videos about the QAnon conspiracy theory on social media, openly discussing sex trafficking and Satan-worshipping pedophiles.

He had watched as other spiritual advisors, including the self-proclaimed "Trump Prophet" Mark Taylor, incorporated wild and dangerous QAnon beliefs into their sermons on YouTube and as organizers of the Christian Jericho March gathered in Washington, DC, days before the insurrection, urging followers to "pray, march, fast, and rally for election integrity."

So when hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol hours after his premonition, Swieringa was shocked, but not surprised.


https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-quit-after-qanon-radicalize-congregation-2021-3

[tfferg]

Australian researchers have published a report on their interviews with survivors of religious conversion practices. It includes some important new findings.

Healing Spiritual Harms: Supporting Recovery from LGBTQA+ Change and Suppression Practices.

It raises a number of issues which it is important that secular therapists and councillors need to take into account.

The report is available online.

[CellarDweller115]

Greece just legalized same-sex marriage. Will other Orthodox Christian countries join them any time soon?

By Peter Smith and Dasha Litvinova - FEB. 16, 2024


Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. At least for the near future, it will almost certainly be the only one.

Eastern Orthodox leadership, despite lacking a single doctrinal authority like a pope, has been united in opposing recognition of same-sex relationships both within its own rites and in the civil realm. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too.

But there are some signs of change. Two small majority-Orthodox countries, Montenegro and Cyprus, have authorized same-sex unions in recent years, as did Greece in 2015 before upgrading to this week’s approval of full marital status.


https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-02-16/greece-just-legalized-same-sex-marriage-will-other-orthodox-christian-countries-join-them-any-time-soon

[CellarDweller115]

Pope Francis stirs controversy with interreligious remarks

The Pillar - September 13, 2024


Pope Francis prompted controversy Friday with remarks at an interreligious meeting in Singapore that some have taken as a departure from Catholic doctrine on the role of Jesus Christ in salvation.

“All religions are a path to reach God. They are – I make a comparison – like different languages, different idioms, to get there. But God is God for everyone,” Pope Francis told a gathering of young people Sept. 13, at an interreligious meeting at the Catholic Junior College of Singapore, according to a text of the speech published by the Vatican.

The pope continued: “And since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God. ‘But my God is more important than yours!’ Is this true? There is only one God, and our religions are languages, paths to reach God. Some are Sikh, some are Muslim, some are Hindu, some are Christian, but they are different paths.”

In light of that claim, the pope encouraged young people to religious dialogue, and to avoid bullying, so that “young people will go forward with hope.”

https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/pope-francis-stirs-controversy-with

[CellarDweller115]

Gay men can become priests, as long as they remain celibate, new Italian guidelines say


The Vatican has given the green light for gay men to become priests - as long as they remain celibate.

In an unexpected adjustment to practice in the Catholic Church, the new guidelines from Italian bishops will allow gay men to enter seminaries.

Although the Vatican had not explicitly prohibited gay men from entering the priesthood in the past, an instruction from 2016 barred men who have "deep-seated homosexual tendencies"...

https://news.sky.com/story/gay-men-can-become-priests-as-long-as-they-remain-celibate-new-italian-guidelines-say-13287109