A Queer Pilgrim

  One small step forward, indeed. The Church of Scotland--which is, for all sense and purposes the Presbyterian Church of Scotland--is making a small step forward in its recent General Assembly.  Ministers of the Word and Sacrament and Deacons of the Church of Scotland will be able to apply for a license to be authorized celebrants at LGBTQIA+ weddings. Of course, no one could be forced to do an LGBTQIA+ wedding, as no one who is clergy can be forced to do a non-LGBTQIA+ wedding.  Currently, LGBTQIA+ people can be Ministers of the Word and Sacrament or Deacons in the Church of Scotland, so there is that. Here is a link for more information:  https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2021/articles/general-assembly-to-bring-forward-legislation-on-same-sex-marriage. As I read this story, I was more or less struck by how many hoops and barriers and obstacles we in the US in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in other parts of the Presbyterian family tree mu...

What a sad, strange, and yet probably necessary, issue to not celebrate but recognize on May 17th: International (my emphasis) Transphobia, Homophobia, and Biphobia Day. What is a phobia? Phobias are an extreme or irrational fear of something or aversion to someone.  In this case, this day recognizes that in modern society, around the world, there is a  fear or aversion of people who are transgender, gay, lesbian and bisexuals, and probably queer, pansexuals, or asexuals as well. And because people fear or have an aversion toward LGBTQIA+ people, they will bring emotional, political, cultural , physical, relational, and spiritual harm to those of us who are LGBTQIA+, around the world.  How is this played out? As I have written before, in the US, state after Republican-dominated-state- legislature state has been merrily attacking and focused on hurting people who are transgender. The prior Presidential administration was also in the business of taking ...

May 10, 2021 was the date for the 10 year anniversary of the Presbyterian Church (USA) finally getting the necessary vote among our Presbyteries that would amend our Book of Order, part of our Constitution, that made it possible for all LGBTQIA+ to be ordained as officers in the PCUSA. Amending either the Book of Order and our book of Confessions and Creeds--both part of our Constitution--is a process. All amendments come from a local church session, winding themselves through a process in which other churches in other Presbyteries sign-on, going through various church legislative committees, then being voted at our once-every-two-years General Assembly. If an amendment passes and is voted on positively at the General Assembly, then it has to be ratified by half of the Presbyteries the coming year. Needless to say, there are times that what was voted for and passed on the floor of the General Assembly simply didn't pass the voting process among the Presbyteries. Nothing is don...

  "In marriage, fidelity; in singleness, chastity."  This old trope is still around, and this time it is back and being supported by LGBTQIA+ who are showing how deep-seeded homophobia is in all of us who are LGBTQIA+, whether we are members of a faith community or not. One of the "last stands" of heteronormativity in the Presbyterian Church (USA)/PCUSA before the denomination finally welcomed LGBTQIA+ into ordained offices of the Church/church was over this language in our Constitution in 1997, which is the Book of Order :  "Those called to office in the church are to lead a life of obedience... among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage of a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." That last line, "or chastity in singleness" was directed primarily at LGBTQIA+ people. In effect, the PCUSA said that it was OK to have LGBTQIA+ people in the ordained offices of the church, as longs they a...