What if the original Christmas events happened today in the digital age? How would we learn about it and tell others about it? Makes you think. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Jun
24
It can be hard to do something publicly when you know not all people will agree. But I have come to such conviction about the matter addressed in this proclamation that I cannot authentically do anything else. I have added my name to the proclamation below (it may take a couple days for those adding names to catch up with all their emails). If that causes me to lose friends or followers or clients or potential clients, so shall it be. I believe I am doing not only what Jesus “would” do but what he DOES do: including those society has too often treated as unclean. Time and time again, Jesus touched, ate with, served, and showed love for people deemed unclean by secular and religious leaders and others. I strive to walk in the footsteps of Jesus — in this and in all else — so help me, God.
P.S. I’m happy to explain in private conversation with anyone interested how I arrived at and why I believe in this position, but I’m not interested in debating about the matter. I agree with the Proclamation where it states that “the debate is over.” I’m weary of it.
(The formatting copied imperfectly below from the webpage where this is posted. I’m not going to try to edit it here. I encourage you to visit www.HeartlandProclamation.org to see the document as posted and to view a full list of signers.)
The Heartland Proclamation
by the Heartland Clergy for Inclusion
As Christian clergy
we proclaim the Good News concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons and publicly apologize where we have been silent. As disciples of Jesus, who assures us that the truth sets us free, we recognize that the debate is over. The verdict is in. Homosexuality is not a sickness, not a choice, and not a sin. We find no rational biblical or theological basis to condemn or deny the rights of any person based on sexual orientation. Silence by many has allowed political and religious rhetoric to monopolize public perception, creating the impression that there is only one Christian perspective on this issue. Yet we recognize and celebrate that we are far from alone, as Christians, in affirming that LGBT persons are distinctive, holy, and precious gifts to all who struggle to become the family of God.
In repentance and obedience to the Holy Spirit, we stand in solidarity as those who are committed to work and pray for full acceptance and inclusion of LGBT persons in our churches and in our world. We lament that LGBT persons are condemned and excluded by individuals and institutions, political and religious, who claim to be speaking the truth of Christian teaching. This leads directly and indirectly to intolerance, discrimination, suffering, and even death. The Holy Spirit compels us:
to affirm that the essence of Christian life is not focused on sexual orientation, but how one lives by grace in relationship with God, with compassion toward humanity;
to embrace the full inclusion of our LGBT brothers and sisters in all areas of church life, including leadership;
to declare that the violence must stop. Christ’s love moves us to work for the healing of wounded souls who are victims of abuse often propagated in the name of Christ;
to celebrate the prophetic witness of all people who have refused to let the voice of intolerance and violence speak for Christianity, especially LGBT persons, who have met hatred with love;
Therefore we call for an end to all religious and civil discrimination against any person based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. All laws must include and protect the freedoms, rights, and equal legal standing of all persons, in and outside the church.
Feb
7
My little guy earned himself detention today.
Yup. In kindergarten.
I’ve never had a kid get detention before, but somehow I thought if it did happen, it would be in, say, fourth or fifth or sixth or seventh grade. Or maybe eleventh… you know, for skipping class or something.
Nope. Kindergarten. For punching a fellow kindergartner in the face. Read the rest of this entry »
Jun
12
Oh, dear friends, DON’T MISS this inspiring video from Hungary, of all places! The intricacy of the dance — so many people in all the right places, their movements so matched and precise! How long do you think they practiced (and where, so as not to give it away in advance?!) to make this work?! (Or did they just cut the images of people who got their moves wrong, as I surely would have done?! 
)
If you are a Christian, this likely astounds you on another level as well: that a once-Communist nation could have such a bold and broad Christian presence… that they would be allowed to celebrate their faith in a central plaza of Budapest (as some commenters on YouTube have noted, it’s doubtful such would even be allowed in “the land of the free”). I am not a conservative Christian — far from it. My take would not be that Christians should be able to practice their faith so publicly but that all believers of any life-affirming creed should be able to do so.
And in a country where many (if not most) Christians pride ourselves on having sent “missionaries to Africa” and hesitant to acknowledge that there are now more Christians in Africa than in North America and that perhaps we would benefit from receiving some African missionaries here, I think one place we tend to forget about is Europe. Or to the extent we think about it, we picture ancient cathedrals, glorious yet empty, except for camera-toting tourists, and we dismiss the countries of Europe as places where church was so tied to state that it has all but died out. Well, apparently not in Budapest, Hungary. See for yourself:
Resurrection Sunday Dance, Budapest, Hungary
