Neither male nor female?

September 23, 2024

Neither male nor female?

The recent Olympics in Paris were quite a spectacle. From the unusual opening parade on the Seine River to the amazing story of US gymnast Simone Biles, the Olympics were an impressive competition to behold. Nevertheless, the event was not without its controversies. What struck me, in particular, was the storm surrounding the women’s boxing match and the boxer from Algeria.[1] For those not familiar with the controversy, Imane Khelif from Algeria, was not allowed to compete in the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships (WWBC) for failing two laboratory tests determining her sex. However, in 2024 the Olympic committee allowed Khelif to compete as a woman, stating that their criteria for determining sex differed from that of the WWBC.

 

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Burn! You Can’t Marry

December 17, 2023

Burn! You can’t marry.

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a British movie, released in 1994, about the romantic adventures of Charles, played by Hugh Grant, and his lively group of friends as they support each other through a series of life events. Perhaps one of the most touching and memorable scenes takes place at the funeral of one of the friends, Gareth. It is revealed at the service that Gareth was not only gay but in a relationship with another member of the circle of friends, Matthew. In his eulogy, Matthew said “Gareth used to prefer funerals to weddings. He said it was easier to get enthusiastic about a ceremony one had an outside chance of eventually being involved in.”[1] Not having words himself to speak about the love of his life, Matthew recites the very moving and touching poem Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden.[2] After listening to the eulogy, what friends quickly realize, to their surprise, is that Matthew and Gareth were for “all intents and purposes” a married couple. Unfortunately, they felt that they needed to keep it a secret, even from their friends. (more…)

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A Gay Man’s Dormition Story

Through the generosity of the editors of “Orthodoxy in Dialogue,” we are pleased to re-post a wonderfully sincere and poignant piece entitled “A Gay’s Man Dormition Story”, published on their website on August 15, 2023, by an anonymous source. Please read the full article by following the link to “Orthodoxy in Dialogue” below, following the first paragraph of the work.

The lenten period for the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was always somewhat unwelcome to me. As a child, it meant the winding down of summer and the return to school which I so hated. As an adult and a teacher, those emotions did not change all that much. This was a time to treasure those precious remaining days of summer. Somehow, eating just the salad at a barbeque or going to church every night for Paraclesis felt like a letdown, or maybe something to blame for all the unfulfilled expectations I had hoped for during the summer break. It wasn’t until much later in life that I was able to appreciate the blessings that this holy time offered.

https://orthodoxyindialogue.com/2023/08/15/a-gay-mans-dormition-story/#more-23179

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A Slow Positive Change or Hypocrisy?

A Slow Positive Change or Hypocrisy?

July 15, 2023

Christ Healing on the Sabbath

A major announcement was made at the end of June 2023 by Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HCHC), the higher education institution of the Greek Orthodox Church of America.[1]  Reverend Dr. John Chryssavgis was chosen to head the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at HCHC. The mission of the schools “is the formation and the education of the person within the life of an Orthodox Christian community… it educates men preparing for the holy priesthood…as well as men and women for leadership roles within the Church.”[2] The vision of the schools is “to be the intellectual, education and spiritual formation center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, stimulating, developing, and sustaining ordained and lay vocations for service to Church and society, based on faith.”[3] (more…)

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I Am Gay. Does God Love Me?

I am Gay. Does God Love me?

Monday, July 19, 2021

My father and I had what can only be described as an up and down relationship. My father was immensely proud of the fact that I was a priest and earned a Ph.D. and was able to teach in Seminary, educating future leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. And yet what worried him constantly, and even embarrassed him, was my life-long struggle with weight. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a priest and for as long as I can remember I have struggled with weight issues. Although I never questioned my father’s joy and happiness with my pastoral achievements, I did have a life-long question: “Would my father love me more if I were not overweight? Not far from that question, was another disconcerting and constant question: “Would my father still love me, if he knew I was gay?” (more…)

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