Reflections

Church and State in Orthodoxy

July 28, 2013

There is nothing like a few Supreme Court rulings and a few gay pride parades to get some people very upset. There have been significant protests, editorials, petitions and threats of law suits made by people who oppose the recent rulings of the Supreme Court.  The actions of some in the US are mild compared to what has been occurring in other parts of the world. Countries with significant Orthodox populations have seen larger numbers of gay people willing to come out and protest against unequal treatment by their governments, simply because of their sexual orientation. In each and every instance, the Orthodox Church has supported the government in its efforts to deny equal rights and protections for LGBT persons. (more…)

Justice You Shall Pursue

July 14, 2013

Any American privileged to visit Washington D.C. cannot help but be impressed and moved by the grandeur and historical significance of numerous edifices in our nation’s capital. Specifically, the stateliness of the White House, Congress and Supreme Court buildings, representing the three branches of our government, are particularly dignified and symbolic. Traveling a few months ago to Washington gave me an opportunity to stand in front of the Supreme Court and utter a silent prayer to God that He would grant wisdom to the justices, as they deliberated over cases in general, but in particular, over those issues which would directly and exclusively affect the lives of LGBT individuals including myself. (more…)

Never Forget that you are the Child of a King

June 30, 2013

The Jewish rabbis posed a question: “What is the worst thing that man’s evil inclination can accomplish?” The answer: “To make someone forget that he is the child of a king.” This fundamental question and answer is taken from Tales from the Hasidim[1], a collection of stories based on the wisdom of Rabbi Baal Shem Tov who is considered to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism. Hasidim, meaning pious, was used to indicate someone who goes beyond the legal requirements of ritual and ethical Jewish observance” and expresses kindness and love for God and other people.[2] Thus, it is not enough to follow the letter of the law in order to be pious or righteous, one must also be a practitioner of the spirit of the law. (more…)

All Gay People are Murderers?

June 16, 2013

Although I am an Orthodox Christian I follow the events in various other Christian Churches and non-Christian groups. In particular I am interested in how these groups spread the essential message of our common Creator as well as what they say about gay people. Because I was raised and served in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, I have a particular interest in the events of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.[1]  The recently (2011) elected primate of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk[2] made headline news in church circles for his aggressive, hateful, dangerous and non-pastoral comments about homosexuals. (more…)

God’s Will Broke my Nose

June 2, 2013

“They said they were doing God’ will, and then they broke my nose” These are the words of Igor Yasin, who was attacked outside the Duma (Parliament) building during an anti-government protest in Moscow, Russia. Igor along with others was peacefully protesting against the planned law on “homosexual propaganda”. Men claiming to be Russian Orthodox activists punched Yasin several times and left him with a broken nose and a bloody face. (more…)

Without love I am incomprehensible

May 19, 2013

“Insofar as I am not loved, I am incomprehensible to myself.” These are the words of the late eminent Romanian theologian Dumitru Staniloae (1903-1993). Writing in the horrific twentieth century which saw the atrocities of communism, fascism, and world wars he was perhaps uniquely qualified to write about the overwhelming need for love in the world.  Writing in communist, war torn, Romania, an officially atheistic country, Father Dumitru understood that without love, there can be no whole person, no complete individual, no sense of humanity. Without love we are nothing (I Corinthians 13:2). (more…)

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Χριστός ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ανέστη! Христос воскрес! Воістину воскрес! Хрыстос уваскрос! Сапраўды ўваскрос! Христос възкръсна! Наистина възкръсна! Христос васкрсе! Ваистину васкрсе! Hristos a înviat!…

Eunuchs – the old version of the gay question?

April 21, 2013

What do we do with the eunuchs?  This was a real question that the holy fathers of the Church wrestled with for several centuries in late antiquity. In reading about this historical topic I could not help but draw a parallel with the a question that numerous theologians, members of the clergy and lay people in Christianity in general, and in the Orthodox Church in particular, are perplexed with – what do we do with the gay people? (more…)

Was Jesus At My Wedding?

April 7, 2013

The debate over gay marriage in the United States is raging.  The Supreme Court has heard arguments and will render their opinion on two cases sometime in June. The President has weighed in and everyone in the country seems to have an opinion on the topic. The issue has divided friendships, families, churches and even political parties. While some see this as simply an issue of marriage equality under the law, others are deeply concerned that the government would force religious groups to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. (more…)

Bullying and the Orthodox Church

March 17, 2013

Slipping is a play about bullying that I saw not too long ago at the Studio 620 playhouse in St. Petersburg, Florida. The work by Daniel Talbot is specifically about bullying gay teenagers.  The story revolves around Eli, a high school senior who must carefully walk through the minefield that is being a gay teenager in a public school in Iowa.  (more…)