Reflections

June 4, 2012

Anyone who has ever played the game Monopoly with a group of friends will soon discover that people play by their own rules.  Some players will usually insist that their rules are the official rules of the game.  Others will argue that the way they play is an acceptable alternative according to the manufacturers of the game.  Still others have been playing that way for such a long time that they sincerely believe that the way they play the game is the right way.  But what if you really know that you, your family members, or friends have made up their own rules after years of playing and simply ignoring the official play book? You have collectively decided that you do not have to play by the official rules to be in the game. Do I have to follow all the rules? Can I pick and choose the rules that I want to follow? 

(more…)

May 20, 2012

I have a wonderful aunt, who also happens to be my godmother.  A woman of simple faith, but a simple faith that is quite extraordinary.  We would have interesting discussions about the Orthodox Church which increased in measure when I became a seminarian.  Once she asked me what I thought was the most important element in Christianity.  Although armed with a few years of biblical studies, dogmatic, pastoral and liturgical theology, I was not sure that I had a quick answer.  I took a few moments and then responded, Holy Communion.  I told her that Communion, the Eucharist, was the most important element of Christianity.  My aunt looked a bit puzzled and said, really, I would have thought that it was love.  Isn’t love the most important part of Christianity, she asked?  I am sure that I had the look upon my face as if I had just failed an exam in Seminary. Of course, love is the most important component of Christianity.  My aunt had an intuitive faith that saw the entire forest and not just the trees.

(more…)

May 6, 2012

Recently, on an internet discussion thread, I was asked about who Jesus would allow Himself to be photographed with.  One question was if Jesus would be photographed with Patriarch Filaret. Filaret is the current primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyivan Patriarchate.  Not liking my answer to the question, another person asked if Jesus would be photographed with a priest who is a faggot.  Although not said explicitly by the person, I can safely assume that the priest in question who is a faggot, is me.

(more…)

April 22, 2012

One of the greater tragedies of the twentieth century in Orthodox Church history was the cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and the government of the Soviet Union. The Church, whose mission is to bring souls to Jesus Christ, was systemically involved in fully supporting the brutal and atheistic regime of one of the most evil governments in history.

(more…)

April 8, 2012

God’s LGBT Children in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Moldova is a newly released (2012) book written by an “Eastern Orthodox Bishop”. The book has the subtitle of “Homosexuality is not sinful, demonic, or a mental illness” and was self published by CreateSpace, and is now available in print from Amazon.com, (first link provided below), and also in Kindle eBook format (second link provided below).  The book, some 90 pages, is a collection of 28 shorter essays that answer the very basic, but seminal questions that lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people and their families might have about sexuality, morality and ethics.

(more…)

March 18, 2012

Recently I attended an exceptionally enlightening national conference of the Gay Christian Network held in Florida.  Not far from home, I decided to drive up for the day and check it out.  It was not what I expected.  There were over 500 participants, many of them college age students or younger adults in their thirties. Their deep Christian faith was evident in the worship services as well as the panel discussions, lectures and even while socializing with friends in the hotel lobby. The worship services were definitely Protestant in nature and did not particular draw me in as an Orthodox Christian, however, what astounded me was the lack of a single answer to the question: What does it mean to be a committed Christian and gay? 

(more…)

February 27, 2012

Will the Church ever listen?  Letter from students to the bishops.   

In August 2011 a very brave and sincere group of 15 Orthodox college students wrote an open letter to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America.  (Link to complete letter below) The letter was written to “express our grave concerns about the state of public Orthodox discourse on a highly sensitive pastoral issue that especially affects young people in our Church.”  The students accuse some Orthodox in repeating disgusting and discredited theories about the etiology of same-sex attraction, using words that “make us vomit.” The letter is written as plea to the bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, although it could and should be directed to every Orthodox bishop in the world – canonical and “uncanonical” to take action.

(more…)

February 12, 2012

Precious little has been published about homosexuality by Orthodox theologians in recent decades in comparison to volumes written by Roman Catholic and the various Protestant denominations.  What has been written by Orthodox bishops, priests and laymen has been overwhelmingly negative in tone, attitude and direction.  Most of what has been written, even by “modern theologians” of the Church has continued to rely on antiquated and often faulty  interpretations of Scripture and Canon Law and perhaps most egregiously has been authored as if no advances in science, medicine or psychology have been made since the seventh Ecumenical Council in the eighth century.   

(more…)

A few years ago I read the following story in a Ukrainian satirical magazine.  A father believes that it is time for his son to marry.  He begins to name several young women from the village who are single and suitable wives for his son.  Andrew begins to reject each one with a different excuse – one is too tall, the other is too fat, and the third is too “well known” in the village.  The father starts to name several young women from neighboring villages – all quite acceptable in the father’s eyes as future wives for his son. Once again Andrew finds a reason why each of the women is unacceptable – including the excuse that one had teeth that were too big!  In his frustration the father implores his son” is there not anyone in all of Ukraine that you are interested in marrying?” Well, there is one person, Andrew says delicately.  Finally, the father says, “who is it?” Peter, from the next village, Andrew says.  Peter?  His father screams with great indignation and anger, Peter?  “Marry Peter? Never, he is a Russian!”

(more…)