Our most harmful opponents are not going away

by Sam Somewhere

The recent announcement that Rob Bell has joined Steve Chalke in ‘crossing the chasm’ and coming out in favour of same-sex relationships should be seen as evidence that a damn-break moment is slowly coming upon us, especially amongst the Evangelical wing of Western Anglophone Christianity. We live in exciting times, and announcements like Chalke’s and Bell’s open up room for a debate. But they are not a sign of impending all-out victory, and those hoping for such a moment need to be vigilant.

It would be wrong to think that the willingness of many amongst the younger generation to rethink theological and political positions on gay marriage will eventually result in a total absence of opposition. In fact, it could be quite dangerous: there’s no guarantee that the current watershed will be in anyway permanent, as proven by a long view of history.

But for those on the far fringes, even an Evangelical like Steve Chalke is immediately dismiss-able. In fact, someone like Chalke, seen by many as being on the soft edge of the Evangelical wing, will cause as many reactions of visceral hatred as he does openings for debate.

I want to share a metaphor I came up with whilst discussing my concerns with a friend who also writes for this blog. I used the idea of support or opposition ‘evaporating’. As heat rises, so liquids evaporate, thus reducing the volume of what’s left. We’re seeing that now, as support for the ‘traditional Evangelical position’ appears to be evaporating. The problem is, we focus on the reduction in volume at our peril. What we’re left with is a thick and nasty sludge.

As those who hold views about same-sex marriage that are rationalised as loving ‘evaporate’, the effect they were having ceases. We could describe that effect as diluting the more caustic opinions. With no one on their side to ensure that they don’t come across as unloving, and with an impending sense of their own isolation, we can expect to see what’s left in the bottom of the test tube get darker, more concentrated and more overtly harmful.

So I’m worried that, in searching for a universal victory, what happens is that we dismiss the most hardened, and most dangerous characters in the opposition. Sadly, isolated people have a habit of doing unspeakable things out of fear that the world around them is against them. We should at no point dismiss them.

Carey, Cameron, money and marriage

Symon Hill

Happy Easter! Today we celebrate the resurrection of someone executed by a brutal empire; a radical persecuted by an unholy alliance of political oppressors and religious hypocrites; a prophet who challenged the social, economic, religious and sexual conventions of his day and pointed the way to love, equality and the Kingdom of God.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.

As the Catholic peace activist Chris Cole puts it, Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate act of civil disobedience. When you’re executed by the state, you’re supposed to stay dead.

People who are likely to disagree with this view include George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, who has swung rapidly to the right since “retiring” eleven years ago. Yesterday, Holy Saturday, the Daily Mail published an interview in which Carey accused David Cameron of betraying Christians. British Christians, he said, had been left feeling like a “persecuted minority”.

Carey can, on almost any day he wishes, rise from his seat of privilege in the House of Lords (he’s now a life peer) to complain about the treatment of Christians in the UK. He can complain about anti-Christian persecution in the only country in the world that allows Christian bishops to sit unelected in its legislature and vote on legislation. He can rush off to powerful and wealthy media corporations to run sympathetic interviews with him in their newspapers. And he can visit the third of state-funded primary schools that are explicitly Christian. 

Christians have of course been persecuted in Britain for centuries – by other Christians. Catholics persecuting Protestants, Protestants persecuting Catholics, Anglicans persecuting dissenters, pro-war church leaders persecuting Quakers – the list goes on.

When people talk about Christians being persecuted in the UK today, they usually move very quickly to talk about sexuality. Carey defends the “right” of Christians to deny equal civil rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. It is not equality he seeks, but inequality.

Thankfully, other Christians, including many Anglicans, have better reasons to challenge David Cameron today. The Baptist Union, Church of Scotland, Methodist Church and United Reformed Church have issued a joint statement slamming the cuts to social security benefits that will come into force tomorrow (1 April). A number of Christians in other denominations have spoken up on the same issue.

David Cameron has used Easter Day to speak of “Jesus’ legacy of generosity” – the day before slashing benefits for the poorest people in the UK, while leaving the rich untouched. Billions are thrown into military spending, the rich siphon off their wealth to tax havens and the poor are punished for the sins of the rich. In a society of massive inequality two thousand years ago, Jesus took the side of the poor and marginalised, challenging the rich and powerful to change. 

I am delighted that these denominations have taken this stand and that the media have noticed it. I would be even more pleased if they would follow through their commitment to equality by backing equal marriage. Jesus demonstrated relationships based on equality and love, not convention or control. The same principle is true in both marriage and the economy. But they’ve spoken out at a crucial moment and I won’t be stingy in my praise.

Christ is risen indeed. Happy Easter! 

O’Brien, abuse and the gift of celibacy

by Jemima

In the aftermath of revelations by priests and now Cardinal O’Brien’s admission of “sexual misconduct”, the issue of whether Catholic priests should be allowed to marry has raised its head again. It seems to be the default reaction of many, as if no married man has ever committed a sexual offence, no gay or queer man tried to hide from his own desires behind the facade of a loving wife and doting children.

It is a disturbing idea that people commit acts of what could be most charitably described as a predatory nature because they have no other outlet for their sexuality. Yet this is put forward again and again. The child abuse allegations, the cover-ups, the abuse of power, are explained as men (and on occasion women) who only act this way due to their vow of celibacy.

This ignores almost all of what we know about rape and sexual abuse, removing it from the sphere of power and into the sexual. It seems when it comes to Catholic clergy we are back in the 1950s, with men being rampant beasts at the mercy of their sexual urges.

When we look at St Paul he does clearly see celibacy as a desired state (1^st Corinthians 7.7 particularly). However, Christianity is not unique in understanding that if one is to reach the deepest of spiritual understandings the distractions of the flesh should be given up. The monastic and celibate traditions have been found in many different cultures, with those who are able to live without sex seen as holy men and women.

St Paul, who is often condemned as anti-sex and anti the flesh understood though that this is an ideal:

“I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.”

Celibacy is seen as a desired state, and indeed who could argue that if we all gave up all our worldly concerns and dedicated our lives to the service of God then the Kingdom would be that much closer. However, St Paul understood that his gift was not the gift of others.

This may seem as if I am agreeing with those who believe if only priests could marry then so much pain would have been avoided, but I am not. By pointing out that celibacy is as normal and natural for some as sex then you move away from the idea that it is merely celibacy that leads to abuse.

There seems to be a lot of conflation of different issues going on. But in a space accepting of alternative sexualities, I think it is important to say that this includes asexuality and celibacy. Being celibate does not make one an abuser, nor does it excuse the abuse when it happens. Choosing to prey on those weaker than you, in any situation, is a choice. It is a choice the unmarried, the married, celibate or not, consciously make. We are in danger of rushing towards the idea of married priests without actually looking at why so many believed it was ok to make that choice.

Perhaps that is because in the modern world, choosing not to have sex is itself seen to be deviant, and so we believe that all deviancy springs from that choice. Yes, celibacy is not for all, but it should not be blamed for the sexual behaviour of some.

Queer Christians give thanks for success of same-sex marriage bill

Although Queers for Jesus is mainly a blog and discussion site, we’re very keen on ensuring that queer, radical and Christian voices are heard in the media. Today we have issued the following news release:

Queer Christians are celebrating a vote in the House of Commons in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in England and Wales. But they warned that anti-equality comments during the debate show that the battle is far from over and that Christians need to speak up clearly for equality.

Queers for Jesus – who run a collective blog site exploring gender, sexuality and religion – said that the issue should not be presented as a dispute between religion and gay rights. Many of them demonstrated outside Parliament, singing hymns and praying as well as displaying banners alongside people of other religions and none. They thanked several Christian MPs for backing equal marriage.

They welcomed the fact that several faith leaders had spoken at an event in Parliament today calling for radical changes to the world’s financial systems. Queers for Jesus see the campaign for equal marriage rights as part of the same struggle for a more just and less sinful world.

Emma Anthony, a Christian youthworker in a same-sex relationship, joined the demonstration outside Parliament. Afterwards she said:

“It’s a very good day for equality. For some people, a life-changing decision has been made. I think there is no possible way that Jesus would have voted against this bill. We have to do what Jesus would do if Jesus still had an earthly body.”

Other demonstrators included Symon Hill, a Christian writer who in 2011 walked from Birmingham to London as a pilgrimage of repentance for his former homophobia. He said:

“This is great news for all supporters of equality, including many Christians. Opponents of equal marriage must not be allowed to hide behind the claim that they are defending Christianity. Jesus modelled relationships based on love and justice – much harder than following a set of rules. Jesus motivates many people to work for a more just and less sinful world – campaigning against inequality, war and government cuts. We’ve heard lots from anti-equality Christians. It’s vital that pro-equality Christians speak up just as clearly.”

Pray, lobby and demonstrate for equal marriage

The UK Parliament will vote this afternoon (5 February) on the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill, offering legal recognition to same-sex marriage in England and Wales. This is the “second reading”: if it passes, it could still be ammended in the Commons, and will then go to the Lords, where the opposition may be stronger. So this is not the end, but it’s an important day – not least because of the media interest. It’s important that the media realise that there are many followers of Jesus supporting equal marriage.

Today, please do one or more of the following:

Lobby: You can email your MP about the issue in a few moments by clicking here.

Demonstrate: Rally at the statue of George V opposite the main entrance to the House of Commons from 5.00pm today.

Talk: Tell your friends, family or colleagues why this issue matters to you. Be prepared for genuine dialogue with people who disagree.

Pray: Any time, anywhere.

How they choose to pray: Revealing the attitudes of the Coalition for Marriage

by Jemima

The Christian Institute and their allies produced a prayer that they hoped would be read out in churches today, with the vote on Tuesday (5 February) for the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill. Both sides have tried to use today as a time of reflection and prayer. As Christians we are told to turn to God in times of dispute, however with “Thy will be done” as our guiding phrase.

The prayer released for today shows so much about the worldliness of the Coalition for Marriage that I think it bears close analysis. It reads as follows:

“Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the gift of marriage which you established at the dawn of time, to be a blessing for all generations throughout the earth, down through the ages.
We pray that you would fill each and every marriage with your love and grace, and that every husband and wife would know the joy that comes from sharing and giving.
We thank you for establishing marriage to be a secure and stable environment for raising children.
We pray for all those who do not enjoy those blessings, remembering that you are a father to the orphan and a husband to the widow.
We pray, as you have commanded us, for those in positions of civil authority.
We pray that our Government will act with wisdom and righteousness, upholding marriage as the voluntary union of one man to one woman for life, for the good of all people.
We pray for forgiveness for our nation, as our Government seeks to redefine marriage. We pray that these plans would fail.
And we pray for ourselves, that we would speak out in support of marriage with gentleness and kindness, but also with courage and confidence.
In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord we pray. Amen.”

I will skip over the theological debate about a historical reading of Genesis; it has been fought many times, except of course to point out this excludes many Christians with a deep and sincere faith who do not believe the Fall is a literal fact but a poetical description of the real state of sinful humanity.

The first section has already caused pain to at least one person hearing it in my Church, a victim of domestic violence in her marriage. The coalition might claim they have asked that all marriages be joyful and sharing, but this is clearly not the case. Those who have suffered in marriage, those who are divorced, those who have grown up witnessing domestic violence are put into the box of not quite good enough Christians. By making the marriage of a man and woman a seemingly central tenet of faith, millions of heterosexual faithful are also cast out into the cold.

Again the coalition may claim they do not exclude, citing the next line:

“We pray for all those who do not enjoy those blessings, remembering that you are a father to the orphan and a husband to the widow.”

This of course ignores the single parent, the abused child who saw family life as damaging, all those whom the traditional structure of marriage has failed. Is there no prayer for the teenage mum, struggling to do her best? Or the childhood abuse victim who has cut off contact with his parents to protect himself? Do you have to lose your partner or parent to be worthy of prayer?

This may seem nit picking but this prayer was produced to be read out to pulpits across the land, and presumably thought was given to wording, to who it included and excluded, to who matters in the Church the Coalition believe in.

The next part which is extremely problematic to me is this;

“We pray for forgiveness for our nation, as our Government seeks to redefine marriage. We pray that these plans would fail.”

During the week of prayer for Christian unity recently we were asked to consider a verse from Michah:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

It is a wonderful verse, one which the coalition has seemingly never come across. Justice and love are much talked about. Steve Chalke wrote wonderfully of his realisation of the injustice that continuing to oppose equal marriage would be. However the last part, the need to be humble is just as important.

Over and over again in the Old and New Testaments we are reminded of the impossibility of knowing the mind of God, and of the need to trust, like Job, to be aware that it is His plan, His dominion, His path that must be walked. This of course reaches its zenith in the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane, when God the Son, our Lord Jesus, is subject to the same pressure as all humanity.

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Mathew 26:39.”

It is not the place of the coalition to ask for forgiveness for others, we forgive those who sin against us personally, we do not offer out forgiveness, or call it down on our personal whim. They may believe that the same sex marriage law is wrong, but only God can determine if it is a sin, and only God can decide if a nation as a whole has sinned through the passing of one law.

This attitude is of course at the heart of the belief system of the Coalition for Marriage. In one simple prayer they show over and over again that they believe humans, not God, define sin, define goodness, and define what is acceptable and who passes the test of what makes a Christian. To call a whole nation sinners and assume they can intercede for forgiveness is about as arrogant, and unbiblical as any organisation can be.

This is not simply a fight about inclusion in my view, but about the future of the Church, and whether that future is one of radicalism and faith or belief in traditional structures and following a worldly path of human desires for power. To finish by quoting from Chalke:

“Christianity is not about a book, but about a person who is the Word of God made flesh.”

Please pray for marriage – regardless of gender

The UK Parliament will vote on Tuesday 5th February on legislation to give legal recognition to same-sex marriages in England and Wales.Supporters of equal marriage will be praying for it on the Sunday beforehand.We’re asking you to take a moment to pray about the issue at 12.00 noon (or at another time if you find it more appropriate). We’re also asking churches to pray for marriage equality in their Sunday services. You can click here to visit Facebook and add your name to those who will pray.

We will pray for:

• All marriages and similarly committed, loving relationships, regardless of the gender of those involved.

• The success of legislation to give equal marriage rights to same-sex couples.

• God’s forgiveness for any occasions on which we have promoted prejudice against same-sex couples, whether by word, deed or silence.

• God’s guidance for all those affected by this issue and involved in debates on it, whatever their views.

The event is supported by Queers for Jesus and by Christians for Equal Marriage as well as a number of individuals, including Christians and people of different faiths.

May we treat those who disagree with us with love and humility, while standing up firmly for love and marriage as principles that are greater than social convention and legalism.

Christianity, conscience and the European Court

by Symon Hill

I’m delighted with the news from the European Court of Human Rights this morning. The court has thrown out three of the four cases brought by Christians who claim that they suffered discrimination because of their religion. Two of the rejected cases were brought by people claiming that they had the right to discriminate against same-sex couples. 

The news of the ruling came through as I was discussing the cases on Radio Five Live Breakfast shortly after 9.00am.

I strongly believe that opponents of same-sex relationships should have the right not only to hold their own views but also to publicise and promote them. What they do not have a right to do is to use their jobs to deprive gay and bisexual people of their rights. Far from being the victims of discrimination, these individuals are wanting the freedom to discriminate against others.

On Radio Five Live, I debated with David Landrum from the Evangelical Alliance. While I don’t agree with the Alliance on sexuality, their comments are usually more measured than those of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, the groups behind the cases at the European Court.

I found myself having a relatively healthy dialogue with David, until he claimed that his views were shared by “Christians who take the Bible seriously”. The implication was that people who interpret the Bible differently to him are taking it less seriously. I’m sure that the claim was made in the past by Christians who used the Bible to justify slavery, racism and domestic abuse. They could not see the wood for the trees: Jesus’ message of radical love that is a challenge to both legalism and self-interest.

Later on in the programme, I was up against Alan Craig of the Christian People’s Alliance. Alan repeatedly talked of the importance of “tolerance”. This is a bit rich from a man who regularly comes out with the most viciously homophobic rhetoric and who has compared the promotion of gay and bisexual civil rights to the Nazi conquest of Europe.

Alan claimed that there was a “parallel” between the rights granted by the UK to conscientious objectors (COs) in wartime and the rights claimed by people who don’t want to work with same-sex couples. I’m not sure if this is an argument he uses generally or one he chose particularly to use against me, knowing that I’m a Christian pacifist.

The “parallel” is inaccurate in a number of ways. Firstly, the rights of pacifists in the UK have been limited: dozens of COs died in prison in the first world war while anti-war publications and campaigns were banned in the second world war – a point rarely made in the airbrushed history of the war with which we are presented in schools and popular culture. Secondly, I am not denying that people such as Lilian Ladele – the civil registrar who refused to register same-sex civil partnerships – have a right to express their views. What I am saying is that they don’t have a right to use their employment to discriminate against others.

Most importantly, however, is the fact that Alan Craig’s argument completely misrepresents the nature of conscientious objection to war. Pacifism is not about opting out. It is about standing up for something different. It is good that there is at least some right to conscientious objection recognised in UK law. But let’s not forget that it is only there because the law maintains the right of the government to conscript people to carry out violence in its name. Conscientious objection is not about asking for rights for ourselves; it is about pointing the way to a different way of doing things.

In recent years, a number of Christians in the UK have gone to prison after taking nonviolent direct action against the arms trade and preparations for war. They are not backed by the Christian Legal Centre. They rarely make headline news. Their conscience and their faith have compelled them to act. As the apostle Paul says, Christians should not “conform to the patterns of this world”. We need to challenge greed, war, inequality – and homophobia. 

Submission: Christianity and BDSM

by Jemima

The world of BDSM can appear very obsessed with the surface, a place of outlandish outfits and shocking behaviour. Certain books have not helped and create the idea that it is as far from spirituality as can be. My personal experience is that as I have learnt more about myself through BDSM, so my faith has also deepened.

BDSM stands for bondage, discipline, domination, submission, sado-masochism. BDSM involves consensual exploration of some or all of these between people in the role of submissive (less powerful person) and Dominant (more powerful person). 

My pastor describes me as servant-hearted, and it is true I am more likely to be found in the kitchen than the pulpit. However, I think I am more Mary than Martha, and that willingness to sit, to learn, to let go is something that I think as Christians we all need. To live fully of, and in, the moment rather than worrying about tomorrow.

Both Mark and Luke give accounts where Jesus knows what the future brings. He directs his disciples to find the donkey that will bear him, predicting who they will find and what to say. This prescience does not stop with Palm Sunday of course; he rides through the cheering crowd knowing they will be baying for his blood by the end of the week. Yet he still chooses to go, to follow a path that leads to immense pain and suffering, he submits.

Now to some it will seem sacrilegious to discuss sex and God in the same piece. However I believe we are natural, sexual creatures, that God created us to be so and He does not make mistakes. When we look at the New Testament if we can relate it to our own lives and experiences then we are far more likely to treat it as a living document that can change our lives than a bunch of ancient stories with no relevance to us.

Submission is a word that comes up in two very different parts of my life, and yet as my understanding of it grows, it informs both. Look at how Jesus entered Jerusalem, not grudgingly or secretly, he did not just accept the end was inevitable but that it was right. When my Dominant photographs me, his favourite pictures are those which show a smile. People might imagine a sadist would want to see someone writhing in pain, but that does not show submission. If you just want to make someone cry out in pain then you could punch a random stranger. Submission cannot exist without choice, and if it is to be meaningful and rewarding, it should be a willing, joyful choice.

Now no-one can know the mind of God, but when we look at Jesus’ behaviour in Jerusalem there seems a freedom to it that contrasts with so much of the rest of the Gospels. Free to confront the authorities of the Temple, He behaves in a way that many, knowing they were to be executed in a week,  might avoid. Turning over the tables of the moneychangers, sitting disputing law in the Temple grounds, he draws attention, rather than avoids it. This freedom that comes from submission is one that in my own small way I also recognise. When we submit we become free of the fear of consequences, the path has been laid out by someone else and all we need to do is walk it.

So how does this affect my day-to-day life, both as a Christian and as a submissive? In one way, it is the same lesson to be  learnt. It is easy to say “I submit”, that we are willing to bow our heads, whether it be to God or a cane-wielding sadist. However, when the difficult times happen, when a planned event does not happen or not as soon as you might wish, does the submission remain a joyful choice or become a grudging “if I must”?

So often, “If thy will be done” is a question not a statement. As a submissive, I have learnt that in fact it is a liberating statement. The trust that is at the heart of BDSM means that I put my life in the hands of another, another bigger, stronger more powerful than me, and say, do what you will. If we can do this with another human how can we fight it with God? It may seem an odd question, but so often we do fight, thinking we can cajole or bargain, instead of that sublime submission, instead of saying, “Thy will be done.”

Gay bishops: Church of England offers crumbs from the table

Symon Hill

“Church of England lifts opposition to gay bishops” declared the headlines. It took only a glance to realise that the news is not as good as it sounds. Clergy in same-sex relationships will be allowed to become bishops – as long as they don’t have sex.

Gay bishops in the Church of England must be “celibate”. What’s celibate? Will a bishop with a same-sex partner be allowed to kiss him? To hold his hand as they walk down the street? To engage in genital activity short of penetration? Celibacy, like sex, is rarely defined.

Celibacy (like marriage) is a gift from God. It is a calling. Some are called to it, others are not. What an insult to people with the gift of celibacy to present their calling as some sort of second-rate option for people treated as second-rate Christians.

The announcement may, or may not, come as good news to gay and bisexual clergy with a hope of becoming bishops. But many more people will be affected by this news.

For queer Christians, it is another message telling us that we are not welcome as equals in the Church of Christ. For many lesbian, gay and bisexual people outside the Church, as well as others committed to equality, it is the latest announcement of Christian hostility to them, the latest factor on top of many others to deter them from Christianity.

With some Christians preaching blatant homophobia, and others failing to challenge it, it is understandable that some grasp at any sign of progress towards equality and justice. With right-wing Christian lobby groups leading the virulent opposition to equal marriage, with Tory MPs using Christianity to justify homophobic comments in the House of Commons and with homophobic “therapy” on the rise, it is tempting to welcome any sign of change in churches with open arms. I suggest it is a temptation into which we should not be led.

This announcement is not progress, however much it may have annoyed the most extreme homophobes, who claim to be concerned about sexual behaviour but don’t want gay or bisexual bishops even if they don’t have sex. The Church of England has merely clarified that its bishops must abide by the same discriminatory rules as its clergy: rules that have already pushed many able, devout and Godly individuals from the ranks of the Church.

Theologically speaking, this ruling is another triumph of law over faith, of human rules over human love, of the letter that kills over the Holy Spirit that gives life. It is an insult to the Gospel proclaimed by the Christ who said that rules were made for people, not people for rules and who modelled relationships based on love, equality and integrity rather than selfishness or convention.

In 1964, fresh from the wave of civil rights demonstrations that had swept the US, Martin Luther King wrote of “those people who seek to apportion to us the rights that they have always enjoyed”. He suggested that they were asking people who were facing inequality to “accept half the loaf and to pay for that half by waiting willingly for the other half to be distributed in crumbs over a hard and protracted winter of injustice.”

Today, queer Christians – and others affected by church discrimination – are treated as if we have to bargain with church leaders for the equality that rightly belongs to us. It is no more possible to be half equal than it is to be half alive.