The Austrian Priests’ Rebellion, Updated

When the Arab Spring erupted in Tunisia and Egypt six months ago, it almost coincided with a theologians’ revolt in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  There have been further reports of groups of Catholic priests organizing for reform, or making statements of protest against church actions, in other contexts, too. In Ireland, there is an outspoken group of priests pushing for church reform in the wake of the Irish sexual abuse crisis; in Spain, another group of priests protested publicly against the high cost of the papal visit to Madrid; in Germany, a conservative group signed a letter of protest against the proposed publication of church records on German sexual abuse – and in Austria, a “Priests’ Initiative” of about 3oo priests called on their colleagues to actively disobey the ecclesiastical authorities.

Vienna's Archbishop, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

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Opposition to Gay Marriage Not Socially Acceptable? Millenials Leading the Way.

Opposition to Queer Equality Becoming Uncool

Many people will remember a time when smoking was not just socially acceptable, but almost a social requirement: I knew several people when I was young who described themselves as “social smokers” – those who would have a cigarette in company, “to be sociable”. Others did so to seem, or to see themselves, as sophisticated or glamorous. That has of course changed dramatically in many countries.  Nowadays, the proportion of smokers is declining steadily, especially among high status social groups. Many smokers themselves now take their poison alone, outside of their homes, in recognition of the nuisance value to others. How times can change.

One of the fascinating snippets in a new opinion poll on same sex marriage and more general LGBT equality, is that opposition to queer equality may be going the same way. A narrow majority of Americans now believe that it is more acceptable to support same-sex marriage than to oppose it.


The graphic shows geographic variations in support by type of community, and by region. Only in rural areas, and in the South, is opposition to gay marriage the more socially acceptable position. What the PRRI graphic does not show, is the more dramatic differences by age. 64% of the Millenial generation say that support for marriage equality is the more socially acceptable position. (more…)

Maryland Archbishop “Out of Step” With Catholics on Marriage Equality.

Archbishop O’Brien, on this political issue, clearly doesn’t speak for Maryland Catholics,A Grove Insight poll conducted in February 2011, showed that 55% of Catholics in Maryland support civil marriage. This is several points higher than the state at large, so the idea that our Archbishop has the backing of Catholics in the pews is ridiculous.

Manley Calhoun (Maryland Catholics for Equality State Chair)

ANNAPOLIS - Maryland Catholics for Equality, a state-wide political group of Catholics in Maryland who support civil equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens is weighing in on the recent exchange between and Archbishop Edwin O’Brien over the Governor’s support for our state’s marriage equality bill. The group applauds Gov. O’Malley for his support for equal rights for all Maryland citizens and believes Archbishop O’Brien’s political criticism is both inappropriate and a bad use of his time, while churches and schools are closing due to lack of funding. The group also states that Archbishop O’Brien is also out of step with the majority of Catholics in Maryland who support civil marriage for loving and committed same-gender couples.

The group praised Governor O’Malley for his heightened leadership on this issue and believes this leadership will deliver the few extra votes necessary to pass the marriage equality bill in next year’s legislative session. The marriage equality bill passed the Maryland State Senate in this year’s session, but fell short of reaching the necessary support in the House of Delegates. Leading the effort to stop the legislation was the Maryland Catholic Conference, who worked vigorously behind the scenes in Annapolis.

“We’re proud to have a Catholic governor who understands that as a public official, he serves the people of Maryland, not the will of any one religious institution, especially his own,” stated Calhoun, “Governor O’Malley is standing on the shoulders of great American Catholic leaders like President John F. Kennedy, who proved to the country that you could trust Catholics in elected office not to be controlled by Rome.”

The national Catholics for Equality group went on to criticize Archbishop O’Brien for not recognizing the important difference between civil marriage, the kind you get from the justice of the peace, and religious marriage, which all religious groups is free to decide for themselves, whether they wish to perform.

“It is as inappropriate for a bishop to give orders to a governor on what legal contracts the state should honor as it would be for a governor to tell a bishop what children he’s allowed to baptize,” said Phil Attey, Catholics for Equality Executive. “Archbishop O’Brien is way out of line here.”

Calhoun went further in his criticism of Archbishop O’Brien.

“While Archbishop O’Brien is closing parishes and schools because of lack of funding, we Catholics would like to see him spending his time raising money to keep our churches and schools alive – not spending the money we give to the collection plate on political agendas we don’t agree with.”

Fun and exploration with the “objective queer Bible scholar”, BW16

A comment yesterday to my post on  the Gospels’ Queer Values   read

Thanks for this. I’ve recently started a blog (a little less serious!) on queer Bible criticism and will keep an eye on your blog as things progress.
Warm regards,
BW16

bwsixteen.wordpress.com

As I always do when I find a link in my comments threads, I had a look at it – and found myself starting a startling, exhilarating ride around the biblioblogosphere, one that I could never do justice to.

BW’s comment described the site as “less serious” than mine. Less serious perhaps, but this is highly sophisticated, scholarly play, as the masthead picture suggests:

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A Transgender Sister in Christ

“Pastor, I need to know if I’m welcome in this church!” It was with these words, blurted out as she ambled across the threshold of my office doorway, that I was first introduced to Sami (not her real name), a person who was in the process of transitioning from male to female. The words barely out of her mouth, Sami plopped down on the edge of the couch adjacent to my desk and launched into her story.

The western New York church I was serving at the time is an American Baptist church that I would describe as conservative to moderate, and one that had never encountered a trans person seeking welcome, affirmation and, eventually, membership.

-full story at  Rev. Rich Rose, Huffpost.

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Lutherans Vow to Prevent Bullying

 

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination, passed a resolution to join the church at all levels in efforts to seek out, curb and work to prevent bullying in church, school and society. The resolution was brought to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly by 37 of its 65 synods. The resolution passed 932-23. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is currently meeting in Orlando, Florida.

 -Full report: GLAADBlog.org.

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In Politics and in Business, Homophobia Becoming Toxic. What About the Church?

 CGBG, the “Charity Giveback Group” (formerly the Christian Values Network until a March name change), is upset with gay activists, whom they accuse of  misrepresenting their business as homophobic. They have good cause to be anxious: their activities are based on affiliate marketing, whereby they earn a commission on internet sales through links to major marketing companies. As an explicitly Christian, values-based enterprise, they attract their customers by promising to split the commission with designated charities. Conceptually, it’s a beautiful business model. Set up a website, attract enough supporters on the strength of their shared values and desire to support charity – and wait for the commission to come in. All that remains, is to handle the money, and allocate their share to the designated charities. With no manufacturing, inventory, or distribution costs to worry about, the business costs are presumable minimal – just website maintenance, marketing – and accounting.

What has upset the gay activists, is that several of these “charities” are explicitly anti-gay. Key founders and backers of the company are luminaries of the Christian right anti-gay lobby, men like actor Stephen Baldwin, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. One of the beneficiaries of the commission split, the  Family Research Council, has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty  Law Centre. Others are not described as hate groups, but are still explicitly anti-gay, actively engaged in campaigns to prevent progress towards LGBT equality. It is not surprising that the queer community would not want their spending to be used to finance these groups – hence the original boycotts.

From left: actor Stephen Baldwin, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, AP Photo

What has upset the business, is that the boycott has moved beyond the customers (who may well never have been attracted to buying through them in the first place), to the big corporations who actually sell the goods – and who write those commission cheques on which the business depends. In recent months, thanks to a remarkably successful online boycott campaign, major companies have rushed to disassociate themselves. Major firms like Microsoft, Apple, Delta Airlines and Wells Fargo have declared in favour of equality and diversity, and have no wish to be associated with any form of prejudice or discrimination. They are pulling out at an astonishing rate, threatening the company’s future. This is the same financial calculation that has previously led Target and Best Buy to reconsider corporate actions that appeared to support anti-gay organisations or politicos, and attempt to undo the damage. (more…)

Gay marksman, Catholics clash over his choice of queen 

Dirk Winter isn’t the first gay man to be crowned King of the Shooters or, in German, “Schutzenkoenig.” His marksmanship is not in question. It is his choice of his shooting queen that is causing a stir among German gun aficionados, Catholics and gay advocacy groups.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported Winter came in third place at a local shooting club’s annual bird hunt, which qualifies him for national competition.

If he isn’t disqualified.

The problem, according to Religion News Service, is the gun club is not just a gun club. “The shooting clubs have a high profile in Catholic parts of Germany, where members are active in social causes. All clubs are very closely linked to the church, with church officials often sitting on their boards,” RNS reported. “There is, however, no requirement that members be Catholic, male or heterosexual.”

Every king needs his queen, and the King of the Shooters is no exception. Winter’s queen, according to RNS, would have the right to go to events with him, including parades. At first, Winters said he was going to choose a female friend to be his queen, but she and other friends dissuaded him. Instead, Deutsche Presse-Agentur said “he picked his longtime partner Oliver Hermsdorf.”

- Deseret News.

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Two gay ministers uniting the church – SX News

By now, the movement towards full inclusion in church for openly lesbian or gay (and partnered) clergy is strong, and widely reported – for the US. The process is in fact also evident in many other areas. In Protestant Europe, it has advanced rather further than in the US – so that it is no longer even newsworthy. In Australia, it is a little behind, but as this report from Sydney, it has begun there too.

Two gay ministers uniting the church - Australia 

Two congregations of the Uniting Church of Australia (UCA) have appointed two openly gay ministers — understood to be the first time a major Christian denomination has inducted openly gay clergy in Sydney.

The Reverend Nicole Fleming was appointed sole minister of Balmain Uniting Church on July 17.

One week later, the Reverend Ben Gilmour was welcomed as the sole minister of the Paddington Uniting Church.

Both congregations appointed Fleming and Gilmour completely aware of their sexuality.

While the UCA has not made a definitive decision about gay ministers, its 2003 national assembly affirmed the Church’s previous position that a person’s sexuality should not, in itself, be a bar to ordination.

It acknowledged that different views on homosexuality exist within the Church but made it clear congregations can choose clergy who fit the local context.

 -full report at  SX News 

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Pope gives me 10 000 readers – in a day!

When I first spotted, earlier this evening, that one of my posts had hit over 6000 page loads today, I assumed I was reading it incorrectly, or that it was some some kind of error – but no. A few checks confirmed that similar figures were shown from three difference sources – and identified the source. Since then, the total has continued to grow, and has just passed the 10 000 mark, with two hours yet to go before midnight. (Average daily readership for this site, which I have been rather neglecting, is only about 50 at present. So what gives?

Sadly, this readerships surge did not come here at QTC, but at a satellite site, “Queers in History“. Unusually, most of these page loads were concentrated in Spain (usually, the majority of my readers are in the US). My Blogger stats page also shows that most were following links from a Spanish post agglomerating site,  menéame, and specifically, this translation of my post:  Papas gays: La embarazosa muerte de Pablo II.(Original post – The Embarrassing Death of Pope Paul II)

This post has been up for over eighteen months. Why has it suddenly caught fire? Consider this: It’s appeared in a Spanish version, at a time that Pope Benedict has been in Madrid. Thank you, Papa.

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