Titanic Post

Living in a homophobic county as I do, and seeing that most of the anti-gay rhetoric is based on statements from evangelical ministers’ interpretation of the New Testament, I was pleased to find the following piece by Dr. William Stacy Johnson, Princeton Theological Seminary’s Arthur M. Adams Associate Professor of Systematic Theology.

Printed in The Christian Century, January 15, 2008

SEX AND SLAVERY: William Stacy Johnson notes that there are three forms of homoeroticism:

Age-differentiated homosexuality, known as pederasty and common among the ancient Greeks, is when a younger person is expected to give sexual favors to his mentor as a rite of passage.

Status-defined homosexuality, in which a superior performs a sexual act with a passive inferior who is often stigmatized, was common among the ancient Romans.

Egalitarian homosexu­ality, in which the partners are in an equal and mutual relationship, is the pre­dominant form today.

Johnson points out that no biblical text addresses this third type of homosexuality and that the sec­ond (more…)

In Defense of Rev. Jeremiah Wright & the Best of Prophetic Tradition in the Black Church

See also letter from Kansas City AME Bishop

Social Action Commission
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Los Angeles, CA

Several months ago, early in the Democratic race for the nomination to run for president, conservative radio pundits began attacking Senator Barak Obama by playing sound bites of sermons by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. These right wing extremist shrilly declared that Rev. Wright’s prophetic preaching style speaking truth to power and calling white racism by name was in fact “reverse racism”. At a time when Senator Obama’s run seemed in the words of former President Bill Clinton a “fairy tail,” few news media outside of the right wing so-called conservative extremist media gave significant attention to these sound bites. Then a little over a week ago, less than six weeks before the last major primary in Pennsylvania, and as Senator Obama’s campaign has developed a commanding and seemingly insurmountable lead in both popular votes and delegates against Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton, major news media have refocused on Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Trinity United Church of Christ and Senator Obama’s membership at Trinity. (more…)

This post was included in a comment made by Denise Lang to a post from May 19.2006 titled A Fransican Benediction.

I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I had asked for, but everything that I had hoped for. Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered; I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

Thank you Denise!

I named my motorcycle Jelal (sometimes spelled Jalal), because it is the name of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, the famous and much honored Persian poet. In earlier posts on this site, I mumbled something about my motorcycle having this big hump of a fuel tank that was really quite ugly and reminded me of a camel. While this harsh judgment was true then, it is not true now, because the experience of riding this motorcycle over the past months has given me new insights and has brought much joy into my life. Riding this motorcycle through the mountains brings up honest to goodness belly laughs and childlike giggles that just burble up from somewhere deep inside. What indescribable joy! The name “Jalal” does not convey this motorcycle experience as well as it honors a truly great man. (more…)

SOJOURNERS - It’s sadly rare for a church leader, or for the leaders of most of our dominant institutions, to demonstrate a spirituality that attracts millions of people around the world - particularly so many young people. But the scene of millions lining up to simply pass by the body of John Paul II in Rome this week is remarkable indeed. The enormous attraction to this pope goes far beyond agreement with all the positions of the Catholic Church or even all of the decisions of his papacy. Indeed the “ecumenical” and even “interfaith” attraction to John Paul II reflects his own practice of reaching out to more people in more faith traditions than any other pope ever has.

One of the great attractions of Pope John Paul II’s spirituality was his consistency. At the core of Catholic social teaching is the idea of a “consistent ethic of life,” an ethic that seeks to protect and defend human life and dignity wherever and whenever they are threatened, and which challenges the selective moralities of both the political left and right. (more…)

When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.

~ Archbishop Helder Camara, Brazil