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What institutional homophobia looks like
Here’s a quick example to illustrate what institutional homophobia looks like. Yesterday the report of the Theological Forum of the Church of Scotland to the General Assembly was published and it deals with a number of issues of interest to LGBT people. (It is well worth a read). Amongst the “deliverances” ie proposals to go…
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He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
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Whither the Chrism Mass?
I have a little list of those liturgical moments in the life of the church that I think could do with a bit of a rethink. Some of the most popular and well attended things that happen in churches would make it onto my list. Mothering Sunday and Remembrance Sunday are both on my little…
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Trolleys are for Supermarkets
I had a lovely morning today conducting a funeral service. Oh, I know lots of people don’t get that this can be satisfying but to me I can’t really think of a more lovely way of spending a morning than committing someone who has died at a great age into the love of God. The…
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St Eucalyptus and St Anaglypta revisited
I was thinking just this morning that it was about time we paid another visit to our conversation about St Eucalyptus on the Rocks and St Anaglypta by the Skerry. It is some seven years since these two congregations came into being in the glorious imagination of my mind. Seven years is a long time…
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What is really going on in the Church of England
I was down in London briefly earlier this week and caught something of the flavour of what is going on in the Church of England. It is quite difficult for people to get their heads around and quite a lot of the reporting of what happened has been poor. The Telegraph newspaper, for example trumpeted…
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How to change the Church of England – quick recap
UPDATE: Please see the following statement in connection with this post: http://thurible.net/2017/12/01/statement-regarding-prayers-prince-george/ Here’s a quick recap of the way in which I think LGBT inclusion will be won in the Church of England. [Repeated from a post I put up last year] Things down south are very different to how things work in my own…
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Praying for the Powerful
Just over four years ago, I was on sabbatical in the USA and one of the institutions that I visited was Washington National Cathedral in the US capital. It is an odd entity in many ways, carrying with it what feels very much like a load of assumptions about established religion in a land where…
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I’d like a Featherlight Brexit and no-one is offering it
The trouble is, I agree with Mrs May. Oh, don’t get breathless and excited. I only agree with her about one thing. I don’t agree with her about the kind of country she wants us to live in. I don’t agree with her about the kind of Europe we are going to create. I don’t…
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Sermon – Epiphanies in the Midst of the Storm
Here is this morning’s sermon. I am overwhelmed by the support that we’ve received today both locally and from around the world. My particular thanks to Police Scotland for their support which has been superb. Comments will be heavily moderated on this post. I will not be allowing through any comments that appear to go…