What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Sermon preached on 4 August 2013

    I used to work in a church with murals. Well one mural. It wasn’t this church and it wasn’t these glorious murals. It was somewhere else entirely.

    (By which I mean Edinburgh).

    Throughout the late fifties, the sixties and early seventies, a sustained period of liturgical reform had happened. The altar had been pulled away from the wall. The priest now faced the people. The peace was shared and communion started to happen every Sunday. Those of you who have been around for a bit might remember that story from all kinds of contexts. Those who are new to Episcopal worship might be surprised to learn that how we do things is not in fact as old as the hills at all.

    Anyway, these liturgical reforms in this church had left a big space to fill. Somewhere along the way, the East Window had been bricked up and whitewashed over and now there was a giant wall to fill.

    And, of course, just as we can be sure that someone was heartily trying to encourage the congregation to sing Kum By Yah. so, inevitably, someone got to paint a mural.

    Unlike Gwyneth Leech’s paintings, which surround me here in this church. this was a rather less successful piece. (more…)

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6 responses to “LGBT Booklist”

  1. Peter Ould Avatar
    Peter Ould

    Mario Bergner, “Setting Love in Order”

    Sorry, couldn’t resist…

    Reply
  2. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    Exile or Embrace , Mahon Siler. Not so much for LGBT as for those who need to hear stories and have no one to tell them. It’s about how a congregation worked through the process of how (and whether) to welcome gay people.

    James Alison’s Faith Beyond Resentment is equally important. I wonder if the chapter on the dynamics of exclusion shouldn’t be required reading for all Christians.

    Reply
  3. Ryan Dunne Avatar
    Ryan Dunne

    Thanks for that Kelvin. Post – exam (May 7th) I plan on reading some of them. I can’t help but giggle at the fact that “Know My Name:Gay Liberation Theology” is published by “John Knox Press” however; what would old John have thought of the Polo Lounge ;-)?

    Reply
  4. Graham Ward Avatar
    Graham Ward

    Not only relevant for addressing LGBT issues, Jack Spong’s The Sins of Scripture is also very useful.

    Reply
  5. Scott Rosenberg Avatar
    Scott Rosenberg

    I have recently very much enjoyed Richard Holloway’s Leaving Alexandria. Whilst not a book about gays and the Church it does touch on this issue on several occasions and I found it to be an engrossing read.

    Reply
  6. fr dougal Avatar
    fr dougal

    “Gift by Otherness” Wm countryman and MR Ritley is quite good.

    Reply

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