What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • It is a justice issue, isn’t it?

    The question is this – is LGBT inclusion a justice issue or isn’t it?

    If we think it is a justice issue then we pray about it in church, right?

    Those two questions feel to me a little uncomfortable.

    We pray readily in churches up and down the land about justice issues – we pray about poverty, we pray for those who are down on their luck, we pray about homelessness. Increasingly (though still not that often) we pray about climate change.

    If we believe LGBT inclusion is a justice issue (rather than a tricky and embarrassing disagreement) then we’ll pray about it, won’t we? In intercessions. In church. At the mass.

    Won’t we?

    Here’s a notice announcing a special service which has been organised by Changing Attitude Scotland to do just that.

    lightbulb

    The celebrant will be the Rev Kirstin Freeman. Others are very welcome to copy this idea. Anyone can have a Eucharist for Change.

    But my question is really about regular weekly services.

    We will pray. Won’t we?

    ,

20 responses to “Lambeth Conference – Some are Welcome in this Place”

  1. asphodeline Avatar
    asphodeline

    Aargh, horrible decision. My first “gut” reaction was no, make a point of not going and make it clear why not. Then I read the responses here and they’ve got a point too.

    I hope you make the right decision for yourself that you feel comfortable with. Interesting point too about the Catholic bit. I don’t consider myself Protestant as such, more a Catholic who is exlcuded from many things Catholic by the Catholic church. I’ve always been a bit confused though!

    Good luck x

    Reply
  2. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    I’m interested that all voices responding so far are female.

    Reply
  3. chris Avatar
    chris

    Does the excess of female voices not simply represent the majority of congregations? Not, of course, of clergy – yet. :=(

    Reply
  4. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    I’ve no idea what other congregations are like – St Mary’s is pretty gender balanced, as was my previous congregation.

    Are there really congregations that are mostly female? How very odd.

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    A convent maybe? Do you have convents in the SEC?

    Reply
  6. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    There are convents, but not terribly large ones.

    Reply
  7. Eamonn Avatar
    Eamonn

    Not only are all the comments so far from women (so let me make a modest effort to redress the balance), but there are far fewer voices than one might have expected, given the seriousness of this exclusion, which in the long run could affect all Episcopalians and Anglicans worldwide. The notion that one has to ‘qualify’ to attend Lambeth by criteria other than lawful episcopal consecration is a new and disquieting departure. Why are more people not protesting?

    Reply
  8. vicky Avatar
    vicky

    Thought this might be of interest.

    Reply
  9. chris Avatar
    chris

    I’ve only ever belonged to my current congretation. There are men, but old, unwired ones for the most part.
    I’ve had another thought, though. Maybe women comment because women have been sidelined in the church for 2000 years. Coming out in sympathy, perhaps?

    Reply
  10. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    “unwired men” – what a helpful description.

    Reply

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