What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • US achieves Equal Marriage across all states

    The full judgement is here.

    But the essence of it is contained in this one paragraph.

    No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.

3 responses to “Power needs to be baptised by love”

  1. Robin Avatar
    Robin

    A very good and thought-provoking sermon. I’ve always thought of the Ethiopian eunuch as a man of great power and authority, and of great learning and devotion too, which points me to your third interpretation. But what startles me about the story – partly because of my thinking of the eunuch as someone of great power and authority compared to Philip, and partly because of a tendency on my part to be dogma-bound – is the sheer simplicity of how Philip welcomes him into the Church.

    There is no complicated initiation process. There are no doctrinal tests. The eunuch sees water, and asks Philip in a businesslike way if there’s any reason why he shouldn’t be baptised. Philip’s answer couldn’t be more direct and straightforward: “If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptised.” And the eunuch’s response couldn’t be more direct and straightforward either: no lengthy creed, no question and answer interrogation, but simply, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

    No doubt the eunuch continued his studies after his baptism, being that sort of man. But in a complicated world and (sometimes) a complicated Church I often turn to this passage for reassurance that it needn’t always be so.

    Reply
    1. Father Ron Smith Avatar
      Father Ron Smith

      Thank you, Father Kelvin. What a lovely and refreshing new insight into the identity and provenance of the ethiopian Eunuch! Philip’s acceptance and Baptism of the Eunuch reflects the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 19:122, where he speaks of 3 types of eunuch; made so by others (the Ethiopian, castrati); those who become so for the sake of the Kingdom (monks, nuns, celibate clergy);
      and then, of course; those so ‘from their mother’s womb’ (intrinsic Gays).

      Reply
  2. Aleks Avatar
    Aleks

    Really profound. You’ve given me a lot to think about.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Presbyterians move to openly ordain gay clergy

    Exciting news coming in this morning that Amendment 10A has now been passed by 87 presbyteries, which was the threshold required in order to enact it. The consequence of this is that there will no longer be a bar on LGBT presbyterians being ordained. More details over here.

  • The Grand Opening of St Silas Hall

    Round to St Silas church, round the corner from St Mary’s yesterday for the grand opening of their grand new hall. They’ve built a three storey large space will anciliary rooms around it. It is a very impressive achivement and they are to be congratulated for all they have achieved. Fr David was sporting a…

  • Yes and No to AV

    It is a curious thing to discover that I live in a tiny enclave which has voted Yes to the Alternative Vote whilst there has been an almost universal rejection of it elsewhere. I didn’t think it would pass and it did indeed turn out to be the compromise that no-one wanted. A year ago,…

  • Right, here’s the plan!

    Friends, Glaswegians, Fellow Countrymen, the voters of Glasgow Kelvin have spoken. To the astonishment of almost all the rest of the country, Glasgow Kelvin has voted a resounding YES to the Alternative Vote referendum. Today is the day for decisive action  to build on the electoral courage, strength and self determination shown by the Kelvin…