What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • We believe – a Christian LGBT creed

    Things are changing so fast – it became socially unacceptable some time ago in many circles to give voice to prejudice against LGBT people. It is becoming unacceptable to reject marriage for same-sex couples. And now it is becoming a religious act to oppose the criminalization of gay folk.

    Perhaps we need a short summary of what we believe. Do we need an LGBT Creed?

    We believe
    that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God
    and that nothing can take that likeness away.
    We believe that Jesus Christ
    brought a message of freedom, integrity and salvation for all.
    We believe in the Holy Spirit
    who brings delight, joy, liberation
    and holy common sense to the people of God.
    We believe in the church
    and are committed to remaining a part of it.
    We believe discrimination, prejudice and the criminalization
    of LGBT people to be sinful.
    We believe that God’s abundant grace is leading the church towards
    the full acceptance of God’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.
    We know the grace of God in the sacraments
    and believe that all the sacraments are given for all of the people of God.
    We believe that where God calls people into marriage
    they are called to a way of life based on
    love, joy, tenderness, faithfulness, permanence and stability.
    We believe that human rights are part of a divine mandate for justice
    that  is the birthright of all people.

    What do you think?

    [By the way, don’t forget that there’s a retreat for gay and bi men in March that I’m co-leading – bookings can be made online here: www.retreat.maniple.co.uk]

    , , , ,

11 responses to “The Pink List”

  1. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Ooh, you’re in some illustrious company – there are worse places to be than beneath John Barrowman!

    Congratulations 🙂

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      He and I are almost the same age, Ryan. It is why we look so alike.

      Reply
      1. Ryan Avatar
        Ryan

        Made more impressive by the fact that the praepostorial look is presumably, unlike Mr Barrowman’s, all-natural 😉

        Reply
        1. kelvin Avatar
          kelvin

          Mostly natural.

          Reply
  2. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    Yes, I’d quite like to be under … sorry, got lost in thought there. Well done, Kelvin, and yes, more church people, please. As long as they spell your name right, that is all that maters ….

    Reply
  3. Revd Ross Kennedy Avatar
    Revd Ross Kennedy

    I don’t think the paper got it wrong at all. St Mary’s is Glasgow’s Cathedral (that is if we ignore the chapel by the Clyde). The C of S place was a cathedral but not any more – it hasn’t had a cathedra for hundreds of years and so is merely a parish church now (nothing wrong with that). The C of E has done away with provosts (they were the head of the cathedrals which also functioned as parish churches). The boss priest in all the
    C of E cathedrals is now called the Dean. And so it should be in SEC because the title ‘provost’ is the designation accorded to the head of toon cooncils.
    Yes I know we have deans in the SEC dioceses but they could be retitled as archdeacons which is what (I think) is their function.

    As to the pink list…how times have changed….. years ago it would have been called the black list! (sorry!)

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      Times have indeed changed, Ross. Something which is to be celebrated.

      I’ve no desire to be a Dean. Deans in Scotland do something quite different to what I do, and Provost described me nicely. The title of Dean is also used in secular life now too, in education, as is the term Rector.

      There are four cathedrals in Glasgow. St Mungo’s, St Luke’s, St Andrew’s and St Mary’s, each no doubt dearly loved by their people.

      Reply
  4. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Archdeacon is a great title tho, suggesting to the layperson that it involves deacons raising one eyebrow and making drily witty comments.

    Reply
  5. chris Avatar
    chris

    I’d’a thunk you might have been a ‘national treasure’ by now…maybe next year. 🙂

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      I’m a National Treasure round about this blog. That’ll do for now.

      Reply
  6. Uncle Al Avatar
    Uncle Al

    I seem to recall that at Coates Hall back in the very early 1970s the student charged with providing services at the Mission Church in Dean Village was known [tongue very firmly in cheek] as the Archdeacon of the Water of Leith. A resounding title but no gaiters came with it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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

Previous Posts

  • Promoting Marriage

    Have spent much of the day at the Scottish Weddings Show promoting marriage and particularly the idea of getting married in church. Parts of the day were a blast and it was fantastic to meet so many people. The impetus for this came from the stall that the Scottish Episcopal Church had last year at…

  • Keeping the Feast

    Over the mountains, and over the waves, Under the fountains and under the graves. Under floods that are deepest which Neptune obey, Over rocks that are steepest, love will find out the way.

  • Sermon – Lent 1

    The gospel reading that we have just heard is an important one. Like the reading from the book of Genesis that we heard earlier in the service, it takes us straight into a deep strange place. For these readings take us into the strange world of myth and mystery. And if you doubt that, can…

  • What am I listening to?

    Oh, thank you for asking again. It is a long time since you did. I’ve still not exhausted the wonderful Harmonia Mundi 50 Years Boxset that I bought at Christmas. 30 fabulous CDs for about £30. Glorious If I’m bopping, I’m probably bopping along to Elvis Ain’t Dead and sniggering at the phrase Scouting for…