JN1034
» History Now — Finnish Orthodox Church Welcomes and Affirms Gay “Orthodox Rainbow Society” (The Holy Spirit Goes Wherever and Moves as God Wills). Interesting news from Finland.
Huw blogged this on November 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Category: sideblog
Discussion: You came too late to this party
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Category: sideblog
Discussion: You came too late to this party
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It and your source for it confirm for me that these things in Catholic churches come from minorities living in Protestant countries. (This and the liberal American dissenters in the Roman Church for example.) That is, protestantised people. IOW these movements come from outside the church not the life of the church and so are a dead end.
The americanised Greek blogger wiped out my comment but I’ll repeat, even though of course you know the authentic Catholic position, it’s neither ‘affirming’ nor hateful: it’s for both honesty about oneself and equal protection under the law from harm, the same laws that apply to everyone else.
This man and group are not the same as Greek, Italian or Hispanic anti-clericalism from ‘bad Catholics’. There are lots of those in those cultures as you know. Such know they can’t bend the church to their will so they just lapse.
An ORthodox priest & theologian, well respected and nameless for the purpose of this comment, said to me before my Chrismation that when enough families began to see their children ostracised and abused and, in turn, were willing to say something out loud, we’d see the Orthodox position change: because that’s how Orthodoxy grows, from the bottom up.
Since then, others have said otherwise.
It is – like all things in Orthodoxy – hard to pin down which way Orthodoxy may (or may not) come into a different relationship with modern ideas about human sexuality.
Another priest pointed out to me the actual language that the Finish Church was using – being up front about including gay and lesbian Orthodox people even though +Leo’s statements are hardly controversial in content and do not formally deny any traditional church teaching.
And, as one Antiochian priest said, this is a pastoral matter between clergy and his flock; not a matterfor others to get involved in.
For my part, like Fr Hopko’s case, I’m willing to say – in as much as the other Churches and clergy do (or do not) disassociate from Finland, it will be ok. Mindful that Finland already uses the Roman Easter calculations – and no one has said “boo” – I think we might be moving into a new phase of this conversation.
‘I know what the perennial teaching of the church is but look at all the nice _____s I know’ works for Protestants (including Anglicans) not Catholics (including Orthodox). We have ‘tolerant conservatism’: all are welcome to come and pray, all are sinners, one is still part of the family, one minds one’s own business and God forgives. But there are no church groups ‘affirming’ various sins.