THE MARCH AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA: Undertake a pilgrimage of repentance and please invite Archbishops Chew, Okoh and Orombi too

Bishop welcomes walk of repentance for homophobia

¨The former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, has said he welcomes plans by Christian writer Symon Hill to undertake a pilgrimage of repentance for his former homophobia

Harries said that the church needs to repent in relation to gay and lesbian people.

Hill, the associate director of the Ekklesia thinktank, will walk from Birmingham to London between 16 June and 1 July, giving talks at churches on the way and urging the Church as a whole to repent of homophobia. He will join the Pride march in London the day after he arrives.

"It is very good that you are undertaking this pilgrimage of repentance," said Richard Harries, in a message to Hill, "I very much hope it will have a wide influence."

Harries, who now sits in the House of Lords, added, "Repentance in the original Greek word means changing one's mind, and rethinking one's whole outlook in the light of God’s saving presence in Christ. That is what the church needs to do today in relation to gay and lesbian people."

Symon Hill said he was "delighted" to have received the bishop's message of support. He added that he has been "deeply moved" by the many people who have contacted him to express their support, including Chrisitians and non-Christians of various sexualities...¨ please read it all,   HERE

·  Thanks to Symon Hill
·  Thanks to Bishop Richard Harris, Church of England
·  Thanks to Ekklesia, ¨A New Way of Thinking¨

¨If we are to defeat homophobia, we must try to understand why some are so keen to promote it...¨

Christianity and homophobia in Britain today
By Symon Hill

¨We begin with Jesus, who practised radical inclusivity, challenged the powerful and taught forgiveness, nonviolence and love for all people, including enemies. He proclaimed freedom - freedom from social, political, religious and emotional oppression. They killed Jesus because he was too free...¨

¨Many people identify Christianity with homophobia, misogyny, social control and sexual abuse. I can hardly blame them for doing so. All manner of evil has been justified in the name of Christianity. Much of the Church is, to one extent or another, homophobic. This homophobia is perpetuated by bigots who define their faith by their hatred of gay people and by liberals who fail to speak up for inclusion out of a misplaced desire for unity. The hypocrisy which often accompanies such prejudice has been exposed in its most sickening form in recent revelations about church-based child abuse.

But there are also many inclusive Christians. Quakers, Unitarians and the Metropolitan Community Church are ready to carry out same-sex marriages. Within larger denominations, such as the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, there are individuals and groups who back inclusion. A number of queer Christians suggest that their queerness is not incidental to their Christianity but is inspired and affirmed by their understanding of Jesus' teachings.

And there are large numbers of Christians who have changed their minds, as well as those who have rejected same-sex relationships in the past but are now questioning their convictions and genuinely struggling with the issues...¨  please read it all,   HERE

· Thanks to Symon Hill
· Thanks to Ekklesia, sidebar
· Thanks to Thinking Anglicans, sidebar