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eNewsletter 3 February 2003 |
Chi Rho Connection ************************* Contents:
1. A DC Judge's Comments -------------------------------------------------- A list serve we are on recently discussed the question of whether being gay has influenced one's faith. One of the best responses came from the Rev. Robert T. Fuentes of the Holy Family Old Catholic Church. "I suppose the only way for me to answer is to say this, being gay has influenced how I live out my Christianity, and being Christian has influenced how I live out my being gay." ***** Welcome once again to the Chi Rho Connection, the electronic newsletter of Chi Rho Press. Thank you for passing this Chi Rho Connection on to others. To join our list, send an e-mail message to
ChiRhoPress-subscribe@yahoo.com. Direct all other e-mail to Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. See the end of this eNewsletter for a complete list of e-mail addresses at ChiRhoPress.com. -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- 3. "2003 Liturgical Calendar and Lectionary" -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- If you've received our Chi Rho Connection as a result of the good offices of someone passing it along to you (which we certainly encourage) and would like to receive it directly from us, please follow these directions: UNSUBSCRIBE: ChiRhoPress-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Copyright 2002, Chi Rho Press, Inc. ******************************************
Vol. IV, No. 2
3 February 2003
2. "For Another Flock"
3. "2003 Liturgical Calendar and Lectionary"
4. "Together in Love"
5. "Family Stories" Video
6. Old Favorites
7. Sanctoral Cycle
8. Adam's Last Word:
Please visit our Web site at http://www.chirhopress.com to see our entire lines of books, handouts, tchochkas, and stained glass.
By now most of you have probably heard about the three Roman Catholics who were denied the Eucharist (Holy Communion) at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC by a priest who assumed that since they were in Washington for the Soulforce vigil at the National Catholic Bishops meeting, they were at the Mass to protest. In fact, of course, they were at Mass to worship. The three, joined by many Soulforce supporters, went to the hotel where the Bishops were meeting, and knelt with hands outstretched as the Bishops left a meeting, seeking one 'Prince of the Church' who would give them the Eucharist.
Instead they were arrested. At their trial, they were found guilty, but the judge, herself a Roman Catholic, imposed a minimum fine, gave them no jail time (they had already spent 30 hours in jail after their arrest), and declined to forbid them from ever going back to the hotel in order to engage in peaceful protest. And she had this to say,
"Terrible violence was done to you when the Body of Christ was denied to you," said Judge Mildred Edwards, who also ordered the defendants to each pay $50 to the Victims of Violent Crimes Compensation Fund.
"You are in solidarity with all victims of violence," Judge Edwards continued as she addressed the three defendants. "I am terribly sorry for what happened to you. As a member of the (Roman Catholic) church, I ask you to forgive our church. There is no way I am going to order you away from the Hyatt. You can engage in peaceful demonstration as long as it is law-abiding. Go in peace."
It is significant that Judge Edwards concluded her remarks with the words traditionally said by the priest-celebrant at the end of the Eucharist. Wonderfully, it was a jurist who happens to be a Roman Catholic woman of faith who ministered to the Soulforce Catholic Three.
Detroit Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton testified at the trial for the defendants and in support of the Soulforce Catholic Three.
+ + +
Written out of the deep faith and learning of a gay practicing Roman Catholic and from a Catholic perspective, "For Another Flock" includes daily meditations for all the days of Lent and Holy Week, beginning with Ash Wednesday (which this year is March 5), and ending with Easter Sunday (April 20, 2003). Scripture readings are provided for every day in Lent and Holy Week followed by a reflection from a uniquely gay and Catholic point of view and a prayer.
Following the daily meditations is a seven-week Lenten Bible Study Guide. Jeff Lea's introduction explores Lent as a penitential season, discussing penance and repentance. Each weekly Bible Study starts with a Gospel reading. There is a Lenten theme for each of the seven sessions.
Week One is "An Ash Wednesday Ritual and Discussion of the Nature of Penance." Week Two is "The Nature of Temptation." Week Three is "The Meaning of Sin in our Lives." Week Four is "Faithfulness and Homosexuality." Week Five is "The Joy of Being Gay." Week Six is "The Meaning of Judgement." And the concluding session is "The Last Supper and the Mandatum" (New Commandment).
Seven Appendices conclude the book: Solemnities and Feasts in Lent, Lectionary Cycle Calendar, The Books of the Old Testament of the Various Biblical Traditions, Small Group Study Guidelines, an Ash Wednesday Liturgy, a Maundy Thursday Liturgy, and a Bibliography.
Jeff Lea writes, "Far too many gay women and men continue to view the primary Christian scripture, the Holy Bible, as a document hostile to people whose expression of intimate love is homosexual. Nothing can be further from the truth. While the Bible does condemn the ritualistic abuse of human sexuality it does not ever express a view of same-sex love as an abomination. In fact it affirms it in the love story of Jonathan and David.
"The Bible's primary message is Love. To love God, ourselves, and each other as God has loved us. The Bible is not a handbook on how to hate sin. It is a transcript of the ongoing love story between God and the people of God.
"Lent is the primary renewing and penitential season of the Church year. It is the time of personal examination and purification before we enter into the Paschal mystery on Easter Sunday. We are at the door to salvation during this time. Gay people are also at that door and we too have an experience of conversion and faith. These meditations present the point of view of a gay male Christian exploring the liminal experience of coming out gay, coming out Christian, and discovering affirmation in the Bible. The book provides both a daily meditation on the scriptural readings for Lent, and a seven-week group study that explores penance from a positive gay perspective."
"For Another Flock: Rainbow Meditations and Study Guide for Lent" is spiral bound, 5 ½" x 8 ½", 104 pages, and sells for $10.95 each, $8.95 each for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.
Our newly designed Liturgical Calendar is packed with useful information for planning worship and preaching in the local church for each Sunday and Holy Day of the Church Year. It is intended for use by pastors, musicians, altar guilds, teachers, theological students, and anyone using the Church Year as a basis for worship or education. The Liturgical Calendar is spiral bound so it can lie flat for easy use, in a new, larger 8 ½" x 11" format.
Featured in this new Liturgical Calendar are these sections: Celebrations that may be featured on a given Sunday, or alternate ways of naming a day in the Liturgical Calendar. Next are Visual Elements, including the standard color for the day (based on modern ecumenical consensus), alternative colors, commonly used symbols, and other creative suggestions.
Then the Revised Common Lectionary readings, including a brief summary of each reading. The First Reading is usually from the Hebrew Scriptures, but there are exceptions, such as the use of readings from Acts during the Easter season. These are sometimes selected thematically to fit the Liturgical Calendar, but often are simply being read through key passages over a series of weeks. This is followed by a Psalm or a Canticle. The Second Reading is next, usually from the Epistles, like the First Reading typically a series of key passages from the same book being read over a number of weeks. Finally the Gospel Reading follows the story of Jesus through the Christmas and Easter cycles, plus the teachings of Jesus the rest of the year.
On many Sundays there is a section of Alternative Readings, some from the Revised Common Lectionary and others are based on the suggestions of other writers seeking to better balance the place of women in the Lectionary or address other concerns. All the Alternative Readings are from the Bible.
Finally comes Liturgical Notes, which includes a Calendar for the week, Suggestions for that day, and an empty space for your own Planning notes. The calendar includes a new Sanctoral Cycle (the list of saint's days), days from the secular calendar, both official holidays and other days that mark people's lives, as well as days from other faith traditions.
A word about the new Sanctoral Cycle, a major element of the calendar for each week includes remembering the lives and deaths of those who have gone before us. This is traditionally called the Sanctoral Cycle (or list of saint's days). The list used in this resource, however, was developed for use in GLBT congregations to reflect the particular needs we have for modern spiritual models.
This list is designed intentionally to be more reflective of the faith and contributions of women (Fanny Crosby, Julian of Norwich), lay persons (Dorothy Day, Henry David Thoreau), ethnic minorities (Sojourner Truth, Seattle), non-Europeans (Oscar Romero), Protestants (Martin Luther, Soren Kierkegaard), and especially modern examples we can better relate to (Mother Teresa, Anne Frank). This is an inclusive, contemporary Sanctoral Cycle that can be used in practical ways in a gay and lesbian context.
Saints Days from the "2003 Liturgical Calendar and Lectionary" for the next couple of weeks are found in a new Chi Rho Connection feature in article 7, below.
A core of historical and Biblical names that are still meaningful today have been retained (Mary the Mother of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi). Then others not usually represented have been added, such as persons of other faith traditions through whom the light of Truth has also shown (Rabbi Abraham Heschel, Gandhi), or artists and musicians (Michaelangelo, Bach). In selecting contemporary examples Dr. Park has emphasized persons who stood for inclusiveness, justice, and spiritual diversity (Martin Luther King, Clarence Jordan). Many gay and lesbian 'saints' are included as well (Dag Hammarskjold, St. Aelred, Sts. Sergius and Bacchus) and martyrs (Matthew Shepherd, Harvey Milk) because it is important for us to reclaim our own heritage as spiritual leaders and people of faith.
Order your copy of the 2003 Liturgical Calendar today!
$9.95 each, six or more copies for $7.95 each.
'Together in Love: Faith Stories of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Couples' is an anthology of LGBT couples, telling their stories of their faith journeys as people in non-traditional relationships. 'Together in Love' has a foreword by psychiatrist Elsie Enns Steelberg, is 360 pages, and contains 26 stories by LGBT couples. It also includes other stories, poems, and a father's message to the church.
(ISBN: 0-9664822-1-2)
Roberta Kreider compiled 'From Wounded Hearts: Faith Stories of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered People and Those Who Love Them,' published by Chi Rho Press in 1998. Now, with 'Together in Love,' Roberta has put together another impressive anthology of LGBT people of faith telling their stories.
Roberta Kreider writes, 'To truly embrace all of God's creation as good and worthy of respect and love is the most freeing experience I know. Never again do I want to judge another person by skin color, status in life, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or by what those in authority determine for me. I am experiencing in a much deeper way than ever before God's unfathomable heart of love for me. May this also be true in your experience.' From 'A Personal Message to Our Readers,' Roberta Kreider's introduction to 'Together In Love.'
'Together In Love' is $24.00 each, $18.00 each for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.
'Family Stories' presents the journeys of two women whoselives have changed dramatically in working through issues of sexuality and religion. The untimely deaths of family members (one a gay brother, the other a lesbian daughter) lead them to confront their feelings of confusion and hypocrisy. They provide hope for families, as well as religious and social organizations, by clearly demonstrating how minds can and do change.
Roberta Kreider compiled and edited the book "From Wounded Hearts: Faith Stories of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered People and Those Who Love Them," which is currently out of print, and the new anthology, "Together in Love: Faith Stories of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Couples" (see article 4). She is a 74 year old, heterosexual Mennonite woman living in rural Pennsylvania with her husband Harold, a retired minister in the Mennonite church.
Mary Lou Wallner is an active member of Soulforce, and a frequent speaker across the country. Mary Lou resides in suburban Chicago with her husband Bob, and is completing a book of coping tools for Christians who learn of a gay or lesbian loved one in their family. She is also an R.N. and runs a free HIV clinic.
The Rev. Peter J. Gomes is the author of "The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart." He has served as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard University and minister in The Memorial Church since 1974.
'Family Stories' is in VHS format, color, and 35 minutes,
and sells for $26.95, plus shipping and handling.
Dr. Truluck has identified a lethal trend in the religious Community, the tendency to be legalistic and judgmental and to use the Bible as a weapon to hurt people rather than a source of healing and love.
He concentrates on the Good News of the Bible, Good News that is for everyone, not just heterosexual white men. Too often LGBT commentators concentrate on defending their position that the Bible doesn't really say anything bad about homosexuality.
Dr. Truluck concentrates on those many passages of the Holy Scripture, which speak words of love, understanding, tolerance, and joy for God's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people and those who love them. Dr. Truluck proves that the Bible is our friend!
We invite you to take this journey with us!
*****
"The Bible and Homosexuality" by the Rev. Michael E. England. $10.95 each, $8.95 each for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.
This book takes us back to the basics. For too many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people of faith, the Bible has been used as a club to batter and beat them down.
Only six lonely little verses that have been used against LGBT people. Despite the paucity of unequivocal condemnation in the Hebrew and Christian Testaments, some religious folk use those six verses to justify a world of hurt for LGBT people, their families, and supporters. These 'clobber passages' are over-used and abused!
So for much of the LGBT community, "going back to the basics" of their oppression is going back to the Bible. The Rev. Michael England has written what we think is the best primer on "The Bible and Homosexuality." We are proud to have published this slim, but important volume, which has been our best seller for over ten years. In 1998 wepublished the fifth edition of Michael's important work.
This is the best book that explores the Bible passages that have traditionally been used to condemn LGBT people.
Sections include Inspiration; Critical Interpretation (Textual Criticism, Historical Criticism, Source Criticism, and Form Criticism); the Passages Believed to Relate to Homosexuality (Deuteronomy 23:17-18, Genesis 19:4-11, Leviticus 18:23 and 20:13-14, I Corinthians 6:9, I Timothy 1:10, and Romans 1:26-27); the "Contra Naturam" (against nature) argument; Heterosexual Marriage as "the Only Biblical Model;" Adultery and Fornication; and a Bibliography.
"The Bible and Homosexuality" is 72 pages, perfect bound, with a striking cover photograph of the Washington National Cathedral by renowned DC photographer Colin Winterbottom.
Every thinking Christian and all people who wish to engage other Christians in reasoned debate should have this volume on their shelves.
"The Bible and Homosexuality" is $10.95 each, $8.95 each for six or more copies, plus shipping and handing.
*****
"Called OUT!" was compiled by the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, Kathryn Poethig, Selisse Berry, and Melinda McLain. In it 39 LGBT Presbyterians tell their stories about their lives in, and out of the Presbyterian Church. People from both the old northern and southern churches, and the reunited Presbyterian Church (USA), from all over the United States, tell their stories here with candor, wit, and faith.
An important book for all who either are Lesbian or Gay or would seek to understand Gay people of faith, regardless of their religion. Now in its second printing, "Called OUT!" has been called an incredibly valuable book. Former Stated Clerk William P. Thompson said "Presbyterians should read 'Called OUT' within the year."
"Called OUT!" is available from Chi Rho Press for $17.95 each, six or more copies for $15.25 each.
*****
"Come Home! Reclaiming Spirituality and Community as Gay Men and Lesbians," second edition, by Chris Glaser. First published in 1990 by HarperCollins, the second edition was published in 1998 by Chi Rho Press with the addition of five new chapters to the original 20.
"Come Home!" is perhaps Chris Glaser's best book. It is divided into five sections, each with five chapters. The five sections are entitled, Welcoming God's Acceptance, Receiving Our Inheritance, Discerning Our Call, Making Our Witness, and Declaring Our Vision.
Bishop John Shelby Spong called Come Home! "powerful, sensitive, and provocative. . . . Glaser stands inside his own humanity as a gay male and hears the word of God through the Bible. Christians, gay and straight, need this book if we are to be the body of Christ."
This is a brilliant and important book by perhaps the best-known Gay Christian writer in the U.S. today.
The Rev. Carter Heyward called "Come Home!" "an enthusiastic compelling testimony to the power of faith in the lives of many gay and lesbian Christians."
Virginia Ramey Mollenkott said, "If courage, honesty, and insight are beautiful, then this is one beautiful book. . . . I rejoice that in this book all the gay men and lesbian women who have been robbed of their spirituality are issued an urgent invitation: Come home!"
"Come Home!" by Chris Glaser offers a vision of faith, hope, and affirmation inviting gay men and lesbians to come home to their spirituality through Christian faith and community.
"Come Home!" is available for $19.95 each, $14.95 each
for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.
*****
"The Road to Emmaus: Daily Encounters with the Risen Christ," is an inclusive devotional edited by Joseph W. Houle and published in 1989 by Emmaus House of Prayer. Since the house of prayer ceased to exist, Chi Rho Press has exclusive rights to distribute this wonderful book.
"The Road to Emmaus" is a valuable resource for those who wish to balance the frenetic pace of modern life with moments of recollection and spiritual refreshment. There is a Gospel reading for each day of the year and a meditation based upon it. Each meditation is a gentle invitation to become attentive to the presence of the Sacred in the ordinary circumstances of our lives and to open our hearts to the risen Christ in quiet reflection.
As an inclusive devotional, "The Road to Emmaus" affirms the goodness of all God's children -- the young and the old; the male and the female; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered person; heterosexuals; the single, coupled, and celibate; and people of all races, physical ability, and education. Its underlying message is that the Gospel is good news for all people.
If you seek a deeper walk with the risen Christ, the daily meditations of "The Road to Emmaus" will speed you on your way.
James B. Nelson writes, "Reading the devotions in The Road to Emmaus made scriptural passages come alive forme, often in new ways. Further, the writings prodded me to examine my spirituality more honestly. And, most importantly, they freshened my hope."
Contributors to "The Road to Emmaus" include the Rev. Kathy Baker, the late Rev. Harold J. Burris, Adam DeBaugh, Sarah Fershee, Sr. Jeannine Gramick, the Rev. Louis Kavar, Virginia Miles, Fr. Robert Nugent, Jack Pantaleo, the Rev. Dusty Pruitt, the Rev. Andy Sidden, and the late Rev. Larry Uhrig.
"The Road to Emmaus" is available for $9.95 each
plus shipping and handling.
*****
That is just a run-down of our currently most popular books. We hope you will find something here at Chi Rho Press that will enrich and empower your ministry.
Other books, handouts, and stained glass are also available on our Web site, along with reviews, authors' biographies, archived issues of the Chi Rho Connection, and other information about Chi Rho Press.
Mon. Feb. 3, St. Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167). Cistercian abbot and patron saint of Integrity. Aelred wrote freely of his feelings for his friends and fellow monks. While it is not known if he had any romantic relationships, it is clear that he was strongly attracted to men. He had a very positive attitude toward creation and humanity, and was comfortable embracing his own feminine side. He developed a theology of friendship, and is today the patron saint of Integrity, a lesbian and gay organization for Episcopalians. (He died on Jan. 12, however this date is used by his order.)
Tue. Feb. 4, Cornelius the Centurion. The story of Cornelius is told in Acts 10 and 11. He was an important military leader and a deeply religious person who was interested in Judaism. His story is significant in the growth of the early church because he and his family were among the first Gentile converts, thereby opening the door for the message of Jesus to spread throughout the Roman Empire. His story is significant for gay and lesbian people because of Peter's vision, which led him to go to Caesarea and visit this Gentile home. This vision led Peter to understand that, despite the laws of Leviticus, there was a higher law of love, "God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean."
Sat. Feb. 8, Martin Buber, (1878-1965). Jewish philosopher and theologian. Buber had a strong impact in reminding Christianity of its Jewish origins. He wrote that Jesus exemplified the highest ethical and spiritual ideals of Judaism. He was a champion of interfaith dialogue and improved understanding between peoples. He was influenced by the Hasidic movement in Eastern Europe. He became a professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and believed that Jews and Arabs could find a just way to live together.
Tue. Feb. 11, Fanny Jane Crosby, (1820-1915). Hymn writer and musician. Though she went blind at six weeks of age, Fanny Crosby became one of the most prolific hymn writers in America. She eventually wrote more than 8,000 hymns. A lifelong Methodist, her hymns speak of a personal devotion to Christ. Among those that have been deeply loved (especially in Evangelical churches) include, "Blessed Assurance," "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior," and "To God be the Glory."
Fri. Feb. 14, St. Valentine, (d. 269). Martyr. Though long since removed from the lists of "official" saints, Valentine's Day has been taken over by the greeting card industry and become fixed in the popular calendar of most people. Its seems to have its origins in England, where it was noted that birds began to pair and mate around the feast of St. Valentine. The original Valentine was likely a Christian priest in Rome who was beheaded for refusing to renounce his faith. By giving his heart to God, he really did show us the depth of true love.
We hope you also like the new feature in the Chi Rho Connection, article 7, the Sanctoral Cycle.
*****
The Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy shook us all up Saturday. We pray for the dead astronauts, their families, and all the people at NASA as they mourn their loss. I still believe in the benefits space program. Imagine if the USA was spending more money on the space program than on our own weapons of mass destruction.
*****
R. Adam DeBaugh, Director, Adam@ChiRhoPress.com.
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Chi Rho Press. We are eager for your comments, your
suggestions, your assistance with selling our books,
and your own purchases! And of course, we covet your
prayers for this ministry.
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