Dec 25
THE CHRISTMAS STORY, as it might have been sung by Freddie Mercury and his 70s rock band Queen: Is this the real birth? Is it Nativity? Caught in a census, in the town of His ancestry. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see… He’s just a poor boy, foretold by prophecy. Because …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/12/25/bethlehemian-rhapsody/
Dec 10
10th December is Human Rights Day, marking the 65th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The Declaration states that ‘all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’ Yet the UN has only recognised LGBT rights around the world in …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/12/10/human-rights-day-a-history-of-lgbt-rights-at-the-un/
Dec 10
AS THE GOVERNMENT has announced the date when the first marriages for same sex couples in England and Wales can take place, churches which remain challenged by this social change would do well to follow the lead of Steve Chalke, a high-profile evangelical church leader, who earlier this year called for a radical rethink of Christian …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/12/10/a-matter-of-integrity/
Nov 23
I have been silent for the past month due to my father’s final illness. I last wrote while on the train to visit him in hospital. The following week, though his will was strong, his body was weak, and could sustain him no more. Yesterday we celebrated a requiem mass in thanksgiving for his life. …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/11/23/and-its-goodnight-from-him-eulogy-for-my-father/
Oct 23
LAST WEEK the BBC screened Stephen Fry: Out There, a ground-breaking two part documentary about homophobia around the world. As the title suggests, it was presented by the multi-talented Stephen Fry, who describes himself on Twitter as: ‘British Actor, Writer, Lord of Dance, Prince of Swimwear & Blogger.’ During the making of the documentary, the …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/10/23/stephen-fry-out-there/
Oct 17
TODAY, the third Thursday in October, is Spirit Day, when millions of people wear purple and change their social media profile pictures to help create a world in which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people are celebrated and accepted for who they are. What is Spirit Day? Spirit Day is an annual day held on the …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/10/17/did-you-go-purple-for-spiritday/
Sep 27
WHAT MAKES the debate over same-sex marriage around the world really interesting is the power of empathy, when ordinary people who are not LGBT begin to see it from our point of view. Spare six minutes to hear this man say why he began to get what it’s like to be judged second-rate for who …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/27/watch-defriended-over-a-wedding/
Sep 22
LAST WEEKEND the church where my civil partner and I worship together celebrated Inclusive Church Sunday. Despite major building work which unexpectedly revealed the presence of asbestos, and has restricted access to the building during the week, last Sunday the doors opened for three special events to mark the occasion. The day was dedicated to Inclusive …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/22/inclusive-church/
Sep 08
WHEN I FIRST went to an LGBT social group in Bath in my late 20s, I met an older generation of gay men who would speak in code to each other to avoid ‘outing’ themselves to others who might overhear them. For example, when discussing another man and wondering if he were gay, they would say …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/08/not-on-our-bus/
Sep 06
Gaydio, the UK’s only radio station for the LGBT community, aired a documentary this week about the LGBT history of Liverpool. It’s a powerful and moving oral history told by members of Liverpool’s LGBT communities past and present. I was interviewed about my work with LGBT young people over the last eight years, and the impact of the …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/06/power-of-love-lgbt-history-liverpool/
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