Parallel lines never meet unless you bend one or both of them.
Gay Christian Europe - website launched
I got a comment on an old blog, and thus learned about a new website called Gay Christian Europe. It describes itself as follows:
Through the website, you can find books (e.g. in English or Finnish, but not yet in Swedish) or other resources for LGBT Christians (general, UK, Russia, Sweden, Finland and more; my blog Hbt-bibeln is still missing). There are a few testimonies from LGBT Christians in a few languages. The section listing gay friendly churches in different countries is, through sad necessity, pass word protected. Please visit the website Gay Christian Europe and contribute, if at all possible!
The Gay Christian Europe ministry was born out of a need for a space with a European feel, and to reach out to LGBT Christians in Europe in their own language.The website exists in a multitude of European languages: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainian; that's 23 languages, if I'm not mistaken. But there are more languages in Europe (notably one of the largest, Russian, is missing), and many of the 23 listed are not complete. Translation help is therefore constantly needed - please volunteer!
We support gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender Christians all over Europe in a safe and caring environment. Our aim is to support each person in their own personal journey, whatever their denomination and whether they feel called to celibacy or beleive that God Blesses same sex relationships, and to welcome those who are drawn to Christianity.
We also aim to connect LGBT Christians in all European countries with groups, welcoming churches and resources local to them, as well to build both an online and in person community.
Through the website, you can find books (e.g. in English or Finnish, but not yet in Swedish) or other resources for LGBT Christians (general, UK, Russia, Sweden, Finland and more; my blog Hbt-bibeln is still missing). There are a few testimonies from LGBT Christians in a few languages. The section listing gay friendly churches in different countries is, through sad necessity, pass word protected. Please visit the website Gay Christian Europe and contribute, if at all possible!
To create God in your own image
You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.
- Anne Lamott
as quoted by the Episcopal Padre
as quoted by the Episcopal Padre
Finland: Gender-neutral marriage law in the making
Sweden and Norway have had gender-neutral marriages laws for some time now, and in June, Iceland joined them. The first to get married under the new law was Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, as I noted last week. We still wait for Denmark.
Now, the debate accelerates even in Finland, that oh, so often shows conservative tendencies. Justice Minister Tuija Brax (Green Party) says she hopes that the law will be a part of the negociations when a new government will be formed after next year's Parliamentary elections and that the law will be in place in 2012. Of the larger parties, only the agrarian Center Party hasn't taken sides yet. Only the conservative Christian Democrats and the populistic True Finns are against, and all other Parliamentary parties would accept a law of this nature - with varying degrees of enthusiasm, of course. These parties are the conservative National Coalition, the Social Democrats, the social liberal Swedish People's Party (that I represent), and the postcommunistic Leftist League; there are eight parties in the Finnish Parliament at the moment. A gender-neutral marriage law would not change the rights of opposite-sex couples, but same-sex couples would gain the right to e.g. take a common surname and to adopt children from outside their families ("external adoption", as it is called). The present registration of partnerships gives some of the rights that marriage gives, e.g. inheritance, some tax breaks and internal adoption, i.e. the right to adopt the other partner's children.
As to getting married in church ... well, that's some way off in the main churches in Finland. The law in question would not compel the churches to marry same-sex couples. My personal view is, of course, that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, where I serve, should start marrying all couples, but I'm afraid that still is a long way off. The Bishops' Council made a decision earlier this year that allows pastors to pray for same-sex couples, but not call it a blessing. This is, of course, a craven compromise. A comment in English here. We'll have to wait and see what comes of all this. More disappointments, I fear.
Now, the debate accelerates even in Finland, that oh, so often shows conservative tendencies. Justice Minister Tuija Brax (Green Party) says she hopes that the law will be a part of the negociations when a new government will be formed after next year's Parliamentary elections and that the law will be in place in 2012. Of the larger parties, only the agrarian Center Party hasn't taken sides yet. Only the conservative Christian Democrats and the populistic True Finns are against, and all other Parliamentary parties would accept a law of this nature - with varying degrees of enthusiasm, of course. These parties are the conservative National Coalition, the Social Democrats, the social liberal Swedish People's Party (that I represent), and the postcommunistic Leftist League; there are eight parties in the Finnish Parliament at the moment. A gender-neutral marriage law would not change the rights of opposite-sex couples, but same-sex couples would gain the right to e.g. take a common surname and to adopt children from outside their families ("external adoption", as it is called). The present registration of partnerships gives some of the rights that marriage gives, e.g. inheritance, some tax breaks and internal adoption, i.e. the right to adopt the other partner's children.
As to getting married in church ... well, that's some way off in the main churches in Finland. The law in question would not compel the churches to marry same-sex couples. My personal view is, of course, that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, where I serve, should start marrying all couples, but I'm afraid that still is a long way off. The Bishops' Council made a decision earlier this year that allows pastors to pray for same-sex couples, but not call it a blessing. This is, of course, a craven compromise. A comment in English here. We'll have to wait and see what comes of all this. More disappointments, I fear.
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