Comments for What's in Kelvin's Head

Comment on Who wants to be Bishop of Argyll and The Isles? by Kimberly

Kimberly — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:51:15 +0000

or, one might remember that Jesus’ views were often in the minority but were recognized as both true and good over time.

‘catholic teaching’ itself had to evolve and grow as Christians articulated new quesions. The question right now is whether we allow that growth to continue, and what direction Godly-growth takes.

Comment on Who wants to be Bishop of Argyll and The Isles? by Father Andrew Crosbie

Father Andrew Crosbie — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:16:17 +0000

Is Gregor Duncan the bishop elect of Glasgow married ?

In answer to Rosemary. Remember in the Christian world your views are those of a tiny minority. It is not a question of you giving an inch but of the wider church being prepared to tolerate your extreme views. There is no conflict between Catholic teaching and the body of Christ just conflict between those who are trying to maintain the faith and those determined to pursue protestant revisionist secular agendas.

Comment on Sermon preached on 28 Feb 2010 by dmitri

dmitri — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:14:22 +0000

At my seminary in Connecticut they have tried to promote the “Abrahamic religion” idea for many years. As a Christian, I have never felt comfortable with it. Muslims and Jews may trace their roots through Ishmael and Isaac to father Abraham (but not mother Sarah). The Christian gospel however begins with John’s warning: “Don’t say you are sons of Abraham. God can raise up stones to be sons of Abraham.”
To say that the Abrahamic religions have much in common is to draw the circle a little wider than Judaeo Christian to include Muslims which seems like a good idea but only at the expense of seeing our commonality with Hindus and Buddhists and others. Not the best interfaith tactic after all.

Comment on Sermon preached on 28 Feb 2010 by Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:05:31 +0000

Nods. That sounds like a good one.

Comment on Sermon preached on 28 Feb 2010 by kelvin

kelvin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:48:00 +0000

Belief in God?

Comment on Sermon preached on 28 Feb 2010 by Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:50:50 +0000

Leaning pulpit or no, I’m glad to have the opportunity to listen to this sermon. I find it intriguing, if somewhat troubling as well. The image of Jesus as mother hen is quite compelling to me, but I wonder what you think might be a site of commonality between Jews, Muslims and Christians if Abraham is problematic (for all the reasons you mention)?

Comment on Who wants to be Bishop of Argyll and The Isles? by Tony Coxon

Tony Coxon — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:10:12 +0000

on more mature reflection (see my earlier comment), I think the really sad thing is that whilst TEC is the “child” of SEC, the parental bishops don’t have the integrity shown by the US bishops and have opted rather for the fudge of a moratorium which has no authority but of the Primates. I was born a Presbyterian (of Covenanter stock) and begin to believe that the protests against prelacy were right … who but themselves were the Scottish bishops representing?

Comment on Sermon preached on 28 Feb 2010 by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:01:21 +0000

Reading Genesis, it always struck me what a rotter Abram was. In modern times he would have been charged with trafficking women and child abuse. I was glad to hear you agree with this view.
Maybe it is because the Abrahamic faiths have him in common that we are always at each other’s throats.

Comment on Who wants to be Bishop of Argyll and The Isles? by Rosemary Hannah

Rosemary Hannah — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:53:09 +0000

Sighs. There is little doubt the conservative wings of the church have got their knickers in a right twist over the general desire that gay people should have an equal recognition of their relationships. I don’t actually think there is one simple reason for this, but there are two I can single out. The first is that general feeling of unfamiliarity and unsettledness in the face of same sex intimacy which some people unhappily have. This has radically reduced over the last fifty years, and will probably die altogether, or virtually so. But its presence has enabled this whole bandwaggon to move forward in a way that will be impossible a few years in the future. (Or so I think.)

The second is the very real discomfort with the huge changes in knowledge and society which have occurred of which attitudes to sex are one tiny part. People have found themselves in an unfamiliar and scary world, where they are told that their reactions to creation/sexual ethics/gender roles and a myriad other things are not based on anything rational and they need to re learn and re think. That some are very upset is understandable. I think the whole same sex relationship issue is for many just the stalking horse for a whole set of miseries and angers – they are just as cross over a whole heap of other things.

The church finds itself between the rock of acting according to its principles, and the hard place of further fracturing the body of Christ.

I don’t think that a real compromise is possible – it is possible that a slower pace might enable more to change their minds and re adjust to the world as it is. It is unlikely. Liberals have a fatal weakness for seeing the other point of view and being swayed into actions they do not at all believe in. That seems to be what is happening – some conservatives are throwing all their toys out of the pram, and some liberals hope given time the tantrum will end harmlessly – it is a sometimes a reasonable strategy. I don’t think this time it will work however

I don’t think we liberals should give an inch just now – but I do think we need to continue to have compassion on those who oppose us.

Comment on Who wants to be Bishop of Argyll and The Isles? by Tony Coxon

Tony Coxon — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:29:10 +0000

I had not known much of the background detail Kelvin provides us with, but it all makes sad sense. And despite its often apparently sympathetic external face, I feel more now than ever that the SEC is sadly, deliberately but unnecessarily prepared to discount its gay people of God.