Being an ordinary Kirchentager is an amazing, but overwhelming experience — as well as the formal sessions there were fascinating conversations with hosts and others. It is amazing how insular English concerns are, and separate from the mainstream of European Christianity. In Germany 125,000 people come together to explore Christian faith and life in the real world for four days, and the word “Homosexuality” occurs once, I believe, in the whole 560 page programme. It’s amazing how different, and hopeful, Christian engagement looks without US Hot Button snarkiness, and English hypocrisy about sex, both of which easily render everything, including themselves, ludicrous.Whilst mulling over what further to write up here, I’m contemplating
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2 comments:
Are any of those churches doing marriage equality or full access to the ordination process for gays and lesbians? Maybe they are just behind the curve and living in another era of church history.
You'd have to ask gay and lesbian ordinands; I don't know the answer. We frame questions in our ways, and they in theirs. As in other mainland European contexts, there is a large and active union, and an active human rights culture, certainly compared to the UK, and much less fear and suspicion about it among Christians. I suppose a lot depends on how you define the curve. There is, for example, much more public concern about globalisation and destroying the planet than you would find in a parallel gathering of UK or American Christians. I'm not sure that answers your question, but it's the best I can do...
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