Comments on: Sex: The defining issue of contemporary Christianity? http://gracecatholic.net/archives/153 A Grace Catholic Project Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:28:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Fr. Joseph Augustine, AIHM http://gracecatholic.net/archives/153/comment-page-1#comment-211 Fr. Joseph Augustine, AIHM Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:15:00 +0000 http://gracecatholic.net/2008/02/sex-the-defining-issue-of-contemporary-christianity/#comment-211 Bishop Alexis,<br/><br/>As always, your insightful questioning and pondering are good for us IC/OC folk to self reflect upon.<br/><br/>In my own experience having formed and built up a parish community, with the extensive support of Bishop Tim Cravens, the reason people come to us has been twofold. First, we do present ourselves rightly as fully inclusive but of various points: gender, orientation, political affiliation, race, liturgical expression, etc. Secondly, they seem to come because we offer a sense of second chances at religion and its practice in the context of our faith.<br/><br/>More importantly, why do they stay? They stay because we, by God's Grace, have built, first, a real sense of community, rather like the early church, sharing our lives, our resources, our holidays, and our apostolic faith journey. Second, because we take the sacraments and our worship seriously, meaning, we all have a commitment to worshiping God with our whole heart and mind, including gifts from each person as they feel free to offer. Our attendance at the lengthy (3-4 hour) Triduum liturgies last year represented 75-100% of our regular folk last year.<br/><br/>At St. Mary of Grace, according to the mission statement that the whole parish compiled during an Advent prayer journey last year, we commit ourselves to worship, justice, and community in the Apostolic, catholic, sacramental, and Augustinian tradition.<br/><br/>We have built, by God's Grace, a parish community over the past three years of almost two dozen people representing gay and straight couples and individuals, persons of Aisan, African, European, and Hispanic culture, young and old, catholic and pentecostal.<br/><br/>Perhaps our small group and others might want to respond to your questioning as a means of scientific study. Bishop Alexis,

As always, your insightful questioning and pondering are good for us IC/OC folk to self reflect upon.

In my own experience having formed and built up a parish community, with the extensive support of Bishop Tim Cravens, the reason people come to us has been twofold. First, we do present ourselves rightly as fully inclusive but of various points: gender, orientation, political affiliation, race, liturgical expression, etc. Secondly, they seem to come because we offer a sense of second chances at religion and its practice in the context of our faith.

More importantly, why do they stay? They stay because we, by God’s Grace, have built, first, a real sense of community, rather like the early church, sharing our lives, our resources, our holidays, and our apostolic faith journey. Second, because we take the sacraments and our worship seriously, meaning, we all have a commitment to worshiping God with our whole heart and mind, including gifts from each person as they feel free to offer. Our attendance at the lengthy (3-4 hour) Triduum liturgies last year represented 75-100% of our regular folk last year.

At St. Mary of Grace, according to the mission statement that the whole parish compiled during an Advent prayer journey last year, we commit ourselves to worship, justice, and community in the Apostolic, catholic, sacramental, and Augustinian tradition.

We have built, by God’s Grace, a parish community over the past three years of almost two dozen people representing gay and straight couples and individuals, persons of Aisan, African, European, and Hispanic culture, young and old, catholic and pentecostal.

Perhaps our small group and others might want to respond to your questioning as a means of scientific study.

]]> By: Alexis Tančibok http://gracecatholic.net/archives/153/comment-page-1#comment-206 Alexis Tančibok Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:10:00 +0000 http://gracecatholic.net/2008/02/sex-the-defining-issue-of-contemporary-christianity/#comment-206 I agree with you that in the progressive/liberal branches of the OC/IC community once people become members the focus within the community is worship & teaching. That has been largely my own experience.<br/><br/>But what brought them here? Moreover, I've seen quite a few discussions, blogs and web sites that suggest that it is this particular point that some of our communities use as a "selling point" for their community. Giving the impression that one of the core reasons that community exists is the issues of sex and gender.<br/><br/>I wonder does this not project an image of OC/IC communities having a limited range in our theology? I agree with you that in the progressive/liberal branches of the OC/IC community once people become members the focus within the community is worship & teaching. That has been largely my own experience.

But what brought them here? Moreover, I’ve seen quite a few discussions, blogs and web sites that suggest that it is this particular point that some of our communities use as a “selling point” for their community. Giving the impression that one of the core reasons that community exists is the issues of sex and gender.

I wonder does this not project an image of OC/IC communities having a limited range in our theology?

]]> By: Tim Cravens http://gracecatholic.net/archives/153/comment-page-1#comment-205 Tim Cravens Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:12:00 +0000 http://gracecatholic.net/2008/02/sex-the-defining-issue-of-contemporary-christianity/#comment-205 Paradoxically, by making the ordination of women and the full inclusion of lgbt folk, including ordination and marriage, settled questions not subject to debate within our community, we have eliminated the focus on these issues. While I think it is important to be very upfront and highlight these aspects of our church life for newcomers and inquirers, in fact, once people are involved, we mostly focus on worship and teaching and living the gospel. Paradoxically, by making the ordination of women and the full inclusion of lgbt folk, including ordination and marriage, settled questions not subject to debate within our community, we have eliminated the focus on these issues. While I think it is important to be very upfront and highlight these aspects of our church life for newcomers and inquirers, in fact, once people are involved, we mostly focus on worship and teaching and living the gospel.

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