Broken theology… October 23, 2018
Posted by Phil Groom in Christianity, Life, Poetry, Random Musings, Theological Reflection, Theology.Tags: Broken, Broken Church, Broken God, Brokenness, Faith, Inclusion, Inclusive Church
2 comments
My theology is broken.
I am not ashamed of that:
I live in a broken world,
amongst broken people;
and I, too, am broken.
I worship a broken God,
and he (or she) is not ashamed of that:
s/he accepts my broken worship
as her due,
sings along with me
in a broken duet.
She watches over me,
her broken worshipper,
and watches over you,
though you may not know her:
she watches over her whole broken creation
and weeps broken tears.
Why does she not let go,
give up,
let me go
and let you go?
Ah, but she does,
daily,
as her tears fall to the broken ground
and gently, gently caress the world to life.
Without her brokenness
there would be
no life,
no world,
no you, no me:
we belong together, broken together.
And broken together, we learn:
we learn to mend, to repair, to rearrange
our broken things and broken hearts.
Do not despair,
my broken ones,
for in the brokenness there is a gap,
a space,
a space for love to flourish
and grow.
It is, of course, a broken love,
but it is true,
for it is real:
there can be no pretence
in brokenness,
no hiding
from the messiness.
Broken am I,
broken are we,
and broken, we welcome all
who are broken
to come, dine with us:
be who you are
and be not ashamed.
In your brokenness find life.
In your brokenness, find wholeness.
Seek no escape now:
the brokenness is real
and the real is what we must face,
head on, heads unbowed.
And if you are foolish enough
to argue theology
with me
and if I am foolish enough
to argue back,
do not expect consistency
or sense,
for my theology is broken,
like me…
If God does not withhold blessing from gay people, upon what basis does the church? January 18, 2013
Posted by Phil Groom in Christianity, Church, Watching and Waiting.Tags: Chalkegayte, Equal Marriage, Equality, Homosexuality, Inclusion, Matter of Integrity
3 comments
The Blog of Kevin, 17/1/2013: Plucking Blackberries
FROM THE BLOG OF KEVIN, Plucking Blackberries:
Where I see genuine love, commitment, and a desire for a covenant relationship, I see God. Where I see people who love God, who serve God, who God speaks to and through as much as the next person, I see God. And to deny them equal status, to keep them at the edge like women at the synagogue, is wrong. If God does not withhold his Holy Spirit from gay Christians, how can we withhold anything?
It’s the same question the early church faced when the challenge was whether or not Gentiles could be baptised:
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
Who amongst us dares argue with the Holy Spirit? Wake up, O Christians!
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