A LOVE FILLED WEDDING
I took a love filled wedding in this glorious church on Saturday.
There were three things that made it especially remarkable.
The first, that the church, built in the 1880's, extracting so much money from the community, and at the cost of those who perished during its construction, and as a symbol of the power, prestige and influence of the few, has now been emancipated from the control of denominations and their exclusive use policies and is available for anyone in the community. It has truly become a 'church', a gathering place of the people, as they share their humanity, their creativity and their lives, in a wholesome and positive manner.
The second, that the restrictive and judgmental control exercised by the church for centuries across this land, is disappearing. The terror struck into the hearts of ordinary people by the rector, vicar, parson, cleric who used their influence too often to gain personal advantage, even to abuse children, has been resigned to history. No clergy haunt the vaulted towers of this edifice and use it to vaunt their own status among the community.
The third, that this glorious building, so beautifully embellished for the wedding, was to witness the marriage of two men. What was unthinkable when I was a young curate in the Church of England, what was denounced as satanic, immoral and repulsive when I was at theological college, what was a criminal offence when I was a child and what I was the first to begin providing, back in 1994, to the shock and horror of the church and the ridicule of the likes of The Daily Mail, has now passed into the law of the country.
It was a day for particular celebration. A day that marked a comprehensive liberation from church oppression, a day that celebrated the inclusive and unconditional love of Jesus for everyone and a day that delighted in the wonder of the love between two men, committing themselves to one another in marriage.
There were three things that made it especially remarkable.
The first, that the church, built in the 1880's, extracting so much money from the community, and at the cost of those who perished during its construction, and as a symbol of the power, prestige and influence of the few, has now been emancipated from the control of denominations and their exclusive use policies and is available for anyone in the community. It has truly become a 'church', a gathering place of the people, as they share their humanity, their creativity and their lives, in a wholesome and positive manner.
The second, that the restrictive and judgmental control exercised by the church for centuries across this land, is disappearing. The terror struck into the hearts of ordinary people by the rector, vicar, parson, cleric who used their influence too often to gain personal advantage, even to abuse children, has been resigned to history. No clergy haunt the vaulted towers of this edifice and use it to vaunt their own status among the community.
The third, that this glorious building, so beautifully embellished for the wedding, was to witness the marriage of two men. What was unthinkable when I was a young curate in the Church of England, what was denounced as satanic, immoral and repulsive when I was at theological college, what was a criminal offence when I was a child and what I was the first to begin providing, back in 1994, to the shock and horror of the church and the ridicule of the likes of The Daily Mail, has now passed into the law of the country.
It was a day for particular celebration. A day that marked a comprehensive liberation from church oppression, a day that celebrated the inclusive and unconditional love of Jesus for everyone and a day that delighted in the wonder of the love between two men, committing themselves to one another in marriage.
I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."
posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 7:48 PM
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