Our culture puts a huge value on diversity. We have a whole laundry list of identity groups that we aim to see represented in our organizations, brands, churches, and movements. We track metrics like race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, national origin – and the list goes on. This helps us feel good about ourselves. We like to think …
In my last post, I mentioned that in the mid-1990s the Friends of Jesus community in Wichita, Kansas produced a white paper on their biblical understanding of gay and lesbian Christians. A commenter asked whether a copy of this document is still available. It is! The following is a statement prepared by the Friends of …
Read more “What Does the Bible Actually Say About LGBT Equality?”
Yeah, you read me right. If you want to be a real conservative, you might want to consider supporting LGBT equality in the church. Let me explain. In the debate around LGBT equality, almost everyone I know labels an affirming stance as progressive or liberal, while a non-affirming stance is considered conservative or traditional. I …
Read more “Are you Conservative enough to embrace Gay Christians?”
In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity. – Marco Antonio de Dominis Despite being followers of the Prince of Peace, Christians have a long track record of fighting with one another. We Quakers, despite our history as a peace church, have always found plenty of ways to rip each other a new… …
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God… – 1 John 4:1 For me as a Quaker, summertime is Yearly Meeting time. For those who are unfamiliar with Friends organization, the Yearly Meeting is the closest thing that we have to a “denomination.” Gathering together annually …
Dear sisters and brothers, I have been given many opportunities this month to travel in gospel service to a variety of communities, both among Friends and in the wider ecumenical Church. In all of my travels, I have joined with my brothers and sisters in asking hard questions: As followers of Jesus, how are we …
Read more “Gathering in the Spirit – Micah’s Ministry Newsletter #42”
Dear friends, This has been a year of major transition and growth for me. Some of the change has been personal – such as my involvement in the Occupy movement, and Faith’s and my decision to purchase a house in DC. Other change has been more corporate, such as the increasing maturation of Capitol Hill …
Read more “2011 in Review – Micah’s Ministry Newsletter #38”