ABC Wednesday: X is for...

Χριστός

The Greek Christos, the annointed...which is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ, the Messiah.

I'm taking an intensive course in liberation and post colonial theology, taught by a passionate and brilliant scholar/theologian from Guatamala. The past couple days we've been talking about queer theology, and how the theology expressed in many churches and denominations can be deeply damaging and oppressive for those in the LGBTQ community. Far too often, hate and rejection is preached and practiced by those who name themselves "Christian", instead of living out Jesus' Gospel message of love. Jesus was present with the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized. Jesus did not walk among the wealthy and powerful saying "By jove, you've got it, well done, give yourselves a pat on the back!" No...it was more like "Oh My God people! 'Love God, love each other.' It's so simple, why can't you get it?? Sigh...let me try to get it through your thick heads and hard hearts one more time..."

Granted we humans, including those of us who walk a path with Jesus, are far from perfect! But we must keep trying to love one another, to speak out for those who have no voice, to actively seek justice, to risk standing up for what is right. We have a loooong, long way to go before the light of the risen Christ shines fully in our hearts and in our world. June is, of course, Pride Month and so, as always, I stand in loving solidarity with my LGBTQ brothers and sisters...and I plan to join or at least cheer from the sidelines of Halifax's upcoming Pride parade. In the meantime, I will continue exploring the theology of the Queer Christ...and hoping homophobia will soon be but a distant memory in the dust of our earth...


I have no photos of the risen Christ depicted in art, but here are a couple pics of Jesus, living and crucified.

I encountered this piece of art in the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria (Italy) It is a stone carving of a scene from the Gospel named for Luke (Lk 7:26-50), the woman anointing Jesus' feet with oil.

The Baptism of Christ by Pietro Vannucci, known as Il Perugino in the cathedral in Citta della Pieve, Umbria

Glazed terra cotta crucificion by Andrea della Robbia in the early Christian church (built in 996) Santa Maria Primerana in Fiesole (near Florence, Italy). Della Robbia was a Renaissance sculptor, specializing in ceramics, so obviously his work is a later addition to the church!






X marks the spot over on the ABCW website this week...check it out and see what treasures you uncover on the other participants' blogs!

It Gets Better project

A friend recently posted a link to this video:



This particular part moved me to tears:
"If there are 14, 15 year olds, 13, 12 year olds, out there watching this video...what I'd love you to take away from it, really is that It Gets Better.  However bad it is now, it gets better and it can get great and it can get awesome, your life can be amazing.  But you have to tough this period of it out and you have to live your life so you're around for it to get amazing and it can and it will."

I showed the video to my own 14 year old.  I pray she finds some hope and strength knowing she is not alone in struggling with the social nightmare known as high school.

The It Gets Better youtube channel includes many other moving videos.  I am so thankful there are people in this world who are willing to share their own painful stories in an effort to help others.  The light of the world shines bright in their hearts.  Check out these sites as well: Make It Better, and Week of Action, which highlights events and actions that can be taken to help youth and adults work together to make schools safer for LGBT youth right now.

Anti-bullying campaigns...let's ALL climb aboard this train

Many of my friends have shared this video on Facebook.  Ellen DeGeneres eloquently addresses some of the issues around bullying, particularly of those in the GBLTQ community.  Equally important, she includes on her show's website several links for anti-bullying sites: The Trevor Project, Angels and Doves, The National Centre for Bullying Prevention, Matthew's Place, GLSEN, STOMP Out Bullying.  Ellen ends her message with words of hope: "Things will get easier, people's minds will change, and you should be alive to see it."

I want to add that there are also several Canadian anti-bullying resources, such as Bullying Canada, Kids Help Phone, PREVNet.  And I imagine other countries have anti-bullying groups and help lines as well.

I weep for those who have been driven to such despair that suicide seemed the only option.  I pray those experiencing bullying will hold on for dear life, so that they will be alive to see things get easier.