21 May 2009, 17:38
Clerics of Constantinople Patriarchate to participate in a gay conference in Finland
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=6046

Helsinki, May 21, Interfax - The clerics of the Finnish Orthodox Church of the Constantinople Patriarchate are going to participate in the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups Conference "Courage to Follow the Law of Love" which opened Tuesday in Järvenpää and Helsinki, Finland.

The participants will begin every day by attending the Orthodox service, and then going to sauna, the social movement Yhteys (Unity) which is fighting for the rights of sexual minorities, reports.

May 22, Helsinki University will host the open church seminar which will address the issues of homosexual relations. According to a published schedule, General Secretary of the Finnish Ecumenical Council Archpriest Heikki Huttunen will present his paper "Homosexuality in the Orthodox theology."

In January issue of "Aamun Koitto", this well-known priest of the Finnish Orthodox Church addressed at length his viewpoint on homosexual "marriage" as "the reflection of the Divine power and benign sexual source."

The clergy of Constantinople Patriarchate also intends to hold a discussion of the issues of spiritual integration of homosexuals into the Church. The subject matter of one session is entitled as "Can a male priest fall in love to another man and live with him?"

"The subject matter of one session is entitled as "Can a male priest fall in love to another man and live with him?"

Kyrie Eleison.

This is what I am seeking to get away from--hence my screen name.

Okay, Father David, although this is not April 1st, please tell me this is a joke!

Unfortunately, it is NOT funny!

(I wonder if the Patriarch actually knows about this...)

In Christ,
Alice

It's not even April 1st on the Old Calendar!

I think that part of the problem here is that the Finnish Orthodox Church (an autonomous Church under Constantinople) has accepted the status of one of the two State Churches of Finland. That status has caused other compromises with traditional Orthodox practise. Under state pressure, the Finnish Orthodox Church accepted the Gregorian Paschalion. Also under state pressure, the Finnish Orthodox Church must allow her members under certain circumstances to be married in the State Lutheran Church and still remain in good standing in the Orthodox Church. Allowing liberal views on homosexuality may be next.

Fr David Straut

I saw this long thread about the conference:

Link

Things are even worse than I thought.

Fr David Straut

I am surprised by the apparent lack of reactions from the Orthodox patriarchates. I hope I'm wrong.

If something like this were happening in the Catholic Church -- clerics officially participating in a gay-rights conference with the apparent blessing of their bishop -- the outcry would already be immense.

Well, if this pushes through, it will only strengthen the suspicion that the Patriarchate of Constantinople might NOT be a reliable ally of Rome in the culture wars.

http://www.euroforumlgbtchristians.eu/Co...-Background.asp

Looks like the Orthdox Churches have been chosen as a target by the 2008 conference and the above details what was planned then to deal with this. Finland is where is is to be held in 2009.

Let us not jump to conclusions on what Patriarchs are aware of and what they are not. There is clearly an agenda to target them and it would be foolish for them to put their responses out there to be read by all and sundry.

arggh,

that's why I am Roman Catholic. That's why so many Episcopalian and Anglican priests are going Catholic.

we can't stand for the high moral road and at the same time allow sin. Agape is not equal to eros! To treat carnal love as an agape love is such an affont to me, my husband, my family in Christ who seeks agape, not eros or carnal love outside the holy sacrament of a marriage between a man and a woman.


No human is perfect, but we are called to become perfect in Christ...and as far as my feeble mind can fathom, perfection in God calls for agape, not eros.

I like to think I'm a pretty staunch Traditional Roman Catholic, but I think some posters are being pretty naive if they think the Catholic Church doesn't have similar problems.

True,...but the Catholic church does have the advantage of being able to discipline all of its clergy. On the other hand I know of clergy and laity in the Detroit Metro Area who really buy into "liberation Theology" and Gay Rights.

The Catholic Church does have the advantage of being able to discipline all of it's clergy, but quite often they choose not to.

An unfortunate truth!

The evil one luring those weak in their faith into error....and trying to discredit the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

S