Reflecting on our identity as LGBT people of faith and as an LGBT faith community
A selection of modern icons from Brother Robert Lentz OFM which we reflected on during the day
BY POPULAR REQUEST, members of the Open Table LGBT community that meets monthly at St Bride’s Church, Liverpool spent a day away again this month, six months after our first away-day last October.
Following the theme of identity and individuality we explored in last month’s service, we developed and deepened this at St Joseph’s Prayer Centre in Formby on Saturday 7th March.
As we approach the seventh anniversary of the Open Table community in July, we also reflected on what it means to be a community of LGBT people of faith.
Fourteen of us took part - some have been attending for many years, while some were new to the group. To begin, we asked people to write one word or short statement to reflect:
Your most important strength or skill.
The top strength or skill others think you have.
The range of responses show how diverse and talented we are as individuals and as a group:
Friendliness
Hospitality
Kindness
Warmth
Understanding
Loving
Caring
Giving
Honesty
Sensitivity
Vulnerability
Humanity
Calmness
Communication
Dialogue
Memory
Independence / Self-reliance
Reliability
Loyalty
Observant
Perception
Curiosity
Practical
Organisation
Leadership
Inspirational
Humour / Fun
Valuing others.
Having affirmed our strengths - those we recognise in ourselves and those others perceive in us - we reflected on our role models or icons.
Perpetua & Felicity, a modern icon by Brother Robert Lentz OFM
Who are our icons?
We discussed what makes a ‘gay icon’, and who we as a community look to for inspiration. The concept has changed over time, as these polls from 2007 and 2014 illustrate. There is an increase in people who are lesbian or gay themselves, and a need to recognise gender diversity, in the use of LGBT as a more inclusive term than ‘gay’, as The Independent’s Rainbow List does.
We also reflected on how we too can be positive role models, and who in our spiritual tradition might be positive role models for us. Unknown to us when we booked the venue, the away-day took place on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, who were imprisoned for their faith in north Africa and died in 203 A.D. Like Ruth and Naomi in the Old Testament book of Ruth, Perpetua and Felicity are upheld by some as examples of love between women, and celebrated as the patron saints of same-sex couples.
The word ‘icon’ simply means image, and has a more positive meaning in religious tradition than ‘idol’, which is associated with idolatry, pulling our focus away from God. We learned that in the Orthodox Christian tradition, which uses images or icons of religious figures in worship, icons are said to be written, not painted. The Orthodox consider making icons more a form of prayer than art, and they believe the iconographer’s hand is guided by God. Traditional icons are visual representation of the story of the saint represented, described as ‘soul windows, entrances into the presence of the Holy’ and reminders of God’s unconditional love. We recalled that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), though our faith communities do not always affirm this.
Harvey Milk of San Fransisco – icon by Brother Robert Lentz OFM
We looked at modern examples of the iconographer’s art by Brother Robert Lentz OFM, an American Franciscan friar, known for incorporating contemporary social themes into his work, including people not considered saints in the traditional Christian sense. Lentz’s icons include Perpetua & Felicity, plus people of various cultures and ethnicities, and modern secular political and cultural figures, including murdered gay politician Harvey Milk.
His icon of Roman Christian martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, who are believed by some to have been united in an early Christian rite of ‘brother-making’, a type of early Christian same-sex union or blessing, was first displayed at Chicago’s Gay Pride Parade, and has become a popular symbol in the gay Christian community.
Sergius & Bacchus – icon by Brother Robert Lentz OFM
We asked those present who they value as positive role models - here are some of their responses, with links to some info about them:
Annie Lennox, singer, activist
Anthony Venn Brown, author of A Life Of Unlearning
April Ashley, model, early pioneer of gender reassignment
Armistead Maupin, author
Barbara Glasson, Methodist minister, author
Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement
Gareth Thomas, rugby player
Henri Nouwen, priest, psychologist, author
Ian Roberts, Australian actor, rugby player
James Alison, theologian
Ladies of Llangollen, a female couple living in 19th Century Wales
Martina Navratilova, tennis player
Pam Gold - Co Convener, Evangelical Fellowship of Lesbian & Gay Christians
Peter Cookson, Dean of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Peter Tatchell, LGBT+ and human rights campaigner
St Melangell, 7th Century Celtic saint
Stephen Whittle, trans academic and activist
After a well-earned break, we reflected on what it means to be part of an LGBT faith community. We asked three questions inspired by those used by the former Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, to reflect on what a community needs to recognise and fulfil its mission:
What is the mission of God in this place?
What are the ministries needed to achieve this mission?
What resources are needed to do this?
We rephrased the first question: ‘What is the mission of God in the LGBT community in Merseyside?’ with the explanation: ‘Where can you see God at work? Where is God most needed?’ Those gathered with us said:
Inclusion
Validation
Safe place
To remind the Church that we are all equal and deserve respect
Challenging institutional homophobia & transphobia in the Church
Within the Church to change attitudes and consciousness – God’s mission is love
To challenge negative attitudes of other Christians e.g. same-sex marriage.
We expanded on the second question: ‘What are the ministries needed to achieve this mission?’ with the supplementary questions: ‘What can we do to fulfil this? Who do we want to help us?’ The responses:
‘Christian Voice’ demonstration during Liverpool Pride march
Strength, power and confidence to enable people to have a voice.
Baptism & religious rites – celebration of life markers
Education – a visible presence in the wider Church
A counter demonstration against conservative Christian protestors at Liverpool Pride, with ordained ministers, inspired by the Marin Foundation’s ‘I’m Sorry’ campaign, apologising for prejudice against the LGBT community in the name of Christianity.
The third question: ‘What resources are needed to carry out this mission?’ is about what practical steps we need to take and what support we would need to achieve what we identified in the first two questions:
Supportive bishop
Open Table
LGBT public speakers
Booklet of LGBT people’s faith stories
Outreach workers/ trainers
T-shirts / Placards / Banners
Magic wand & endless supply of fairy dust!
We also added three supplementary questions:
2. What’s the most radical step we could take?
Don’t be silent.
Be completely out in all aspects of life
Demand to be served by God’s servants
Represent Christ as an LGBT icon
1. What’s the smallest step we could take?
Be true to ourselves
Attend church
Come out to someone
Counter-demo at Liverpool Pride.
3. What would we need to do differently?
Celebrate rather than commiserate
LGBT religious rites and life markers
We broke for a bring-and-share lunch, including an amazing rainbow cake made by one of our number, followed by a period of quiet time for reflection, sharing and walking among the nearby sand dunes.
Home-made rainbow cake at tea-time
During this time we invited people to reflect on three questions about our own identity:
1. Who do others say you are?
2. Who do you say you are?
3. Who does God say you are?
Plus some questions about what it means to be part of an LGBT faith community:
4. What do you value about being part of:
a) the LGBT community?
b) a faith community?
c) Open Table?
5. How does being part of Open Table help you?
6. What do you bring to Open Table?
After the break we came together to share people’s responses:
1. Who do others say you are?
Many things both positive & negative
Respecting & loving that I live the life I choose
A sinner
Evil mad man
Independent businesswoman
Honest & caring
Full of life
Mother, daughter
Loyal , hard worker
2. Who do you say you are?
Christian
Gay
Trans*
Parent
Lover
Woman
Organised
Motivated
Self-doubting / Uncertain
At ease in my own skin
3. Who does God say you are?
Valued / Loved / Accepted
Precious & honoured in His sight
child / disciple / hands & voice in the world
On a learning curve
Christian with a faith
A person
Adopted into this family
Opening of my heart
Silence
4. What do you value about being part of:
a) the LGBT community?
I can be myself
Diversity
Respect
Compassion
Support
Love
Acceptance
Friendship
Sense of belonging
Safety
Being with others in similar situations
Encouragement
Uncertain
Valuable, unique culture & history
b ) a faith community?
Exploring my spirituality
Support
Friendships
Special ‘quiet time’ with God
Sharing faith
Sharing in life’s journey
Not a lot at present – place where I’ve been hurt
Direction for my life
To be together
Commitment to good
Progression
Acceptance
Sense of belonging
Valued
c) Open Table?
Being in a safe, loving space with other LGBT people
A warm monthly welcome
An authentic vehicle for exploration of faith
To be within a space of faith without discrimination
Not able to attend regularly, a great disadvantage
Being able to belong is vitally important
Upheld in prayer
Honesty welcomes you
A safe nice place
Brings my faith & sexuality together
Helps me to accept who I am
Completely at peace with God and others
5. How does being part of Open Table help you?
Become more honest/authentic
One space where I can be the whole of who I am
Able to be who I am
Being affirmed
Meeting new people
Complete honesty – just be yourself
I can be me without fear of discrimination
To follow my faith
Excitement about spirituality
6. What do you bring to Open Table?
Listening ear
Poor singing!
Myself?
Commitment
Regularity
Hilarity / Humour
Me!
Openness, warmth & curiosity
Divine feminine
We evaluated the day with four questions:
7. What did you find valuable about the day?
Conversational lunch
People’s honesty
Space to be with other LGBT people of faith
Relaxed atmosphere
Sharing food
Sharing experiences
Spending the day as myself
Safe space
Silence/ Quiet time
Reflection
Meeting the group
Introduction to a new community
Being with others who are like minded
Time and space to share and reflect
Excellent venue
8. What did you learn?
More about myself
Other people’s stories
Not alone in my feelings
A little / a lot about each other
Stories of saints and LGBT icons within faith
9. What would have made it better?
More time / longer?
Overnight / weekend residential
Some group meditation
It felt like we were covering a lot
Less things, more depth & periods of quiet meditation
10. What could you do to help / support this community?
Attend more
Greater presence
Talks / training
Recording people’s oral histories
Offer a session at the next retreat
Awayday in Llangollen.
Chapel at St Joseph’s Prayer Centre, Formby
As reflected in the feedback, we did try to cover a lot in just a few hours, but it felt important to take this opportunity to reflect on where we have come from and where we are going, so we may celebrate our seventh anniversary in July with a deeper appreciation for all that we are, all we have achieved, and all we can aspire to, with the help of God.
As requested, we are now looking into a day out at Llangollen in Wales, and an overnight or weekend retreat later this year or early next year.
We ended with a simple Communion service in the chapel at St Joseph’s, drawing on the themes of the day, with this simple, powerful affirmation and blessing:
“As we leave this place, we leave knowing that we are God’s own children.
All that we have and all that we are is a sacred trust from God.
From this moment on, let us live with gratitude for who we are and
commit ourselves to honour each person as a beloved child of God.”
