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Author Topic:   When Same-Sex Marriage Was a Christian Rite
Lexxigramer
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posted November 27, 2013 07:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
When Same-Sex Marriage Was a Christian Rite

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual. Prof. John Boswell, the late Chairman of Yale University’s history department, discovered that in addition to heterosexual marriage ceremonies in ancient Christian church liturgical documents, there were also ceremonies called the "Office of Same-Sex Union" (10th and 11th century), and the "Order for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th century).

These church rites had all the symbols of a heterosexual marriage: the whole community gathered in a church, a blessing of the couple before the altar was conducted with their right hands joined, holy vows were exchanged, a priest officiatied in the taking of the Eucharist and a wedding feast for the guests was celebrated afterwards. These elements all appear in contemporary illustrations of the holy union of the Byzantine Warrior-Emperor, Basil the First (867-886 CE) and his companion John.

A Kiev art museum contains a curious icon from St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai in Israel. It shows two robed Christian saints. Between them is a traditional Roman ‘pronubus’ (a best man), overseeing a wedding. The pronubus is Christ. The married couple are both men.

Is the icon suggesting that a gay "wedding" is being sanctified by Christ himself? The idea seems shocking. But the full answer comes from other early Christian sources about the two men featured in the icon, St. Sergius and St. Bacchus, two Roman soldiers who were Christian martyrs. These two officers in the Roman army incurred the anger of Emperor Maximian when they were exposed as ‘secret Christians’ by refusing to enter a pagan temple. Both were sent to Syria circa 303 CE where Bacchus is thought to have died while being flogged. Sergius survived torture but was later beheaded. Legend says that Bacchus appeared to the dying Sergius as an angel, telling him to be brave because they would soon be reunited in heaven.

While the pairing of saints, particularly in the early Christian church, was not unusual, the association of these two men was regarded as particularly intimate. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch (AD 512 - 518) explained that, "we should not separate in speech they [Sergius and Bacchus] who were joined in life". This is not a case of simple "adelphopoiia." In the definitive 10th century account of their lives, St. Sergius is openly celebrated as the "sweet companion and lover" of St. Bacchus. Sergius and Bacchus's close relationship has led many modern scholars to believe they were lovers. But the most compelling evidence for this view is that the oldest text of their martyrology, written in New Testament Greek describes them as "erastai,” or "lovers". In other words, they were a male homosexual couple. Their orientation and relationship was not only acknowledged, but it was fully accepted and celebrated by the early Christian church, which was far more tolerant than it is today.

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

Prof. John Boswell, the late Chairman of Yale University’s history department, discovered that in addition to heterosexual marriage ceremonies in ancient Christian church liturgical documents, there were also ceremonies called the "Office of Same-Sex Union" (10th and 11th century), and the "Order for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th century).

These church rites had all the symbols of a heterosexual marriage: the whole community gathered in a church, a blessing of the couple before the altar was conducted with their right hands joined, holy vows were exchanged, a priest officiatied in the taking of the Eucharist and a wedding feast for the guests was celebrated afterwards. These elements all appear in contemporary illustrations of the holy union of the Byzantine Warrior-Emperor, Basil the First (867-886 CE) and his companion John.

Such same gender Christian sanctified unions also took place in Ireland in the late 12thand/ early 13th century, as the chronicler Gerald of Wales (‘Geraldus Cambrensis’) recorded.

Same-sex unions in pre-modern Europe list in great detail some same gender ceremonies found in ancient church liturgical documents. One Greek 13th century rite, "Order for Solemn Same-Sex Union", invoked St. Serge and St. Bacchus, and called on God to "vouchsafe unto these, Thy servants [N and N], the grace to love one another and to abide without hate and not be the cause of scandal all the days of their lives, with the help of the Holy Mother of God, and all Thy saints". The ceremony concludes: "And they shall kiss the Holy Gospel and each other, and it shall be concluded".

Another 14th century Serbian Slavonic "Office of the Same Sex Union", uniting two men or two women, had the couple lay their right hands on the Gospel while having a crucifix placed in their left hands. After kissing the Gospel, the couple were then required to kiss each other, after which the priest, having raised up the Eucharist, would give them both communion.

Records of Christian same sex unions have been discovered in such diverse archives as those in the Vatican, in St. Petersburg, in Paris, in Istanbul and in the Sinai, covering a thousand-years from the 8th to the 18th century.

The Dominican missionary and Prior, Jacques Goar (1601-1653), includes such ceremonies in a printed collection of Greek Orthodox prayer books, “Euchologion Sive Rituale Graecorum Complectens Ritus Et Ordines Divinae Liturgiae” (Paris, 1667).

While homosexuality was technically illegal from late Roman times, homophobic writings didn’t appear in Western Europe until the late 14th century. Even then, church-consecrated same sex unions continued to take place.

At St. John Lateran in Rome (traditionally the Pope's parish church) in 1578, as many as thirteen same-gender couples were joined during a high Mass and with the cooperation of the Vatican clergy, "taking communion together, using the same nuptial Scripture, after which they slept and ate together" according to a contemporary report. Another woman to woman union is recorded in Dalmatia in the 18th century.

Prof. Boswell's academic study is so well researched and documented that it poses fundamental questions for both modern church leaders and heterosexual Christians about their own modern attitudes towards homosexuality.

For the Church to ignore the evidence in its own archives would be cowardly and deceptive. The evidence convincingly shows that what the modern church claims has always been its unchanging attitude towards homosexuality is, in fact, nothing of the sort.

It proves that for the last two millennia, in parish churches and cathedrals throughout Christendom, from Ireland to Istanbul and even in the heart of Rome itself, homosexual relationships were accepted as valid expressions of a God-given love and committment to another person, a love that could be celebrated, honored and blessed, through the Eucharist in the name of, and in the presence of, Jesus Christ.


from: http://www.humanitysteam.org/node/3299

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Lei_Kuei
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posted November 28, 2013 04:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lei_Kuei     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If it is indeed true, the churches clandestine and disingenuous behavior in the matter is all but expected

The only way to change their position of hypocrisy on the issue of same sex marriage, would be to confront them as openly about it as has been done with the various abuse scandals.

And if they actually do have the same evidence in the Vatican vaults then they are completely screwed.

------------------
You can't handle my level of Tinfoil! ~ {;,;}

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Randall
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posted January 24, 2014 01:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Interesting.

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shura
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posted January 27, 2014 01:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for shura     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Boswell was an interesting man. He converted to Catholicism in his teens and remained an orthodox Catholic attending daily mass up until his death from AIDS.

The book was torn apart though. I don't think he was able to maintain a disinterested perspective. To be fair, even Boswell insisted adelphopoiesis should NOT be translated as homosexual marriage.

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hypatia238
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posted February 28, 2017 12:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for hypatia238     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

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Lexxigramer
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posted February 28, 2017 02:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelphopoiesis

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Randall
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posted January 16, 2018 02:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Bump!

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Randall
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posted January 17, 2018 09:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Never heard of this before!

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Randall
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posted January 18, 2018 10:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I need to review its authenticity.

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Randall
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posted January 19, 2018 09:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Some say it has been discredited.

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Lexxigramer
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posted January 19, 2018 04:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Some say it has been discredited.
Did you find anything out bout it?

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Lexxigramer
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posted January 19, 2018 04:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Also the link I posted in November 2013 no longer works.

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Lexxigramer
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posted January 19, 2018 04:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Some say it has been discredited.
Found more about it.
quote:
Adelphopoiesis
or adelphopoiia from the Greek ἀδελφοποίησις, derived from ἀδελφός (adelphos) "brother" and ποιέω (poieō ; ) "I make", literally "brother-making" is a ceremony practiced historically in some Christian traditions to unite together two people of the same sex (normally men) in a church-recognized relationship ...
for more see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelphopoiesis


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Randall
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posted January 20, 2018 05:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks! That seems to confirm it's legit and with a name for it also!

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Randall
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posted January 21, 2018 03:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's difficult to believe.

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Randall
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posted January 23, 2018 10:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
But I stand corrected.

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mirage29
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posted January 24, 2018 07:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In the inception of it, I 'think' they were talking about making a kind of 'best-friends-forever' pack; commitment rites, a Covenant, to "adopt each other" and be able to live and feel and exist in-relationship as intimately 'close' as {DNA} Blood Brothers.

I remember in the more innocent past century, that girl and boy best-friends weren't afraid of holding hands "just because" they felt affection for each other. Even hugged and kissed on the cheek. It was innocent love, devoid of connotations of sex. Even adult women (in those days) used to hold hands to walk together. (I remember seeing this.) It was 'allowed'.

Now? People who see kids acting like that might try to say these are 'gay'. Maybe, they "just" like each other very very affectionately and warmly and innocently?

Going back to the men....
I'm GLAD they have adapted these saints to make them Patrons of their wedded serious committed relationships.

REAL commitment and REAL Love.

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Lexxigramer
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posted January 28, 2018 12:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Thanks! That seems to confirm it's legit and with a name for it also!
It's difficult to believe.
But I stand corrected.


You're welcome!

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Randall
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posted January 30, 2018 07:31 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I like to learn.

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Randall
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posted January 31, 2018 03:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Especially when I'm wrong.

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Lexxigramer
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posted February 18, 2018 09:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lexxigramer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
I like to learn.

quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Especially when I'm wrong.

Oh definitely!
I just cannot get it that some people would rather be stubborn even if wrong;
and refuse to even try to learn.
LOVE TO LEARN!


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mirage29
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posted February 18, 2018 02:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mirage29     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Much definitely Agree!
Many varied ways and layers of Learning.

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Randall
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posted February 19, 2018 12:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you!

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Randall
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posted February 20, 2018 10:58 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I try to stay open-minded.

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Randall
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posted February 26, 2018 12:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Bump!

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