Inclusive Orthodoxy Newsletter
December, 2007

To the saints of Cyberspace: Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!

Here we are in the midst of Advent. The word ‘advent’ comes from the Latin term adventus, meaning “coming,” and it is during this season of the Church year that we expectantly await the coming of the baby Jesus, Emmanuel (God with Us). This is the true meaning of Christmas—the celebration and remembrance of the day when God revealed Godself in the vulnerability of a baby child, becoming incarnate as one of us. May we also, during this Advent Season, draw our prayers and thoughts to Mary, the Mother of God, who breast-fed, nurtured, and cared for the Christ-child.  


Updates:

This month I reworked the “About Inclusive Orthodoxy” page on the website to define “Inclusive Orthodoxy” more clearly and less antagonistically. Our mission is as follows (posted on the site):

“Inclusive Orthodoxy seeks a revitalization of the faith, which is both orthodox in theology and grounded in the progressive message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—a message of love, a proclamation of hope for the oppressed, an invitation towards all regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We are calling for the Church to extend its inclusivity upon the foundation of Christian orthodoxy, and to embrace the radical implications of the Gospel message, not despite Scripture and Tradition, but in light of it.”

 
LGBT News:

DEC 12 ~ A homoerotic Christ on the cover of a new German book is sparking international debate as Christmas approaches http://gayspirituality.typepad.com/blog/2007/12/sex-and-spirit.html

DEC 15 ~ Christian 'Ex-Gays' Brainwash Thousands - Can the anti-gay Christian Right's "sexual reorientation therapy" be stopped? For the full story, visit: http://www.alternet.org/rights/70491/

DEC 16 ~ LGBT Anglican Organization, Changing Attitude England, responds to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2007 Advent Letter. For the full story, visit: http://religion.gaynewsblog.net/2007/12/changing-attitude-england-response-to.html

WINTER 2007 ~ Former ‘Ex-Gay’ Minister Speaks Out For the full story, visit: http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=847

 
New LGBT Christian Book(s):

 
Quote for Reflection:

“Commercialization has obscured the meaning of Christmas. The commercial has become more important than the carol. What man has to sell more important than what God has given.”  -Anonymous


Love in Christ,
Justin R. Cannon, Founder/Director
http://www.InclusiveOrthodoxy.org