When Same-Sex Marriage Was a Christian Rite
☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
2012/05/10 14:42:28
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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.
Read More: http://www.christianity-revealed.com/cr/files/when...
http://www.sodahead.com/livin...
i think you will like this one
People are Stupid
I think that sums it up.
But they find some way to justify the new stupidity. We point out the stupidity of mix-race arguments (which now most agree are stupid) and how they are no different than the stupid arguments against same-sex marriage and they say, "no, this time we got it right..."
http://www.sodahead.com/livin...
For example, look how long it is taking to get rid of the false teachings of the Hell concept that Roman catholic church gave the world.No where in the original Bible does this mythical hell place mentioned or exist, yet people still believe in it. Or their "Just War Theory" leading to fighting wars in The Anointed Ones Name. It's an oxymoron to fight a war in Christ's name or to believe it is righteous to commit acts of evil to fight evil. You can't drink from the cup of demons and from the cup of the Most High no more than you can drink a gallon water and get drunk or drink a gallon of whiskey and stay sober.
Gay Marriage? What does the Bible say...
The following are excerpts from http://www.twopaths.com/faq_h...
Old Testament
The first mention in the Bible is in Genesis 19:1-13. The wicked men of Sodom attempted a homosexual rape of two messengers from God who had come to visit Lot. As a result of this and other widespread wickedness, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in a storm of fire and brimstone.
The next two mentions are in Leviticus:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an ...
For example, look how long it is taking to get rid of the false teachings of the Hell concept that Roman catholic church gave the world.No where in the original Bible does this mythical hell place mentioned or exist, yet people still believe in it. Or their "Just War Theory" leading to fighting wars in The Anointed Ones Name. It's an oxymoron to fight a war in Christ's name or to believe it is righteous to commit acts of evil to fight evil. You can't drink from the cup of demons and from the cup of the Most High no more than you can drink a gallon water and get drunk or drink a gallon of whiskey and stay sober.
Gay Marriage? What does the Bible say...
The following are excerpts from http://www.twopaths.com/faq_h...
Old Testament
The first mention in the Bible is in Genesis 19:1-13. The wicked men of Sodom attempted a homosexual rape of two messengers from God who had come to visit Lot. As a result of this and other widespread wickedness, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in a storm of fire and brimstone.
The next two mentions are in Leviticus:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. (NKJ, Leviticus 18:22)
If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. (NKJ, Leviticus 20:13)
New Testament
Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, but He did condemn all forms of sexual immorality:
What comes out of you is what defiles you. For from within, out of your hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile you. (TNIV, Mark 7:20-23)
The apostle Paul, in one of his letters to the Corinthians, wrote the verses most often quoted on this subject:
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NIV, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11)
Gay Marriage on a secular level?
The problem is not government recognizing a marriage between a man and a man as legit. The problem is government being involved in any marriage at all.
Since the laws are set up the way they are, and people are supposed to receive equal treatment under the law, then Gay's should have equal treatment under the law. Let us not be confused though, our legal system is far from being righteous.
I think Marty's attitude is the Christian way
that is why we have Freedom of Religion and From Religion and Separation of Church and State
Separation of Church and State --- Government should not be involved in marriage, if it weren't, then this subject of gay marriage would not be an issue.
http://www.sodahead.com/livin...
the origins of the word marriage Comes from the word Maier which means Bonding social unions under law
Marriage (or wedlock) is a social union or legal contract between people may also be called matrimony. People marry for many reasons, including one or more of the following: legal, social, libidinal, emotional, economic, spiritual, and religious. These might include arranged marriages, family obligations, the legal establishment of a nuclear family unit, the legal protection of children and public declaration of commitment
Marriage, as we know it in our Western civilization today, has a long history with roots in several very different ancient cultures, of which the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, and Germanic are the most important.
Many of today's popular wedding ceremony and reception traditions can be traced to ancient Pagan Roman,Greek and Egyptian Empires.
http://www.sodahead.com/livin...
It was probably known but never said to their followers for fear of losing them. Organized religion is a huge money making machine just look at the Vatican to see they have more money than governments.
At any cost.............
http://www.christianity-revea...
a gay "wedding" is being sanctified by Christ himself
Your Professor Boswell had an agenda and took liberties in the translation.
Much of the research and work Prof. Boswell did regarding the Christian churchs' historical relationship with homosexuality can be seen as an attempt to reconcile his homosexuality with his faith.
He was Catholic and died of AIDS.
Yes it was the Puritans that founded this country who were the major objectors to gay marriage and the ones that eventually got it banned throuhout the world.
Is this true?
The greeks and romans however had no problem killing them after birth if they were deformed.
If you were really rich you might be able to get a government post for them if they were not too deformed or mentally slow.
My how things have changed. {not}