Subject: A.N. Jan.-Feb. 1995

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 00:52:50 -0400

New York Chapter                                   Plain ASCII Online Edition
			   N E W S L E T T E R     Vol. 12, No. 1
AXIOS USA Inc.                                     February-March 1995

Eastern & Orthodox Christian Gay Men and Women 
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In this issue:

Cover: Icon of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple.                 
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General Information.....................p. 2
NCC, MCC, and NOLA......................p. 3
Chapter News............................p. 4
General News............................p. 5
   Prayer Book, Vespers at the OCA
   Cathedral of the Holy Virgin
   Protection, St. John Maximovitch,
   Homophobia in St. Sophia Quarterly      
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		      A X I O S
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     Eastern & Orthodox Christian Gay Men & Women

The Axios Newsletter is published every two months by Axios USA, Inc., a 
nonprofit organization of Eastern and Orthodox Christian Lesbians and Gays 
founded 1980 in Los Angeles, CA.  The New York and other chapters were then 
founded on the same principles.  This year our New York chapter newsletter 
enters its 12th year of publication.  Submissions are most welcome and 
encouraged; for example, articles on theology, Orthodox spirituality, 
homosexuality and the Church, as well as news of relevance to the Eastern 
and Orthodox gay and lesbian community.  Please send also your letters, 
comments and suggestions, so that we may better serve our membership.  Axios 
meets in New York on the second Friday of each month (the next meeting will 
be March 10, 1995) at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, 208 West

13th Street (near Seventh Avenue), in Manhattan, at 8 p.m.  Meetings begin 
with a Vespers service, followed by the particular program or topic for that 
month's meeting.  Special events are also scheduled from time to time.  Dues 
are still $18 per year, which includes a subscription to this newsletter, and

voting privileges in our elections.  As all of the funds from 1994 have been 
used up, it is essential for members to send in their dues for 1995 without 
delay.

The next issue will contain a different view of the New Orleans NCCC 
conference by Fr. Damien, our New Orleans representative.  Also, there will
be 
an update on the postponed OCAMPR homosexuality symposium at Hellenic 
College/Holy Cross.

With this issue we return to a multipage format.  Printing costs have been 
reduced by designing and printing all copies on a home computer (though the 
rise in postal rates more than offsets this).  We hope you enjoy the format, 
and again, please send us your comments and suggestions.

Our mailing address is:		Axios
				P.O. Box 990, Village Station
				New York, NY  10014-0990

Telephones:			(718) 805-1952   (voice/fax/modem)
				(212) 989-6211   (voice)
				(718) 463-2901   (voice)

E-mail:				[email-masked]

The appearance of the name or likeness of a person or organization in the
Axios Newsletter is not an indication of such party's sexual orientation 
unless explicitly stated.
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  NCC, MCC, AND NOLA  
  Smaragdinopoleos K. Pasisozis

N       November 9-12,1994, representatives of most churches 
N  N    N     constituting the National Council of Churches 
N    N  N     met in New Orleans, LA. The Universal 
N       N     Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches
organized a meeting of gay and lesbian affirming Christian leadership which
assembled
simultaneously. Both meetings were held at the same hotel. I was not sure
just where the
gay group was meeting. When I asked at the desk, they could not find an
answer either
because it was not identified on their schedule. We finally found it listed
merely as "Meeting:
2-6 PM", where the room number was given. (Hmmm ... why the generic title?)

I was the first one to arrive and there I met the Reverend Kittridge Cherry,
ecumenical of-
ficer of the MCC, moderator of our meetings. Representatives of other gay
caucuses and
ministries eventually arrived, and we introduced ourselves. I found this
occasion, on one
level, to be comforting and empowering. (After all, I just started coming out
barely a year
ago.) But on the other hand, my Orthodox conscience kept questioning the
basic issue:
Why do we Orthodox want to have anything to do with the NCC (or WCC, for that
matter)
in the first place? Key beliefs and dogmas, which I (and all other observant
Orthodox)
embrace and which energize my existence are either peripheral to or denied by
so many
liberal Protestants, be they gay, straight, or sideways.

After a rather lukewarm opening devotion that did not have a drop of Jesus 
anywhere in it, Kit gave an overview of MCC's frustrating relationship 
with the NCC. While this peaked with its being granted observer status (along
with Jewish and Moslem groups!), the status is now threatened with the move
to abolish
any relationship with the NCC other than full membership. The more
conservative mem-
bers of the NCC (led by the Orthodox caucus) are totally opposed to MCC's
membership,
even though, as Kit pointed out, they have more gay and lesbian members in
their
churches than MCC does. On thc other hand, not all members of MCC --
including the
clergy -- are members of sexual minorities. A curious thing about
requirements for mem-
bership in the NCC: The confessional unit must be self-governing. With the
exception of
the OCA, all of the Orthodox jurisdictions in NCC are, as we know,
responsible to Mother
Churches elsewhere. I pointed this out to the General Secretary of the NCC
(who is kindly
disposed to MCC), and she found it most interesting.
 
Later we met with the Counselling Committee of the NCC, who 
came dribbling in as we introduced ourselves. Just as I did so, in came
Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky, who is in the National Chancery of the OCA. During
this meeting,
he gave a pious little speech, hinting that if gay issues are forced, the
Orthodox and other
conservative Churches would leave the NCC. It took all the self-control I
could muster to
forbear from responding with a list of Orthodox bishops I know who wear
rainbow mitres
and lavender vestments. Outing these hierarchs at this meeting would have
accom-
plished nothing at this time. And I am not ready to be publicly out yet.
(Please forgive
me, brethren. May God hasten the day when I can be publicly out.)

Thursday and Friday were dedicated principally to observing business sessions

and lobbying. Many factors kept me from these.

Saturday's session was devoted to dealing with the so-called Religious Right
in a seminar
called "Our God, Too."  It began with the leader, Rev. Ms. Cherry, giving the
usual "Us
versus Them" rhetoric that the Religious Right uses against us, the very rheto
ric that I find so
distressing; do not both sides believe in Jesus?  After this, two other
people spoke in a 
maddeningly condescending tone which was nothing but ideology and rhetoric
and 
had nothing to do with God.  The latter was a man who finally shouted,  "And
all I can
say is, if you are gay or lesbian and vote Republican, you must be
brain-dead!" At that
point I got up and stomped out with all the dignity, noise, anger, and
attention-getting I
could muster. (The illness of my host's husband was in the background of
this; this is one
of the things that interfered with my participation in Thursday's and
Friday's activities) In
the hall I started shaking and crying. Kit and Rev. Dexter Brecht, local MCC
pastor, came
out  and  listened for a while; one of them did an autodiscloseting as a
secret pro-lifer!

I calmed down and returned to the meeting. When questions from the audience
were solic-
ited, I stood up, and without being recognized began to speak. "I understand
how the reli-
gious right feels about us, and I know why. It's based on ignorance. I know,
because until a
year ago, when the Lord showed me that I was gay, I would have been saying
the same things!
And I look at what they say about us, and I look at myself, and I know that
they are just 
not true.  I agree with the religious right on almost every issue 
but one. I passed through the charismatic movement. I sympathize with many
charismatic and Pentecostal positions, and I am on the mailing list of the
National Gay
Pentecostal Alliance. I was a pro-life activist in my home town. I was named
in a $39
million lawsuit for merely praying outside a clinic. So much for
First-Amendment Rights!
I am a member of PLAGAL, the Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians. I am
willing to
bet that half of my new gay and lesbian acquaintances are pro-life. They were
all
pleased to hear about PLAGAL. And those who picket the clinics are too. They
are sur-
prised and thrilled to hear that we exist after assuming that if you are gay,
you are auto-
matically pro-child murder. And seeing that not all of us are alike, seeing
that there might
be something  in common,  makes them more open and understanding. I was
involved
in the arts. Among other things, I have been an operatic stage manager. The
rule in the arts is,
`Whoever gives the money can run the show.' And anything the government gives
money 
for, the government can control. So the only way to have true artistic
freedom is not to have
government funding of the arts, and therefore the NEA should be dismantled.
For the same
reason, I am against education vouchers. The only way that church and other
alternative
schools can be free is not to take government money. And have you ever heard
of the Log
Cabin Foundation: gay Republicans? I vote Republican. But I also understand
how a
Christian can in good conscience vote Democratic, Socialist, or any other
way. To para-
phrase the Psalms, "Put not your trust in political parties, in whom there is
no salva-
tion." But in any case, name-calling, and saying that I'm brain dead because
we dis-
agree accomplishes nothing. I've seen the motto "Celebrate Diversity," but it
seems that
you can be diverse, as long as you are not different from anybody else. I
resent the idea
that there is just one correct way to think as a gay man. And finally, the
name of this seminar
is "Our God, Too!" But He is God over all, even the Religious Right. I think
the best way
to deal with them is to emphasize the most important thing we have in common:
namely
love for and devotion to our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ . . . Whose
holy Name, I
might add, I have yet to hear invoked in these meetings! Everything so far
has sounded like
a political convention. I was hoping to hear more about how Christian gays
and lesbians
can live for Christ! 

My impassioned little outburst was well-received. One of the audience
commented

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that he felt for the first time there was real communication going on at this

meeting.

After this, Dr. Mel White, former ghostwriter for leaders of the Religious 
Right, from Jerry Falwell to Pat Robertson to Billy Graham on down, and 
author of the moving book, _Stranger at the Gate: To be gay and Christian 
in America_, gave a presentation full of the same ideological _skatoulakia_ 
that I had just gotten through complaining about. However, he opined that MCC

was wasting its time in dealing with the NCC, and said it should direct its 
energies elsewhere.

While I found conversations with individuals enjoyable, and sharing with them

an enriching experience; as an Orthodox, I feel very uncomfortable with
trying 
to work with established religious liberalism, as represented by the NCC.  
We Orthodox have nothing to gain by this, and a lot of time, effort and
energy 
is wasted in being unequally yoked with them. Matriarchy is not the answer to

patriarchy.  "Misterogyny" is not the solution to misogyny.  Male-bashing
does 
not cure male chauvinism (The religious equivalents of these propositions 
apply as well).  Rather, looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our 
faith, and seeking to follow Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life is 
the only solution to these and other ills.  For when we are in right 
relationship with Our Lord, we are automatically in right relationship with 
each other.
 
 CHAPTER NEWS

New Orleans: Our Pennsylvania representative attended the NCCC convention
which was held there November 9-12, 1994, and which is reported on in this iss
ue of the Axios Newsletter.  While in New Orleans, he stayed with Fr. Damien,
who wishes to start a new Axios chapter in that city, along with another
member who just moved there from Minneapolis.  For further information on the
progress of Axios - New Orleans, call Fr. Damien at (504) 394-9043.

San Francisco:  Last year, Mother John and Bishop Seraphim started the Icon
Orthodox Fellowship.  Soon after, upon learning of the existence of Axios,
the fellowship became Axios - San Francisco.  Though Bishop Seraphim is no
longer with the chapter, Mother John continues to run the chapter out of her
apartment, which also has a chapel room.  She is named after the late John
Maximovitch, who was Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco and was
glorified last July.  She finds St. John to be a great intercessor, as for
example during the 1989 earthquake when all the apartments around here were
destroyed, while her apartment sustained only a few hairline cracks and no
actual structural damage.

St. John served under the Russian Church Outside of Russia (Synod-in-Exile)
during his life, but was adamant in opposing division and hatred among his
flock.  He was criticized for excluding neither Synod-in-Exile nor Moscow
Patriarchate Russian Orthodox from his church, and was even denounced as a
Communist sympathizer in the "red scare" of the 1960's, not because there was
any factual basis for this, but because his conviction against cutting off any
 of his brethren because of jurisdictional disputes went against the grain of
 contemporary attitudes.  Even though the Orthodox hierarchy in the Soviet
Union of the 1960's was thoroughly infiltrated and compromised, parroting
Communist party lines regardless of their incongruity with Orthodoxy (this,
of course, is the reason why the Synod-in-Exile went into exile; though one
could argue that they then went to the other extreme at times), this was not
going

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to deter Archbishop John from the pastoral care of his flock.  His example is
just as important today, as we grapple with disputes over jurisdiction and
calendar (and, as in St. John's time, for some these are more important than,
in Our Lord's words, to "feed My sheep"); not to mention issues of gender and
sexual orientation, which the late Archbishop was no stranger to either. It
is suspected that he was poisoned by an opponent; his incorrupt body is on
display at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin -- Joy of All Who Sorrow, at 26th
Avenue and Geary Boulevard, San Francisco.   An account of that saint's life
was recently published in The Orthodox Word, No. 175-6 (Platina, CA: 1994).

Los Angeles:  Our original chapter, dating back to  1980, is planning a
number of new projects which, however, depend on the support and involvement
of members in the Los Angeles area.  Among these projects is an Axios choir,
and the release of a rehearsal cassette which can be used by individual choir
members in a parish ro rehearse their part individually.  Tapes are planned
for both Greek and OCA choirs.  Those who are interested may call George B.
at (213) 851-2256 (fax 213-851-2372).  He is also running the online Axios
database for the West Coast which can be accessed via e-mail as well as via
Internet utilities such as FTP.

Chicago:  This chapter, only a year old, is nevertheless enthusiastic and has
well-attended meetings.  Their Labor Day party was a success, and they had
their First Anniversary party on January 14, 1995, the day after the New York
meeting and party.  Other events they have held include the traditional Axios
meeting with Vespers, and socials at church picnics across Chicago.  The
chapter began last winter when its current president, Michael, went to New Yor
k and saw Axios' listings.  Within several months, the chapter had drawn 50
members through advertising and word-of-mouth.

Washington, DC: This chapter, aside from their well-attended monthly
meetings, holds special events such as a Fall Lecture Series and Maslenitza
before Great Lent.  Their October general meeting appropriately fell on
Old-Calendar Ss. Sergius' and Bacchus' feast day.

 OTHER NEWS

Two of our members are working on a prayer book project.  It will tentatively
contain prayers for first, third, sixth and ninth hours, Vespers, Compline and
 other prayers.  We may also include excerpts from Adelphopoiia.  The prayer
book is designed to be used by the laity for private and public devotions.
 Anyone who would like to help or has any comments should contact Nick at
(718) 805-1952.

Vespers & Lecture at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection

On Wednesday, February 8, 1995 at 6 p.m., after the regular Vespers service
held there every Wednesday, there will be a lecture by Ruzica Cupic on  "The
Life of  St. John Maximovitch, in whom heaven and earth met together." The
announcement is as follows:

Who glorifies God, God glorifies him.  St. Maximovitch (of Shanghai) has left
us for a short time (d. 1966 in Seattle) in order to come back to us in even
a greater glory (canonized as a saint in 1994 in San Francisco).

Through the life of St. John Maximovitch, God has not only revealed Himself
and the truths about the "other world," but has also revealed the truths of
this world.  St. John's "life after life," manifested through many miracles
and healings, cannot be ascribed to a dead man but to the Resurrected and
alive, as the relics of the saint witness.

Homophobia Rears its Ugly Head in St. Sophia Quarterly

The latest issue of St. Sophia Quarterly, published by the Ukranian Orthodox
Church of the USA in Bound Brook, NJ (one of two Ukranian jurisdictions in the
 U.S.), contained two articles attempting to discredit John Boswell and his
research.  Considering its tone of smug self-righteousness, one wonders if
the authors also timed the article's publication to  coincide with his death.
 It is telling that all that they can draw upon are lame stereotypes and
taking statements out of context.

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The first article is "Flaming in Byzantium?" by Frederica Mathewes-Green.
 Despite the fact that she was recently a speaker at a conference
co-sponsored by PLAGAL (Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians), she seems to
be quite ignorant when it comes to the gay and lesbian community, not to
mention the topic of Adelphopoiia on which she attempts to speak with
authority.  However, even the Pharisees of Our Lord's time, with all of their
false "authoritative" teachings, did not resort to attempting to discredit by
saying that an opponent is ugly.  Yet that is precisely what she attempts to
do: first she carps about Boswell's face as pictured on the back cover of
Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe: counting on the arousal of stereotypical
prejudice by describing Boswell as effeminate in several ways while
criticizing the Gothic arch in the background, making a sarcastic remark that
this implies "Serious Scholarship."  Certainly more serious than Frederica,
who devotes the first two paragraphs to her opinion of Boswell's personal
appearance and the next to a similar criticism of Ss. Sergius and Bacchus'
appearance, which doesn't stop her from later trying to take the high ground
by praising the saints and implying that Boswell felt they only loved each
other and not God.

Without providing evidence for her view, she dismisses Boswell's work by
interspersing her comments with such excerpts as "United not in the way of
nature, but in the manner of faith," their martyrology runs, "always singing
and saying, 'Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to abide in
oneness!'" -- Frederica, not having a clue about the implication of this
quote for "against nature" arguments against homosexuality, says Boswell
"bent over backwards to prove that homosexuals use the term 'brother' to mean
'lover' [citing ancient and modern sources] including ample evidence from
the...so-called gay community.  Aside from showing her ignorance and
prejudice about the gaiety in our community after enjoying its hospitality,
all of the evidence she can present for her view is one quote from a Catholic
University professor who said "Here we find disingenuousness opening the door
to ingenuity."

The other article stoops lower: "In the newest National AIDS Awareness
Catalog we have proof once again of Nazi propagandist extraordinaire, Josef
Goebbel's, truth about the Big Lie: keep repeating a falsehood and,
eventually, it will be believed."  The reason for this truly bizarre
statement is that the catalog is selling a medallion picturing an icon of Ss.
Sergius and Bacchus.  

Perhaps these writers forget that the Orthodox Church has preserved its faith
intact through the ages in spite of, rather than because of, distorters such
as them, who would attempt to discredit a large part of the Holy Tradition of
our Church based on their own narrow prejudices.  

(Note: Any readers who would like to comment to Frederica Mathewes-Green
should contact her c/o Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Catonsville,
MD, not at St. Sophia Quarterly).

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