Rembrandt's 'The Baptism of the Eunuch' painting.

What Can We Learn from The Ethiopian Eunuch?

May 2, 2021Posted inSermons
In our first reading today we encountered a character from the New Testament who, I believe, is sadly too oftern neglected – The Ethiopian Eunuch. Yet there are, of course two Ethiopian Eunuchs in the biblical cannon. And the other is in which book?… no need to all shout at once! Yes the first Ethiopian Eunuch mentioned in the Bible in actually Ebed-Melech in Chapter 38 of the Book of Jeremiah. In that story Ebed-Melech is an official of the King of Judah. Ebed-Melech saves the day in that story by leading a crack team of soldiers to rescue the prophet Jeremiah from a cistern that he has been thrown into (a cistern as in a waterproof well type structure used to collect rainwater – not a flushing toilet cistern).

Queerness, Shepherds and the Holy Family

December 30, 2020Posted inSermons
Liturgically it is not too late for another Christmas address. We are, technically on day 5 of what is a 12-day long festival of Christmastide! The life of Jesus queered social boundaries from the start. Who outside the Holy Family should hear of his birth first but shepherds. Shepherds were, according to the religious orthodoxy of the day, seen as ritually and physically unclean. They were at the mercy of the constant demands of their flocks and had no time for the meticulous program of ceremonial hygiene that would have been demanded of the average person.

Pride in Tying Times: Princess Dresses and Stormy Seas

October 11, 2020Posted inSermons
I have to start by saying how wonderful it is to be preaching to what for many years was my home congregation while I lived, worked, and studied in the wonderful city that is Leeds. This must be a really odd time of you as a congregation. You would, in any other year, be recovering from putting on a host of activities as a part of Leeds Pride. However, with 2020 being the year that it is, it was sadly not to be. Pride may not have been the same this year and I cannot possibly make up for that with a sermon – but I’m going to try. Just for you – and whoever is watching this online afterwards – I am going to try to make this my most Queer Theology packed sermon yet!