Report of the 7-th Forum of LGBT Christianity Groups from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The 7-th Forum of LGBT Christianity Groups from Eastern Europe and Central Asia took place in Samara, Russia from 11 to 14 September 2014.
The forum was organized by the organizing committee, which includes some members from different LGBT Christianity organizations such as: LGBT organization "Avers" (Samara), LGBT ministry “Nuntiare et Recreare” (Saint-Petersburg), Open Christian Community "Light of the World" (Moscow), the “Queer-Credo” Organization (Kiev), the Association of Estonian Gay Christians. And also some volunteers who do not belong to any organization took part in the Organization Committee of Forum of LGBT Christianity Groups. The Forum gathered by over 50 participants from five countries such as: Russia, France, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Estonia.
Lectures, trainings and workshops in small groups on LGBT and Christian topics were held on the seventh Forum. The themes of the Forum of LGBT Christians in 2014 were:
1 My dignity as an LGBT Christian.
2 The creation of borders by a Christian. (How to avoid conflicts in interpersonal relationships).
3 What we can do, when nothing is possible to do: resisting violence and helplessness.
4 Overcoming internalized homophobia.
5 Technology of mental and intelligence maps as a tool of manipulation protection.
6 A transgender person in a theological perspective.
7 Jesus Christ and human rights.
8 What does it mean to build relationships in our Christian communities?
9 Coming out to parents.
10 Pastoral Work: Work on HIV prevention, work with HIV-positive people.
11 Places in the Bible which condemned homosexuality: mistakes in translation, deception or delusion?
12 Daring to dream in times of changing (hardness, courage in resisting homophobia/transphobia in the church and in society).
13 What are our parents’ fears.
14 Radical Inclusion - the method of Jesus Christ.
As plenary speakers and leaders of small groups there were theologians, priests, experienced church leaders, believers from different churches who accept LGBT people. They were representatives of different schools and directions of theology who shared the idea that sexual orientation is a God-given component of the human nature, and any attempts to change it are a direct interference in the plan of God for a specific person. And there should be freedom to serve and to pray for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation in the Church of Christ.
Participants of the Forum had an opportunity to improve their knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity. Also they had an opportunity to discuss various differences of theological views about homosexuality. The Forum helped the participants in giving more knowledge, which in the future will be used for enlightenment tasks for profit of LGBT Community. The Forum provided an unique opportunity for LGBT believers to communicate with each other, with the current pastor, to gain useful knowledge including advocacy work in churches that is necessary for leaders of LGBT Christianity groups working in different regions of Russia.
Each participant could find the seminar that is the most interesting for him(her). The main discussion was built around such topics as understanding of homosexuality and transgender in the light of Bible’s texts, relationship between human rights and the rights of LGBT people, different methods for solving everyday’s problems that are important for LGBT community (coming out to colleges at the working place, relationship with parents and children (who are openly LGBT), "liberation from internalized homophobia" etc.
In the evening there were film showings. The Forum’s participants had opportunity to watch the first film about LGBT Christianity Movement in Russia (“Hate me in vain” by Julia Maciy) and documentary film “Fish out of water” by Kai Dickens. This film was about nine Bible positions that are often used to convict homosexuality.
During the Forum, participants had an opportunity to receive the Blessing from priests, who attended at the Forum. Also at the Forum disseminated some literature such as booklets that described some of activities of LGBT Human rights organizations, shared information about new projects in the field of protection of the rights of LGBT citizens.
At the end of the Forum the Resolution of the Forum of LGBT Christianity Groups from Eastern Europe and Central Asia was accepted. It will be send to the most of the Christian churches in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We want the voice of LGBT Christians to be heard by the churches, either bishops and church leaders or ordinary believers.