New York Chapter Plain ASCII Online Edition N E W S L E T T E R Vol. 12, No. 3 AXIOS USA Inc. May-June 1995 Eastern & Orthodox Christian Gay Men and Women +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In this issue: Cover: Icon of St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco The Centurion's WHAT?...................p. 3 Chapter News............................p. 4 from Chicago, DC, L.A., Boston, NOLA, and Canada. General News............................p. 4-5 Russian HIV Law, Rhode Island non-discrimination, Pride Marches, R.I.P. Fr. Nedelson. Letters to the Editor...................p. 6 NCC si, Teoctist no Who does the "Christian Coalition" represent?.............................p. 7 Pentecost 1995 The Holy Spirit Back cover: Picture of Axios USA marching past the United Nations during Stonewall 25 march, June 26, 1994. Represented are the New York, Washington, DC, Chicago and Pennsylvania chapters. Icon of the Holy Spirit =========================================================== [begin page 2] A X I O S ------------------------ \ _|_ / \ __|__ / \ | / \ \| / \ |\ / \/ 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, lives of saints, 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. Material submitted for publication should be in plain text (ASCII), WordPerfect, or Windows Write format; also Macintosh text or "Stuffit" files (if by modem, disk, or e-mail), or clearly typed (if faxed or mailed); please call ahead before sending via fax or modem. Axios meets in New York on the second Friday of each month (the next meeting will be June 9, 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 for Axios are still $18 per year, which includes a subscription to this newsletter, and voting privileges in our elections. Our ad only covers part of the cost of each newsletter, so please be sure to send your dues as soon as possible. Please make checks payable to: Axios. 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. Our mailing address is: Axios P.O. Box 990, Village Station New York, NY 10014-0704 Telephones: (718) 805-1952 (voice/fax/modem) (212) 989-6211 (voice) (718) 463-2901 (voice) E-mail: AxiosUSA@aol.com URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ba/battweb/axios/axios.html =========================================================== [begin page 3] Thoughts on the Healing of the Centurion’s Servant Smaragdinopoleos K. Pasisozis Years ago, before even becoming Orthodox, I read Sholem Asch’s novel The Nazarene. In its account of the healing of the Centurion’s servant, it said something I found surprising and shocking. The very idea was unthinkable. The author suggested that the Centurion and his servant were lovers. However, my spiritual adventures and studies during the last year have provided me with a new insight into this passage and its implications. The relevant passages are Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. Matthew uses the word pais. Luke mostly calls him his doulos. In Matthew and Luke, the Centurion says, ‘I say to my doulos ‘Do this,’ and he does it’. Doulos is the generic word for servant, which Luke uses throughout his account, but quotes the Centurion as calling him his pais. Matthew refers to this sick person in question consistently as a pais. Pais is a very telling word, filled with many meanings. It can mean servant. It can mean boy. It can mean a servant who is a boy, such as a page. And do not forget that ‘boy’ was any male below the age of adulthood. However, pais also has another meaning: something we can politely call ‘boy-toy.’ As we know, this was a very common arrangement in the Græco-Roman world. Do not forget the armies of lovers that existed in classical times. (The ancient attitude towards gays in the military should provide an example for modern policy, but I digress.) Observe that the Centurion was concerned about the welfare of his pais. Slaves, like chattels and other "non-humans", were cheap. If the pais were a mere common garden-variety slave, would the Centurion have been so solicitous for his welfare and have sought Our Savior’s help? Luke says that the pais was ‘dear’ (entimos) to the Centurion. And notice that the Centurion himself in both accounts consistently distinguishes between his pais and his doulos. Thus, considering the careful distinction in these passages between doulos and pais, it is very possible, indeed probable, on the basis of the original Greek, that this was in fact the relationship between the Centurion and his pais. Notice that the Savior says nothing at all about this relationship for good or ill, as He did in His interview with St. Photini the Samaritan woman, when He commented on her love life. In this case, while He did not censure her, she felt his gentle disapproval by His mere mention of her life-style. Remember also how He so strongly condemned the Pharisees, calling them ‘adulterers.’ But with the Centurion, rather than condemning or even mentioning an immoral relationship -- He did not so much as hint at its existence -- He compliments the Centurion’s faith, saying that He had ‘not seen such faith -- even in Israel.’ God Incarnate was Himself struck with wonder at his faith. (There are only two other such persons in the Gospel, and all three are Gentiles, by the way.) I do not claim to be a skilled exegete. And I am certainly no Chrysostom, or even Asch. Nor do I intend to merely tickle ears. Those who know me know I say that there are just enough hints like this scattered throughout our Holy Tradition to keep me in a state of stimulating uncertainty; it would be much easier just to be an outlaw. But I hope these lines provide food for thought for others. (Advertisement) Konstantinos J. Antonopoulos Orthodox Funeral Director A N T O N O P O U L O S F U N E R A L H O M E, I N C. Available for questions and to advise on pre-arrangements, last will and testament or any other questions one may have. Services are available in all communities. 38-08 Ditmars Boulevard (718) 728-8500 Astoria, New York 11105 1 800 281-8486 =========================================================== [begin page 4] Chapter News Chicago: This chapter had a very successful anniversary party celebrating its first year of existence. A local priest gave the blessing, after which a festive meal was had. The funds raised were donated to the AIDS Task Force of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago. Axios Chicago now meets monthly and has numerous activities planned all over the Chicago area. The coordinator, Michael, just moved to a new location (7 blocks away) and can now be reached at (312) 271-1027. Washington, D.C.: The D.C. chapter of Axios will be having its monthly meeting on Friday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church (18th & Church St. NW), and will have an information table at the Pride festival on Sunday (June 18). Some New York chapter members may join them. Call Niko at (202) 387-5326 for up-to-date information on D.C. Pride Weekend activities. Los Angeles, CA: The original chapter of Axios, founded back in 1980, is forming a choir to practice for Vespers, and a reader group. The director, George, is an experienced choir director who has served in various Orthodox churches in the Los Angeles area. The Axios World-Wide Web site, run by this chapter at the URL of ftp:://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ba/battweb/axios/axios.html, is in the process of being mirrored (duplicated) on the Queer Resources Directory (QRD), a repository of worldwide information on nonheterosexual communities, which, unlike the current site, has unlimited storage space. This new site is being maintained by the New York and Los Angeles chapters, and is at vector.casti.com under the directories /pub/QRD/religion/eastern.orthodox and /pub/QRD/orgs/AXIOS. Since the QRD is mirrored at quite a few other sites around the world, this information will be available at these sites also. Axios, and Axios events, are also listed in the International Sexual Minorities Information Resource (ISMIR), in Pittsburgh, PA. Boston, MA: Axios - Boston has just been formed. For information, or to help out, please call (617) 623-5768 or write P.O. Box 380739, Cambridge, MA 02238. New Orleans, LA: The New Orleans chapter may now be reached at (504) 885-6856, and also by e-mail at: 75672.3302@compuserve.com. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Axios - Edmonton is now meeting at the Lesbian/Gay Centre of Edmonton, having had their first meeting there on May 21. Please contact the chapter for a schedule of meetings and events, or to volunteer. Call Dushan at (403) 454-8449 or e-mail him at dbednars@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca. Other News Yeltsin signs restrictive AIDS law Moscow, Russia (April 3): Russian president Boris Yeltsin signed a law which will require travelers to Russia to prove that they don't test positive to HIV if they are staying for 90 days or longer. The law is scheduled to take effect on August 1, and will require deportation of HIV-positive foreign residents. In February, the bill was approved by parliament with little opposition, after Yeltsin vetoed a more draconian version which did not exempt those staying in Russia for less than 90 days. The law expands on legislation passed during the Soviet era which required mandatory HIV testing for some foreigners, particularly students from Africa. This old law, which took effect in 1990, has resulted in the deportation of about 400 people. Officially, 890 people in Russia have tested positive for HIV, but this number may not be much more accurate than Soviet-era statistics. Russia has a very low degree of AIDS awareness with regard to treatment and prevention; clinics often lack disposable syringes and are notoriously unsanitary. As a result, foreigners often avoid Russian clinics lest they catch HIV, hepatitis, or another disease there. The measure is widely seen as a result of general ignorance of HIV-related information which inappropriately blames, while doing nothing to actually stop AIDS. In particular, even government officials acknowledge that they can neither implement the law nor afford its implementation. The Foreign Ministry said that the UPDK is responsible for the implementation of the law, but a spokesperson for the UPDK said that not only are they unfamiliar with the law but that implementing it would be "overwhelming." It is felt that since the government is unable to afford or manage the full implementation of this law, it will be used selectively as a pretext against visitors that the government wishes to exclude for other reasons. [continued on page 5] =========================================================== [begin page 5] According to the U.S. State Department, about 43 nations require foreigners to undergo some form of AIDS testing, but these rules vary widely. Visitors to the U.S., for example, are not required to be tested for HIV but must state on their visa application form whether they are HIV positive. Known HIV-positive individuals are only admitted to the U.S. via a special waiver, and the INS may deport any HIV-positive aliens already in the U.S. Rhode Island Bans Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Providence, RI: On May 19, the Rhode Island Senate approved a bill adding sexual orientation, defined as "homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality," to the state's non-discrimination codes. The vote was 26-21, and the bill was subsequently signed into law by Governor Lincoln C. Almond. The non-discrimination code prohibits individuals and institutions from discrimination in the granting of employment, housing, credit and public accomodations. The governor stated in the Providence Journal-Bulletin that the bill "just affirms constitutional protections for homosexuals and lesbians" and is not "significantly controversial." This is the 11th year that such a bill has been introduced into the state legislature. In order to defeat the bill, opponents had unsuccessfully attempted to amend it to exempt the Boy Scouts of America from its employment provisions, to extend the religious-organization exemption to individuals, and to raise the minimum number of employee threshold from 4 to 25. They attempted to put the bill to a referendum, and finally to remove the religious organization exemption in order to erode support for the bill. The state's first and only openly-gay elected official, State Senator William P. Fitzpatrick (D-Cranston), quoted Oscar Wilde on the Senate floor, saying "I can claim on my side that I realize what I have suffered. Society should realize what it has inflicted on me. There should be no bitterness or hate on either side." The successful passage of this bill was credited to a broad alliance of religious, labor, and civil-rights organizations, including PFLAG and the Interfaith Coalition. Rhode Island now joins Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, California, Hawaii and Minnesota in legislatively affirming equal constitutional protection for lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Pride Marches Axios participated in the Queens Pride March and Festival on Sunday, June 4, in Jackson Heights, NY. Other Pride marches and festivals in which Axios expects to participate are in Huntington, Long Island on June 11, Washington, DC on June 18, and New York City on June 25. The route of the New York City march will be the usual one from West 59th St. and Central Park West, along 59th St. and then 5th Av. to the Village, not the different route taken during Stonewall 25 last year. Marches all begin at noon. Axios needs volunteers to staff the information table at the New York City festival; we can also run a concession stand (the proceeds going to Axios) in conjunction with Heritage of Pride, provided that we have enough volunteers. Obituary: Archimandrite Theodore Nedelson Brooklyn, NY (Orthodox Observer) -- Archimandrite Theodore Nedelson (Nedelios) died March 19 in a Brooklyn hospital after a long illness. He was born in 1951 in Constantinople. His family moved to New York in 1960. After he graduated from Louis D. Brandeis High School he went to Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and received his degree after four years. He also continued his education at Fordham University and at the General Theological Seminary, where he received a masters in theology. He was ordained a deacon in June 1977 at Holy Trinity Church in Wilmington, Del. The following month he was ordained to the priesthood at Transfiguration Church in Corona, N.Y., by Bishop Philotheos of Meloa. After his ordination, Fr. Theodore was assigned as the second priest at Transfiguration Church where he served until 1979. He then became head priest of Sts. Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he served 10 years; he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in December of 1981 by Bishop Philotheos of Meloa. His next assignment was St. Demetrios in Jamaica, N.Y. (1989-91), then St. Paraskevi, in Greenlawn, N.Y. (1991-93). He also served for brief periods at Annunciation Church in Manhattan and at St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria. He was seriously ill the past few years. Funeral services took place March 22 at Sts. Constantine and Helen Church with Bishops Philotheos of Meloa, Athenagoras of Dorylaion and Alexios of Troas officiating in place of Archbishop Iakovos, who was in Constantinople at the time. + Aiwnia i mnimi -- Eternal memory + =========================================================== [begin page 6] 5 Letters to the Editor NCC is worthwhile: don't put our heads in the sand To the Editor: Christ is risen! Truly he is risen! As an Orthodox Christian who is a member of both Axios/New York City and Integrity/Memphis, I would like to respond to the article by Mr. Pasisozis. (Seattle? I assumed the pseudonym "Smaragdinopoleos" referred to the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.) I rejoice in our Church's historic comrnitment to greater understanding and cooperation among Christians. While we as Orthodox have much to share, we also have much to learn from our fellow Christians -- Catholic and Protestant, liberal and conservative -- if we would but lay aside our Orthodox arrogance. What could the Orthodox possibly learn from other churches? How about coming to church on time every Sunday? Congregational singing? Regular reception of Holy Communion? Stewardship? Evangelism? Philanthropy? Accurate membership statistics? Higher standards of instruction in Sunday Schools and in seminaries? Standard English grammar and punctuation in liturgical texts? Reappraisal of the roles of women and gay people? The last item is the real reason Archbishop Iakovos and SCOBA (John Taktikos and I called them "Jake and the Fat Men") stormed out of the NCC in 1991. (Ironically, the NCC had elected its first Orthodox president earlier that year.) Quitting the NCC means further isolating the Orthodox from progressive trends on women and homosexuality. It is not in our interest at all. Yes, the National Council of Churches is dominated by theologically liberal Protestants. Yes, it often subordinates religious to pohtical ends and excludes those who are not "politically correct." These are legitimate complaints. However, many of the NCC's most ardent critics are quite open in trying to align us with theologically conservative Protestants and their political ends (Besides being in the closet, Mr. Pasisozis admits he has Pentecostal sympathies. Why on earth was he chosen to speak for us?). Many Orthodox have swallowed the Christian Right hook, line, and sinker, becoming more intolerant and politicized than the NCC. I am not much more comfortable telling people in my parish that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat than telling them I'm gay. We have turned into Southern Baptists with incense. Whee! Imperfect as it is, I would take the NCC any day. At least the liberals pay lip service to diversity and tolerance. When we appeal to these values in an adult manner, we are taken seriously. If, however, we keep flinging ourselves onto the floor and threatening to hold our breath until we turn blue, the NCC will call our bluff and bid us good riddance, along with the kamilavka we rode in on. The bottom line is this: Liberals and conservatives alike need to admit that Christians can and do reach different conclusions on social and political issues. As a pro-life Democrat, I embrace the pro-choice Republican to affirm that "Christ is in our midst." As Augustine said, "Unity in essentials. Liberty in non-essentials. Charity in all things." Tim Bullard Memphis, TN Patriarch Teoctist supported the Communist regime at the expense of the Church To the Editor: In reference to Patriarch Teoctist's observations on homosexuals [in the Mar.-Apr. issue], isn't it strange that he kept so silent when innocent individuals including his own clergy and laity were being tortured by [former Stalinist dictator of Romania Nicolae] Ceausescu's goons? How is it that he's finally found his tongue after all these years? [The Romanian people] remember who praised Ceausescu more than a month before he was deposed [on the fortieth anniversary of Ceausescu's coming to power, saying how happy the Romanian people are to have Ceausescu]. Now that he finally has freedom of speech, he attacks homosexuals, as well as Eastern-Rite Catholics maintaining Orthodox liturgical practice in communion with Rome. What would St. John Chrysostom, exiled because of his opposition to the ruler of his time, say? Dimitrios Philopoulos Elmhurst, NY =========================================================== [begin page 7] Does the Christian Coalition speak for Catholic & Greek Orthodox Christians? by Paula Xanthopoulou When Christian Coalition (CC) Executive Director Ralph Reed talks about who agrees with his organization and/or who the CC works for or represents, he often refers to "born-again evangelicals, traditionalists, Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox." He talks about 3340 million "people of faith" who self-identified themselves as such during network exit polls last November. But does that give him the right to refer to Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Americans as if they were somehow part of his constituency? In an interview on April 23rd with the Dallas Morning News, he went on to say: "So we are educating them, training them, and encouraging them to get involved in the political party of their choice..." What exactly does this mean? What relationship do Americans of the above faiths have to evangelical Christians and/or the Christian Coalition? Is Mr. Reed being sincere in his comments, or just trying to opportunistically validate his efforts and draw more people in? Spokespeople for the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church have told c.c.watch that they are not happy about Mr. Reed’s comments. Roman Catholics oppose abortion as a matter of faith. They will express that belief and act on that issue when necessary as a church--sometimes in coalition with other faiths or groups, but not in any one monolithic, political effort...the signing of the "Catholics and Evangelicals Together" statement in March of ’94 notwithstanding. But there are social issues besides abortion which are important to a conservative Catholic Church--and separate it from rightwing political agendas/groups and a conservative Congress. In December, the National Bishops Conference sent this message: "They remain unshakable supporters of Catholic social teaching, particularly their own, as it affects the poor, the oppressed, the immigrant, the threatened, the uneducated, and the sick. On the life issues and human dignity as they affect the broader society, the bishops are not willing to compromise." An example? The Archbishop of Orange County, Bishop Norman McFarland, and most of his priests opposed Proposition 187 last fall in California (_National Catholic Reporter_, December 2, 1994). The Roman Catholic Church does not appreciate being "coupled" with the Christian Coalition or having their faith used for political purposes. A spokesperson for the Florida Bishop’s Conference was taken aback to hear about a letter sent to someone asking the Christian Coalition of Florida for information. It says, in part: "We are a coalition of pro-family Roman Catholics and Evangelicals working together to promote Biblical values in politics and public policy." The press spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America told c.c.watch that there is "no official connection whatsoever" between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Christian Coalition. Greek Orthodox Theologian Philemon Sevastiades--recognizing that the Church cannot control what every individual member is thinking or doing--elaborated upon his objections to Mr. Reed’s reference to Greek Orthodox Christians. Living one’s faith through social action is one thing, he explained. But working with other religions in such a political manner is not consistent with Eastern Orthodox theology: "Our Church does not see political agendas as a primary definer of faith. There is no political litmus test for a good Orthodox Christian." Rev. Deacon Sevastiades goes on to say: "We may agree on some issues, but the manner in which we express our opposition is vastly different but just as rooted, in an Orthodox way. There are other ways to express a conservative theology than their way. For the Evangelical movement, legislation often seems to take the place of theology. A position on social issues comes after theology, not before." Deacon Sevastiades says that the Church would not condone its members taking political action like physically preventing someone from having an abortion. Forcing a religious belief on someone else would be considered "un-Christian, a profound sin, and against civil law." Other issues that concern him are: (1) Evangelical discomfort with "ethnic religious types"; and (2) the fact that Mr. Reed does seem to demonstrate enough knowledge about the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches to mention them. Deacon Sevastiades would not condone membership by Greek Orthodox in the Christian Coalition and/or the contribution of money to a group with such a political agenda and ties to the Evangelical movement--which in other places (Russia, Eastern Europe) actively seeks to draw people away from Orthodox Christianity. This article is from the newsletter "cc watch," published by Public-Spirited Enterprises. It may only be reproduced in its entirety. For further information, contact them directly at 3741 NE 163rd St, Suite 311, Sunny Isles, FL 33160-4140; phone 305/759-7193; E-mail: Watch97@aol.com. =========================================================== [begin page 8 -- back cover] [See table of contents for description of graphics] =========================================================== [End of Axios Newsletter Volume 12, Number 3]