Faith Dance

The Sacred Friendships Project

"From the first he loved me with an intensity of love, which was unaccountable." This is not a statement of romantic love. It is not even a love between a man and woman. It is about friendship-love, love between Catholic saint John Henry Newman and his friend, Ambrose St. John. Newman made this statement at his deceased friend's funeral. 

The Sacred Friendships Project consists of six individuals, three men and three women who wish to explore the sacredness of friendship without limitations.  We want to respect others and other traditions. Romantic love does not have a monopoly on all deep love stories between men and women. Stories of paired friendship-love are journeys toward communion with God and our neighbor. Chaste, but powerfully close friendships resist formulaic roles in marriage, friendship, and society. In the Christian story, men and women were made for each other--they are called into the communion of love. What would male-female relationships look like in marriages and friendship if every man and woman could know the spiritual richness and beauty of oneness between genders? What would our churches look like if men and women sought deep communion with God and with each other? 

We gather to explore the possibilities of creating a safe place to talk about our friendships with each other regardless of gender.  

If you are on Facebook, I invite to check out, The Sacred Friendships Project.

 

 

2010: A Look Back into the Sacred Unions Sacred Passions Journey

Looking back on 2010: it was a wild ride that started with the publishing of Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions. It was quite an experience in publishing a provocative, rather controversial book. In January, the process of publishing appeared almost over (it would be in February). The first month in 2010 was filled with intensity for various reasons. If I could choose, I would not like to experience another month like I did in January for a looooong time. What was going to make the book unique was my intention to embrace the virtue of friendships between men and women--including close passionate friendships.  One can be "progressive" in their ecclesiology (you know, the postmodern "communal" emphasis trend) and hold to romantic-sexual fundamentalism (think Billy Graham being unwilling to ride alone in a car with another woman). The fear of any sexual scripts beyond the Ozzie and Harriet, the 1950's suburban, romantic idealized couple in many Christian communities is pretty strong. Sexual politics of fear, control, forced submission, blanket rules, oppression, either-or's,--these are well known dynamics in the Christian community when it comes to male-female sexuality. They are alive and well.