Event details from the University of South Wales:
“In 2004, the Church in Wales published an issue of its journal Theology on ‘The Church and Homosexuality: A Contribution to the Debate’. As the contributors represented a wide range of views, it gives a picture of what the Church in Wales was thinking at that time, and probably reflects the state of the discussion in the churches generally.
The historian Norena Shopland is compiling a comprehensive resource on LGBTQ+ history in Wales. She has consulted the Church in Wales and obtained permission to reproduce this journal as part of the project, and the University of South Wales Chaplaincy is helping her to re-visit it as part of LGBTQ+ History Month on its 20th anniversary and to see how the past can inform our continuing journey to build an accepting society in which all may know the unconditional love of God.
Much has changed in the past twenty years, in legislation, in society, and in the attitude of the churches. The Chaplaincy invites you to a series of three open lunchtime meetings (1.00 – 2.00 pm) at the Meeting House on the Treforest campus.
On January 25th Norena Shopland will talk about the history project and the 2004 journal’s importance for it. Some of the original contributors to the journal will then tell us something of its background, its effects, and the changes that have happened since its publication.
On February 8th representatives of different faiths have been invited to talk about the challenges their faith community faces on LGBTQ+ issues and how it is engaging with them. This will hopefully lead on to a discussion of whether the faiths can work together to open and promote helpful conversation.
The final session, on February 15th, will be looking at the future – what changes still need to happen, and what contribution faith communities can make to a conversation that promotes mutual understanding and help people move forward together.
We warmly invite you to any or all of these sessions. We recognise that you may be under time restraint. Please feel free to stay for as much time as you can.”