Is anyone following Steve Chalke on twitter?

[Sausagenbacon]

Steve Chalke on Twitter: "Read the responses to my tweet below. The point is proved. Those who’re different are often silenced. But singled out beyond others now are trans people; buried under the kind of abuse that 30 yrs ago was saved for those who are gay, & 2,000 yrs ago was heaped on Jesus himself." / Twitter
I'm not sure if the link works - anyway, he used Stonewall statistics about trans suicide rates, and was pulled up on it by Justin Webb. Then apologised. Then said his lived experience supported it ('so there'). Has tweeted earlier today complained that he's been assassinated on twitter (i.e. people are disagreeing with him) and comparing himself with Jesus. And has tweeted again, doubling down on it. Very exciting.

Yes to all this. Liberal Christian spaces and organisations totally capitulated to the 'no debate' thing also.

The two spaces which have at times in the past meant a fair bit to me are Greenbelt (which you mention) and the Ship of Fools forums, where I used to spend a bit of time back in the day and where I met some people who are now good friends.

When I first went to Greenbelt there was certainly still debate about issues around sexuality but it was always respectful and there was room for everyone. SoF was less respectful (what with being an internet forum) and fairly heated debate was common but I never saw anyone booted for their views. Their expression of their views, yes, but not the views themselves.

I don't think the same would hold true about discussions on gender. It's TWAW, sacred journey of transition, be kind, or nothing.

I considered going back to Greenbelt this year (it's the 50th year), but they've got Jolyon Maugham on the bill and I just... can't.

I considered going back to Greenbelt this year (it's the 50th year), but they've got Jolyon Maugham on the bill and I just... can't.

Will fit right in along Jack Monroe and Carrie and David Grant.

What’s Jolly doing?

Live fox beating in a borrowed kimono?

David and Carrie Grant! I knew there was someone else on the bill who rang gender-woo bells. Isn't there a Steve Chalke connection there as well?

I've heard Jack Monroe at greenbelt before and really enjoyed it but I think it might have been in the early days of her.

I went. Had a great time.
And I love your quote!

Ah yes - I liked Jack Monroe at Greenbelt a few years back - then read the threads on here about what she's really like!

To avoid confusion, it was Mary Magdalene who was first to see Him.

I have been sebadarching for a file and finding othersm and yesterday found where I haf corralled some early so-called Christians, some called Saints and it ruined Easter for me. The poison spilled by Tertullian, Origen, John Chrysostom, Ambrose and others, and circulated and approved by the establishment, I don't think Chalke has gone that evil.

Searching, bad got in from the end.

I remember a few years ago someone asked SC a question about some other topic he'd been speaking on at some event, and basically the response they got was that he knew best and not to ask questions!!

These posts are encouraging - love your response Whitefire! Recently I only mentioned J K Rowling interview in circles of progressive faith and the chat was quickly shut down, because could potentially become dehumanising for T and so it does make you question yourself - am I walking in love?

Have just looked at the Greenbelt line up for 2023. Lots of cross dressers there. Looks like the liberal church has been captured. Which is ironic really, considering the liberal church is supposed to reject unscientific interpretation eg the earth is 5000 years old etc. But now adopting a new superstition?

Shame they don't have JK Rowling and championing for women's rights really!

Steve Chalke used to be a well respected evangelical but has rejected a lot of the Bible now. The Bible reserves some strong words for those in authority who lead people astray. He seems to be popular with the establishment , frequently rolled out as some kind of education expert. He seems rather too thinly spread to be an expert on anything, with multiple charities and schools to run, being a vicar, an author and speaker. He seems to have lost any critical thinking around women. Jesus particularly chose Mary Magdalene to be the first witness as women were considered not worth listening to. He made sure people had to listen to her and believe her testimony. Steve seems to just want people to ' be kind', with no real thoughts as to how that affects women.

I used to be a Greenbelt regular. I have friends inviting me to go this year as it's the 50th anniversary. But I looked at the lineup and my heart sank. I won't go because I'll be too angry at the festival's uncritical TWAW line.

I'm fed up with the agenda in Greenbelt and other Christian circles being set by a noisy group of post-evangelicals. They look back on the evangelical world they used to be a part of as narrow and repressive in terms of sex and sexuality (and often it was).

They now conclude that to avoid the mistakes of their own past, they have to be uncritically pro-self-ID, dismiss even the most reasonable talking therapy as transphobia or (most damning of all) 'conversion' therapy, and see transitioning as a 'sacred journey'.

Other concerns such as protecting women's rights and spaces, and safeguarding confused adolescents, don't get a look in. Somehow those don't fit the 'just be kind; just be true to yourself' agenda.

I know lots of these people. My provisional conclusions:
• Many leading post-evangelicals are as narrow-minded as they ever used to be. They've just switched sides. Becoming liberal doesn't mean becoming more open-minded. It just means you rant about different things and demonise different groups.
• A lot of them are not that bright, and lack intellectual curiosity.

I don't agree with Steve on this issue but I still have a lot of time for him.

Gosh, is he still busy? He was a big cheese already in the mid-90s. I went to some sort of events that had oasis speakers, iirc. Lots of dewy handmaiden types giving long accounts of the suffering of Christ on the cross. Have often thought of them in connection with the spirit and gender dynamics of the trans movement; did not realize there is a more direct link.

I also saw the Greenbelt line up recently and sighed. It was such a special event when I was younger. Last year went to Big Church Day Out for the first time and although doesn't have the campaigning/alternative vibe of Greenbelt we loved it.
Have also been reading Steve Chalke's tweets with growing disappointment. I have met him a few times because he was on the board/supported a small Christian organisation I was a part of. He was always encouraging but also helped sensibly guide the organisation. Now it seems he is "captured" which does worry me as also had an Oasis funded youth worker at our church growing up. I wonder what is on the Oasis training programme now for youth workers?

I am pleased you had a good time. It wasn't the actual quote I was looking for, but I can't remember where I saw the one I was after.

Sigh. I was a huge fan of SC as a teen! Watched lessons in love on VHS with my youth group, we took part in the Christmas cafe thing and 24 hour famine to raise money for... Something?!
He's totally captured now and it's concerning that he heads up one of the largest multi-academy trusts in England, plus a growing church. I think so many Christians are like expressed by a PP, they're ashamed of how gay people were treated by the church in the past and think that transgender people are in the same persecuted category so are determined to prioritise their needs. I could see the way Greenbelt was going when they had a transwoman c of e vicar to speak. So sad. I wouldn't go back now.

@MrsJamin “I think so many Christians are like expressed by a PP, they're ashamed of how gay people were treated by the church in the past and think that transgender people are in the same persecuted category so are determined to prioritise their needs.”
I think you’re right.