Living in the Tension — Monday, Feb. 9

February 6, 2015 By Andrew Marin

Join us on Monday, January 12th for our first Living in the Tension Gathering of 2015. We’ll be watching and discussing ethicist Dr. David Gushee’s recent keynote address at The Reformation Project Training Conference, “Ending the Teaching of Contempt against the Church’s Sexual Minorities.” As always, we will meet at 7 pm at 5255 N Ashland Ave in Room 124. Also, for anyone who’s interested, we meet for dinner beforehand at 5:15 pm at Lady Gregory’s on 5260 N Clark St, right around the corner. Hope... Read more

Empathy Can Backfire

February 2, 2015 By Andrew Marin

Empathy restores humanity. But this blog post isn’t about the merits of empathy. Empathy can backfire. It can have the unintended, reverse effect of being unhelpful, disconnecting and dehumanizing. This is misguided empathy Read more

Our Last Option: Reconciliation

January 30, 2015 By Andrew Marin

The point is that a lifestyle of actual reconciliation is not something that can be turned on and off. The most difficult thing for anyone to do is be the first one to stand up. Yet once that first time is in the books, standing up becomes normal—not for pride or revenge or even justice. Rather, for the sake of our shared humanity to leave the world a better place than it was inherited. Though that which compels each of us to this reconciliatory lifestyle... Read more

NEW!! Parent Perspectives: Journeys of Faith with our LGBTQ Children

January 26, 2015 By Andrew Marin

As part of our ongoing effort to provide resources for Christian parents of LGBTQ children, The Marin Foundation is creating an online video series called "Parent Perspectives: Journeys of Faith with our LGBTQ Children". In these videos, Christian parents of LGBTQ children share their personal stories in the hopes that other parents can learn from and be comforted by their experiences. This month we are proud to release our first video which features Chicago's own Anna Ricci. Anna takes us through her journey as a Christian mother with a gay son; the ups and downs, struggles and joys. Anna discusses her shock and anger at her son's coming out. She takes us through her early emotional struggles and questions of faith. She talks about her relationship with her son then and now. Finally, she shares how giving her son to God led her to a deeper more intimate relationship with God and with her son. Read more

Living in the Tension — Monday, Jan. 26

January 23, 2015 By Andrew Marin

If you had a pill that would make you straight or cisgender, would you take it? Join us on Monday, January 26th at the Living in the Tension gathering to discuss this hypothetical scenario. How would your life be different if you belonged to the majority in terms of gender identity or sexual orientation? What would you gain? What would you lose? As a parent or loved one of someone who’s LGBTQ, would that be a decision you would encourage... Read more

No Name-Calling Week

January 21, 2015 By Andrew Marin

No Name-Calling Week (this year’s motto: Celebrate Kindness) was inspired by the YA novel entitled The Misfits by James Howe. The book (an easy read for or with your young student) follows four best friends dealing with seventh grade and the insecurities and taunts that can often go along with it– for these students, those taunts are often leveled against their weight, height, intelligence, and sexual orientation. The friends create a new political party for the class;s student council revolving around ending name-calling,... Read more

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Urgency of Opposing Inequality

January 19, 2015 By Andrew Marin

The following post is by Jason Bilbrey, our Director of Pastoral Care here at The Marin Foundation. You can read more from Jason at his blog,www.jasonbilbrey.com or follow him on Twitter at @JasonBilbrey. “I must confess I am not afraid of the word ‘tension.’ I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth.” These are the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., excerpted from his Letter from Birmingham Jail... Read more

Come Do Class with The Marin Foundation

January 14, 2015 By Andrew Marin

If you have ever wanted to learn practical steps for building bridges between the LGBTQ community and the church, now is the time! If you read Love Is an Orientation and want to know, “Now what?” here is your answer. Whether you are a pastor, a parent, a youth worker, an LGBT individual, a professor, or someone who is simply interested in knowing how to elevate this conversation, this is for you! We are offering a Chicago course covering our innovative Culture... Read more

In Honor of National Human Trafficking Day

January 12, 2015 By Andrew Marin

Yesterday, individuals, organizations, and communities across the United States celebrated National Human Trafikking Awareness Day. Established in 2007, the day comes just a week and a half into what has been declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time when communities rally together to raise awareness about modern day slavery and what it looks like. Our friends over at Traffick Free recently posted a blog with information about four different kinds of trafficking that exist today: Organ... Read more

Living in the Tension — Monday, Jan 12th

January 9, 2015 By Andrew Marin

Join us on Monday, January 12th for our first Living in the Tension Gathering of 2015. We’ll be discussing the merits and challenges of feeling righteous anger: how does it benefit you and others? How does it hurt? As always, we will meet at 7 pm at 5255 N Ashland Ave in Room 124. Also, for anyone who’s interested, we meet for dinner beforehand at 5:15 pm at Lady Gregory’s on 5260 N Clark St, right around the corner. Hope to see you on Monday! Read more