Texts

The dangerousness of the good

The word “Christian” has been sullied. It is no longer the adjective it should be, describing a series of attitudes and ways of being reminiscent of Christ, but a noun which carries with it a fake claim to righteousness, a pretext for freedom from social and legal responsibility, a justification for harsh positions unsubmitted to reason. I suggest that the word “sinner” be brought back into circulation instead.
47 min read

Brought to life by Christ

As it turns out, my mind is of little importance. What is important is who has changed my mind. Both the big Who and the many, many secondary whos and whats we all represent for each other.
20 min read
Fragment of Hans SFchäufelein, Christ as Good Shepherd from Das Plenarium, 1517 (Gift of Henry G. Friedman, 1961, The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Facing down the wolf: a gay priest’s vocation

Lies and violence in the heart of family and church life. That’s where my testimony begins. For whatever reason of God’s own, I have received the formal commission to live this reality as a priest... failure is one of grace’s preferred building sites.
9 min read

Queerology podcast

James discusses his faith journey, René Girard and mimetic theory, the scapegoat mechanism, Sacred (or Holy) vs. Mysticism (or Mythification) of Divine as churches crumble, intelligence of victim, and grace and growth.
1 min read

Some notes for a Girardian reading of the Book of Revelation

Theological thinking is slow thinking... It is much more like feeling your way into a new relationship than it is achieving clarity about a new definition. And it is here that I think René Girard’s insight is so helpful, both as to method and as to content.
54 min read
Pope Francis overlooking the square

On how Pope Francis is changing the Church

The real joy of the gospel is found in groups of sinners who sit lightly to their sins, know they are loved, and long to love better starting from where they are.
7 min read
James Alison 2011

The story behind the phone call from the Pope

I was being stretched by the tiniest glimpse of something true received, already, in my early adolescence: that ultimately the Catholic faith would embrace and include the gay heart; that the two held together give glory to God; and that it is better to die than to let go of that.
8 min read
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