smallVOICE – August 2018

It’s August and here’s another round of musings on matters moral, ethical and spiritual from the smallVOICE team. This month we’re bringing you a slimmed-down podcast and we devote it entirely to our Media Review, where we discuss the new autobiography by Vicky Beeching, titled ‘Undivided: Coming out, becoming whole and living free from shame’.

Our smallVOICE team for this edition is Darren, Anne and Holly.
Recorded on Thursday 23 August 2018. Duration: 29’06

Also available on Soundcloud, iTunes, TuneIn Radio and from all your usual podcast providers.

Theme music and strings by Nicolai Heidlas

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8 Responses to "smallVOICE – August 2018"

Catriona says:

August 27, 2018 at 4:32 am

How lovely to hear your voices again, even with a very different sound quality.

First and foremost, huge thanks to, and admiration for, Holly sharing so personally.

I read the book and share your responses to it (somewhere on my blog is my own response written at the time).

I have huge respect for Vicky and others who have the courage to speak out.

Often I say to people, if I get to hell first, I will save you a seat near the fire. Thankfully, animals don’t go to hell, so at least Panda is safe!

Seriously, though, thank you for reviewing the book and putting your heads above the parapets.

I will look forward to your new adventures.

Reply
1. smallvoice1 says:
  
  August 27, 2018 at 6:50 am
  
  Thanks Catriona, it’s good to be back after our short break! Will seek out your review of Vicky’s book on your blog. (For anyone else interested it’s at: http://skinnyfairtradelatte.blogspirit.com/)
  love, Panda
  
  Reply
  1. Catriona says:
    
    August 27, 2018 at 8:47 am
    
    Thank you kind Panda. I’ve reviewed/promoted the podcast here http://skinnyfairtradelatte.blogspirit.com/archive/2018/08/27/undivided-a-smallvoice-podcast-3113604.html and this has links to the stuff I wrote earlier in the summer.
    
    Reply
Darren says:

August 27, 2018 at 7:40 pm

Hi Catriona – thanks as ever for your thoughtful comments. I enjoyed reading your blog too! We managed to break all records by recording a 25 minute plus Media Review but we could have talked for even longer. These are deep waters.

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Bruce Gulland says:

September 21, 2018 at 1:30 pm

Hi guys…hmm, you may be wondering what Bruce will make of this one! Or maybe not… Anyway, an absorbing listen, and actually the first podcast I’ve heard all the way through (possibly of any variety, not just small voice!).

Just a few thoughts on what’s a thoughtful & thought-provoking listen. I echo Catriona in thanking Holly for her openness. Perhaps my first overriding thought would simply be to say, the Christian scene out there is simply not quite as polarised on this issue as I feel you portray. To briefly outline my own point of view as one of a variety of Christians who I’m pretty sure inhabit a spacious area between the poles… I don’t assume Vicky or anyone is going to hell. I do indeed have a broadly ‘evangelical/conservative’ view of scripture, but this for me completely includes the imperative to be understanding and compassionate to all. I don’t fully understand this issue. I feel I need to explore it far more, read some good material on it, from a range of perspectives. But I’d always focus on the person as a sentient & sensitive human being first. I’ve heard Vicky on the radio a bit, radio 2. I’d be intrigued to read her book.

So that’s a sketch of where I’m at. And I think there must be plenty of others with a similar mix of thoughts & feelings about the sexuality issue. Deep waters as you say! Though I know there’s vitriol too…

And to lighten the mood, let me share a favourite Farside cartoon… folk standing around in hell’s foyer, and one says, “Oh man, the coffee’s cold. They thought of everything!” Search ‘farside hell coffee cold’ to find the image.

Look forward to more from your new studio!

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Bruce Gulland says:

September 21, 2018 at 1:39 pm

Two examples of ‘middle way’ non-condemnatory evangelical responses to the book that I read, are on the Evangelical Alliance website, and in Premier Christianity magazine. Questioning the theology while being thoroughly sympathetic to her as a person… not in a patronising way either!

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Darren says:

September 22, 2018 at 4:42 pm

Bruce, I’d encourage you to take a look at Vicky Beeching’s twitter feed to see whether or not “non-condemnatory” can really be applied to Evangelical Alliance types. Likewise their treatment of Steve Chalke. The “sympathy to the person” stuff is just so much guff. These people are being prayerfully homophobic and I for one have had enough of it.

We touched on people like Westboro Baptist in the podcast – I suppose they are at least being upfront about their hangups. Who do we really stand with, and who do we really stand for?

I do suggest you read Vicky’s book as you may well be interested in her readings of key biblical texts, where she suggests that what the bible is far more likely condemning is abuses of power rather than any particular sexual orientation. But honestly, this just feels like game-playing to me. There are are plenty of passages in the bible which people cheerfully breeze past so let’s not even pretend it’s an even playing field.

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Bruce Gulland says:

September 24, 2018 at 11:45 am

Thanks for reply Darren. I’ll follow up on these points, especially getting hold of Vicky’s book. I’m especially interested in learning about the alternative ways of reading the key biblical texts…

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