Adelphopoesis?

[Esdra]

The Church has blessed same-sex unions before, in the East they had the rite of Adelphopoesis (blood brotherhood). In some cases those relationships involved homosexuality, we even have evidence of that from the complaints of the Patriarch of Constantinople in the 13th century that many of these relationships were homosexual in nature. A blessing of two people commiting their lives together is not inherently un-Christian, nor does it amount to a blanket endorsement of their sexuality any more than a marriage ceremony legitimatizes marital sexual abuse.

I think the Episcopalians have done a poor job explaining the theological reasoning behind allowing same sex blessings. Too often the issue is articulated in humanistic language that both sides cannot agree to, and in fairness to the conservatives or traditionalists, they shouldn't have to agree to. But not all support of same-sex unions need be framed in sub-Christian terms: relatively conservative voices like Rev. Fleming Rutledge can articulate rationales for same-sex unions and more inclusion of gays into the Church.

Just came across the term above.
What can you tell me about Adelphopoesis?
And is what fire above wrote really true?

Esdra

 

[Kristos]

Just came across the term above.
What can you tell me about Adelphopoesis?
And is what fire above wrote really true?

Esdra

Partly true - the problem is that it's extreme anachronistic to project this onto the modern same-sex unions being sought today. The blessing had nothing to do with marriage or sex. The fact some of the "brothers" may have fallen to such temptation says nothing about the intent of the Church or even their intent in submitting to the rite itself. If intent could be determined in such a way then perhaps monastic rites should be suspect of homosexuality as well (this is sarcasm). Of course monasticism isn't projected into the current debate because it doesn't support their conclusions - it's too clearly celibate, which is not what they want.

 

[gzt]

The homosexual interpretation has been contested vigorously. It's a form of fictive kinship rather than the blessing of some sexual relationship.

 

[Esdra]

I see.
Thanks.
And what's Adelphopoesis exactly? What is blessed there?

 

[Nephi]

I see.
Thanks.
And what's Adelphopoesis exactly? What is blessed there?

From my understanding, it is literally a brother-making ceremony. The church recognized the two as "siblings," much like a convert's godfather's children are "siblings" (interestingly forbidden from having relations for this reason). Adelphopoesis was usually done between clans, royal families, etc. often for political reasons. If some people abused these ceremonies and participated in homosexual (and incestuous, as viewed by the church) relationships, it was not by blessing of the church but in spite of it.

Also, it doesn't seem to have been around too long and eventually died off. It also seems to not have been universally practiced. So it's possible to argue that it wasn't even a legitimate development to begin with, and died off as such. Regardless, not homosexual unions.

 

[buzuxi02]

The word means brotherhood, so if these were homosexual rites it would have been incest.

Instead they were blood pacts commonly used when 2 leaders joined in alliance, if i remember correctly two kings from the balkans made this pact before going into battle against their common non-christian enemy. In such a case it acted as a peace treaty, that they would never turn on each other and attack the others kingdom.


lolol, so firedragons proof is 'complaints' from a bishop. Wouldn't that mean this rite has nothing to do with a homosexual union but an abuse of it? This is simply more evidence of the arrogance of homosexuals that they have always tried to co-opt religious institutions. This is because of their disfunctional psyche which the demons can easily manipulate.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

From my understanding, it is literally a brother-making ceremony. The church recognized the two as "siblings," much like a convert's godfather's children are "siblings" (interestingly forbidden from having relations for this reason). Adelphopoesis was usually done between clans, royal families, etc. often for political reasons. If some people abused these ceremonies and participated in homosexual (and incestuous, as viewed by the church) relationships, it was not by blessing of the church but in spite of it.

Also, it doesn't seem to have been around too long and eventually died off. It also seems to not have been universally practiced. So it's possible to argue that it wasn't even a legitimate development to begin with, and died off as such. Regardless, not homosexual unions.

With Adelphopoesis, it was the case historically that Norwegian, Chinese, and Native American cultures were known to have had similar ceremonies to honor blood brothers. In many ways, what occurred with the concept of Adelphopoesis was similar to what went down when close brothers in the OT made covenants with each other - the example of David AND Jonathan immediately coming to mind when they sworn a covenant of brotherhood/friendship for life together.

Those in the gay community who abuse the concept of what David/Jonathan did have done so with intent of misreading what was present in the culture - and the same goes for Adelphopoesis.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

The homosexual interpretation has been contested vigorously. It's a form of fictive kinship rather than the blessing of some sexual relationship.

Indeed - for the Church condemned homosexuality and same-sex relationships but they didn't condemn close brotherly bonds or affection between brothers.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

What can you tell me about Adelphopoesis?
And is what fire above wrote really true?

Esdra

Something that isn't always considered is that Adelphopoiesis was a form of adoption for purposes of inheritance under civil law. This ancient ritual NEVER served to legitimize any kind of sexual relationship between members of the same sex (hence the name "BROTHER-making", etc). There was an excellent article elsewhere that sought to cover the issue ..by Robin Darling Young ..which addresses the ways many have taken the concept of Adelphopoiesis to mean something it wasn't - as seen in Gay Marriage: Reimaging Church History - Article | First Things. One can also go here and here as well as to the following:

• MYSTAGOGY: Prohibited Marriages in the Orthodox Church
• MYSTAGOGY: Did the Church Ever Bless Same-Sex Marriages?

As another Orthodox individual noted on the issue when it came up back in 2011 ( #10 ):

IIRC, it could be used for more than two persons, as I recall instructions that for more than two a cord or sash was held. Also, that per the canons, siblings of the now-blood-brothers could not marry, as they were "related".

After searching and searching for the article I read years ago, I looked at wikipedia and the article was in the citations

Here is an excerpt from the article by Fr. Evangelos K. Mantzouneas

In ancient Greece there are very many examples of close friendship which could result to the self-sacrifice of one of the friends for the sake of the other. First Herodotus informs us about real ceremonies of fraternization which were performed by the peoples of Asia, Lydes and Scyths. Lydes used to nick their arms with a sharp object and when they would start bleeding they would lick the blood of the one who was to become their blood-brother. Scyths also used to nick their arms but they would let the blood of the ones to be fraternized run down together into a glass where it was mixed with wine. They used to wet the tip of their arms with this mixture and they would afterwards drink it. Under analogous forms this custom of fraternization was found in Rome, Byzantium and in all the later peoples of the West. It is especially found though, more than anywhere else, in the Balkan Peninsula where - especially during the Ottoman era - the oppressed people used to be fraternized in order to fight the enemy with greater unity. In Western Europe as well as in the Balkans the Church started from very early to recognize and even bless fraternization with a special celebration. This kind of solemnization had as a result on the one hand the extension of the relation to all the other members of the family of the blood-brothers and on the other the creation of social and legal questions such as e.g. even hereditary demands. That is why provisions were issued which decreed that fraternization was not banned as a custom but it could not create any legal consequence. Despite these provisions the peoples continued and still continue in many parts of the world to attribute a lot of importance in fraternization, much more than the importanee which the Church and the State wanted to recognize. In Serbia, Albania, Bulgaria and not less in Greece the custom of fraternization was so well rooted that it was considered by the other members of the family as well as a bond equal to blood relation. Marriages between members of the families of the blood-brothers were blocked and, because the blood-brothers were called "crossbrothers", after some time it became a habit to address all the other relatives with the prefix "cross" e.g. "cross- mother", "crossfather", "crossbrother-in-law" etc. Among the many ritual customs with which fraternization was made official in Ottoman Greece is the following. When the blood-brothers were more than two, they would surround the Priest and they would bind a handkerchief from the belt of his cassock. They would hold the other end of the handkerchief.

http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/eastern_orthodox/Church.of.Greece.on.adelphopoiia

(Worth reading the article in its entirety ...)

​

There are different versions of this rite, but chief elements are as follows:

(1) The brothers to be are positioned in the church before the lectern, upon which rest the Cross and the Gospel; the older of the two stands to the right while the younger stands to the left

(2) Prayers and litanies are said that ask that the two be united in love and that remind them of examples of friendship from church history

(3) The two are tied with one belt, their hands are placed on the Gospel, and a burning candle is given to each of them

(4) The Apostle (1 Cor 12:27 to 13:8) and the Gospel (John 17:18-26) are read

(5) More prayers and litanies like those indicated in 2 are read

(6) Our Father is read

(7) The brothers to be partake of the presanctified gifts from a common cup

(8) They are led around the lectern while they hold hands, the following troparion being sung: "Lord, watch from heaven and see"

(9) They exchange kisses

(10) The following is sung: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1).

 

[Ann_of_Love]

Can we make the Republican and Democrat leaders partake of this? Then the bickering would make sense! Just saying.

 

[buzuxi02]

No need to Ann. They already stole, oops I mean split our inheritance down the middle.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah. we often run the habit of assuming that the way we view things now, is the way that they have always been viewed. I think this stuff has also been used by the homosexuals concerning Sts Anthony and Athanasius to legitmize what they do. it reminds me of when folks use Christ making water into wine at Cana, to defend why they drink and party.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

yeah. we often run the habit of assuming that the way we view things now, is the way that they have always been viewed. I think this stuff has also been used by the homosexuals concerning Sts Anthony and Athanasius to legitmize what they do. it reminds me of when folks use Christ making water into wine at Cana, to defend why they drink and party.

So true...