21st Live Stream with Carlton Pearson - Sexuality, spirituality, sensuality and sociology.

About this sermon

Roman Catholicism is the largest and most pronounced expression of institutional Christianity on the planet. The present status of the church, including the repeated confirmed reports of abuse and spurious rumors about more, (internal cover ups included), are all signs and signals that institutional religion, especially Christianity, as we've known it, is coming loose at the seams and will continue to. This is not a sad day, it is a glad day, not because of bad news, but because an imposed reconsideration of religious doctrine, dogma and supposed disciplines is on the horizon and can no longer be avoided. Celibacy is neither natural nor normal! Humans are not wired for it, long term and barely short. To impose it on people who feel called to ministry, strait or gay, is irresponsible, outdated and unnecessary. So far it hasn't worked overall and I don't expect it will or even should. Obviously it has and continues to create huge problems within the Catholic church and has caused painful experiences of abuse for both victims and perpetrators. It seems to me, both insane and obscene, to continue the practice. The present circumstances related to abuse within the priesthood of the Roman Catholic church, insist it should reconsider its position on celibacy and its effect upon, or aversion to, effective ministry and service to the people and purpose to which it is called. According to Old Testament scripture, God's first command to human kind, was to be fruitful and multiply. The first assignment for man was to increase in number. Fulfilling this mission could only take place through the act of sexual intercourse. So from the very outset of the human race there has been a divine mandate to be sexually active. God has sanctioned sexuality. So why do Christians and most other religions have such a problem with sex? I was 40 yrs old when I got married, so I fully understand the disciplines and challenges of celibacy, both long term and short. Of course we all presume certain people are celibate, but needless to say, no one really knows eh? For whatever reason, some people like and want to think that there are some wonderfully committed people, mystics, monks, priests, preachers and shamans, as well as common citizens of the earth, who are celibate, but again, why is that important to the larger picture of life and spirituality? And how are you affected once you find out someone, like a priest, preacher or person you thought was celibate, like a Gandhi or a great civil rights or human rights leader, isn't and hasn't been? Does that change what you think about celibacy, or those claiming it? If so, why? Lets keep talking about spirituality, sensuality, sociology and sexuality. They all are integral parts of who and how we are as human beings, being human! Carlton Pearson After college at the Oral Roberts University in Tulsa Oklahoma he served for 15 years on its Board of Regents, and two years as Associate Evangelist of The Oral Roberts Association, (ORA). In 1977, Pearson founded Higher Dimensions Ministries (now New Dimensions ), in Tulsa, which grew to over 5,000. Bishop Pearson was consecrated to the office of Bishop in 1996 thru a College of Bishops headed by Bishop Charles E Blake, presently the Presiding Bishop of the Churches of God In Christ, the denomination he was raised in and through whom he was ordained in 1971. In 1993, Carlton married the former Gina Marie Gauthier who is a professional Life Coach and Yoga teacher. More recently, he has felt a passion to proclaim the "Gospel Of Inclusion" and has written a widely acclaimed book by that name, published by Simon and Schuster. It confronts the Christian church's exclusivism as being inconsistent, in spirit with the teachings of Jesus. Pearson's frank and often controversial take on a number of different subjects has earned him appearances on television programs such as NBC and MSNBC's Dateline, ABC's Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley, The Edge with Paula Zahn and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Monique Show on BET, and a number of other television, radio and print media outlets. Bishop Pearson was recognized as one of America's 10 Most Influential Black Ministers by Gospel Today and Belief.net. He has received several honorary doctoral degrees. Bishop Pearson recently served as the Interim Senior Minister at Christ Universal Temple in Chicago. He and Gina now host New Dimensions of Chicago, building a local multicultural and radically Inclusive spiritual community that emphasizes expanded consciousness and Self Actualization. His newest book, God Is Not A Christian, Nor A Jew, Muslim, Hindu...God Dwells With Us, In Us, Around Us, As Us was published by Simon and Schuster and released in the spring of 2010.