an excerp from an interview with Michael Parmenter

Michael Parmenter, renowned dancer and choreographer, talks of his faith and sexuality with Rev Dr Graham Redding in an excerpt from an interview in Spanz Oct 2003

In your autobiographical work, 'A Long Undressing' (1995), you talk with disarming honesty about personal issues of faith, sexuality and AIDS. What have been the key stages in your faith journey?

“My journey began with the Plymouth Brethren in Invercargill. The Brethren youth movement provided an escape from a difficult home environment, and during one summer camp I accepted Christ as my saviour. Throughout high-school I withdrew into myself and my faith started to falter, and as I started to suspect that I was homosexual I also sensed the degree to which my "affliction" was despised by both society at large and the Brethren church in particular. My two closest friends at school (one of whom was undoubtedly gay) both committed suicide, and by the time I headed off to University in Dunedin, I was a real mess.

Despite being baptised in 1973, things got worse, and in an attempt to answer nagging questions I undertook a year's study at the Brethren Bible College in Wellington. When I returned to Dunedin I joined a small group called the Dunedin Independent Church, but my faith was shaky and I was having huge struggles with sexuality.

A
fter beginning dancing in 1977, I "came out" as gay and began a rather nomadic existence following dance work, both of which made it very difficult to find a permanent spiritual home. Two Dunedin friends, remained my only Christian contacts for over 20 years, and though I read theology and identified with other Christian artists I often questioned whether I was a Christian.

During my work on 'Jerusalem', where I was greatly assisted by Sister Sue Cosgrove from the Sisters of Compassion, I felt a desire to find a Christian home again, but the places where I felt welcomed as a gay man had theologies that were not sufficiently orthodox for me. My search eventually brought me to St John's, where I sensed this would be a place I could feel at home.

From very early on I've been interested in the interaction of faith and art, and believe that being an artist is a worthy way to live a Christian life. All my work as a choreographer is informed by my Christianity.

Theologically, early on, I was influenced by thinkers like Francis Shaeffer, Martin Lloyd-Jones, Jacques Ellul, Thomas Merton, Rosemary Haughton and James K. Baxter. Then I discovered Charles Williams, whose ideas still excite me. Lately I've been drawn to Tom Wright, whose vision and lucidity are thrilling. Philosophically, I've found Michael Polanyi helpful, and in the area of Christianity and the arts, Calvin Seerveld and Jeremy Begbie have been very influential.”