Keith King(October 2013)

This summary provides an overview of an audio recording in which Keith King is interviewed by Gareth Watkins. In the podcast, King shares insights into their life journey and explores themes such as spirituality, discovery, and ageing. The conversation covers several decades, primarily from the 1970s through to the 1980s.

King starts by detailing their upbringing and background, having been born in Wimbledon, England, and later moving to New Zealand. After undergoing surgery and meeting their future spouse, King eventually migrated to New Zealand with their family, began a business, and established a life there. King recounts a tragic incident in the early 1970s when a car accident resulted in the death of their spouse's mother, leading to King's encounter with death—a catalyst for a spiritual quest for the meaning of life.

Pursuing spiritual questions, King entered the ministry and was ordained as a priest in the late 1970s. During their time on the Coromandel Peninsula, King developed an interest in community-based Christianity, even forming a Christian community with Peacemakers Trust. However, the pressures led to burnout, and King returned to parish ministry, eventually confronting their sexuality and coming out. This marked the end of King's parish ministry.

King discusses the process of realizing their sexuality, acknowledging that despite having a successful marriage and family, a strong attraction to the same gender was undeniable. King joined Exodus International, an organization promising to 'cure' homosexuality, but eventually recognized the deceptive and repressive nature of such groups.

The struggle with their sexuality, married life as a church leader, and eventual acceptance led to King's separation from their spouse, a journey that was both personal and interwoven with evolving spiritual beliefs. Throughout these experiences, King grappled with marrying spirituality with sexuality, emphasizing their inseparability. This personal integration was seen as essential for their spiritual growth and self-acceptance.

King's journey to accepting their identity continued with involvement in the church on their own terms, creating a company to sell their services as a minister and contract ministry work. The narrative touches on the difficulties faced due to church attitudes toward homosexuality and demonstrates King's resilience and commitment to their beliefs.

The podcast explores various life transitions, including the decision to be part of a Christian residential community, King's separation and divorce, and eventually establishing a long-term partnership with current partner Hilton. King and Hilton's relationship led to running a business together and entering a civil union which they plan to convert into a marriage, reflecting on the significance of these public declarations of commitment.

King also touches on various other aspects of their life, including growing older and thinking about ageing as an openly gay individual. They reflect on the need for aged care facilities to be accepting and inclusive of all sexualities.

In summary, the interview unveils a life marked by spiritual exploration, challenging traditional norms, and the struggle for self-acceptance and authenticity in the face of societal and religious constraints. The recording captures a rich narrative of transformation, love, and compassion across different stages of life while pioneering a path for meaningful integration of sexuality within spiritual life.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Keith King

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