michigan wrote:Is there any "legitimate" way this rite could have been used? What is adelphopoiia?
Yes. It is a rite of the Holy Orthodox Church, often referred to as the Rite of Brotherhood, and was used for the binding together of men in a spiritual relationship, with the intention of offering support and mutual encouragement in the deepening of the working out of their salvation. I have read tales that they would often live together in community, pray almost in a coenobitic monastic manner, but would differ from a monastic life in that they would continue about their daily working lives as usual.
It may seem strange in modern Western culture where people are quick to assume that two men living together means something unseemly is going on, but I understand it was quite a common rite centuries ago, although it is rarely, if ever, used today.
It seems to me, from the article linked to in the opening post, that this John Boswell chap has suggested that it may have been used in some places by some priests as a means of blessing homosexual sexual relationships. This is not news and a number of people seem to suggest that this did indeed take place, albeit not with the blessing of the Church, I hasten to add.
The article that Miguel has drawn our attention to is simply giving an assessment of the points of view raised by John Boswell, and so that is why I don't understand what is actually wrong with it. It doesn't claim anything contrary to Orthodoxy, as far as I can see. It simply gives a balanced assessment of a viewpoint.