February 27, 2004 (CNA) Harvard Law Professor Mary Ann Glendon, former Vatican representative to the Beijing Summit on Women, argues that same-sex marriage is not a civil rights issue — but a bid for special preference. She states: “What same-sex marriage advocates have tried to present as a civil rights issue is really a bid for special preferences of the type our society gives to married couples for the very good reason that most of them are raising or have raised children.

By David W. Virtue In a sermon delivered in Chicago honoring Absalom Jones—the first African-American priest ordained in the Episcopal Church—Bishop V. Gene Robinson equated racial oppression with the Church’s rejection of homosexual practice: “People of color. Women. Gay and lesbian folk. The physically disabled. The aged. All oppressed… and all offered liberation by this great God of ours.” Robinson cited Isaiah 61, claiming it speaks to “the kinds of oppressions that we ar

By Christopher S. Johnson April 25, 2004 Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold’s December 19, 2003, letter to Patriarch Alexy II of the Russian Orthodox Church was found to be almost identical to his August 19, 2003, letter to the Anglican Primates — raising charges of “episcoplagiarism.” Both letters open: “I write to you with a heavy heart…” and proceed, in numerous paragraphs, with near-verbatim repetition — including appeals to Scripture, claims about discernment and unity, and

An Anglican cleric who led the protest against the blessing of same-sex unions is to address Church of Ireland clergy in the coming week. The Rev. David Short, rector of St John’s, Shaughnessy, Vancouver, made his protest after his Bishop in the Canadian diocese of New Westminster permitted rites for so-called ‘gay marriages’. His parish, along with ten others, formed a coalition, the Anglican Communion in New Westminster (ACiNW), which has been recognised by the past and pre

Canon Edward Norman has written a scathing attack on the Church of England and is converting to Catholicism. A former Reith lecturer and Dean of Peterhouse, and currently Chancellor of York Minster, Norman is an ecclesiastical historian with the long face and high cheekbones of a Tudor churchman. He speaks fast and quietly, polishing his dry words as he speaks, so that his prose and conversation are almost indistinguishable. In his book *Anglican Difficulties: A New Syllabus

Rowan Williams interviewed by Martha Linden, Press Association February 27, 2004 On the first anniversary of his enthronement, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams reflected on a year marked by intense pressure — especially the controversies surrounding Jeffrey John (gay but celibate nominee for Reading) and Gene Robinson (non-celibate, consecrated in New Hampshire). He acknowledged the “very high personal cost to many people” and the difficulty of discerning “what the

By David W. Virtue In a sermon delivered in Chicago honoring Absalom Jones—the first African-American priest ordained in the Episcopal Church—Bishop V. Gene Robinson equated racial oppression with the Church’s rejection of homosexual practice: “People of color. Women. Gay and lesbian folk. The physically disabled. The aged. All oppressed… and all offered liberation by this great God of ours.” Robinson cited Isaiah 61, claiming it speaks to “the kinds of oppressions that we ar

By Christopher S. Johnson April 25, 2004 Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold’s December 19, 2003, letter to Patriarch Alexy II of the Russian Orthodox Church was found to be almost identical to his August 19, 2003, letter to the Anglican Primates — raising charges of “episcoplagiarism.” Both letters open: “I write to you with a heavy heart…” and proceed, in numerous paragraphs, with near-verbatim repetition — including appeals to Scripture, claims about discernment and unity, and

Canon Edward Norman has written a scathing attack on the Church of England and is converting to Catholicism. A former Reith lecturer and Dean of Peterhouse, and currently Chancellor of York Minster, Norman is an ecclesiastical historian with the long face and high cheekbones of a Tudor churchman. He speaks fast and quietly, polishing his dry words as he speaks, so that his prose and conversation are almost indistinguishable. In his book Anglican Difficulties: A New Syllabus o

An Anglican cleric who led the protest against the blessing of same-sex unions is to address Church of Ireland clergy in the coming week. The Rev. David Short, rector of St John’s, Shaughnessy, Vancouver, made his protest after his Bishop in the Canadian diocese of New Westminster permitted rites for so-called ‘gay marriages’. His parish, along with ten others, formed a coalition, the Anglican Communion in New Westminster (ACiNW), which has been recognized by the past and pre

Bishop John Charles Ryle of Liverpool 1816-1900 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." -Prov. XXII. 6. I SUPPOSE that most professing Christians are acquainted with the text at the head of this page. The sound of it is probably familiar to your ears, like an old tune. It is likely you have heard it, or read it, talked of it, or quoted it, many a time. Is it not so? But, after all, how little is the substance of this text reg

COMMENTARY By Uwe Siemon-Netto UPI Religious Affairs Editor WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- The odd thing about Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ," is this: It is successful even though it flies in the face of two distinct American theologies: iconoclastic evangelicalism and Protestant liberalism, both marked by the image of the empty cross, though for different reasons. You can't in fairness accuse the former of promoting "Christianity light," as do liberals, whose

Ethics & Religion by Michael J. McManus On Ash Wednesday Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" opened on an unprecedented 4,643 screens in America to packed crowds. If 300 people were in each one, 1.4 million people witnessed this epic film on its first day. In Dallas, despite a cold rainy day, 6,000 people attended 21 screenings in one theater complex at 6:30 AM, 7:30 and 8:30 thanks to a $42,000 gift by Arch Bonemma. He donated 3,000 tickets to his megachurch, Prestonwoo

TV PROGRAM TRANSCRIPT Australian Broadcasting Corporation Reporter: TONY JONES: President Bush's statements have naturally echoed here in Australia, where, late last year, the Prime Minister argued passionately against legalising gay marriage. "You're talking here about the survival of the species," Mr Howard told an interviewer in Darwin. But at least one very senior churchman is offering up a third way -- not gay marriage as such, but recognition of lifelong friendships bet

The Primate of Australia, the Most Rev. Peter Carnley of Perth, has issued a stinging attack on the evangelical diocese of Sydney and its leader, Archbishop Peter Jensen. "Sydney Anglicanism", Dr. Carnley argues, in his book, Reflections in Glass, is out of synch with "mainstream Anglicanism" and holds fundamentalist or erroneous views on Scripture, women clergy, lay presidency at the Eucharist, bioethics, fetal embryo research, ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. In his new b

AS EYE SEE IT: A Layman responds to Missouri Bishop's letter to Good Shepherd 28 February, 2004 The Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith Bishop of Missouri 1210 Locust Street Saint Louis, Missouri 63103 Bishop Smith, As with your letter of 26 February, I write to you with deep sadness in the aftermath of recent events. With the receipt of your letter, however, I feel that I must now make my voice heard and respond to the issues you have raised. As you have chosen to address only the s

News Analysis By David W. Virtue Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison in his monthly diocesan message "The Power of Time" says that Anglican understanding of core doctrine is the 'power of time' and not the substance of the 'faith once delivered.' He cited Michael Peers, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, a revisionist bishop, like himself, whose tenure saw a massive departure from the church and the closing of hundreds of parishes. But 'time' of its very essence de

By Greg Garrison News staff writer Birmingham News 2/29/2004 Alabama Episcopalians voted Saturday to reject the denomination's approval of its first openly gay bishop and adopted a restricted budget that reduces funding sent to the New York headquarters. "It expresses disagreement, but not division," said Bishop Henry N. Parsley, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, who presided over the meeting. "We're not going anywhere." By passing a resolution "affirming our Anglican

By The Rev. Benjamin Bernier http://www.providencerec.org/news/ This generation owes a debt of gratitude to Mel Gibson for having dared use the power of modern media to bring before the eyes of millions the fruit of, what unfortunately has become a lost or rare art, the art of Christian meditation. The movie begins with an ancient quotation (700 BC) from Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace w

"We have a war chest and we'll go to the mat for our property," says rector By David W. Virtue 3/1/2004 ST. LOUIS, MO--The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to leave the Diocese of Missouri and the Episcopal Church and to affiliate with the Anglican Mission in America. The vote to leave was significant, said the Rev. Paul R. Walter, 66, who has been rector their for nearly 8 years. "Of the 148 who could vote, 98 were present, 84 voted for an