Archives

A large and growing body of social scientific evidence indicates that the intact, married family is best for children. Scholars such as David Popenoe, Linda Waite, Maggie Gallagher, Sara McLanahan, David Blankenhorn, Paul Amato, and Alan Booth support this view. Sara McLanahan, a sociologist at Princeton University, states: “If we were asked to design a system for making sure that children’s basic needs were met, we would probably come up with something quite similar to the two-parent ideal. Such a design… would not only ensure that children had access to the time and money of two adults, it also would provide a system of checks and balances that promoted quality parenting. The fact that both parents have a biological connection to the child would increase the likelihood that the parents would identify with the child and be willing to sacrifice for that child, and it would reduce the likelihood that either parent would abuse the child.” This empirical reality supports the norm that every child should have the opportunity to grow up in an intact, married family—or, failing that, an adoptive family headed by a married couple offering both a mother and a father. 1. Children hunger for their biological parents Same-sex couples using IVF or surrogacy deliberately create children who live apart from one biological parent. Yale psychiatrist Kyle Pruett reports that children of IVF often ask their mothers: “Mommy, what did you do with my daddy? Can I write him a letter? Has he ever seen me?” 2. Children need fathers Fathers uniquely reduce antisocial behavior in boys and early sexual activity in girls. Studies show girls raised without their biological father are more likely to experience early puberty and teen pregnancy—suggesting fathers influence biological development through pheromones and modeling. 3. Children need mothers Mothers excel in providing emotional security and reading infant cues. They also offer daughters unique guidance through puberty and adolescence. 4. Inadequate evidence on same-sex couple parenting Leading professional associations claim “no effects” on children raised by same-sex couples, but the research is preliminary, often methodologically flawed, and frequently conducted by advocates. Sociologist Steven Nock, agnostic on same-sex marriage, concluded: “All of the articles I reviewed contained at least one fatal flaw of design or execution… not a single one was conducted according to generally accepted standards of scientific research.” 5. Children raised in same-sex homes experience gender and sexual disorders Some studies suggest children of lesbians are more likely to exhibit gender nonconformity and report same-sex attraction. Sociologist Judith Stacey found “a significantly greater proportion of young adult children raised by lesbian mothers… reported having a homoerotic relationship.” 6. Vive la différence Marriage thrives when spouses specialize in gender-typical roles. Women are happier when their husband is the primary earner; couples are less likely to divorce when the wife focuses on childrearing and the husband on breadwinning. 7. Sexual fidelity Same-sex marriage could undermine the norm of sexual fidelity. In Vermont, over 79% of heterosexual married couples value sexual fidelity, compared to only about 50% of gay men in civil unions. 8. Marriage, procreation, and the fertility implosion Marriage historically secured a mother and father for every child. Same-sex marriage severs this link. Countries legalizing same-sex unions (e.g., Netherlands, Sweden, Canada) have fertility rates well below replacement (1.6 vs. 2.1). 9. For the sake of the children The divorce and sexual revolutions weakened the norm that couples should marry and stay married for their children. Same-sex marriage may further normalize fatherlessness, making it easier for men to rationalize abandoning their children. 10. Women and marriage domesticate men Married men earn more, drink less, live longer, and are more faithful. Their testosterone levels drop—especially with children at home. There’s little evidence same-sex marriage produces similar effects. END

NPR – ALL THINGS CONSIDERED MELISSA BLOCK, host: From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block. MICHELE NORRIS, host: And I'm Michele Norris. It’s been six months since Gene Robinson was confirmed as the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church. Since then, conservatives have threatened to punish the national church by withholding their money. Today, the treasurer of the church told officials that was an empty threat. Pledges for next year are only slightly down from last year, yet conservatives say the church has no idea of the problems that it may face. NPR’s Barbara Bradley Hagerty reports. Kurt Barnes, the treasurer of the Episcopal Church, describes himself as a conservative man, not one prone to “gilding the lily.” He’s keenly aware of the controversy roiling the church since it recognized gay unions and consecrated Gene Robinson, a gay priest, as bishop of New Hampshire. Given all this, Barnes says he’s pleased that he’s received commitments from more than three-quarters of the bishops, and so far, their pledges to the national church are down only 7 percent. “The impact is what I would describe as insignificant,” Barnes said. He recommends dioceses cut spending by 5 to 10 percent. Jim Naughton, a spokesman for the Diocese of Washington, DC, says this isn’t cause for rejoicing but it’s not the predicted apocalypse either. “The narrative line since General Convention has been, ‘Oh, watch out. The Episcopal Church is taking in water. The Episcopal Church is going down.’ And that’s definitely not happening.” Reverend Don Armstrong, rector of the 2,400-member Grace Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs, says the bishops are spinning the narrative. Angry conservative parishioners in Colorado have withheld some $350,000 from their diocese, he says, but the bishop is covering the loss locally and maintaining national contributions. “As we move into 2004 and their monthly income decreases, they’re going to be faced with the reality that they don’t have the money in the bank to write the checks.” Kendall Harmon of the Diocese of South Carolina adds that the situation will grow more acute. Entire churches are leaving the denomination to join conservative offshoots like the Anglican Mission in America. “Basically, the vast majority of a parish just left from St. John’s, Melbourne, and went to the Anglican Mission in America. So in that diocese, most of the pledge… is going to go down.” But Naughton notes a counter-trend: parishioners supportive of gay inclusion are making up shortfalls. “Many people in those parishes have said, ‘Fine. If you’re not going to give to the diocese, we’re going to give directly.’ So this idea that people are voting with their pocketbooks goes both ways.” And so in this war of words and finances, with too much smoke to see clearly, both sides are claiming victory. Barbara Bradley Hagerty, NPR News, Washington. Copyright © 1990–2003 National Public Radio. All rights reserved. END

By David W. Virtue VANCOUVER, BC – The revisionist Bishop of New Westminster, Michael Ingham, faces a triple crisis that could derail his plans to depose—or at minimum put on hold—his desire to remove 11 biblically orthodox priests from their parishes and seize their properties. He faces a legal ultimatum from leaders of St. Martin’s parish in North Vancouver, who argue that unless the parish is allowed to control its own finances and staffing, it will ask the B.C. Supreme Court to overturn the firing of two church wardens last year. In a letter delivered to Bishop Michael Ingham on Friday, former Trustee and spokesperson Linda Taunton said, “We want our church and we want to be able to control our own destiny. Ingham has until Feb. 23 to respond,” she told Virtuosity. Last September, Ingham invoked an obscure piece of church law to remove the wardens. Parishioners maintain that as a legally incorporated organization, they have the right to make decisions for themselves and that Ingham’s actions violate the provincial Societies Act. The parish has voted twice to seek alternative episcopal oversight. Late last year, Ingham closed one church. The second crisis is that four parishes have now obtained Temporary Adequate Episcopal Oversight (TAEO) from four international Anglican primates, with immediate oversight by a U.S.-based AMiA bishop. This is a temporary measure until a more permanent solution can be found. Seven of the 11 parishes have not yet signed on but are weighing their options. “All the conservative Canadian bishops have been informed of the TAEO offer,” a source said, “as well as Yukon Bishop Terry Buckle, who had offered alternative Episcopal oversight and then withdrew it. Everybody is acting in good faith. Some parishes just felt they could not wait any longer. We should not view this as a break-up of the ACiNW coalition. It isn’t.” The third crisis stems from the Canadian House of Bishops Task Force, which could recommend some form of oversight for the 11 beleaguered parishes. If Ingham refuses, he will be at odds not only with the Anglican Church of Canada but also with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the 38 Primates of the Anglican Communion. To date, Ingham has not responded to either crisis. Those close to him say he will never accept a recommendation for alternative oversight because it would diminish his ecclesiastical authority. “He is a power-driven person, not gospel-driven,” said the source. The following Anglican clergy have already accepted the four Primates’ offer of TAEO: The Revd Charles Alexander, Timothy Institute of Ministry, Calgary, Alberta Dr. David Bowler, Comox, Vancouver Island Revd Paul Carter, Immanuel Church, Westside Revd Ron Gibbs, St. Simon’s, Deep Cove Revd Ed Hird, St. Simon’s, Deep Cove Revd David Hollebone, Living Waters Church, Victoria Revd John Lombard, St. Simon’s, Deep Cove Revd Barclay Mayo, St. Andrew’s, Pender Harbour Revd Silas Ng, Emmanuel Church, Richmond St. Martin’s (North Vancouver), St. Matthias & St. Luke (Vancouver), St. Matthew’s (Abbotsford), Church of the Good Shepherd, St. Andrew’s (Pender Harbour), St. Simon’s (North Vancouver), St. John’s (Shaughnessy), Church of Emmanuel (Richmond), Holy Cross (Vancouver), Immanuel Church (Westside), and Vancouver Holy Cross (Abbotsford) have not yet agreed to outside primatial oversight. END

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, February 12, 2004 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) today delivered the following statement on the floor of the United States Senate addressing several social issues facing the country: “The Old Testament prophet Amos was a sheep herder who lived back in the Judean hills, away from the larger cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Compared to the intellectual urbanites like Isaiah and Jeremiah, he was just an unsophisticated country hick. “But Amos had a unique grasp of political and social issues and his poetic literary skill was among the best of all the prophets. That familiar quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. about ‘Justice will rush down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream’ are Amos’s words. “Amos was the first to propose the concept of a universal God and not just some tribal deity. He also wrote that God demanded moral purity, not rituals and sacrifices. This blunt-speaking moral conscience of his time warns in Chapter 8, verse 11 of The Book of Amos, as if he were speaking to us today: ‘The days will come, sayeth the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land. Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east. They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.’ “A famine in the land.” Has anyone more accurately described the situation we face in America today? “A famine of hearing the words of the Lord.” “But some will say, Amos was just an Old Testament prophet – a minor one at that – who lived 700 years before Christ. That is true, so how about one of the most influential historians of modern times? “Arnold Toynbee, who wrote the acclaimed 12-volume A Study of History, once declared, ‘Of the 22 civilizations that have appeared in history, 19 of them collapsed when they reached the moral state America is in today.’ “Toynbee died in 1975, before seeing the worst that was yet to come. Yes, Arnold Toynbee saw the famine. The ‘famine of hearing the words of the Lord.’ Whether it is removing a display of the Ten Commandments from a courthouse or the Nativity scene from a city square; whether it is eliminating prayer in schools or eliminating ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance; whether it is making a mockery of the sacred institution of marriage between a man and woman or, yes, telecasting around the world made-in-the-USA filth masquerading as entertainment. “The Culture of Far Left America was displayed in a startling way during the Super Bowl’s now infamous half-time show. A show brought to us courtesy of Value-Les Moonves and the pagan temple of Viacom-Babylon. “I asked the question yesterday: How many of you have ever run over a skunk with your car? I have many times and I can tell you, the stink stays around for a long time. You can take the car through a car wash and it’s still there. So the scent of this event will long linger in the nostrils of America. “I’m not talking just about an exposed mammary gland with a pull-tab attached to it. Really no one should have been too surprised at that. Wouldn’t one expect a bumping, humping, trashy routine entitled ‘I’m going to get you naked’ to end that way? “Does any responsible adult ever listen to the words of this rap-crap? I’d quote you some of it, but the Sergeant of Arms would throw me out of here, as well he should. And then there was that prancing, dancing, strutting, rutting guy evidently suffering from jock itch because he kept yelling and grabbing his crotch. But then, maybe there’s a crotch-grabbing culture I’ve been unaware of. “But as bad as all this was, the thing that yanked my chain the hardest was seeing that ignoramus with his pointed head stuck up through a hole he had cut in the flag of the United States of America, screaming about having ‘a bottle of scotch and watching lots of crotch.’ Think about that. “This is the same flag that we pledge allegiance to. This is the flag that is draped over coffins of dead young uniformed warriors killed while protecting Kid Rock’s bony butt. He should be tarred and feathered, and ridden out of this country on a rail. Talk about a good reality show, there’s one for you. “The desire and will of this Congress to meaningfully do anything about any of these so-called social issues is nonexistent and embarrassingly disgraceful. The American people are waiting and growing impatient with us. They want something done. “I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of S.J. Res. 26 along with Senator Allard and others, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage. And S.1558, the Liberties Restoration Act, which declares religious liberty rights in several ways, including the Pledge of Allegiance and the display of the Ten Commandments. And today I join Senator Shelby and others with the Constitution Restoration Act of 2004 that limits the jurisdiction of federal courts in certain ways. “In doing so, I stand shoulder to shoulder not only with my Senate co-sponsors and Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama but, more importantly, with our Founding Fathers in the conception of religious liberty and the terribly wrong direction our modern judiciary has taken us in. “Everyone today seems to think that the U.S. Constitution expressly provides for separation of church and state. Ask any ten people if that’s not so. And I’ll bet you most of them will say ‘Well, sure.’ And some will point out, ‘It’s in the First Amendment.’ “Wrong! Read it! It says, ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ Where is the word ‘separate’? Where are the words ‘church’ or ‘state’? “They are not there. Never have been. Never intended to be. Read the Congressional Records during that four-month period in 1789 when the amendment was being framed in Congress. Clearly their intent was to prohibit a single denomination in exclusion of all others, whether it was Anglican or Catholic or some other. “I highly recommend a great book entitled Original Intent by David Barton. It really gets into how the actual members of Congress, who drafted the First Amendment, expected basic Biblical principles and values to be present throughout public life and society, not separate from it. “It was Alexander Hamilton who pointed out that ‘judges should be bound down by strict rules and precedents, which serve to define and point out their duty.’ Bound down! That is exactly what is needed to be done. There was not a single precedent cited when school prayer was struck down in 1962. “These judges who legislate instead of adjudicate do it without being responsible to one single solitary voter for their actions. Among the signers of the Declaration of Independence was a brilliant young physician from Pennsylvania named Benjamin Rush. “When Rush was elected to that First Continental Congress, his close friend Benjamin Franklin told him, ‘We need you… we have a great task before us, assigned to us by Providence.’ Today, 228 years later, there is still a great task before us assigned to us by Providence. Our Founding Fathers did not shirk their duty and we can do no less. “By the way, Benjamin Rush was once asked a question that has long interested this Senator from Georgia in particular. Dr. Rush was asked, are you a democrat or an aristocrat? And the good doctor answered, ‘I am neither. I am a Christocrat. I believe He, alone, who created and redeemed man is qualified to govern him.’ That reply of Benjamin Rush is just as true today in the year of our Lord 2004 as it was in the year of our Lord 1776. “So, if I am asked why – with all the pressing problems this nation faces today – why am I pushing these social issues and taking the Senate’s valuable time? I will answer: Because, it is of the highest importance. Yes, there’s a deficit to be concerned about in this country, a deficit of decency. “So, as the sand empties through my hourglass at warp speed – and with my time running out in this Senate and on this earth, I feel compelled to speak out. For I truly believe that at times like this, silence is not golden. It is yellow.” END

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, February 12, 2004 Miller Delivers Floor Speech on ‘Deficit of Decency’ in America WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) today delivered the following statement on the floor of the United States Senate addressing several social issues facing the country: [Full speech content retained as provided—no duplicates found.] CULTURE WARS: TOP 10 ARGUMENTS AGAINST SAME SEX MARRIAGE Arguments Against Same Sex Marriage (SSM) Top 10 Social Scientific Arguments Against Same Sex Marriage (SSM). A large and growing body of social scientific evidence indicates that the intact, married family is best for children... [Full content retained—no duplicates found.] FOUR PRIMATES: AN OFFER OF TEMPORARY ADEQUATE EPISCOPAL OVERSIGHT WHEREAS, a crisis of faith and leadership has been created in the Diocese of New Westminster by the passing of a motion to bless same-sex unions, and the actual performance of the same in a church with the authorization of Bishop Michael Ingham; and WHEREAS, a special October 2003 meeting of the Primates of the Anglican Communion called upon the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to provide “temporary adequate episcopal oversight” to those churches and clergy who, because of their refusal to accept the revisionist direction of the diocese, are now in a state of broken communion; and WHEREAS, said episcopal oversight was to have been offered in consultation with the global Primates through the Archbishop of Canterbury; and WHEREAS, to date no such episcopal oversight has been offered, but instead church members have been lost, leadership has been threatened, and churches have been closed and their standing threatened; and WHEREAS, the clergy and congregations of New Westminster cannot be left to fend for themselves while the task force of the Canadian House of Bishops and the Commission appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury are doing their work. BE IT RESOLVED, that the undersigned Primates of the Provinces of Congo, Central Africa, Rwanda and South East Asia hereby jointly offer temporary adequate episcopal oversight to the clergy and congregations of New Westminster, and to other Canadian clergy and congregations who seek such covering, on the following basis: The temporary adequate episcopal oversight, as contemplated by the Primates Meeting of October 2003, will be offered in consultation with the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Most Rev. Datuk Yong Ping Chung has been requested and will serve as Chairman of the sponsoring group of Primates. The Rt. Rev. Thomas Johnston, with the support of the administrative resources of the Anglican Mission in America, will coordinate the provision of this oversight on behalf of the undersigned. Representatives of the Canadian clergy and congregations seeking oversight will meet with Archbishop Yong and/or Bishop Johnston to work out the administrative details of this offer. TRUSTING IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, the undersigned present this offer of temporary adequate episcopal oversight to the faithful Canadian Anglican clergy and congregations. Signed by the Primates END

By Malcolm Brown February 14, 2004 The Anglican Primate of Australia, Archbishop Peter Carnley, has made a stinging attack on the leadership of the Sydney diocese. In a new book, Reflections in Glass, Dr Carnley warns the diocese itself might split because of the extremism of the ruling group. The archbishop, who is to retire next February, said that while the leadership of the diocese resisted most of his ideas, they were not universally rejected. "The diocese of Sydney contains as much diversity of thought as most of the other Anglican dioceses, even if is to be frankly admitted that a distinct and characteristic kind of evangelicalism predominates," he said. "It is reported that up to 50 Sydney parishes might consider approaching the college of Australian bishops to seek a form of 'alternative episcopal oversight'." If Australian Anglicanism split, the "first divide" might be "within the diocese itself". Dr Carnley writes that given Australia's diversity, "inter-faith dialogue seems inevitable". But the Sydney diocese was quite cold on recognition of other faiths. The Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, had denounced other faiths as false. "This is certainly not the most helpful approach," Dr Carnley said. END

By Jeffrey Walton JUICY ECUMENISM November 3, 2025 Archbishop Steve Wood announced tonight that he is both taking a temporary leave of absence as Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and as diocesan Bishop of the Carolinas. In a separate letter to the congregation of St. Andrew’s Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, Wood and his wife Jacqui wrote of his decision to retire as rector of the parish. Wood has served as rector of St. Andrew’s for the past 25 years, overseeing its growth into one of the ten largest parishes in the Episcopal Church and later in the ACNA. Selected as archbishop by the conservative denomination’s College of Bishops on June 22, 2024, Wood was installed the following October in a service marked by pageantry and prayers at a South Carolina megachurch. The Anglican Archbishop was the focus of a front-page Washington Post article in October detailing allegations brought against him in a complaint by laity and clergy prior to his time as archbishop. The complaint, the merits of which are to be evaluated by a hearing panel before being made as formal canonical charges (known as a presentment) included the claim by a former church staffer that Wood attempted to kiss her and made direct cash gifts to her totaling $3,500 from a rector’s mercy fund. Complainants also allege bullying of staff and misuse of funds for the purchase of a pickup truck. If found to be true, the allegations are widely acknowledged to be disqualifying. Wood has directly and forcefully sought to refute the claims. “I unequivocally, categorically, and emphatically deny in their entirety the accusations made against me by Ms. Claire Buxton, who was employed at St. Andrew’s,” Wood wrote to his congregation on October 24. A press release made available tonight by the provincial office states that Wood “decided to take a voluntary leave of absence pending the resolution of proceedings to address recent allegations brought against him.” “While the investigation proceeds, Archbishop Wood will step aside from all official duties and responsibilities to avoid any distraction from the Church’s mission and to uphold the integrity of this process,” the statement reads. Reformed Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Ray Sutton, who serves as Dean of the Province, will assume all canonical responsibilities and duties as Archbishop. He will be assisted by Bishop Julian Dobbs, who has been appointed Dean of Provincial Affairs. Sutton separately released a letter addressed to members of the church and clergy explaining his role and the role of Dobbs in the season ahead. “On Saturday, the ACNA Executive Committee approved a resolution to grant Archbishop Wood a paid leave of absence until the proceedings against him reach a conclusion. At that point, the Province will determine the most appropriate course of action,” Sutton wrote. On October 28 ACNA Executive Director Deborah Tepley released a letter seeking to address the processes of the ACNA and disciplinary procedures for allegations of misconduct. “As soon as a complaint is validated as a presentment, a Board of Inquiry is appointed and convened to investigate the accusations and determine whether reasonable grounds exist to proceed to trial,” Tepley wrote. “In the recent complaints concerning Archbishop Wood, the Archbishop has recused himself from any role in appointing the Board of Inquiry.” The letter goes on to explain that Sutton, then serving as Dean of the Provence, oversees that process. In recent months the ACNA has faced at least four separate instances of alleged misconduct by bishops, including the sudden departure from the denomination in September of Bishop Derek Jones as Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy. Jones sought to unilaterally remove the Special Jurisdiction of Armed Forces and Chaplaincy from the ACNA after a series of complaints alleging abuse of ecclesiastical power was brought against him. The ACNA endorses more than 300 chaplains, 187 of which serve as active duty members of the U.S. military. In the past month, most appear to have remained with the denomination and not followed Jones. Additionally, the trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, regarding the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations by clergy and lay leaders within his diocese, concluded in October. A verdict by the ACNA Court for the Trial of a Bishop is expected in December. If Ruch is found to be guilty on any of the charges, sentencing will be handled by the College of Bishops. PRESS RELEASE Nov. 3, 2025 ACNA’s Archbishop Steve Wood Announces a Temporary Leave of Absence Pending the Resolution of Recent Allegations Mount Pleasant, SC - Archbishop Stephen Wood has decided to take a voluntary leave of absence pending the resolution of proceedings to address recent allegations brought against him. The allegations, which predate his election to the office of Archbishop in June 2024, are being taken with the utmost seriousness by ACNA leadership. The Church is committed to a thorough, fair, and transparent canonical process following established procedures within our ecclesiastical canons. While the investigation proceeds, Archbishop Wood will step aside from all official duties and responsibilities to avoid any distraction from the Church’s mission and to uphold the integrity of this process. Bishop Ray Sutton, who serves as Dean of the Province, will assume all canonical responsibilities and duties as Archbishop during this time. He will be assisted by Bishop Julian Dobbs, who has been appointed Dean of Provincial Affairs. ACNA remains steadfast in its commitment to accountability and to establishing and upholding best practice standards to protect those who experience harm from the Church. Archbishop Wood wrote a pastoral letter to ACNA members and clergy announcing this decision, which can be read here. Dean of the Province, Bishop Ray Sutton, has provided additional guidance in a letter he posted here. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.

It was the greatest miracle that ever happened to Brother Duan, and he would not have experienced it had his bus not broken down. En route from a northern to a southern province of China in December, he happened to be passing through Henan province when the engine of the bus expired in its futile battle with the cold. On a whim, Duan trudged off through the fields, leaving the other passengers huddled inside the bus. He was a house church leader in northern China. Now 77 years of age, he still had no home to call his own. Truth is, he was deeply depressed. He was on his way to mediate a dispute among some leaders and was weary of all the infighting that seemed to be harming the house churches. And he was lonely. As he crossed the frozen field, Duan thought longingly of his beloved wife, who died long ago. He wished she were alive to listen to him and give her sweet counsel. And then the thought came into his tired mind of his little son, and an even darker cloud settled over his heart. He found a village and knocked on a door. A little cross was notched on the doorpost. "Is there anyone here who loves the Lord?" he asked. "I would love some fellowship tonight." The door was opened by a man in his fifties, and Duan was warmly welcomed. His feet were washed in a basin—the custom of welcoming a stranger among the house church movement—and was fed hot congee and steaming vegetables. He noticed that the people were all excited. It turned out that they would be traveling to a neighboring town to hear a dynamic Bible teacher from one of the bigger cities. "What's his name?" asked Duan. "Brother Wang." LIFE OF GIVING As they made their way to the meeting, they told him some of the stories about this mysterious Brother Wang. It was clear they loved him dearly, and one of the men explained why. "We were once holding a training seminar here and heard the police were coming. Brother Wang got everyone out, except our main pastor. When the police arrived, Wang dared to bargain with them. He would go to jail if our pastor—whose wife was eight months pregnant—could go free. The policeman accepted his terms, and Brother Wang spent three years in prison." "How old is Brother Wang?" Duan asked. When told he was in his early 40s, Duan's face showed great pain. "What's the matter?" he was asked. "Are you ill from the cart trip?" "No, I'm not ill," he replied, "just very sad. I once had a son, whom I knew for just two months. He's dead now, but if alive he would have been 42 today. My wife called him the 'Christmas Child,' since he was born at Christmas time. I called him 'Isaac,' because we had despaired for so long of having a child." There was silence as they rode in the open cart under the stars. Brother Duan told the incredible story of how he and his wife had been evangelists in the 1950s. They refused to join the Three Self church, and Wu, an old school bully, kept accusing them of political and criminal offenses. It was only a matter of time before they were jailed or killed, but what would happen to their boy? One night, Duan's wife heard a strong voice in a vision, saying, "Give your son to your enemy." Knowing nothing about this, Duan read Genesis 22:2 the following morning: "Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love and sacrifice him to me." Sharing their impressions, the couple decided on a course of action that caused Duan to wince in pain every day since. They gave their boy to Wu and his wife—who were childless—even as Wu arranged for the couple's arrest. It wasn't until 1978, when Duan was released from jail, that he learned what happened to his wife and son. She had died in the terrible famine of 1958, and his son had disappeared along with the Wu family under the rubble of a devastating earthquake in 1975. Said Duan sadly as the little cart approached the meeting place, "God judged me for being so irresponsible with my little son." INCREDIBLE MEETING As they arrived where the evangelist was to speak, a crowd of 200 people was already packed into the house. Like many others, Duan had to sit in the courtyard and listen to the teacher through the open window. When Brother Wang began preaching, Duan felt a terrible shock. It was like hearing himself! He began to tremble with fear. Was he dying? Even the phrases the teacher used sounded familiar. Confused, he staggered up to the window to see the preacher, causing a commotion as he fell over people. The preacher stopped and there was a moment of shocked silence as the men looked at each other. The crowd was hushed as they realized the amazing physical likeness. "I'm sorry for interrupting your excellent message," Duan began. "You see, I had a son who would be your age right now. If he had lived, he would have looked and sounded just like you." Brother Wang began to tremble violently. Suddenly, his legs buckled under him and he had to be caught before he fell. Clutching his pounding chest, he sobbed, "Are you Daddy Duan?" Everyone wept as father and son were reunited. The preacher told how he had indeed been brought up by Wu, who was so impressed by Duan's act of giving that he had become a strong Christian. "I'm not your real father," Wu used to say to him. "He's a great man of God, full of grace and love. He gave you to me, and I give you all my love and the encouragement to put God first, just like your real father." Wang's adopted parents had moved away from the earthquake zone before the tragedy, but both died of cancer in their 60s. Wang became an evangelist and tried to find his real father, but Duan had changed his name so many times to avoid arrest that he had proved untraceable. As father and son continued to hug and weep, the elder of the church stood up and declared, "It's December. We have seen our sermon tonight: Christ came into the world to save sinners—that is Christmas. Just as Duan handed his only son to the care of his enemy, so God handed over His own Son to us sinners. Let us rejoice in their reconciliation and ours too." END

Only half of America's ministers hold to a biblical worldview, but even many who do aren't imparting it to their congregations By Gene Edward Veith WORLD MAGAZINE HAS DISCUSSED THE COLLAPSE OF theological literacy and the rise of out-and-out unbelief among Americans who consider themselves to be "born again Christians" ("Unbelieving 'born-agains,'" Dec. 6, 2003). Now we know at least part of the reason. According to a new study by the Barna Research Group, 49 percent of Protestant pastors reject core biblical beliefs. The Christian pollster George Barna put together a list of biblical teachings that presumably Christians of every denomination or theological tradition could affirm: There is absolute moral truth based on the Bible; biblical teaching is accurate; Jesus was without sin; Satan literally exists; God is omnipotent and omniscient; salvation is by grace alone; Christians have a personal responsibility to evangelize. This is a bare-bones list. It says nothing about the Trinity or the Deity of Christ or other important teachings that are essential for salvation. The list has to do not so much with theology as with the assumptions that are behind one's theology; that is, with worldview. Any minister of whatever denomination, especially a Protestant one, should be able to agree on these basics. But only 51 percent do. Mr. Barna's breakdown of this data is telling. In the two largest Protestant denominations, Southern Baptists had the most pastors, percentage-wise, who hold to this biblical worldview (71 percent), while Methodists had the fewest (27 percent). The glass is either three-quarters empty or one-quarter full. That one in four Methodist pastors takes what the Bible teaches seriously might be surprising and encouraging in a liberal-leaning denomination. But it is equally surprising, though discouraging, to find that one in four Southern Baptist preachers does not. The statistics of pastors holding a biblical worldview for other denominations studied were 57 percent of (non-Southern) Baptists; 51 percent of nondenominational Protestants; and 44 percent of charismatic or Pentecostal churches. In the so-called mainline Protestant churches (essentially those belonging to the National Council of Churches), those pastors who could be described as having a biblical worldview numbered only 28 percent. Mr. Barna also broke the statistics down demographically. Only 35 percent of pastors of black churches hold to a biblical worldview, as he defines it. In denominations that ordain women, only 15 percent of female pastors hold to a biblical worldview. Mr. Barna also found that pastors who attended a seminary are less likely to have a biblical worldview (45 percent) than those who did not (59 percent). This is doubtless due to the anti-Christian scholarship that dominates much of today's academic religious studies, such as the higher-critical approach to Scripture, which begins by assuming that the Bible is nothing more than fiction. There is some good news, though, in Mr. Barna's numbers. Younger pastors (those under 40) are more likely to have a biblical worldview (56 percent) than older pastors (50 percent). Those who have been in the ministry for five years or less score even higher (58 percent). Perhaps the unbelieving ministers—mostly aging baby boomers, shaped no doubt by the theological, moral, and cultural upheaval of the '60s, and still assuming they are relevant today—will die out, to be replaced by younger and more faithful shepherds. But, in the meantime, the sheep are hungry and are not fed. Many have already starved to death. Mr. Barna, who discusses these findings in his new book Think Like Jesus, says that if the numbers are bad among pastors, they are even worse for church members. Just 7 percent of American Protestants overall agree with the biblical tenets on that list. And among those who consider themselves "born again," only 9 percent do. About one out of 10. There is a huge gap even when pastors do hold to biblical beliefs. "The research also points out that even in churches where the pastor has a biblical worldview," said Mr. Barna, "most of the congregants do not. More than six out of every seven congregants in the typical church do not share the biblical worldview of their pastor even when he or she has one." This suggests, he says, that "merely preaching good sermons and offering helpful programs does not enable most believers to develop a practical and scriptural theological base to shape their life." Based on his research of those who have a biblical worldview, he says that acquiring one "is a long-term process that requires a lot of purposeful activity: teaching, prayer, conversation, accountability, and so forth." "Based on our correlations of worldview and moral behavior," he said, "we can confidently argue that if the 51 percent of pastors who have a biblical worldview were to strategically and relentlessly assist their congregants in adopting such a way of interpreting and responding to life, the impact on our churches, families, and society at large would be enormous." © 1996 - 2003 WORLD Magazine END

The Queer Christ: Transforming Anger, Making Justice-love. A Community Eucharist was held at Episcopal Divinity School February 19. CAMBRIDGE, MA—A community Eucharist on the theme of "The Queer Christ: Transforming Anger, Making Justice-Love" was held on Thursday, February 19, at 8:30 am in St. John's Memorial Chapel, Episcopal Divinity School. Planned by the seminary's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students, alumni/ae, faculty, staff, and friends, the service began with a "parade of anger" which marched between a row of wooden crosses on which hung photographs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people who have been victims of hate crimes. Once inside the chapel, the service included music, readings, prayer, homily, the Eucharist, and finally a blessing for the transformation of anger into a potent energy for making justice, compassion, and reconciliation. Participants included gay and lesbian clergy and lay people from Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and various Protestant traditions, as well as GLBT allies. A reception was held in Washburn Lounge following the service. END

Interview by Diana Keough Bishop Robert W. Duncan Jr. of Pittsburgh, 55, is the de facto spiritual leader of conservative Episcopalians outraged over the consecration last year of Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire—a gay man in a long-term relationship. Once Robinson became a bishop, Duncan began helping to organize what he calls a "realignment" within the Episcopal Church and, by extension, the Anglican Communion. It is not yet clear what lies ahead for the Episcopal Church, but Duncan says he is sure that change will happen. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Duncan said some of his earliest memories revolve around attending church in his hometown of Bordentown, N.J. The church was stable and reliable, a sanctuary for a boy whose home life often included beatings from his emotionally disturbed mother. In a society that he calls highly sexualized and confused, Duncan believes Robinson is clearly outside the moral bounds of the Anglican Communion. Duncan recently sat down to talk with Diana Keough, a regular Beliefnet contributor who lives and works in Ohio. How are you keeping your spiritual life in balance these days? I keep up with my daily prayer life, and in particular, my time of morning prayers. I make a monthly retreat of 24 hours where I spend time with the community of St. Vincent's Arch Abbey, which gives me an opportunity to be with my spiritual director and confessor. What are you praying about? For my own ministry, for my family, for all the people who have been part of my walk over the years. I keep a monthly list and pray every morning along with all the standing prayers. A lot of my day-by-day prayers are about the present situation. I pray for those who are in opposition. I pray for those who see me as someone who's hurting them. I pray for the presiding Bishop of the church and the other Bishops who are on the other side. What particular Scripture is helping you through this time? Right now, I'm reading Genesis, Hebrews and John. The other day when we came to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, there was the word about the patriarchs and those who set out by faith, and they knew they were aliens and exiles—those are wonderful passages for what we're going through. There is a particular verse I was given when I was elected bishop—in fact, the same verse was sent to me by two different leaders who didn't know one another. It was I Thessalonians 5:24, which says, "He who called you is faithful and He will do it." I have great trust that anything that happens in this is going to be the Lord's doing, and not mine. I'm just trying to listen to Him day by day. Why are you taking this battle so far? The battle is about the authority of Scripture. It's about the basics of Christian faith. It's about sin and redemption. It's just so fundamental. The issues have to do with sexuality and morality, but at the very heart of it is whether Scripture can be trusted. In my experience I learned the one person I could trust was Jesus Christ and the only testament that was reliable was what was in Scripture. And I cannot let the Church, of all bodies, challenge the notion that you can't trust the plain meaning of Scripture. Are you referring to what the conservatives in the Episcopal Church call "revisionism?" And if so, can you define revisionism? A more ancient word for the same thing is "heresy." What's going on in this day and age (and, incidentally, it's not unlike other ages) is that this particular age has a notion that we're created good and we just need to be self-actualized. Well, all that is directly contrary to Scripture—it's heresy that doesn't require a Savior. But revisionism within the Episcopal Church has been going on for decades. Revisionism in the Episcopal Church is to revise what's been received, and we've been in the process of revising a lot of things in the last 50 years, particularly relating to sexual morality. Matters like abortion, like remarriage after divorce and issues like sexual activity outside of marriage, including homosexual activity. END

News Analysis By David W. Virtue VANCOUVER, BC—The revisionist Bishop of New Westminster, Michael Ingham, faces a triple crisis that could derail his plans to depose, at the minimum put on hold, his desire to toss 11 biblically orthodox priests out of their parishes and seize their properties. He faces a legal ultimatum with the leaders of St. Martin's parish in North Vancouver who argue that unless the parish is allowed to control its own finances and staffing, it will ask the B.C. Supreme Court to overturn the firing of two church wardens last year. In a letter delivered to Bishop Michael Ingham on Friday, former Trustee and spokesperson Linda Taunton said, "we want our church and we want to be able to control our own destiny. Ingham has until Feb. 23 to respond," she told Virtuosity. Last September, Ingham invoked an obscure piece of church law to remove the wardens, St. Martin's parishioners say. The parishioners maintain that as a legally incorporated organization, they have the right to make decisions for themselves. They contend Ingham's actions violate the provincial Societies Act. The parish has voted twice to seek alternative episcopal oversight. Late last year, Ingham closed one church. The second crisis the bishop faces is that four parishes have now obtained Temporary Adequate Episcopal Oversight from four international Anglican primates with immediate oversight of the Canadian parishes by a US-based AMiA bishop. The offer is temporary measure until a more permanent solution can be found. Seven of the parishes have not signed as yet, but sources tell Virtuosity that they are weighing their options. They are not ready to jump ship but all of them still support the Anglican Churches in New Westminster (ACiNW) coalition, with none having fled. "Those parishes who have not immediately accepted TAEO want to continue the Canadian process set up by the House of Bishops to look for a way to provide alternative episcopal oversight." All the conservative Canadian bishops have been informed of the TAEO offer as well as Yukon Bishop Terry Buckle who had offered alternative Episcopal oversight and then withdrew it. "Everybody is acting in good faith, some parishes just felt they cold not wait any longer," said the source. We should not view this as a break-up of the ACiNW coalition. It isn't." Ingham faces a third crisis with the Canadian House of Bishops Task Force that could recommend some sort of oversight for the beleaguered 11, which, if he doesn't accept, will put him at odds not only with the Anglican Church in Canada but with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the 38 Primates of the Anglican Communion. To date Ingham has not responded to either crisis. But those close to Ingham say he will never accept a recommendation from the Canadian House of Bishops to grant alternative oversight, because basically he believes he is the bishop and that is the end of the story. "He will never go for it. He will never accept AEO because it would be a diminishing of his ecclesiastical authority, and he is a power driven person, not gospel driven," said the source. The following Anglican clergy have already accepted the four Primates' offer of TAEO: The Revd Charles Alexander, Timothy Institute of Ministry, Calgary, Alberta; Dr David Bowler, Comox, Vancouver Island, a Church Plant; Revd Paul Carter, Immanuel Church, Westside; Revd Ron Gibbs, St Simon's, Deep Cove; Revd Ed Hird, St Simon's, Deep Cove; Revd David Hollebone, Living Waters Church, Victoria, Vancouver Island; Revd John Lombard, St Simon's, Deep Cove; Revd Barclay Mayo, St Andrews, Pender Harbour; Revd Silas Ng, Emmanuel Church, Richmond. These clergy come from two Canadian dioceses. St. Martin's, North Vancouver, St. Matthias & St Luke, Vancouver, St. Matthew's, Abbotsford, Church of the Good Shepherd, St Andrew's, Pender Harbour, St Simon's, North Vancouver, St. John's, Shaughnessy, Church of Emmanuel, Richmond, Holy Cross, Vancouver, Immanuel Church, Westside, and Vancouver Holy Cross, Abbotsford, still have not accepted Temporary Alternative Episcopal Oversight. END