“Unjust discrimination is fundamentally wrong.” So say the Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales in evidence to parliament on the equality bill. But doesn’t this terminology imply there might be another category of “just discrimination” which is slightly less awful, or even in some circumstances righteous?
Stephen Tyrone Johns, the steadfast security guard who died at the museum, laid down his life to protect visitors to that sacred space. I ask that all of our churches commemorate his heroic self-sacrifice by including a special prayer for Mr. Johns, his family and friends in their Eucharistic celebrations this Sunday.
When Ralph White was a teenager at All Saints Parish in Wynnewood, he says, he was sexually abused on a number of occasions by the Rev. Gibson Bell. Rev. Bell influenced White’s mother to have her son placed in a mental institution. Later, White’s mother disowned her son and willed her estate to Rev. Bell.
Now I’m reading the stories of women whom Dr. Tiller aided. While these stories don’t cancel the need for Christians to wrestle with abortion and possibly to support restrictions through legislation, the stories shake us loose from any moral high ground we thought we had reached in our own decisions—and sensitize or resensitize us to human suffering.
To be very frank, the bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, by providing clear guidelines for the very real pastoral and liturgical care of our relationships, have shown far more pastoral sensitivity and courage … To be even more frank, this Committee and those responsible for its actions owe lgbt Christians a sincere apology and acts of repentance for this latest handling.
Kevin Forrester has been a convenient way to show that The Episcopal Church is still ‘orthodox’ and one must wonder how many standing committees have taken advantage of the evidence of liturgical changes to prevent his bishop-ing to make the wider point. A priest with the same views as Forrester, but who goes on using the same given materials, is far more likely to be accepted for elevation.
The only reason that the twelve were willing to have a face-to-face meeting with Saul at all was that their major contributor, the “son of encouragement,” vouched for him. Luke does not offer a reason why Barnabas suddenly appeared, nor why he stood up for Saul. It really does not matter. The fact is there probably would be no “apostle Paul” if Barnabas the encourager, Barnabas the steward of others, had not stood up for him.