The Lead – Page 1140 – Episcopal Cafe

Gay marriage ban most akin to ban against slave marriages

August 4, 2010 No Comments

In the antebellum South, the marriages of the vast majority of African-Americans, much like gays today, held no legal standing. Slavery is obviously, itself, a problem–but abolitionists often, and accurately, noted that among its most heinous features was its utter disrespect for the families of the enslaved. Likewise, systemic homophobia is, itself, a problem–but among its most heinous features is its utter disrespect for the families formed by gays and lesbians.

Female Episcopal chaplain deploys to Afghanistan

August 4, 2010 1 Comment

Episcopal chaplain is part on an Iowa National Guard deployment of more than 2,800 soldiers heading to the war in Afghanistan.

Assorted links

August 4, 2010 3 Comments

A globetrot from Freetown to Osaka to Jerusalem to the virtual house of worship and elsewhere. All your catholic tastes could desire.

Prop 8 ruling today

August 4, 2010 No Comments

Later today the Court in Perry v. Schwarzenegger will issue its written order containing findings of fact and conclusions of law following the court trial held in January and June of this year. According to the court’s media liaison the order will be e-filed between 1 pm and 3 pm tomorrow, Pacific time. There will be no court proceeding associated with the publication of the order.

Finding hope in desperate times

August 3, 2010 1 Comment

Two large, destructive waves are building or crashing around us, perhaps inside us as well. The names of the waves are well known: the worldwide economic crisis and environmental collapse. Both waves are likely to continue to influence human history and psychology for the foreseeable future. Both waves could seem to wash away hope, as though despair were actually bedrock.

Trinity Wall Street grant to fund conference in Uganda

August 3, 2010 3 Comments

Trinity Wall Street has awarded $1.4 million in the second quarter. A substantial portion of those grants went to African dioceses. The grants announced today include…

Those with less give more

August 3, 2010 2 Comments

“What we find counterintuitively … is that the needy or the relatively less wealthy are actually more generous,” said Paul Piff, lead author of the study. “They are more giving toward other people (and) they care more about the needs of others in their social surroundings.”

No Covenant please, we are Anglican

August 3, 2010 2 Comments

The 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion are being asked to sign an “Anglican covenant” designed to create a split between approvers and condemners of same-sex partnerships. General Synod, the Church of England’s governing body, is due to vote on it in November. In the name of preventing one change – toleration of same-sex partnerships – it proposes to turn Anglicanism into a confessional sect where everybody is told what to believe.

The Church of Uganda speaks on anti-gay legislation

August 3, 2010 1 Comment

Onapito added that while the church’s position may be contrary to Western notions of fair treatment for gays, it hardly poses the desperate risk to life and freedom that gay rights advocates fear. There should be no doubt, however, that the COU wants to ensure that “sexual orientation is excluded as a protected human right.”

Anti-Muslim sentiment swelling on American right

August 2, 2010 7 Comments

“What we are also doing by the burning of the Quran, we’re saying stop, stop to Islam, stop to Islamic law, stop to brutality. We have nothing against Muslims, they are welcome in our country.” When Sanchez asked him how he would feel if Muslims burned the Bible, Jones admitted he wouldn’t like it but emphasized that it was his “right” to burn the Islamic text because “we live in America.”

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