An evangelical group that wants to reshape the movement’s political reputation for being focused on opposing abortion and same-sex marriage is hoping that a series of meetings stressing its roots in women’s suffrage and abolition will help it break out of the mold.
Quite rightly, we may therefore say that St Paul had a view of the role of women that we now recognise to be less than Christian — to take a simple example. Once that is conceded, there is no longer any need for theologians to sweat blood ironing out the many contradictions in the Bible. Given the world as it is, those contradictions make the Bible more, not less, credible. They leave us with essential existential choices, which give meaning to the “glorious liberty of the children of God”. We are slaves to no text; nor are we a religion of any book
Some notes from around the internet/blogosphere on the special convention for San Joaquin, starting with the presiding bishop: “We stand with you in the firm and constant hope that this body will grow and flourish and bless the central valley of California in ways you have not yet dreamed of. And we will celebrate with you as that becomes reality.”
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland today elected the Rev. Canon Eugene Taylor Sutton, canon pastor at the Washington National Cathedral, to be its 14th bishop
Author Jan Karon made an appearance at the Virginia Festival of the Book, whose lineup reads like a SXSW for English majors. The sold-out “high tea” with Karon happened Thursday afternoon in Charlottesville, VA.
Amid mixed feelings about his leadership, the Very Rev. Robert Taylor resigned as dean of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle yesterday. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s blogstaff posted the story under the category “Seattle politics,” noting details such as a generous severance package and controversy over Taylor’s 9-year tenure in leadership at the cathedral, particularly in the past year.
Many people around the world are planning on observing an hour of “darkness” tomorrow night as a way of participating in a global earth hour. The event was created by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007.
“Members of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin are gathering in Stockton, California, March 28 to take two major steps in reorganizing the diocese. The first step will be a “service for healing and forgiveness” at the Episcopal Church of St. Anne in Stockton, the temporary home of the diocese.” Following that a special convention will be held at St. John the Baptist in Lodi for the purpose of re-organizing the diocese whose most recent convention voted to leave the Episcopal Church.
There have been a number of essays posted in the secular media over the past two weeks which have attempted to put the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons about racism in the United States into some sort of broader context. But there have also been a few helpful essays written from within the religious community.
The blogger Aaron Orear has posted a lovely story of interfaith religious cooperation at his local cleaners. It’s a reminder that while there are certainly tensions between christians and muslims, there are still plenty of hopeful signs all around us that we can live and work in harmony with each other.