USA & the Episcopal Church
An case alleging child sexual abuse by an Episcopal priest in the 70’s was filed in Arizona and then a separate case was filed in Los Angeles
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2019/07/23/episcopal-priest-in-palm-springs-subject-of-child-sex-abuse-involving-la-diocese/1806778001/
A really interesting piece on a woman who is a “free-range” priest in North Carolina which may give food for thought to anyone working to imagine a more nimble and responsive church
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/07/22/free-range-priests-solve-traditional-church-problems/
RNS has a story about the effects to the resettlement agencies (including EMM) from the Trump administrations plans to effectively eliminate refugee resettlement in the US
https://religionnews.com/2019/07/19/faith-groups-fear-the-end-of-refugee-resettlement-in-the-u-s/
and here from ENS
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/07/19/episcopal-officials-defend-refugee-resettlement-after-report-trump-officials-suggest-halt-to-program/
TEC is starting to invest in gun manufacturers in order to advocate for safer guns and sales practices
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/07/25/episcopal-church-as-shareholder-takes-initial-steps-toward-direct-advocacy-with-gun-manufacturers/
Nate Silver’s stats driven news site, FiveThirtyEight, has an overview of a recent Pew poll on religious knowledge that also has a link that lets you test your own knowledge.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-americans-know-about-religion-and-what-they-dont/
The Union of Black Episcopalians held its gathering in Los Angeles this week
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/07/23/union-of-black-episcopalians-meets-in-los-angeles-celebrates-diaspora-women-bishops/
and Bishop Curry gave a rousing call to action at the UBE youth worship
https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/07/25/presiding-bishop-tells-young-episcopalians-we-must-help-america-find-its-soul/
Lambeth 2020
Lambeth 2020 is now less than a year away
https://www.anglicannews.org/multimedia/lambeth-conference-2020-one-year-to-go.aspx
Nice short article on the hopes of the Lambeth Design Group to speak effectively on “global issues”
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/26-july/news/world/lambeth-2020-must-address-global-issues
Anglican Communion
A really interesting article about the Church of Ireland as it nears the 150th anniversary of disestablishment
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/church-of-ireland-has-put-its-survival-over-public-engagement-1.3963911
Welby is travelling to Sri Lanka, where he is expected to show solidarity with those who were bombed
https://colombogazette.com/2019/07/21/head-of-the-anglican-church-to-visit-sri-lanka/
and
http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/07/22/local/191774/anglican-church-head-visits
Anglican Church in Japan continues to rally international support for a ban on nuclear energy development
https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2019/07/international-forum-calls-for-joint-church-action-to-end-nuclear-energy-development.aspx
Other Interesting Items
ACNA has its first female African-American rector
https://lasentinel.net/st-pauls-city-church-to-install-first-black-female-rector.html
image: Bishop Chet Talton, retired suffragan of Los Angeles, center, celebrates the opening Eucharist at the Union of Black Episcopalians 2019 conference on July 22 at St. John’s Cathedral, Los Angeles. Photo: Janet Kawamoto/Diocese of Los Angeles