Fulcrum [Anglican Open Evangelical] Response to Consents being given to the Consecration of Mary Glasspool

This is a clear rejection of the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Primates' Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council.

We believe that it is vitally important for the Primates' Meeting planned for January 2011 to go ahead, and that for this to happen the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church should not be invited to attend. Actions have consequences. Posted here.


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Lessons from Long-Term Male Couples in Non-Monogamous Relationships

PLEASE NOTE: We recognize that by posting this study and maintaining this site we run the very real risk that the ‘Religious Right’ can use this information to further their efforts to fuel fear and deny LGBT’s the right to marry. And on a personal level, given we’re both independent professionals, we realize by being so open, we’re putting our incomes and livelihoods at stake. On the other hand, we know the tyranny that comes with trying to present our relationships and our community in a singular light and the cost of hiding important aspects of ourselves as individuals. As responsible individuals and responsible community members, we think the importance of providing accurate, honest portrayals of who we are, the relationships we’ve created, and what couples have found to work is worthy of taking that risk.

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Builders and driving instructors among one in five workers caught in frenzy of paedophile vetting

Driving instructors, home helps, speech therapists, builders and Sunday school teachers will all have to register with the state under new child protection laws, it was revealed yesterday.

Cleaners, prison officers, children’s football referees, weight loss instructors, opera singers and St John Ambulance volunteers are also among the nine million who must pass a new vetting procedure – because their work may bring them into contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Read more
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Blogging from the Melbourne Atheists' Convention

Well worth a read, here.


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Condoms: Lie back and think of England

(But see this, and this by the same author, and while you're about it, this by someone reviewing the author's work.)

Last week, the UK Government announced that it would pay for 42 million condoms to be sent to South Africa as part of its preparations for the football World Cup. The news was greeted mostly with titters — just how many condoms does John Terry need?

But it was actually a glimpse into one of the most unsung, unknown British successes. It is a story of thinking small to make a big difference. Of staying true to our values, even when those more powerful than us were rejecting them. It is a story of those three best of British qualities: smutty humour, decency and Blitz spirit, which combined to give us a philanthropic vocation. It is a story of Britain saving the world, one condom at a time. You may know that Britain, in Durex, is home to the most successful condom brand in the world — producing a third of the billions of commercial condoms gracing the planet’s manhood. You may even be part of the movement that means, as of October last year, the condom became the UK’s contraceptive of choice, according to the Office for National Statistics. For the first time since the flower-power era, British women now rely on the condom as much as the Pill.

But what you probably don’t know is that in 2007, Britain was the largest country donor of condoms to the developing world. For every occasion when the US preached abstinence, the British quietly upped their shipments of condoms. Read more
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Archbishop Peter Jensen on the American Episcopal Election

The American Episcopal Election
 
Media Statement  18/3/10

With the election of the Reverend Mary Glasspool, a partnered lesbian,as a Bishop in Los Angeles in The Episcopal Church, the AnglicanCommunion reaches another decisive moment. It is now absolutely clear to all that the national Church itself has formally committed itself to a pattern of life which is contrary to Scripture. The election of Bishop Robinson in 2003 was not an aberration to be corrected in due course. It was a true indication of the heart of the Church and the direction of its affairs.

There have been various responses to the actions of TEC over the years. Some have been dramatic and decisive, such as the creation of the Anglican Church of North America, an ecclesiastical body recognized by the GAFCON Primates as genuinely Anglican. For others, however, the counsels of patience have prevailed and they have sought a change of heart and waited patiently for it to occur. Those who have sought a middle course may be found both inside and outside the American Church.

This is a decisive moment for this ‘middle’ group. Their patience has been gentle and praiseworthy. But to wait longer would not be patience – it would be obstinacy or even an unworthy anxiety. Two things need to be made clear. First, that they are unambiguously opposed to a development which sanctifies sin and which is an abrogation of the word of the living God. Second, that they will take sufficient action to distance themselves from those who have chosen to walk in the path of disobedience.

Peter F. Jensen,
Archbishop of Sydney

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AAC Statement on TEC Approval of Partnered Lesbian Bishop

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Mr. Robert Lundy,
AAC Communications Officer
770-595-6979
rlundy@americananglican.org

AAC Statement on TEC Approval of Partnered Lesbian Bishop

The Episcopal Church announced today that it will consecrate its second non-celibate homosexual bishop on May 15. The Presiding Bishop's office announced that a majority of bishops and diocesan Standing Committees consented to the consecration of Bishop-elect Mary Douglas Glasspool as a suffragan bishop of Los Angeles.

The following is a statement from Bishop David C. Anderson, President and CEO of the American Anglican Council, on the announcement.

"What this means is the majority of The Episcopal Church's leaders - down to the diocesan level throughout America - are exercising no restraint as requested by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the primates of the Anglican Communion. Despite pleas to the contrary, they have given their consent for a partnered lesbian to become a bishop, not just for Los Angeles, but for the whole church. Unfortunately, this comes as no surprise because The Episcopal Church, at its General Convention this summer, voted in favor of allowing dioceses to determine whether they will conduct same sex blessings using whatever rites they deem appropriate. Even if The Episcopal Church should eventually decide to sign an Anglican Covenant, it has shown time and time again that it will not abide by traditional Christian and Anglican Communion teaching on marriage and sexuality."

# # #

See The Episcopal Church's announcement here:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/newsline.htm




This email was produced by:
The American Anglican Council
www.AmericanAnglican.org
770-414-1515
800-914-2000

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The rise and rise of atheism

[...] Churches are social groups for many people, which is something atheists do not have, hence the popularity of this event which sold out six weeks in advance. Many small atheist groups were in attendance, raising their profile among the largest group of like-minded people ever gathered in Australia.

Several speakers commented that they had never addressed such a large group of atheists before, and there were a far greater range of topics presented than many expected. A question put to many attendees before the convention was, "But what can you possibly have to talk about? Nothing?"

The presenters shared some truly horrific stories of things done in the name of God or as part of some religious organisation, but the overall effort was not to paint all religions as always forces for bad. Much was made of the charitable works religious organisations do, but then, alternatives were presented. Charitable works do not need a veil of the supernatural in order to be effective, and you should not need a god looking over your shoulder, monitoring how much you are donating to disaster relief or to alleviate poverty. Peter Singer in particular talked about the evolutionary imperatives for fairness and for rendering aid. Read more
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Obama runs out of patience with Israel

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday strongly defended Jewish settlement construction in East Jerusalem in the face of US pressure and what one of his own top diplomats described as the worst crisis in relations with Washington for more than three decades.

A defiant Mr Netanyahu appeared to be digging in despite clear indications that the Obama administration is now demanding the scrapping of plans for 1,600 new Jewish homes, whose announcement overshadowed last week's visit to Israel by the US Vice-President Joe Biden. Mr Netanyahu's stance appeared to guarantee, after a highly charged week, the protraction of a stand-off in which a full-scale diplomatic row blew up at the start of Mr Biden's visit and appeared to abate at the end of it. But it was then reignited by demands from Hillary Clinton and an angry White House that Israel make amends for the "insulting" announcement just as indirect negotiations with the Palestinians had finally been arranged. Read more
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