Gender & Sexuality
As church-based civil unions kick in, Church of England says no
By Tracy Gordon — December 6, 2011
LONDON (RNS) New laws that allow same-sex civil unions to be performed on religious premises took effect in England and Wales on Monday (Dec. 5), but the Church of England says it won’t permit them without approval from its top body. Civil partnerships have been legal since 2005, but until Monday the ceremonies had to […]
D.C. tosses complaint against Catholic University dorms
By Tracy Gordon — December 1, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) The District of Columbia has dismissed a complaint against The Catholic University of America that charged the school’s return to same-gender student housing discriminates against women. In an order issued Tuesday (Nov. 29), the city’s Office of Human Rights said offering only single-sex dormitories is not unlawful discrimination under the District’s Human Rights […]
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: The Last Testament; Episcopal abandonment; Western Wall
By Daniel Burke — November 29, 2011
Just in time for the holidays, God has a new book out called the “The Last Testament,” as “revealed” to a Daily Show writer. The NYT calls it “pseudoquaint.” Speaking of writers, the late David Foster Wallace reportedly flirted with joining the Catholic Church near the end of his life. David Brooks has been reading […]
Atheists launch campaign to get unbelievers to `come out’
By Tracy Gordon — November 22, 2011
(RNS) The young man in the video pulls in close to his computer camera with the trappings of a typical college dorm room — a loft bed and the clutter of cast-off clothes — piled behind him. Alex Fiorentini isn’t talking about girls, beer or football. Instead, it’s a coming-out moment of sorts. “Is it […]
Monday’s Religion News Roundup: Bernard Law, altar girls, Marijuana ministry
By Daniel Burke — November 21, 2011
Where have you gone, Billy Sunday? Asked to name the nation’s most influential Christian leader, 40 percent of Americans said they couldn’t think of anyone who meets that description, according to a new Barna poll. Twenty percent said Billy Graham, nine percent said Pope Benedict XVI and 8 percent said President Obama. Also in statistical […]
Catholic official resigns over Satan-homosexuality column
By Tracy Gordon — November 4, 2011
(RNS) A policy adviser to the U.S. Catholic bishops’ anti-gay-marriage office resigned on Friday (Nov. 4), a week after writing a column that blamed Satan for homosexuality. Daniel Avila had been an on-staff adviser to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage since June. Unofficially, Avila referred to […]
`Bishops’ marriage guy’ blames devil for homosexuality
By Tracy Gordon — November 3, 2011
(RNS) A policy adviser for the U.S. Catholic bishops’ anti-gay-marriage initiative is under fire for a now-retracted column that blames the devil for homosexuality. In an Oct. 28 column in the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, Daniel Avila attempts to answer “some fundamental questions on same-sex attraction,” particularly its cause. “The scientific evidence […]
Catholic official blames Satan for homosexuality
By Daniel Burke — November 3, 2011
The Boston Pilot, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, issued a retraction and apology on Wednesday for a column that blamed the devil for homosexuality. The column was written by Daniel Avila, a Washington, D.C., lawyer, who is also a policy advisor for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee for the Promotion […]
Anglicans won’t allow civil partnerships in churches
By Tracy Gordon — November 2, 2011
LONDON (RNS) The British government said Wednesday (Nov. 2) that same-sex couples will be allowed for the first time to use churches to seal their civil partnership vows, starting in December. But the directive added that no religious group will be forced to conduct or host such a ceremony, and the Church of England quickly […]
Friday Godbytes
By Jack Jenkins — October 29, 2011
So, yes, some Christians are debating whether or not to celebrate Halloween. But you know what’s also this Sunday? That’s right – Reformation Sunday! Scott Alan at The Christian Century makes the case for celebrating the little-known holiday, and Christian scholar Diana Butler Bass is getting jazzed about the festivities as well. Heck, Killing the […]
Driscoll’s Portland church met by protesters
By Tracy Gordon — October 17, 2011
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) Black-clad demonstrators gathered outside the Portland satellite branch of a Seattle megachurch on Sunday (Oct. 16) to protest the church’s stance on homosexuality. About 20 protesters lined up outside Mars Hill Church during the congregation’s first Sunday morning services, carrying banners and shouting obscenities as churchgoers left when the service ended. “Shame […]
Pastor defends teacher accused of anti-gay rant
By Tracy Gordon — October 17, 2011
UNION, N.J. (RNS) The pastor of a high school teacher who has been vilified for an anti-gay tirade on Facebook came to the woman’s defense, calling her a “very loving person” who should not be fired for expressing her religious beliefs. The Rev. Milton B. Hobbs, pastor of New Covenant Fellowship in Clark, N.J., said […]
Anti-gay post on teacher’s Facebook page stirs firestorm
By Tracy Gordon — October 14, 2011
UNION TOWNSHIP, N.J. (RNS) It began last week with a single online comment, one critical of a high school display marking Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month. It soon ballooned into a harangue against homosexuality, a “perverted spirit” and a “sin” that “breeds like cancer.” “Why parade your unnatural immoral behaviors before the rest of […]
Pentagon: Chaplains can celebrate gay marriages
By Tracy Gordon — September 30, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Military chaplains can lead same-sex marriage ceremonies on and off military bases, the Pentagon announced Friday (Sept. 30), in a move that closely followed the repeal of a ban on openly gay service members. “A military chaplain may participate in or officiate any private ceremony, whether on or off a military installation, provided […]
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup
By David Gibson — September 27, 2011
Barack Obama really is the Antichrist, at least according to a heckler last night during the president’s fundraiser in Los Angeles. “Jesus Christ is still God!” shouted David Serrano before security dragged him off. “You are the Antichrist!” The president smiled and agreed with the first part, though he issued no formal denial of the […]
