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An openly gay bishop whose appointment split the Anglican church is to resign, saying the last seven years had "taken their toll" on him, his family and his flock. The Right Rev Gene Robinson, of New Hampshire, revealed his plans yesterday, at at annual diocesan meeting. He will be 65 when he steps down, seven years below the retirement age. He told the convention that being in the eye of the storm had proved too much. He said: "Death threats, and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop, have been a constant strain, not just on me,...

The Islamic scriptures state that Jesus will return as a Muslim, and destroy Christianity. Of course I do not believe this, but in the mean time Muslims are certainly doing their part in attacking Christianity. As I have said in the past, all non-Islamic religions, and Atheists need to take a stand against this common enemy, before they destroy life as we know it. “Muslim Mob Burns Down Christian Shops, 8 Churches in Nigeria”

An unholy row has broken out in New Zealand over a church billboard aimed at "challenging stereotypes" about the birth of Jesus Christ. A dejected-looking Joseph lies in bed next to Mary under the caption, "Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow". St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, which erected the billboard, said it had intended to provoke debate. But the Catholic Church, among others, has condemned it as "inappropriate" and "disrespectful". Within hours of its unveiling, the billboard had been defaced with brown paint. The church's vicar, Archdeacon Glynn Cardy, said the aim of the billboard had been...

400,000 former Anglicans worldwide seek immediate unity with Rome Ruth Gledhill, Sophie Tedmanson, Giles Whittell and Richard Owen Leaders of more than 400,000 Anglicans who quit over women priests are to seek immediate unity with Rome under the apostolic constitution announced by Pope Benedict XVI. They will be among the first to take up an option allowing Anglicans to join an “ordinariate” that brings them into full communion with Roman Catholics while retaining elements of their Anglican identity. The Pope’s move is regarded by some Anglicans as one of the most dramatic developments in Protestant christendom since the Reformation gave...

Now what can this be all about? I get an email from my Li’l Bro Thom (who likes show tunes, a lot, and is often peppering his emails with Broadway lyrices) “Could be, who knows? There’s something due any day, I will know, right away…soon as it shows…” He was writing about this bit of a blurb from Deacon Greg, who got it from American Papist, who got it from Damian Thompson: *** We inform accredited journalists that tomorrow, Tuesday 20 October 2009, at 11am, in the John Paul II Hall of the Press Office of the Holy See, a...

For example, Dr Eugenie Scott of the staunchly anticreationist National Center for Science Education (NCSE) revealed their agenda when she said: “ … I would describe myself as a humanist or a nontheist. I have found that the most effective allies for evolution are people of the faith community. One clergyman with a backward collar is worth two biologists at a school board meeting any day! … What we [such clergy and atheists] have in common is that we want to see evolution taught in the public schools … .”4

Produced by Mission and Public Affairs in association with the Communications Office Statue outside Shrewsbury Library, formerly Shrewsbury School - © Shropshire County Council Introduction As the world of science prepares to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the seminal 'On the Origin of Species', an opportunity arises to look back on the relationship between Darwin, his supporters and the Christian Church. What is extraordinary is that Darwin was surrounded by the influence of the Church his entire life. Having attended one of the best Church of England boarding...

The simplest way of describing the cracks running down the middle of the 80m-strong Anglican family is to say that the traditionalists, reflecting the conservative social mores of Africa, are at odds with liberals from the rich world, especially over the issue of homosexuality. To explain the Africans’ conservatism, many point out that they are on the front line of a contest with Islam; and that missionary work in Africa was carried out by evangelicals who reflect a rather fundamentalist strain of British Christianity. All that is correct up to a point, and it explains why bishops from Kenya, Nigeria,...

One of the world's most famous evangelical theologians quit the Anglican Church of Canada this week because he believes many of its bishops are "arguably heretical" for adhering to "poisonous liberalism." James (J.I.) Packer, whom Time magazine recently named as one of the planet's 25 most influential evangelicals, said he hesitated before using the harsh terms to describe the Anglican bishops, but believed he must do so in the name of truth. Vancouver-based Packer, who has sold more than four million copies of his many books, said he and 10 other B.C. Anglican clergy left the national denomination this week...

A Church of England bishop who claimed Islamic extremism has made some places no-go areas for non-Muslims insists he was right to speak out on the issue. The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali raised the issue last month in a Sunday Telegraph interview. Now in a follow up inverview with the same newspaper, he accuses church leaders of not confronting the matter. "The issue had to be raised. There are times when Christian leaders have to speak out. It's my duty," he says. 'Spiritual leaders' Since making the comments in January he has received threats against...

Rome, 15 Feb. (AKI) - Islamic courts must be be ruled out in Britain and other Western countries if the democratic rights of all their citizens are to be safeguarded, Iranian born activist Homa Arjomand, told Adnkronos International (AKI). Homa Arjomand spearheaded a successful campaign to end faith-based arbitration in Canada. She strongly disagreed with remarks made earlier in February by the head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who claimed that Islamic (Sharia) courts in Britain seemed "inevitable" and could aid "social cohesion". Arjomand told AKI that adopting Sharia courts, promoting Islamic schools and Islamic...

Bishop loses gay employment case http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6904057.stm Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 09:37 GMT 10:37 UK A gay man has won his case for unlawful discrimination after he was refused a youth official's job by a Church of England bishop. The employment tribunal said John Reaney, 42, was discriminated against "on grounds of sexual orientation" by the Hereford diocesan board of finance. Mr Reaney, from Colwyn Bay, Conwy, said he was "delighted" at the decision. The Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Rev Anthony Priddis, said he was "naturally disappointed" and may appeal. During the tribunal in Cardiff in April, Mr Reaney said...

SOURCE: http://www.stnicksonline.org/DIRECT LINK Sunday, October 29, 2006 Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord, As you know, the past several years have been a time of intense turmoil within the Episcopal Church. The events of General Convention 2006 have only confirmed that the Episcopal Church is deliberately moving away from the Apostle's teaching as found in Holy Scripture. Despite the relative strength of our own diocese, it is nevertheless the case that we remain part of a withered branch of Christ's Church that has turned its back on His saving Gospel and squandered its spiritual inheritance. After much prayer...

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in the first authorized biography of the Nobel peace laureate, said he was ashamed of his Anglican Church's conservative position that rejected gay priests. In the book "Rabble-Rouser for Peace," by his former press secretary, John Allen, Tutu also criticized the last apartheid president, F.W. de Klerk, for not accepting accountability for apartheid atrocities. He said the failure caused him to regret having nominated de Klerk, along with Nelson Mandela, for their 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. Excerpts from the book were scheduled to be appear in South Africa on Friday and the biography was scheduled for release...

Dean in 'gay marriage' By Ruth Gledhill The Dean of St Albans, Jeffrey John, has taken part in a private “gay marriage” ceremony at St Albans register office. Dr John, the most senior gay cleric so far to tie the knot, registered his civil partnership with the Rev Grant Holmes, a hospital chaplain. The congregation at St Albans Cathedral applauded when the warden delivered the news at the end of the parish announcements on Sunday.About 150 guests attended a reception in the deanery garden after the Eucharist. Dr John and Mr Holmes, who both wore clerical garb for the ceremony,...

The Lambeth walk: The Archbishop of Canterbury shows true leadershiphttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,542-2246425,00.html http://tinyurl.com/hqebd No one could accuse Rowan Williams of not saying that extra prayer or going the extra mile along the rocky road. He has wrestled with the tensions, arguments and conflict over homosexual clergy for more than three years in an attempt to hold together a Church of England more rent with division than at any time for the past two centuries. The effort has cost the office of archbishop dear and has brought the Church to the brink of schism. Now he has decided that the time for emollience...

Worldwide Anglican church facing split over gay bishop http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2245849,00.html http://tinyurl.com/opnva By Ruth Gledhill Times Online June 27, 2006 The Archbishop of Canterbury has outlined proposals that are expected to lead to the exclusion of The Episcopal Church of the United States from the Anglican Church as a consequence of consecrating a gay bishop. The US branch of Anglicanism faces losing its status of full membership of the Anglican Church in the wake of its consecration of the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, an act which has propelled the worldwide church to the brink of schism. The...

Bible supports homosexual partnerships, says bishophttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/28/nchurch28.xml http://tinyurl.com/lb2b9 By Jonathan Wynne-Jones (Filed: 28/05/2006) One of the country's most senior bishops has reignited the Church of England row over homosexuality by claiming that same-sex partnerships are supported by the Bible. The Rt Rev Richard Harries, the Bishop of Oxford, said that traditionalists in the Church needed to be "converted" to see that homosexual unions are confirmed by the scriptures. He reaffirmed his controversial belief that an openly gay man should be allowed to be appointed a bishop. His remarks have angered traditionalists and are set to rekindle the debate on homosexual "marriages"...

A group of Afghans are staging a sit-in at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. The group of around 30 have been at the Cathedral since earlier this afternoon. It is understood those involved in the protest are failed asylum seekers facing deportation. Advertisement They have said they were planning to go on hunger strike. Gardaí say they are demanding to speak to officials at the Department of Justice.

A further blow to the Moral Fibre of the Nation 15th April 2006 Source: Reform Ireland It is with grave concern that Reform Ireland listened to Bertie Ahern advocating the creation of Civil Partnerships in the Republic of Ireland. Reform Ireland would encourage and call upon the senior clergy in the Republic of Ireland to make representations to the Irish Government that such legislation would be a further blow to the moral fibre of the Irish nation and undermine heterosexual marriage as the foundational relationship for family life. We note that in the UK the take-up rate of such partnerships...