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Reporting from Los Angeles and Riverside - The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles on Saturday elected the first openly gay bishop since the national church lifted a ban that kept gays out of its highest ordained ministry, a move that deepened divisions between liberals and conservatives in the faith. Clergy and lay leaders, meeting in Riverside for their annual convention, chose the Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool, 55, who has been in a committed relationship with another woman since 1988, from a field of six candidates. She is a canon, or senior assistant, to the Diocese of Maryland bishops. Glasspool's...

I don't envy Archbishop Rowan Williams. The leader of the global Anglican communion has had a busy couple of months -- on one hand, dealing with the news of the Vatican's offer of a personal ordinariate within the Catholic Church for Anglicans looking to convert... and now, on the other, with the Episcopal Church in the United States electing an openly lesbian bishop to the Los Angeles diocese. If confirmed, the Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool would be the first lesbian bishop in the Anglican communion.But the global communion is still struggling with the question of whether practicing homosexuals should...

The future of the worldwide Anglican Communion was in jeopardy last night after the Archbishop of Canterbury said that the election of a lesbian bishop in the United States raised “very serious questions”. Dr Rowan Williams added that the choice of Canon Mary Glasspool to be a suffragan bishop in Los Angeles had “important implications”. The election of Canon Glasspool, who has lived with the same female partner since 1988, is the second appointment of an openly homosexual bishop in the US Episcopal Church

The worldwide Anglican Church has been plunged into a fresh crisis after a lesbian was chosen as its second gay bishop. In a move that will dismay the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, Canon Mary Glasspool was elected as an assistant bishop for the diocese of Los Angeles. The Rev Rod Thomas, the leader of the conservative evangelical group Reform and a member of the General Synod, said: ‘I feel deeply ashamed that this is happening in the Anglican Church. ‘I think a schism is absolutely inevitable.’

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected the first female bishop in its 114-year history Friday but ended voting for the day with one of two openly gay candidates still vying for the second bishop's position.Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, rector of St. Clement's-By-The-Sea Episcopal Church in San Clemente, was elected Friday at the diocese's annual convention to replace one of two retiring assistant bishops.Bruce, who was elected in the convention's third ballot, is a former bank executive who has spent the past 12 years working as a priest in Orange County.Voting for the second spot did...

BREAKING: Diocese of Los Angeles Elects Non-Celibate Lesbian As Suffragan Bishop

Lutherans Prepare To Vote On Accepting Gay Clergy by Barbara Bradley Hagerty National Public Radio, August 15, 2009 First it was the Episcopalians, now it's the Lutherans. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — one of the largest Christian churches — is on the brink of sanctioning gay clergy members. When more than 1,000 members of the clergy and lay people begin a weeklong meeting in Minneapolis on Monday, they will be asked to decide whether to change their policy and allow pastors in gay relationships to serve in the ministry. What's remarkable is that this once incendiary issue has...

Gay, lesbian priests nominated for bishop LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Two Episcopal priests in same-gender relationships are among the nominees for assistant bishop of Los Angeles, officials said Sunday. The Rev. John L. Kirkley of San Francisco and the Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool of Maryland will be among six candidates on the ballot when lay people and clergy vote in December, despite a long-standing request from world Anglican leaders for a moratorium on consecrating openly gay bishops. Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno said in a statement Sunday that he was "pleased by the wide diversity" of the nominees. Separately, the...

Episcopal Church leaders in Los Angeles today nominated an openly gay priest and an openly lesbian priest as bishops, becoming one of the first dioceses in the national church to test a controversial new policy that lifted a de facto ban on gays and lesbians in the ordained hierarchy. The nominations of the Rev. John L. Kirkley of San Francisco and the Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool of a Baltimore-based diocese are likely to further inflame theological conservatives in the U.S. church and their global partners in the Anglican Communion, who have repeatedly warned about the repercussions of such action....

Q: What has been the fallout of all of this on your own diocese, in New Hampshire? Have you lost many church members? A: Except for one parish in Rochester early on, no. That left about 15 people in that congregation, they met for about a year, and then asked me to close them down because there weren’t enough people to sustain a continued parish. That’s all. That’s it. There’s no one, no priests or parishes associated with the breakaway groups. Our diocese grew by 3 percent last year. … Q: Who are you pulling in? A: We have received...

The Episcopal Church approves blessing same-gender unions Lutherans Concerned / North America celebrates the decision of the US Episcopal Church at its triennial General Convention to approve the blessing of some same-gender lifelong, committed relationships. The change in policy was passed yesterday, July 17, 2009, the last day of the 10-day meeting. The resolution passed also included directions to the church leadership to develop liturgies for the rites of blessing. Characterized in the press as carefully worded, the resolution did not change the stated definition that a marriage is between a man and a woman. The rites called for will...

For a decade now, the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) has been bitterly divided over the issue of ordaining openly gay clergy. The matter reached a new intensity this past week when the church's triennial convention ended the ban on gay candidates serving in ordained ministry. After years of protesting ECUSA's liberal policies and doctrines, seceding conservatives have now organized a rival church -- the Anglican Church in North America, or ACNA -- which claims 100,000 believers, compared with two million in ECUSA. This week's dramatic decision is sure to widen the rift even further, causing what church historians might officially...

Episcopalians overwhelmingly favor tossing a previously approved resolution that bans ordaining openly gay bishops. In discussions that began Thursday afternoon and continued Friday morning during The Episcopal Church's triennial General Convention, Episcopalians spoke frankly, testifying passionately either for throwing out the ban or against rescinding it. "Gays and lesbians are asked to make sacrifices the rest of us are not asked to make," said the Rev. J. Frederick Barber of Fort Worth, according to the Episcopal News Service. Debate centered on resolution B033, which was approved by the General Convention in 2006. It calls for restraint in ordaining bishops "whose...

The Episcopal Church moved Monday toward affirming their acceptance of gays and lesbians for all roles in ministry, despite pressure from fellow Anglicans worldwide for a decisive moratorium on consecrating another openly gay bishop. Bishops at the Episcopal General Convention in Anaheim, Calif., voted 99-45 with two abstentions for a statement declaring "God has called and may call" to ministry gays in committed lifelong relationships. Lay and priest delegates to the meeting had comfortably approved a nearly identical statement, and were expected to adopt the latest version before the meeting ends Friday. Leaders of the Anglican Communion have been pushing...

Homosexual Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson. (UPPA) In defiance of the majority of the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. has voted in favor of ordaining homosexual bishops. The unilateral action by the Episcopal Church, courtesy of a vote by its General Convention, moves the deeply divided Anglican Communion closer to formal schism. The Los Angeles Times reports today: Bishops, clergy and lay leaders voted overwhelmingly at the denomination’s General Convention in Anaheim to open “any ordained ministry� to gays and lesbians. The liberalized policy represents a reversal from guidelines adopted by the church at its last convention in...

ANAHEIM, CA - Episcopalians are moving toward affirming an open role for homosexual clergy in their church despite pressure from fellow Anglicans not to do so. Episcopal bishops voted at a national meeting yesterday for a statement that says "God has called and may call" homosexual men and women to ministry. Delegates to the meeting already approved a nearly identical statement. This latest version is likely to be approved by Friday. Episcopalians caused an uproar in 2003 by consecrating the first openly homosexual bishop, Vicki Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. That decision has nearly split the world Anglican Communion, which...

July 14, 2009 Schism closer as US Anglicans vote to overturn ban on gay ordinations Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent A formal split in the Anglican Church worldwide moved closer yesterday after clergy and laity in the US voted to allow the consecration of openly gay bishops. The Archbishop of Canterbury expressed “regret” over a decision by Anglicans in the US that represents a blow to his hopes for Church unity. Dr Rowan Williams made clear his concern after the Episcopal Church voted at the triannual General Convention in California to overturn a moratorium on gay ordinations. Clergy and laity in...

Bishops of the Anglican Church in the United States have voted to overturn a three-year moratorium on the election of gay bishops. The decision seems likely to lead to the Episcopal Church's eventual exit from the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Communion has been fighting to avoid disintegration since the Episcopal Church consecrated the openly gay bishop Gene Robinson in 2003. The decision is expected to be confirmed in the next few days. Archbishop's regret The election of the Bishop of New Hampshire, the Right Reverend Gene Robinson, created an apparently irreconcilable rift between liberal and traditional Anglicans. Liberals believe the...

"The Church of Sweden has appointed a lesbian as the Lutheran bishop of Stockholm. Eva Brunne, who is in a registered partnership, is believed to be the world's first lesbian bishop. She won the post by 413 votes against 365 votes and will succeed Bishop Caroline Krook, who is to retire in November. Brunne, 55, has a three-year-old son with her partner Gunilla Linden, who is a priest."

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) It was tough enough to get New Hampshire's lawmakers and governor to approve gay marriage, but Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson says there's an even tougher job ahead: getting churches to fully embrace gay marriage and gay people."What we have to work against is countless centuries of tradition which has judged homosexual people to be an abomination before God," said Robinson, the Episcopal church's only openly gay bishop.Robinson sat in the front row of the gallery in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, hands clasped at times, praying for lawmakers to push a little green button that...

LONDON - The Church of Scotland has approved the appointment of an openly homosexual minister - the latest case of tensions over sexuality to prompt division in the Anglican Communion. The church's ruling body voted Saturday by 326 to 267 to support the appointment of the Rev. Scott Rennie, 37, who was previously married to a woman and is now in a relationship with a man. Rennie was first appointed as a minister 10 years ago, but has faced opposition from some critics since he moved to a church in Aberdeen, Scotland, last year. The case threatens to divide Scottish...

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop told a Studio City gathering today that the church should begin mending divisions over the issue of same-sex marriage by getting out of the civil marriage business altogether. During a visit to St. Michael & All Angels Church this morning, the Rev. V. Eugene Robinson said he favored the system used in France and other parts of Europe in which civil marriage – performed by government officials – is completely separate from religious vows. In the U.S., the civil and religious ceremonies are often combined with the cleric signing the government marriage license. "In...

Gene Robinson, Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, gave the opening prayer for the inaugural festivities in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Ignoring the theme of unity set for the inauguration, Robinson gave not a prayer but a political speech, one worthy of a college sophomore hot to tweak his parents. Robinson explained his non-Christian "prayer" by saying he thought previous inaugural prayers were "aggressively Christian." In hope of excluding no one, he excluded Christ. Except, he mentioned God, so he left the athiests out in the cold. Oh, well. By Robinson's own logic, he should not have been allowed to pray...

The inauguration invocation is the high profile event for a member of the clergy. It’s only been around since 1937, but it’s grounded in a rich, religious history that’s helped shaped this country. At President-elect Barak Obama’s inauguration, Pastor Rick Warren will have the honors. Pastor Warren is the senior minister of Saddleback Church in Southern California and the uber-bestselling author of “The Purpose Driven Life.” Liberals objected to Warren because of his conservative views, specifically his support of Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in California. What some see as a move to placate the gay...

Here's video of the prayer that the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson delivered at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday as part of President-elect Barrack Obama's inauguration kick off event. Turned out, Obama's people told HBO not to include Bishop Robinison in the worldwide broadcast. Someone contacted HBO and was told it was Obama's team who banned Robinson from the televised event. Can't believe that he banned this video because Robinson is gay. http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=kWWAnitUCw4&fromurl=/watch%3Fv%3DkWWAnitUCw4%26eurl%3Dhttp%3A//perezhilton.com/page/4/

Here is video of the bizarre Episcopal Gay Bishop, Gene Robinson, praying at the inaugural concert held yesterday, January 18, 2009, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Robinson addressed his prayer to the "God of our many understandings." It is a model of politically correct gobbledy-gook. Perish the thought that an Episcopal Bishop would mention the name of Jesus in his prayer, even though Jesus happens to be the Savior of the World according to his own church's theology. . . . . . (watch video)

President-elect Barack Obama promised to make his inaugural events the most inclusive ever -- and he is making good on his promise. Just over two weeks after gay rights activists condemned his choice of Saddleback pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the ceremony itself, the President-elect and his inaugural committee announced the choice of Bishop Gene Robinson, the openly-homosexual Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, to open the mass event at the Lincoln Memorial with prayer. Predictably, the committee insisted that the invitation has nothing to do with the furor over naming Warren, who angered homosexual activists and their...

The Obama administration and America are heading into treacherous territory. There are certain kinds of behavior that seem to anger God more than others and at this point, America is already on shaky ground. President-elect Obama has asked V. Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, to deliver the invocation at a pre-inaugural event this Sunday on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Bishop Robinson said he had been reading inaugural prayers through history and was “horrified” at how “specifically and aggressively Christian they were.” He states, “I am very clear that this will not be a...

THAT WAS a nice save by President-elect Obama to invite Gene Robinson, the openly gay New Hampshire Episcopal bishop, to give a prayer at the pre-inauguration celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. Obama riled many people, including me, by inviting mega-church pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration. Warren endorsed the successful California ballot measure to ban gay marriage, and suggests that evangelicals who believe life begins at conception consider abortion a holocaust. (snip) It is more than a step. Though it was secondary news, it was a leap beyond Robinson's sexual orientation. Robinson will not deliver an...

<p>January 13, 2009 Warren Applauds Obama's Invitation to Gay Bishop Sarah Pulliam Rick Warren complimented Barack Obama's invitation to openly gay Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson to pray at the inaugural kick off event on Sunday.</p> <p>“President-elect Obama has again demonstrated his genuine commitment to bringing all Americans of goodwill together in search of common ground,"</p>

US President-elect Barack Obama has invited gay bishop Gene Robinson to lead prayers at the opening of celebrations next Sunday leading up to his inauguration next week. The invitation will go some way to placate liberal critics in the US who condemned his invitation to the anti-gay evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration itself. Bishop Robinson was himself among those who attacked Mr Obama over the choice of Rick Warren, describing it as a "slap in the face". Bishop Robinson, whose consecration in 2003 was met with worldwide protests from the conservative wing of the...

Apparently, it pays to complain to President-elect Barack Obama. Despite his protestations to the contrary, Obama clearly felt a bit burned by the outcry over his selection of Pastor Rick Warren, an evangelical preacher with a nasty track record when it comes to respecting the rights of lesbians and gays, to deliver the invocation at his inaugural. So Obama has tapped the Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the only openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, to deliver the invocation at the inaugural concert to be held at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, Jan. 18. The New Hampshire bishop had...

US president-elect Barack Obama has invited the world's first openly gay Anglican bishop to offer the prayer that will mark the beginning of the inauguration festivities. In an email sent to a US blog yesterday the Right Rev Gene Robinson, of New Hampshire, said it would be an "enormous honour" to offer prayers for the country and its new president at the Lincoln Memorial. He wrote that he was "humbled and overjoyed" at the news and took the invitation as a sign of Obama's commitment to being "president of all the people".

Obama Chooses Gay Bishop for Big Inaugural Event And now the latest installment in “As Obama’s Faith World Turns” President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen a controversial gay bishop to give the invocation this Sunday at the big inaugural event at the Lincoln Memorial. Obama will be in attendance. More from the Politico below and then get my analysis. The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who became the Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop in 2003 and last year entered into a civil union with his gay partner, will deliver the invocation for Sunday's kickoff inaugural event on...

The selection of Robinson for the opening party on Sunday came after weeks of criticism over Mr Obama's choice of conservative pastor Rick Warren to deliver the religious invocation on Tuesday, January 20, the day Mr Obama is sworn in to office.Robinson, who is the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, will pray at the star-studded event to be broadcast on national television from the Lincoln Memorial on January 18, the inaugural committee said in a statement."Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and...

Gay bishop to kickoff Obama inauguration13th January 2009, 9:21 WST A gay Anglican bishop, Gene Robinson, is to give the opening prayer at festivities to kick off US president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, the organising committee says. The selection of Robinson for the opening party on Sunday came after weeks of criticism over Obama's choice of conservative pastor Rick Warren to deliver the religious invocation on Tuesday, January 20, the day Obama is sworn in to office. Robinson, who is the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, will pray at the star-studded event to be broadcast on national television...

CONCORD, N.H. - The first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial at an inaugural event for president-elect Barack Obama. The selection of New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Vicki Gene Robinson for Sunday's event follows weeks of criticism from homosexual-rights groups over Obama's decision to have the Rev. Rick Warren give the invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration. Warren backed the ban on same-sex "marriage" that passed in his home state of California on the November ballot. Robinson said last month the choice of Warren was like a slap in the face. In an interview with...

Associated Press Concord, N.H. (AP) - The first openly gay Episcopal bishop will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial at an inaugural event for President-elect Barack Obama. The selection of New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson for Sunday's event follows weeks of criticism from gay-rights groups over Obama's decision to have the Rev. Rick Warren give the invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration. Warren backed the ban on same-sex marriage that passed in his home state of California on the November ballot. Robinson said last month the choice of Warren was like a slap in the face. In an...

Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the only openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, has been asked to give the invocation at the first official inaugural activity, a welcome event with the president-elect on Sunday afternoon on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Robinson had been critical of president-elect Barack Obama for asking Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor who encouraged voters to overturn same-sex marriage in California, to deliver the invocation at the inauguration. Episcopal Cafe has an e-mail from Robinson: "I am writing to tell you that President-Elect Obama and the Inaugural Committee have invited me to...

CONCORD, N.H. – The first openly gay Episcopal bishop will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial at an inaugural event for President-elect Barack Obama. The selection of New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson for Sunday's event follows weeks of criticism from gay-rights groups over Obama's decision to have the Rev. Rick Warren give the invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration. Warren backed the ban on same-sex marriage that passed in his home state of California on the November ballot.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has joined seven other dioceses in passing a resolution asking the church to let lesbians as well as homosexual men become bishops. The vote at the diocesan convention rejected the Episcopal Church's de facto moratorium on electing homosexual bishops since its 2003 consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who lives with his same-sex partner. The resolution will be considered at the Episcopal Church's national convention next July. The Los Angeles diocese also expressed support for homosexual "marriage" with the creation of the "Sacramental Blessing for a Life-long Covenant."

L.A. Episcopal Diocese Wants Gays to be Bishops Sunday, December 7, 2008 11:31 AM RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has joined seven other dioceses in passing a resolution asking the church to let gays and lesbians become bishops. The vote Friday at the church's 113th annual Diocesan Convention rejected the Episcopal Church's de facto moratorium on the election of gay or lesbian bishops. The resolution will be forwarded for consideration at the July 2009 national convention in Anaheim.

Tom Williamson prayed, bowed, sang, clapped and rejoiced during a recent Anglican prayer service in Wheaton. But this was no ordinary ceremony. About 500 conservative Anglicans from across the United States, Canada and Africa gathered Wednesday to celebrate the formation of a new Anglican province created because of the alienation many feel toward the liberal stance of the Episcopal Church. "My wife and I thought it was important to be here today," Williamson said. "It's a very momentous occasion." Just before the prayer service, conservative leaders held a press conference announcing the formation of the new province they are calling...

WHEATON, Ill. — Theological conservatives upset by the liberal views of the Episcopal Church are forming a rival denomination. The new Anglican Church in North America will include four Episcopal dioceses that recently split from the U.S. church, along with breakaway Anglican parishes from Canada. The announcement Wednesday in Wheaton, Ill., comes after decades of debate over what Episcopalians should believe about issues ranging from salvation to sexuality. Tensions erupted in 2003 when Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop. The world Anglican Communion is a fellowship of churches with roots in the Church of England. The Episcopal Church is...

LONDON, November 24, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - During his presidential campaign Barack Obama consulted repeatedly with Gene Robinson, a practicing homosexual whose appointment as an Anglican bishop has divided the worldwide Anglican Communion. According to an interview published by the Times Online, a division of London's Times newspaper, Obama's campaign actively sought out Robinson, and Obama met on three separate occasions with the controversial bishop.Robinson told the Times that Obama compared his own groundbreaking candidacy as the first black nominee of a major political party to Robinson's appointment as the first Anglican bishop who lives openly with his same-sex lover."One of...

At the end of the day, that might be the only place pansexual behavior is accepted. The culture seems to be on a march away from the gadarene slide towards the sexual abyss. If The Episcopal Church continues on its present pathway, it may find itself all alone galloping over the cliff edge...

Now Bishop Robinson intends to make the Catholic Church his new mission field for his crusade.In a report first confirmed by the Associated Press and confirmed in numerous Press and Media venues, Bishop Robinson has acknowledged that he led a “confidential retreat” of 75 Roman Catholic Priests in 2005 at which he encouraged their open dissent from the teaching of the Church and their overt disobedience to their vowed celibacy. His intention now seems to be to take his self styled libertine revolution into the Catholic Church.

A CHURCH GROUP WITH A HISTORIC TIE TO QUINCY HAS VOTED TO LEAVE ITS DENOMINATION. THE DIOCESE OF QUINCY, FOUNDED IN 1877 AND NOW BASED IN PEORIA, IS HOLDING ITS ANNUAL CONVOCATION AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH ON HAMPSHIRE STREET THIS WEEKEND. IN AN EARLY SESSION, DELEGATES HAVE VOTED TO SEVER THEIR TIES WITH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. THE NOW-RETIRED BISHOP OF QUINCY SAYS THE NATIONAL CHURCH HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO DEFINE COMMON GROUND WITH THOSE WHO HOLD TO TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN TEACHING AND HAS REJECTED THE AUTHORITY OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION. THE DIOCESE, INCLUDING HISTORIC ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, WILL JOIN ANOTHER PROVINCE...

Barack Obama sought out controversial gay bishop Gene Robinson not just once but three times during his campaign to become President of the United States, The Times can reveal. Bishop Robinson, the 80-million strong Anglican Communion’s only openly gay bishop whose consecration in 2003 has left the Anglican Communion on the brink of schism, was sought out by Mr Obama to discuss what it feels like to be “first”. Bishop Robinson, who received death threats after his election as Bishop of New Hampshire and was advised by police to wear a bullet-proof vest at his consecration, also discussed with Mr...

On June 14, 2006, the second day of the 75th Episcopal General Convention, Bishop V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop to be ordained in the church, made the following statement:  It is very clear to us in the religious community that God is alive and well and working in the culture in organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, and so we sought to become allies with them. They and other so-called secular organizations were cautious about our seeking them out, as well they should be. Let’s be clear here: The church has been the primary source of...