Religion
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16 February 2007Gay Christians march against Church homophobia 1 LGBT History Month will be marked in Canterbury this weekend with a protest against homophobia in the church.The "End Christian Homophobia" demo will take place in Longmarket in the city centre on Saturday 17th February, 10am-12pm.The protestors will demand that the Archbishop of Canterbury provide equality for gay and lesbian Anglican Christians worldwid -
16 February 2007Anglican church steps back from schism 3 After days of discussions, the primates of the Anglican church seem to have avoided a split over gay issues.The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was one of the authors of a report handed to the conference of senior church representative in Tanzania yesterday that said the American church was complying with instructions not to install any more gay bishops.Gay Anglicans welcomed the findings. -
15 February 2007US bishop refuses to apologise for gay stance 3 The meeting of Anglican primates taking place in Tanzania looks likely to result in a stalemate over gay issues.Today the churchmen were considering their options over the US Anglicans'ordination of a gay bishop and seeming acceptance of gay marriage.The head of the American church, presiding bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, has made it clear she will not give in to demands from African churches. -
12 February 2007COMMENT: End of the road for united Anglican communion 3 This week the senior primates of the Anglican church will meet in Africa.
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12 February 2007Scots minister in gay blessing storm + The Church of Scotland faces widespread division after a minister announced she would use her church to bless same-sex civil partnerships.Aberdeenshire minister the Rev Kim Cran will risk the possibility of disciplinary action in order to bless four homosexual couples, Scotsman.com has reported.Last year the Church of Scotland's local branches, the presbyteries, voted to reject a declaration that would allow clerics to conduct ceremonies without fear of punishment. -
12 February 2007BA asked to donate to anti-gay Christian group 3 The British Airways check-in worker at the centre of last year's crucifix row has demanded a £100,000 donation be paid to a Christian charity rigorously opposed to anti-discrimination legislation.55-year-old Nadia Eweida was suspended last September after she refused to cover up her crucifix in accordance with BA rules.Following changes to the airline's uniform policy Mrs Eweida will return to work after spending four months on unpaid leave. -
9 February 2007Gay haters to picket kids’ funeral 1 Anti-gay activists from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, plan to protest at the collective funeral of the victims of the Bardstown house fire that killed 10 people last week.The blaze, described as the deadliest in Kentucky in thirty years, killed six children, and left two others hospitalised. -
8 February 2007University already banning gay partnership ceremonies + PinkNews.co.uk exclusive The controversy surrounding Canterbury Christ Church University's ban on same-sex unions on its premises has taken a new turn.Documents obtained by PinkNews.co.uk show that a decision was taken as recently as last December, contradicting the recent press release from the institution's Vice-Chancellor.The university is a teacher training college for the Church of England, and its Chancellor is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
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7 February 2007Disgraced preacher “discovers” he is straight 1 Ted Haggard, the former pastor of an evangelical super church who was forced to resign after revelations of a three-year affair with a male prostitute, has said he was "acting out" and is still a heterosexual.The revelation came in an interview in the Denver Post with one of the four pastors who have been giving Haggard an intensive course of counselling. -
7 February 2007Scots Cardinal attacks “hedonistic society” 1 The leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics has attacked modern Britain for allowing gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt children.Cardinal Keith O'Brien said that equal rights were a sign of a "deeply hedonistic society" and complained that morals were being trumped by freedom of choice and lifestyle.The church in Scotland has been vocal in its opposition to gay adoption. -
7 February 2007Catholic schools comment on gay bullying 4 The head of the Catholic Education Service has denied that educational institutions run by the church do not tackle homophobic bullying.Oona Stannard, chief executive of the service, was responding to criticism from one of the UK's major teaching unions.Ministers have urged all schools to develop a policy on homophobic bullying. -
6 February 2007Anglican synod to discuss embracing gays 1 The General Synod of the Church of England will return to the controversial topic of homosexuality when it meets at the end of this month.The synod meets twice a year to discuss the business of the church, and is made up of bishops, priests and lay people.There are two motions up for discussion about gay people.
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5 February 2007Evangelicals embrace Haggard’s rentboy + The former prostitute whose outing of New Life Church founder Ted Haggard led to his dismissal paid a visit last Sunday to the megachurch.The Christian Broadcasting Network reports that Mike Jones was warmly greeted by members of the congregation."A couple of ladies cried when they were touching me," Jones said.
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5 February 2007Priests could be locked up, fears Catholic commentator 10 A leading Roman Catholic journalist has said he is concerned that laws protecting gay and lesbian people from discrimination could lead to prison for some clergy.John L Allen is an expert commentator on Vatican affairs for CNN and is known for his objectivity.He has published two books about the current Pope. -
1 February 2007Archbishop still hopeful about adoption opt-out 10 One of the Roman Catholic church's most senior figures has said he is still confident that the church's followers will be able to opt-out of new gay rights laws.The Archbishop of Birmingham said that he is still hopeful of a "common sense solution" to the issue.On Monday the Prime Minister announced that there would be no exemptions to the Sexual Orientation Regulations. -
1 February 2007University could ban civil partnerships + Academics at Canterbury Christ Church University are angry about a possible ban on civil partnership ceremonies being conducted on university premises.A meeting of the institution's branch of trades union UCU on Tuesday called on the three administrators who have proposed the ban to withdraw it or resign.The university is a teacher training college for the Church of England. -
26 January 2007Jewish adoption agency open to gays 3 The only registered Jewish adoption and fostering agency in England has told PinkNews.co.uk that they are not seeking an exemption from the Sexual Orientation Regulations.Norma Brier, who is chief executive of the agency, Norwood, confirmed that they will comply with the regulations, which are designed to protect gay lesbian and bisexual people from discrimination when accessing goods and services. -
25 January 2007Gay father praises Catholic agencies and defends Ruth Kelly 57 PinkNews.co.uk exclusive A gay Anglican priest who has fostered a child for 15 years has defended the staff of Catholic adoption agencies and criticised the way in which Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly has been pilloried for her religious beliefs.Fr Martin Reynolds, who is a prominent member of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said that everything must be done to preserve the "outstanding work" that social workers and other staff in Catholic agencies do to help vulnerable children. -
24 January 2007Anglicans back Catholics in adoption row 3 The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to Prime Minister Tony Blair in support of an exemption from anti-discrimination legislation for Roman Catholic adoption agencies.In the letter the Archbishops, the most senior clergy in the Church of England, tell Mr Blair that, "the rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well meaning."Their intervention is in support of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. -
23 January 2007Cardinal asks politicians for adoption opt-out + The row over a possible exemption for the Catholic Church from new laws to protect gay people from discrimination intensified yesterday as a senior cleric weighed into the debate.Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has chosen the high risk strategy of openly threatening to close adoption agencies in England and Wales rather than let gay or lesbian people make use of them.
