Religion
-
26 April 2006Anti gay church slams poet 2 Ireland is a "land of sodomite dandies," according to a US church which has attacked a local poet for criticising it.Fred Phelps, the leader of Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church, reacted to a poem written by Irish poet, Desmond Egan called Understanding God Took Quickly in Topeka. -
26 April 2006Religious and human rights groups defend New York gay marriage 1 In 14 friend-of-the-court briefs, (lawsuits filed on behalf of someone else) filed with the New York Court of Appeals, national and state-wide religious and civil rights leaders and organisations have urged the court to put an end to state laws that deny same-sex couples the protections of marriage.The court is hearing oral arguments in lawsuits brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and others on behalf of same-sex couples on May 31, 2006. -
25 April 2006Vatican bans church service for gays 1 The Vatican has banned a service for gay Catholics at a church in Bavaria due to its close proximity to a gay pride festival being held in the area.Josef Heigl, vicar general for the diocese of Augsburg told the Reuters news agency that the Vatican had stopped the service, which has been taking place during the Christopher Street Day gay festival since 1999, to allay fears that it might give the impression that the Catholic Church endorsed gay rights. -
24 April 2006Gay group slams Archbishop of Canterbury for “appeasing homophobia” + The Archbishop of Canterbury is "appeasing homophobia," according to a gay rights group.Outrage condemned Dr Rowan William's silence over a ministers support of anti gay laws in Nigeria which make gay unions illegal and ban gay organisations. -
23 April 2006Dutch MP condemns Islam’s homophobia + A Dutch Muslim-born politician has condemned Islam's attitudes to homosexuality and claims that the Netherlands have not done enough to protect gay asylum seekers who face death in their country of origin.Ayaan Hirsi Ali, first gained international attention with a film documenting voilence against women within Islamic societies. -
21 April 2006Church leader warns diocese against gay bishop + The diocese of California has been warned not to elect a gay bishop.Frank Giswold, the leader of the US Episcopal church, which is facing expulsion and shafting from the worldwide Anglican communion after the appointment of openly gay minister, Gene Robinson in 2003, has told the diocese of California they would widen the dispute if they did the same.
-
20 April 2006Californian LGBT Ministry opens way for gay bishop + A report issued recently by the Episcopal Church does not bar election of the best candidate as bishop of the Diocese of California whether or not that person is lesbian, straight, or gay, the leader of the diocese's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ministry, Oasis/California, has announced."Of most interest to the Diocese of California is the report's call for 'nominating committees, electing conventions, Standing Committees, and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise very considerable caution in the nomination, election, consent to, and consecration of bishops whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion,'" Oasis/California president Rev John Kirkley said.
-
19 April 2006Fellowship calls for Christian trial of gay bishop 5 An Anglican fellowship has launched a national petition to bring charges against gay bishop Gene Robinson and those involved in installing him.The Lay Episcopalians for the Anglican Communion (LEAC), want to determine, in formal trials, the standing of church law, doctrine and practice. -
17 April 2006Gay Illinois treasurer candidate overseeing lesbian union + Reverend Dan Rodriguez-Schlorff, the Green Party candidate for the Illinois State Treasurer, will officiate a wedding ceremony uniting two women in a private ceremony in May.The couple first approached Mr Schlorff after hearing him speak at the Matthew Shepard rally last October. -
14 April 2006Slavery and sexuality – A Jewish gay group embraces homosexuality this Passover 1 PinkNews.co.uk Exclusive FeaturePinkNews.co.uk's Nikki Sinclair and Sarah Pinn report on a Jewish gay group using the festival of Passover to celebrate freedom from both oppression and homophobia."I bet when you were a child sitting at the Seder table with your family you never thought one day you would end up here!"This was Rabbi Mark Solomon's opening gambit at the communal Seder night for the Jewish Gay Lesbian Group (JGLG.) -
13 April 2006“Abused” Priest quits Church + A Roman Catholic Priest who sued his own diocese for alleged abuse by another priest has left the priesthood.John Nesbella cited criticism from other clergy over his decision to highlight the issue of gay priests with his court case, as the reason behind his decision to leave. -
10 April 2006Do you fancy a bagel? Meet the Jewish gay students group + PinkNews.co.uk Exclusive FeatureBenjamin Cohen went to meet BaGeLs, the Jewish LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) students group meeting for the first time in Soho bar, the Friendly Society."What would you like on your bagel? We've got humus, cream cheese, salmon pate or smoked salmon with cream cheese." I was asked as I arrived to the inaugural meeting of BaGeLs (standing I think for Bisexual and Gay even Lesbian students). -
10 April 2006Give gay Jews marriage rights, rabbi says 1 Jewish gay marriage should be supported whether or not the Conservative moment agrees, according to a US rabbi.Rabbi Michelle Robinson, a scholar at the Temple Emanuel, New England, told congregants in a sermon, that tradition should not be a stumbling block to "textual interpretations." -
10 April 2006Prankster looks for lesbian love in Church + Churchgoers have expressed shock after finding adverts for lesbian encounters in their Catholic newspaper.The advertisement appeared in Alive, an Irish church magazine, from a "Catholic lady" looking for a lesbian partner.It said, "Single Catholic lady, 38, seeks female companion for fun trip to Lesbania" and included a box number for replies.
-
10 April 2006Gay group condemns Pope’s “satanic” speech 3 A gay group has launched an attack on the Pope days before his Good Friday speech where he is expected to condemn gay civil partnerships as "satanic."The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has branded the pontiff's remarks as "verging on the unhinged." -
10 April 2006Seminary head calls for gay rabbi talks 1 Now is the right time to lift a ban on gay rabbis, according to the new chancellor of a seminary at the heart of the Jewish Conservative movement.Arnold Eisen, seen as a leading Jewish scholar, was appointed head of the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) yesterday.
-
7 April 2006Bishop calls for universal gay marriage opposition 1 A senior US bishop has called on all Roman Catholics to oppose gay marriage by supporting a marriage amendment law.Bishop William Skystad, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said a law protecting marriage was the only way to ban gay unions in the constitution.
-
5 April 2006Catholic university allows gay film festival + A gay film festival has been allowed to go ahead at a Roman Catholic university.University of Notre Dame President Reverend John Jenkins gave the go ahead on the basis of academic freedom, after spending two months considering allowing the event along with a screening of the Vagina Monologues.
-
31 March 2006Church joins Australian gay marriage debate + The Australian Church has entered into the ever increasing debate over gay marriage.Two bishops have labelled the Australian Capital Territory's plans to give gay couples marriage rights a step to far and have called for an abandonment of the Civil Partnership Bill.
-
31 March 2006Bishops’ backtrack on gay rights + Episcopal bishops in the United States, if voting secretly now, would turn away from two critical votes in 2003 which championed a pro-homosexual agenda, according to a survey by Lay Episcopalians for the Anglican Communion (LEAC).The convention votes divided their church and caused the worldwide Anglican Communion to put about 2 million Americans in limbo.
