Gay marriage is to become legal in England and Wales after the lower house of the British parliament approved the final changes on Tuesday to a law that had Prime Minister David Cameron’s backing but split his ruling Conservative party.

The law had the support of both Labor and the Liberal Democrats, Britain’s two other main political parties, but damaged Cameron’s standing within his own party with many of his own lawmakers criticizing him for being too liberal.

His own MPs had previously twice voted against it.

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A Terwillegar church at the centre of a debate over plans for a supportive housing complex in the neighbourhood has been vandalized.

The words “No Homeless” were spray painted in three spots on the exterior walls of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, at 1428 156 Street in Terwillegar Towne.

[The] Rev. Nick Trussell said he was informed of the vandalism Wednesday evening when he got a call from the instructor of a Highlands dance group that uses the church for its practices.

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We live in a culture that, as Shauna Niequist recently pointed out, constantly invites us to evaluate, rate, and judge our experiences. And yet, paradoxically””and perhaps especially in Christian circles””we seem to be growing more sensitive over expressing criticism.

There are cards in every hotel room and on every restaurant table; e-mails from eBay and Etsy; opportunities for us to comment on every cat video and act of Congress. In the same cultural moment in which millions enjoy tuning into reality TV for Simon Cowell-like slap-downs, “critic” has become a bad word, connoting a figure like Anton Ego, the misanthropic food critic from Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille who takes perverse pleasure in eviscerating chefs’ best culinary efforts.

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Strawberry, in his first media interview since becoming a preacher and opening his own ministry three years ago, will talk for two hours about his drug and alcohol addiction. He’ll tell chilling details about prison life and crack houses. He’ll tear up telling the pain and shame he caused his family, six children and two ex-wives before marrying Tracy, also an ordained minister, six years ago.

He plans to spend the rest of his life talking about his passion that he says is more rewarding than anything he felt on the baseball field.

“I never wanted to exist as Darryl Strawberry, the baseball player,” he says. “I wanted to let go that identity. It’s not who I am.”

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Reports of fresh fighting around Goma and attacks on women in the conflict zone have been sent to the Anglican Alliance from the Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It has increased pressure on the project run by the Anglican church in Goma, in the Diocese of Bukavu, to support women and girls rejected by their families after being subjected to sexual assaults and rape – which is being used as a weapon of war.

The Anglican clergyman who is organising the programme, sent the following report of renewed fighting: “Yesterday, Sunday afternoon after Church morning services, there were lots of chaos, due to bombs that were booming around Goma. The media said that it was a fighting between M23 and DRC government army.

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There is only one story in the Christian gospels that has to do with gambling. And it happens at the death of Jesus. For all the wondrous hope that Jesus inspired in his corner of the Roman Empire ”“ that the poor were not alone, that wealth was not enough, and that life’s riches came by sharing ”“ for three days, Jesus’s death appeared to be the death of a miraculous abundance that was generated not by acts of possession, but by acts of self-giving and sharing.

The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts has committed itself to a stated mission of “Celebrating God’s Abundance.” Unlike its often vague connotation, here “abundance” bears a technical meaning: if in the world’s economy, the more one takes, the more one ultimately has, in God’s economy, the more one gives, the more one ultimately has….

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A UK scholar and expert on Gothic Imperial architecture has slated the Anglican Church decision to demolish quake-crippled ChristChurch Cathedral.

Academic Alex Bremner wrote extensively about the cathedral, built by famed English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, in his book Imperial Gothic.

The senior lecturer in architectural history at the University of Edinburgh, and Gates Cambridge alumnus, has criticised Anglican Diocese of Christchurch plans to create a new cathedral after the original’s spire was snapped in the February 2011 quake.

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A Scottish funeral director has embraced eco-friendly burials – by offering woollen coffins as an alternative to the traditional casket.

Inverness-based John Fraser & Son have claimed there is a growing demand for the environmentally-friendly caskets, which can support a person weighing up to 42 stone.

Available in white or brown, the coffins feature a personalised name plate, and a biodegradable waterproof base.

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After months without a Sanctuary for worship, members of the Christchurch Anglican Church have been blessed with a newly-renovated building.

At a ceremony held at the Sanctuary yesterday (Jul. 14), members of the Anglican community joined with worshippers at Christchurch in rededicating their new building.

Standing at the door of the building, Bishop of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba, Bishop Errol Brooks made a dramatic entrance when he knocked three times at the door and said, “Let the doors be opened”.

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How many ways are there to disbelieve in God?
At least six, according to a new study.
Two researchers at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga found that atheists and agnostics run the range from vocally anti-religious activists to nonbelievers who nonetheless observe some religious traditions.

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Around one in every 100 adults is diagnosed with bipolar disorder or manic depression. Former boxer Frank Bruno has battled the illness and his daughter Rachel explains the effect this had on her and her family over the years.

I knew who Frank Bruno was, but I didn’t really know who my dad was. I’d lost him for a lot of years because of his illness.

When he’s poorly, he can’t be a dad and it took a big chunk of our relationship away….

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Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all thy creatures: We pray thee of thy great mercy to guide us to thy will, to make our minds steadfast, to strengthen us against temptation, to put far from us all unrighteousness. Shield us against our foes, seen and unseen; teach us that we may inwardly love thee before all things with a clean mind and a clean body. For thou art our Maker and Redeemer, our help and our comfort, our trust and our hope, now and for evermore.

–King Alfred (849-899)

Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” –he said to the paralytic– “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

–Mark 2:6-12

Ben and Claire came in to therapy with me to work on the common couples issues of not being sexually faithful and jealousy. They were unusual in the manner that they are working on these issues and what they need from a therapist because Ben and Claire identify as Polyamorous – as does a growing segment of the US population.

Polyamory is a lifestyle in which a person may have more than one romantic relationship, with consent and enthusiasm expressed for this choice by each of the people concerned. Polyamory is distinguished from cheating by the presence of honest communication between partners and lovers about the existence of each of these relationships in their lives. Polyamory also encourages partners to plan rules and guidelines in advance that help each person feel safe and more in control of their relational experience. It is a different structure than cheating, swinging (when people swap partners for sex) or an “open relationship” (where folks are allowed to freely date and or have sex with others but no specific guidelines or values are specified.)

Though I know we are ostensibly talking about “infidelity” here, I have to ask, what does fidelity really mean?

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I will take comments on this submitted by email only to KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com.

By dispatching a senior State Department official to Cairo, the United States is signaling that it wants to see a return to a democratic government ”“ and an end to continuing violence ”“ as soon as possible.

In his two-day visit, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is holding talks with Egypt’s military-backed interim government. With him also making time to meet with Egyptian business leaders, the US is likewise looking to emphasize that putting Egypt’s economy back on the rails and addressing Egyptians’ concerns about daily living will be key in the country’s transition period.

Mr. Burns, who began his visit Sunday, is expected to “underscore US support for the Egyptian people, an end to all violence, and a transition leading to an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government,” the State Department said in a statement.

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If a man accidentally conceives a child with a woman, and does not want to raise the child with her, what are his choices? Surprisingly, he has few options in the United States. He can urge her to seek an abortion, but ultimately that decision is hers to make. Should she decide to continue the pregnancy and raise the child, and should she or our government attempt to establish him as the legal father, he can be stuck with years of child support payments.

Do men now have less reproductive autonomy than women? Should men have more control over when and how they become parents, as many women now do?

The political philosopher Elizabeth Brake has argued that our policies should give men who accidentally impregnate a woman more options, and that feminists should oppose policies that make fatherhood compulsory.

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With financing in place and zoning approval obtained, work is underway to transform a vacant Germantown church into a private school.

Developer Ken Weinstein has purchased the former St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located at the corner of Wayne Avenue and Harvey Street, and is beginning restoration on the site. The two-acre grounds will become the new home to the independent Waldorf School of Philadelphia, currently located in Mt. Airy.

On Friday, Weinstein told NewsWorks that he took acquisition of the site in June at a price tag of $435,000. His organization, Philly Office Retail, will lease the campus to the school for at least 10 years, beginning in 2014.

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The framers of Australia’s constitution were steeped in the Christian tradition, yet chose to create a nation that could accommodate religious diversity. This is reflected in one of the very few human rights protections in the document.

Section 116 prohibits Australia from having a state religion, including Christianity. It also guarantees the right of every person under federal law to exercise the religion of their choice, and says that a person’s religion cannot be used to determine their suitability for federal office. It provides the clearest illustration of why, as a matter of law, Husic was entitled to maintain his religion on taking his oath of office.

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The trouble is, the Church may talk about transforming communities, but it often ignores some of the most serious social injustices in this country.

This failing was obvious in a briefing that was given on welfare reform and the Church for this week’s Synod meeting. Prepared by Philip Fletcher, chairman of mission and public affairs, it stated that the Church has “a prophetic duty to point out that God’s priority for the poor and vulnerable is not being adequately reflected in the life of the nation”. A fair enough observation, but Mr Fletcher only focused on benefit cuts in his paper, which described the “state’s withdrawal from its obligations to the poorest”. He didn’t point out that other government policies ”“ such as taxes and planning laws ”“ can have just as much of a crushing effect on the vulnerable.

Anglican bishops may have written angry letters about the benefit cuts. But they haven’t complained about the political laziness driving up the benefit bills ”“ the laziness of those politicians who are lacking the will or wit to build enough homes, thereby leaving poor families in dire straits as rents continue to rise. Government research has also revealed that carbon taxes and other well-meaning but damaging policies are adding £172 to average annual energy bills. Benefits are often a cover for political failure as they pay for higher bills caused by bad policy.

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….LCMS’ relationships with other churches have also been growing over the past few years as well. In particular, the LCMS, along with its sister church, Lutheran Church”“Canada (LCC), has developed good relations with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), publishing last year a joint statement rejoicing that they can “jointly affirm core teachings (articles) of the Christian faith shared by our church bodies.” Similarly good relations have been developed with the North American Lutheran Church (NALC), with whom the LCMS and LCC are in continuing talks. Representatives of these four church bodies (ACNA, NALC, LCC, and LCMS) recently met together for an ecumenical summit on marriage and sexuality, publishing a joint affirmation on marriage (signed by the heads of all four churches) shortly thereafter.

The LCMS’ growing interchurch relations are not restricted to North America either. While the LCMS has long been part of the International Lutheran Council, the church is more and more developing relationships with biblical Lutherans outside this group.

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Babies make for drama. It really doesn’t make any difference where they are born or who are the parents: They always bring drama. When our first was born, she was so early we had not worked out where the hospital was. We drove around at six in the morning asking people and feeling rather stupid.

I doubt that will be the case for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They are such an impressive couple. No doubt the plans and preparations will be perfect. Yet, there will still be drama.

Part of the drama is the sheer hope they bring. Babies cause us to look to the future hopefully. When this baby is old, it will be the 22nd Century. Yet he or she will be able to tell children about a great grandmother she knew ”“ who served in the Second World War.

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Archbishop Fred Hiltz described the recently concluded Joint Assembly as a “spirit-filled, spirit-led” gathering that can only strengthen the full communion relationship of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).

“The very fact that these two churches, who have all kinds of challenges in front of them, were prepared to make this step to meet is really quite incredible,” said Hiltz, primate of the Anglican church. “What I saw through the Joint Assembly was a very positive, upbeat spirit.” The assembly was held July 3 to 7, at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

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“This is not your grandfather’s airline business,” says Ray Neidl, an aviation consultant for Nexa Capital and former American Airlines official, who notes that the lessening of cutthroat competition doesn’t mean consumers won’t see some benefit. For instance, the financial strength of the airlines will enable them to invest in new technology””including the latest fuel-efficient aircraft and a cutting-edge satellite navigation system to replace the country’s aging radar-based air-traffic control. “It took us 35 years to get there, but it’s almost a brand-new industry,” Neidl says. Indeed, United says that the economic benefits of its merger with Continental allowed it to make much-needed upgrades, such as modernizing airport baggage systems and replacing its aging 757 fleet with new jets with better bin space and in-flight entertainment.

…the airlines’ gain could be the passengers’ loss, as carriers raise prices and rein in spending””often by slashing staff. While fares have, on average, remained relatively stable, fees for add-ons have soared and decreased competition has resulted in steep price hikes in several markets.

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The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States has applauded last month’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal law withholding national government recognition of same-sex marriages.

On 26 June 2013 the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori stated the decision reflected “the unmistakable movement toward civil marriage equality in the states over the past decade reflects the will of the people in those states to grant equal rights and dignity under the law to all married couples and families, and today’s decision will appropriately allow those families to be recognized under federal law as well.”

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Wow (hat tip:SH).

In the book you emphasize three interrelated themes: (1) God as Lord; (2) human beings as God’s image bearers; and (3) the place in which God’s rule is exercised. Could you elaborate on the meaning and significance of this third idea of “place”?

God didn’t create us as ethereal beings to float in some kind of spiritual netherworld. He created us as flesh-and-blood creatures to live in the world he formed and to rule that world for him. Adam and Eve as God’s vice-regents, dependent on him, were to rule the garden for his glory. They failed, of course, and the story of God reclaiming the world began (Gen. 3:15).

The story begins with baby steps and progresses at an incredibly slow pace. When God calls Abraham, he promises him universal blessing but begins by pledging the land of Canaan. But Abraham and his immediate heirs never possess the land. They live as exiles and sojourners in it (Heb. 11:13). Hundreds of years pass before Joshua conquers Canaan and the promise of the land is realized. Finally, Israel is poised to extend God’s kingdom to the world. I don’t have time to tell the whole story here, but Israel fails miserably and ends up going into exile. The promise is going backward!

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So how can we be shaken out of our lethargy and awakened to our need to grow? Here are some principles that I have gleaned from Newton’s letters over the years.

1. Know that your worst character flaws are the ones you can see the least.
By definition the sins to which you are most blind, that you make the most excuses for, and that you usually minimize””are the ones that most have you in their grip. As we said before, one way we hide our blemishes is that we look at places that our natural temperament resembles spiritual fruit. For example, a natural aptitude for control and self-discipline can be read as ”˜faithfulness’, and a natural desire for personal approval could look like ”˜gentleness’ or ”˜love.’ Or we mistake a bubbly, sanguine temperament for joy, and a laid-back, phlegmatic temperament for peace. We give ourselves spiritual credit for these things, when actually we aren’t growing spiritually at all. The lack of other fruit shows that real supernatural character change is not happening.

2. Remember that you can’t learn about your biggest flaws just be being told””you must be shown.
There are two ways we come to see our sins and flaws more clearly. One way is that we are shown them by troubles and trials in life. Suffering is ”˜God’s gymnasium’””it reveals our spiritual weaknesses just as a workout reveals physical weaknesses.

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O God, who hast set before us the great hope that thy kingdom shall be established upon earth: So rule our lives by thy Spirit, that all our thoughts, desires, and acts being made obedient unto thee, thy power, thy glory, and the mightiness of thy kingdom may be made known unto men; grant this, O merciful Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake thy Son our Lord.

Make me to know thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; for thee I wait all the day long.

–Psalm 25:4-5