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Christian Leaders Cross Denominational Lines
| Source: American Anglican Council 
October 25, 2012
Contact: Robert Lundy
Ecumenical Leadership Summit Builds Working Relationships
DALLAS, TX - An ecumenical summit of leaders from Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches and organizations affirmed common theological ground and sought practical ways of working together during a recent conference in Dallas, TX.
In their statement, titled "Jesus Christ: Our common ground and common cause", the leaders said "Even as we fully acknowledge the imperfections of Christian institutions and the broken nature of our collective witness to the world, we commit to strive together for a faithful way of being the Church together. Our hearts are burdened for the millions of our neighbors who are estranged from God and the Church."
The gathering formed working groups and listened to plenary sessions on ecumenical relations and theological education, engaging North American culture, church planting and mission as well as social witness during the four-day meeting. Participants affirmed an ecumenical statement that addresses each of these subjects on the summit's final day. The leaders agreed to explore working together in areas of church planting, theological education and training. They also committed to meet again for a second summit in 2013. While each of the participants endorsed the statement they were not necessarily doing so on behalf of their respective churches/organizations.
The group of 32 met from October 22-25 and included leaders from the following churches and organizations:
- Lutheran CORE
- North American Lutheran Church
- The Presbyterian Lay Committee
- Presbyterian Church in America
- The Evangelical Presbyterian Church
- The Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches
- ECO: a Covenanted Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
- The Institute on Religion and Democracy
- Good News (United Methodists)
- The Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church
- Lifewatch (Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality)
- American Anglican Council
- Anglican Church in North America
- The National Covenant Association of Churches
The Ecumenical Leadership Summit statement can be found here.
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Tufts University Bans Christian Group for Requiring Leaders to Adhere to 'Basic Biblical Truths of Christianity'
| Source: Weekly Standard
October 22, 2012
By Daniel Halper
Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts has banned a Christian group from campus because the group requires student leaders to adhere to "basic biblical truths of Christianity." The decision to ban the group, called the Tufts Christian Fellowship, was made by officials from the university's student government, specifically the Tufts Community Union Judiciary.
The ban means the group "will lose the right to use the Tufts name in its title or at any activities, schedule events or reserve university space through the Office for Campus Life," according to the Tufts Daily. Additionally, Tufts Christian Fellowship will be unable to receive money from a pool that students are required to pay into and that is specifically set aside for student groups.
"TCF is the Tufts chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, an evangelical Christian mission on college campuses across the country, and also has ties to the university Chaplaincy," the Tufts Daily reports....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Thousands in 145 cities rally against Obama HHS birth control mandate
| Source: LifeSiteNews
October 22, 2012
By Kirsten Andersen
Washington, D.C. - Thousands of Americans in dozens of cities took a stand against the Obama administration's HHS birth control mandate on Saturday.
Marching at noon local time, people in 145 cities protested the mandate as part of the nationwide Stand Up for Religious Freedom movement. The protesters object to the
 | | Protesters in Chicago |
requirement that all employers, including most religious employers, provide coverage for sterilization, contraception and abortion-causing pills free of charge to their workers.
Organizers say the event was well-attended, with even small-town rallies boasting participation in the hundreds.
Particularly large was the crowd in President Obama's adopted hometown of Chicago. The local ABC affiliate, WLS-TV, reported that thousands came out for the protest. Carrying signs that read "Vote for Life and Liberty" and "Stop Obama's HHS Mandate," the protesters marched from Federal Plaza to Daley Plaza, where they heard speeches by religious and pro-life leaders....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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TEC Panel of Reference report on the Fort Worth 7 finds misconduct
| Source: Anglican Ink
October 22, 2012
By George Conger
A Reference Panel has found that a prima facie case of misconduct can be made against nine serving and retired bishops of the Episcopal Church for having endorsed an amicus brief presented to the Texas Supreme Court, or for having given testimony in a trial court proceeding involving the Diocese of Quincy.
The Rt Rev. Peter H. Beckwith, the Rt Rev Maurice M. Benitez, the Rt Rev John W.
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...unless you actually believe in orthodox Christianity
(HT Powerline blog)
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Howe, the Rt Rev Paul E. Lambert, the Rt Rev William H. Love, the Rt Rev D. Bruce MacPherson, the Rt Rev Daniel H. Martins, the Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr, and the Rt Rev James M. Stanton have been informed the Reference Panel had reviewed the charges brought against them by the provisional bishops of Fort Worth and Quincy and by lay and clergy accusers.
In an 19 Oct 2012 email Bishop Matthews wrote:
"The Reference Panel unanimously decided according to IV. 6.sec.8 that the complaint will proceed with option (c), Conciliation pursuant to Canon IV.10."
Under the Title IV disciplinary canons, if the intake officer finds that if a prima facie case can be made against the accused - if the charges if proven true would constitute an offense - the proceedings are passed on to a Reference Panel for action.
The Panel may then take a number of actions: "(a) no action required other than appropriate pastoral response pursuant to Canon IV.8; (b) conciliation pursuant to Canon IV.10; (c) investigation pursuant to Canon IV.11 or (d) referral for possible agreement with the Bishop Diocesan regarding terms of discipline pursuant to Canon IV.9. Referral decisions shall require the approval of a majority of the Reference Panel."
A typographical error appears to have been made in Bishop Matthews' email as he states the panel had proposed option c, an investigation, when he used the language of option b, conciliation.
He added that "after obtaining the agreement of the complainants, we will include in the process some representatives from the House of Bishops, in the spirit of our closed sessions, appointed by The Presiding Bishop. After some research for potential persons to serve as a Conciliator, I will meet on October 29th with the person, who we hope will serve as the Conciliator. I hope following this meeting, a schedule for proceeding will be forth coming."...
The rest of the article may be found here.
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John Sentamu: On Defending Sudan's Christians from Islamist Terror
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Archbshop Sentamu
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Source: IRD
October 23, 2012
By Mark Tooley
The Church of England's Archbishop of York continues to distinguish himself as a frequent fly in the ointment of political correctness by defending British culture and Christianity. Himself a Ugandan refugee from the horrors of Idi Amin, John Sentamu is thankful for the civilization that has protected and elevated him. It's perhaps no great surprise that a Church of England commission assigned to nominate the next Archbishop of Canterbury, who would be their church's and the global Anglican Communion's senior prelate, declined to nominate Sentamu. Amid allegations of adamant resistance by some to the Archbishop of York, who is a strong and sometimes polarizing figure, the commission instead has so far failed in its duty and nominated nobody. The Church of England is left dangling. Almost certainly the Archbishop of York would provide greater leadership and clarity than the often left-leaning, poet intellectual who is currently the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Further evidence of Sentamu's leadership emerged in an October 17 speech he delivered to the House of Lords in defense of the besieged and mostly Christian people of South Sudan. The South Sudanese won their independence from the brutal Islamist regime in Khartoum last year after decades of vicious war in which millions perished. Yet Sudan's tyrants still threaten the south just as they continue to wage war against various Muslim minority groups in northern Sudan that don't subscribe to Khartoum's nasty brand of radical Islam....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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England: Battle intensifies over plans to make women bishops
| Source: Church of England Newspaper via Anglican Mainstream
A majority of the Church of England Evangelical Council believe that the measure authorising women bishops to be discussed at the General Synod in November does not make adequate provision for those who cannot accept this development and fear they will feel excluded from the Church.
The Council says that opponents should consider voting against the measure rather than just abstaining.
In a statement the Chairman of the Council, the Ven Michael Lawson said: "Many evangelicals, both supporters and non-supporters of the ordination of women to the episcopate, are deeply concerned about the provision for those who, in good conscience, cannot accept women bishops. We believe it is a matter not just of justice but of godliness to treat well this minority with whom God has joined us in fellowship and mission.
"In all this we have to remember we are God's people, and behave as such, and not slip into the ungodliness of warring political factions."
The Council's statement comes as Dr Rowan Williams is making an attempt to rally support for the proposed legislation. In an article that originally appeared in the 'Church Times' which is available on his website, the Archbishop admits the legislation is not perfect but warns that rejecting it would plunge the Church into 'continued and perhaps intensified internal conflict, with no guaranteed outcome'....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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France: Thousands join 75 'flash mobs' in defense of traditional marriage
| Source: LifeSiteNews
October 23, 2012
By Jeanne Smits, Paris correspondent
FRANCE - The first nationwide public demonstration against the French socialist government's plan to legalize homosexual "marriage" took place today simultaneously in 75 French towns.
The events were organized by "Alliance Vita" and took the form of colorful flash mobs in well-frequented locations, attracting widespread public attention and media coverage....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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