UK: Vatican: Anglican Theologian: Pope's visit "crucial" for relations between two Churches
According to John Milbank, the trip is "an opportunity" for Benedict XVI to change the wrong impression that the Anglo-Saxon world has of him. Consensus between Catholics and Anglicans is "deeper than their differences". Positive Anglican reaction to beatification of Cardinal Newman, "symbol of ...

http://www.speroforum.com/
August 02, 2010

Benedict XVI's visit next September to the UK is of "crucial" importance. It is a chance to revitalize his image in the eyes of the British press, after the media storm involving the Pope has in recent months (in reality since the beginning of his pontificate), but also to bring together two cultures and two confessions - Catholic and Anglican - often in conflict.

This is the view point of John Milbank, Anglican theologian and professor of Religion, Politics and Ethics, at the University of Nottingham, interviewed by AsiaNews ahead of the next papal trip:

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ROSEMONT, PA: Multiple Lawsuits Dog Mainline Anglo-Catholic Parish

News Analysis

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
August 4, 2010

No single parish in The Episcopal Church faces more lawsuits or has been in litigation longer than the Church of the Good Shepherd, an Anglo-Catholic parish along Philadelphia's historic, blue blood mainline.

It started more than eight years ago, in 2002, when Fr. David. L. Moyer, the priest of the congregation at that time, confronted then PA Bishop Charles E. Bennison over what the bishop did or did not believe about 'the faith once for all delivered to the saints.'

It was a historic faceoff. Bennison either refused to answer the questions or sidestepped answers about such fundamental doctrines as the bodily resurrection of Jesus, homosexuality, Christology and much more. Meantime Bennison developed a Visigoth rite for people of indeterminate sexuality to marry in the cathedral (mercifully no one ever used it) and made heretical statements that Jesus was a sinner who forgave himself. It's hard not to imagine that he topped Arius for heresy. It was Bennison who famously said men wrote the Bible and therefore could rewrite it.

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Live with each other, Rowan Williams urges Lutherans

by Ed Thornton
The Church Times
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=98369
August 3, 2010

Assembled: the opening eucharist in Stuttgart LWF/ERICK COLL

THE Archbishop of Canterbury warned Lutherans last week of the "variety of traps" that Churches can fall into.

Dr Williams had been invited to address the Lutheran World Federa­tion (LWF) Assembly, in Stuttgart, Germany. The traps, he said, in­cluded conducting "inter-Church quarrels in a spirit that sends out a clear message of unwillingness to live with the other and be fed by them"; consuming time and energy in "what we like to think of as service to the needy, while ignoring our own need and poverty"; and imagining "that by faithfully performing the liturgy we embody the reality of the Kingdom, whether or not we are being trans­formed into a community of mutual nourishment".

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Priest-in-charge

by Elizabeth Kaeton
http://telling-secrets.blogspot.com/2010/08/priest-in-charge.html
August 2, 2010

I've been noticing an interesting trend in the church of late.

There seem to be a lot of clergy "in transition" these days.

That's not so unusual this time of year. Clergy - especially those with children - often make their move in the late Spring / early Summer. Good for the kiddies to start the new school year.

In this economy, clergy are often looking at dismal financial forecasts and making their move before the new program year begins.

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When Religion Goes to the Dogs

By BILL MUEHLENBERG
http://www.dispatch.com/
August 3, 2010

There are great and precious promises given to us in Scripture. One such word of assurance and hope is found in Matthew 16:18 where Jesus says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. That is reassuring to know, but sometimes one has to ask if the church itself is not doing a great job of undermining the faith.

That is, while we expect the enemies of the church to ceaselessly war against us, what is really alarming is when so-called Christian leaders themselves manage to sabotage the work of the church. In the past I have pointed out various examples of some Christians being their own worst enemies when it comes to delivering sharp blows against the faith.

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Church in China experiencing 'tremendous' growth

CLERICAL WHISPERS
CW Team
August 03, 2010

The church in China is experiencing tremendous growth like never before, says the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Mathews George Chunakara, Director of WCC's International Affairs and Public Witness, said there had been a "unique and explosive growth" of Christianity among the Chinese people.

"I have been visiting China for the last 15 years. I am astounded to see the tremendous growth there. Their worship places are now overflowing," Chunakara told Christian Today.

"It is not just the poor you see in churches, even the rich and educated are embracing Christianity. Beijing and Shanghai are the proof," he added.

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Minneapolis pastor back in pulpit after gay report

http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2010/08/minneapolis-pastor-back-in-pulpit-after.html
August 4, 2010

A Lutheran pastor in Minneapolis who opposes homosexuals being allowed to lead congregations said Monday he is attracted to men, but that he's not a hypocrite because he never acted on his urges.

The Rev. Tom Brock told The Associated Press he has known for years he is sexually attracted to men, but doesn't consider himself gay because he never acted on it.

In June, the Minnesota gay magazine Lavender reported that Brock was a member of a support group for Christians who struggle with same-sex attraction. Brock's church, the Hope Lutheran Church, placed him on leave while a task force looked into the matter. The Rev. Tom Parrish, the church's executive pastor, said the investigation determined Brock's story checked out.

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"LEFT TACKLE"

By John Guernsey
August 2, 2010

Long before it was made into a movie, I came across the book, The Blind Side, by Michael Lewis. It tells the fascinating and hilarious story of an inner city boy and the changing world of professional football. Michael Oher was the neglected son of a Memphis crack addict, who went on to play in college and, now, the Baltimore Ravens.

Woven through Michael's story-more in the book than in the movie-is the evolution of NFL football and the emergence of the importance of the left tackle. And it begins with a moment long-time Monday Night Football fans will remember: linebacker Lawrence Taylor's blindside tackle that broke the leg of Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann in 1985.

As the passing game became the dominant force in professional football, the quarterbacks who could throw the ball with pinpoint accuracy became the key asset of every franchise. That was predictable. What surprised everyone in the game, though, was the new importance of a previously ignored position, that of left tackle. Since most quarterbacks are right handed, as they stand to throw the football, opposing players coming from the left are attacking them from their blindside-hence the title-and the blind side is where they are most vulnerable.

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NEW YORK: Trinity Wall Street Awards Over $1.4 Million in Worldwide Philanthropy for 2010 Second Quarter
Funding Emphasis Includes: Microfinance, Vocational Training and Telecommunications in Africa, Young Adult Services Programs throughout America and Education Advocacy in Metropolitan New York

Christian Newswire
http://www.christiannewswire.com/
August 3, 2010

Trinity Wall Street, a 300-year old Episcopal parish in Manhattan's financial district, has awarded more than $1.4 million in funding during the second quarter of 2010, through its Trinity Grants Program. The focus for this grant-making cycle reflects Trinity's continuing support of micro-lending, job development and telecommunications in Africa; its commitment to young adult leadership programs in America; its advocacy of education initiatives in metropolitan New York; and strengthening the bonds of the Anglican Communion.

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Simply Lewis
Reflections on a Master Apologist After 60 Years

by N. T. Wright
http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=20-02-028-f
August 2010

I once found myself working closely, in a cathedral fundraising campaign, with a local millionaire. He was a self-made man. When I met him he was in his 60s, at the top of his game as a businessman, and was chairing our Board of Trustees. To me, coming from the academic world, he was a nightmare to work with. He never thought in (what seemed to me) straight lines; he would leap from one conversation to another; he would suddenly break into a discussion and ask what seemed a totally unrelated question. But after a while I learned to say to myself: Well, it must work, or he wouldn't be where he is. And that was right. We raised the money. We probably wouldn't have done it if I'd been running the Trust my own way.

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A "New Agnosticism" - Coming Soon?
Given what is at stake, living on the basis of a mere assumption that we cannot know if God exists seems a bit flimsy

by ALBERT MOHLER
http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/08/02/a-new-agnosticism-coming-soon/
August 2, 2010

No one seems quite sure what to do with agnostics. In a sense, they are the odd cousins at the theological family reunion. The atheists and the theists know where they stand, but the agnostics? Who knows?

Writing recently at Slate.com, Ron Rosenbaum suggests that perhaps the time has come for a "new agnosticism" to match wits with the "New Atheists," such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. It's time for a "revivified agnosticism," Rosenbaum argues. As he says, their T-shirts will read simply, "I just don't know."

Rosenbaum makes an interesting case for his proposed revival of agnosticism. As he cites, the word itself was coined by Thomas Henry Huxley, Charles Darwin's aggressive sidekick. Huxley was known as "Darwin's bulldog" for a good reason, for he was totally committed to evolutionary theory and he was nothing less than pugnacious in argument.

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Church of England traditionalists say some will stay to 'defeat' women bishops plan
Leading traditionalists in the Church of England admit they are "not united" in their response to the introduction of women bishops, but some are vowing to stay and "defeat" the current plan.

By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent
The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/
August 1, 2010

A letter sent by 15 bishops on the Anglo-Catholic wing concedes that some clergy and lay people will now convert to the Roman Catholic Church after they suffered a defeat at a critical meeting.

But it goes on to say that others will chose to remain in the Church of England, despite their opposition to women joining the episcopate, some because of "family loyalties" or even "financial necessity".

And the prelates point out that the current plan to introduce female bishops without any significant compromise to opponents must still clear several hurdles in dioceses across the country and then at the General Synod, the Church's governing body, so there is still a chance it may fail.

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On Expository Preaching

by BILL MUEHLENBERG
http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2010/07/25/on-expository-preaching/
August 2, 2010

This article is somewhat restrictive. First, it is obviously for believers only. But second, most believers may not even be aware of what expository preaching is. This is because sadly most contemporary churches do not offer regular expository preaching.

I would guess that perhaps 95 per cent of churches (and here I refer to Bible-believing evangelical churches) do not engage in such preaching. Most simply offer sermons on various issues or topics. This is known as topical preaching. In contrast to expository preaching, where the text is central, in topical preaching a particular theme is emphasised.

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A new age of religious discrimination

By John H. Calvert
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=187173
August 03, 2010

During our early history, religious discrimination was rampant among the 13 colonies. Except for ecumenical Pennsylvania, most of the colonies established "state" religions. Massachusetts was ruled by Congregationalists who drove Roger Williams into Rhode Island. Catholics fled England due to persecution by its Anglican state church. After they got settled in Maryland, they were once again treated as outsiders when that colony established the very same Anglican Church as its official religion.

Due to the different state religions the colonies put a provision in the new Constitution to make sure the federal government would be religiously neutral. The Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment forbid Congress from passing "any law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the free exercise thereof."

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