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LGBTs in Philippines Reflect on Papal Visit; Francis Meets Trans Man Shunned by Parish; French Group Turns ‘Bar of Sodom’ into ‘Pub of Mercy’; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…ream, “an information resource for orthodox Anglicans,” featured on its website this week an article by Joseph Nicolosi, champion of “reparative therapy.”) In a related note, the Telegraph reports that BBC announced that as part of a cost-cutting restructuring, it was eliminating its top religion post, currently held by Aaqil Ahmed, the first Muslim to hold the position. Italy: Rome recognizes civil unions; Catholic Church decries ‘anti-family iti…

Mormon “Martin Luther” Causes Stir by Uploading LDS Church Handbook of Instructions to Internet

By Joanna Brooks

…onishment, the LDS Church published the entire second volume on its own website. (The first volume remains officially restricted to lay clerical leaders.) The buzz among bloggers and web-journalists quickly converged around changes to the section of the Handbook dealing with homosexuality. One Utah television station even ran a nightly news segment suggesting a link between the changes, Proposition 8, and the protests following Elder Boyd K. Packe…

Global LGBT Recap: Ugandan Law Unleashes Vigilantes, Anti-Gay Americans Want to Boost Homophobia Exports

By Peter Montgomery

…a marker of national identity, a source of political endorsements, and an official participant in the legislative process: In a 2009 agreement with Putin’s ruling United Russia party, the country’s top Orthodox official, Patriarch Kirill, won the right to review (and suggest changes to) any legislation being considered by the Duma. Since then, both Putin and Patriarch Kirill have stated explicitly and repeatedly that they believe in collaboration…

Vatican Equates Women’s Ordination with Priest Pedophilia?

By Mary E. Hunt

…hat women who get ordained “simulate ordination.” According to the Vatican official’s lights, the women, and the bishops who ordain them, automatically excommunicate themselves. It all sounds rather contorted. In this soon-to-be-published document, the ordination of women is said to be spelled out as one of those dicey matters which is not only a violation of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but so serious as to warrant the attention of Rome. Perhaps…

Time for Mormons to Come to Terms with Church History

By Joanna Brooks

…e of African descent. Controversial issues like these are not addressed in official church materials, and in many congregations, Sunday meetings reflect a highly orthodox, literal approach to Church doctrine and scripture. Even mentions of Smith’s polygamy have been scrubbed from Church lesson manuals, returning only in a newly released book on Mormon women’s history. The culture of shame and silence that surrounds these subjects within Mormon cul…

Combat Soldiers & Clergywomen: Problematic Equality

By Mary E. Hunt

…p women from advancing up through the ranks; because they did not serve an official combat tour of duty, women were ineligible for certain promotions. Legal action forced the policy shift. Old canards about women being weaker go out the window when some best their brothers in training and at the service academies. Besides, the emphasis on teamwork means that brute strength and a sharp brain will get the job done. From what I hear, not much will ch…

Amid Horrors, Muslim ‘John Hancocks’ Forge Secular Sudan

By Frederick Clarkson

…… sharia and Islam will be the main source for the Constitution, Islam the official religion and Arabic the official language.” Such statements have provided opportunities for those seeking to impose a Manichaean narrative on the conflict of Muslim persecution of Christians. But even as Khartoum does in fact target Christians, the broad struggle is more accurately seen as one between rising state-sponsored Arabist Islamic nationalism, against raci…

Santorum and the New Catholic-Evangelical Alliance

By Sarah Posner

…ent and control of environment,” and “alienation from families.” ODAN’s website describes Opus Dei’s aggressive recruitment tactics and lists Opus Dei’s “index of forbidden books,” based on a list maintained by the Vatican until 1948, and which has been updated to tellingly include those by writers such as Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale. (Opus Dei denies that there is an official list of forbidden books, but rather that it maintain…

Romney’s Christian Nation Conundrum

By Sarah Posner

…en it comes to his own candidacy, Romney is willing to confront this quasi-official religious test by defending the free exercise clause and the prohibition on religious tests for office. But he was silent on the establishment clause. Last night he said nothing about the citizenry’s religious freedom, the separation of church and state, and where the line between public expression of religion by elected officials and state endorsement of religion…

Escorted Off House Floor for Reading Scripture in a Hoodie

By Sarah Posner

…hoodlums in this nation, particularly those who tread on our laws wearing official or quasi-official clothes.” At this point in his remarks, Rush took off his jacket to reveal that he was wearing a hoodie underneath it. He covered his head with the hood, violating a rule in Congress that prohibits wearing hats on the House floor. “Racial profiling has to stop, Mr. Speaker. Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum,” Rush ad…