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Pope Francis Loves Nuns, But Can the Divide Between Sisters and Vatican Be Healed?

By Megan Sweas

…memoir, their goal was not only to protest proposed budget cuts to social services, but also “to lift up the work of our sisters.” It’s notable that a journey that started out of censure is now pointed in the direction of Pope Francis. This year’s “Nuns on the Bus” tour starts in St. Louis this week and ends in Washington, D.C., in time for the start of the papal visit on September 23. Its theme, “bridge the divide,” refers to the political divid…

Will International Criminal Court Bring Charges Against ISIS For Gender-Based Persecution?; And More in Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…support marriage equality and that 49 percent of Australians believe that service providers with religious objections to same-sex marriage should be permitted to refuse to serve same-sex couples’ weddings. At New Ways Ministry, Robert Shine reviews recent comments by several Catholic leaders in Australia and New Zealand. that several Catholics in Australia and New Zealand. An excerpt: Giving an LGBT Catholic view from the pews is Benjamin Oh, an…

‘Putin’s Children’ Push ‘Traditional Values’ in Latvia; Jewish Reparative Therapy Group Finds ‘Haven’ In Israel; Sikh Activist in UK Supports LGBT South Asians; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…rm of limiting parental rights. In the summer 2013, she spoke at a worship service of the mostly Russian-speaking “New Generation Church”, which used to draw on support from some conservative Americans. Its leader, Aleksey Ledyaev was invited to the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006 hosted by the US President George W. Bush. In her talk, Kornetova said that the children’s rights protection agency going around schools, teaching what “evil and bad p…

Egypt Goes After Gays to Silence Islamist Critics; South Africa’s ‘Open Mosque’ is Closed; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…s for the teaching of sex education. A few months ago, the National Health Service board for Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scotland’s largest, opposed a draft guidance that would allow teachers and students to opt out on the grounds of “conscience,” saying it could undermine the whole purpose of providing sex education. On Sunday, the director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, Michael McGrath, published an op ed in the Scotsman making the c…

Homophobia an “Atrocity,” LDS Bishop Tells Gay Mormon Conference

By Joanna Brooks

…he Saturday closing session and speak on Sunday at the interdenominational service. What did you hope to say? I had prepared something to say but then one of the organizers of the event said the theme of this service is “finding peace” or “how do you find peace.” So, I chucked my talk and spoke from the heart. That’s a fine Mormon tradition. Yes. President Boyd Packer said prepare, prepare, prepare, and then chuck your notes, and let the Spirit gu…

In His ‘Forgiveness Day’ Sermon — a Slightly More Sophisticated ‘GloboHomo’ Rant — Kirill Lays Out an Authoritarian Vision in Which His Version of God Might Dominate and Rule the Human Race

By Sarah Riccardi-Swartz

…rs and clergy bow to each other and ask forgiveness. It’s a highly kinetic service. Bows. Prostrations. Kisses. Weeping. It’s a service meant to bring out humility and social solidarity. The fact that Kirill used this Sunday to politicize the death of innocent Ukrainians is theologically corrupt. The sermon, which has yet to be officially translated into English, opens in a similar fashion to many of Kirill’s public speeches. He congratulates the…

The Active Principle of Islam, or, Activating Islamic Principles

By Amina Wadud

…t is almost as if what it means to be a woman, a mother, etc., is to be in service of the needs of others. This service to or care for others is a good thing. So good in fact, everyone should be rushing to do it, not just women. Likewise, caring for oneself has to be put in perspective to the whole. We do a disservice to our Lord and to humankind when we leave ourselves out of the formula of care. I spent a lot of time in the past five years readi…

Discrimination on the Taxpayer’s Dime? The Fight To Curtail the Overreach of RFRA

By Sarah Posner

…y if the USCCB will not refer its clients for required reproductive health services, or if it arranged for access to these services through other means. About the ACLU’s FOIA suit, a spokesman for the Administration for Children and Families said the agency “is gathering documents to complete the requests in an expeditious manner that aligns with FOIA procedures.” The USCCB did not respond to requests for comment on the FOIA suit. For advocates of…

Prosperity Televangelist Brought to Court on Fraud Charge

By Jonathan L. Walton

…ntiff claims the ministry went forward with its own “Word on the Go” daily service. The official complaint claims that the service generates Dollar more than $50 million a year in profits since well over a million subscribers pay the $4.99 monthly subscription. While it is doubtful that Creflo Dollar’s imagination or thumbs produce these daily “inspirational” texts, I am certain the pastor’s legal team constitutes his “favorite five.” As one of th…

FRC Rehashes Religious Opposition to DADT… in Real Time

By Candace Chellew-Hodge

…been addressed here, however, is the religious freedom of gay and lesbian service members. I wonder how many gays and lesbians of faith are serving in the military who may feel that they can’t speak freely to a military chaplain about their faith for fear of getting a lecture on their “immorality.” What about their right to speak freely about religion and what it means to them? The military is a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, and h…