Hot on the hills on affirming the break-away conservative Traditional Anglicans here in the U.S., the Church of England has now granted pension benefits to partners of gay clergy.
The Church of England’s governing body has passed a motion in favour of giving civil partners of deceased gay clergy the same pension entitlements as heterosexual widows or widowers.
The motion was put forward by the Rev Mark Bratton, priest at St John the Baptist church in Berkwell, near Coventry. It asks the Church of England Pensions Board to go beyond the requirements of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 and pay pension benefits to surviving civil partners of deceased clergy on the same basis as surviving spouses.
Under the terms of the Act, surviving civil partners are not entitled to benefits if their deceased partner ceased pensionable service before December 2005. At present, a widow or widower is entitled to a pension based on all of their deceased spouse’s pensionable service.
via Church grants full pension rights to gay clergy.
Tags: anglican communion, gay rights
The Pope is set to visit England shortly, and with the new Anglican Ordinate for Rome, as well as a conservative sympathetic Queen, I’d say we are in for something big shortly.
Continue reading “Rowan Williams issues ‘profound apology’ to gay Christians”
Tags: anglican communion, church of england, gay rights, rowan williams
In a surprising departure from protocol, the Queen has sent the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official of the Royal Household, to see Archbishop Vincent Nichols, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, to discuss Pope Benedict XVI’s offer to Anglicans wanting to convert to Rome en masse.
Continue reading “Queen sends Lord Chamberlain to ask Archbishop Nichols about Pope’s Anglican plan”
Tags: anglican communion, queen, Roman Catholic Church
It seems to happening this way, sometimes, now don’t it?
What happens when former Evangelicals find their way home to the Catholic Church through the Anglican Church? They bring with them into the Catholic Church a whole range of gifts from their former traditions. They bring the zeal and dedication of the Evangelical. They bring wide and deep knowledge of the Scriptures. They also bring the Anglican love of fine preaching, excellent hymns, reverent worship and beautiful language and liturgy.
via Standing on My Head: Evangelical Anglican Catholics?.
Tags: anglican communion, evangelicals, protestant, Roman Catholic Church
Recently, Pope Benedict has taken on the unofficial title of ‘Pope of Christianity Unity.’ I must say, that in the last few weeks, it seems that Rome is dialoging with just about everyone.
Continue reading “More Roman Union with Just about Everyone News”
Tags: anglican communion, judaism, orthodox church, Pope Benedict XVI, Roman Catholic Church
After offering a home in his church to disaffected Anglicans, Pope Benedict XVI assured the archbishop of Canterbury on Saturday that he is still committed to seeking closer relations between Catholics and Anglicans.
Continue reading “Pope and Anglican leader agree on closer relations”
Tags: anglican communion, Pope Benedict XVI, Roman Catholic Church, rowan williams
Roman Catholics should look beyond the divisive issue of ordaining women to see how much they share with the world’s Anglicans and work toward greater Christian unity, the head of the Anglican Communion said on Thursday.
Continue reading “Feeling the Heat? Anglican head scolds Vatican”
Tags: anglican communion, Roman Catholic Church, rowan williams
I’m nagging, I know, but…
The Episcopal Church has turned to I Maccabees in it’s Daily Office as of today. Much of the book will not be read, in fact only the first four chapters will be. It is one of several occasions in which the books of the Apocrypha are part of the church’s reading (Sirach being the most thoroughly read). For the Bible study in which I am engaged, I have been reading through some selections from II Maccabees. So, to refer to my post’s title, I am deep in the Apocryphal waters as it were.
via The Apocryphal Waters « O God, come to my assistance. (Also see here)
Tags: anglican communion, bible, daily office, ecumenical
