Church of England

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Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns, Citing His 'Shame'

Report determined Justin Welby likely knew of concerns around child abuser John Smyth

(Newser) - The archbishop of Canterbury, the topmost figure in the Church of England, has resigned under pressure following an independent report that found he failed to take action against a prolific child abuser. It's "unlikely" Justin Welby was unaware of the concerns around John Smyth, an attorney who sexually,...

UK Archbishop: Word in 'Our Father' May Be 'Problematic'
Archbishop Takes Issue With
Key Word in 'Our Father' Prayer
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Jul 15, 2023 12:25 PM CDT

Archbishop Takes Issue With Key Word in 'Our Father' Prayer

Stephen Cottrell told Church of England's General Synod the word has 'patriarchal' leanings

(Newser) - Christians worldwide who've committed the "Our Father" prayer to memory for 2,000 years would likely be thrown if the opening words—also the prayer's title—were suddenly altered. That tweak doesn't seem to be imminent, but eyebrows are raised after one of the Church of...

Archbishops: It's OK if You're Single Like Jesus

Church of England issues report on families that calls to 'honor and celebrate" not being coupled up

(Newser) - What would Jesus do if he were navigating today's high-tech dating world? He wouldn't necessarily swipe right on anyone, and that's OK, per the Church of England, which is now using the world's most well-known bachelor to assure singles in the UK that they're fine...

God May Not Be Called 'He' Forever in Church of England

Church says it's mulling using gender-neutral pronouns, though such a change isn't imminent

(Newser) - There may be a big change coming on how the Church of England refers to God, though worshippers shouldn't necessarily expect that change anytime soon. The centuries-old religious institution is considering using gender-neutral language, including pronouns, when referring to God in prayers—what Reuters calls "the latest attempt...

Christian Leaders Join Pope in Denouncing Anti-Gay Laws

The three hold joint news conference during flight

(Newser) - Pope Francis, the head of the Anglican Communion, and a top Presbyterian minister together denounced the criminalization of homosexuality on Sunday and said gay people should be welcomed by their churches. The three Christian leaders spoke out on LGBTQ rights during an unprecedented joint airborne news conference returning home from...

Church Bars Tutu's Daughter From Leading Funeral

The Rev. Mpho Tutu van Furth is in a same-sex marriage, prohibited by Church of England

(Newser) - The Rev. Mpho Tutu van Furth, daughter of the late Desmond Tutu, is an Anglican priest, which would seem to qualify her to officiate over a church funeral. But she's married to a woman, which the Church of England does not sanction. So Furth was told by her church...

Church of England Issues Strict Rules on Who Can Have Sex

Straight and married? You're in luck

(Newser) - Christians hoping to remain on God's good side should avoid sex unless in a heterosexual marriage, according to the Church of England. "Sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are regarded as falling short of God’s purpose for human beings," reads a statement issued by the House of...

Meghan Markle Baptized in Intimate Ceremony

She's now an official member of the Church of England

(Newser) - Meghan Markle is following in the footsteps of her future sister-in-law, having been baptized and confirmed into the Church of England ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry. Fiance Harry, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, attended Markle's intimate baptism and confirmation Tuesday in the Royal Chapel at St....

Church Admits 'Inexcusable' Coverup of Bishop's Abuse

Archbishop of Canterbury apologizes to victims

(Newser) - The Church of England "colluded" with and helped to hide the long-term sexual abuse of young men by one of its former bishops, the head of the church said Thursday, per the AP . Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby apologized to the victims who had spoken out and helped to...

Charges: Drunk Priest Attacks Cop, Paramedic

'I'm from the Vatican, you're f---ed!'

(Newser) - A British priest pleaded guilty Friday to drunkenly assaulting a police officer and paramedic while claiming diplomatic immunity from the Vatican, the Guardian reports. According to the Sun , a paramedic found 36-year-old Gareth Jones, vicar at London's St. Mary and the Virgin, passed out in the street in his...

Archbishop of Canterbury Learns He Had a Secret Father

His mom had a "liaison"

(Newser) - The Archbishop of Canterbury just found out that, rather than being conceived in marriage, he is the product of a "liaison" his mother had with Winston Churchill's private secretary. But the revelation hasn't been too much of a shake-up for the Most Reverend Justin Welby. "There...

Church of England OKs Women Bishops

Could see first ordained by year's end

(Newser) - The Church of England today took a pretty large step into the 21st century, voting by a two-thirds majority to allow the ordination of women as bishops. It's a reversal of a 2012 vote that failed by just six votes , notes Sky News , and cements the role of female...

Church of England Rejects Female Bishops

Vote narrowly fails, likely putting issue on hold for 5 years

(Newser) - The Church of England allows women to be priests, but it decided today that they still can't be promoted to bishops. The church's governing body just barely blocked a measure to permit female bishops—the majority was in favor, but the measure missed the required two-thirds majority in...

Church Keeps Catholics Off British Throne

Anglican leader must not be subordinate to pope: Church of England

(Newser) - Royals are free to marry atheists, agnostics, Jews, and Muslims—but don’t expect a Catholic wedding anytime soon. The British government recently attempted to end a policy, in place for centuries, that bars marriages between royals and Catholics ... but the Church of England blocked the move, the Telegraph reports....

UK Cleric to Women: 'Submit to Your Husbands'

Church blames divorce on behavior of 'modern women'

(Newser) - Two clerics at a British church have shocked parishioners by urging wives to "submit to their husbands in everything." Angus MacLeay of St. Nicholas Church in Kent distributed a leaflet last week entitled "The Role of Women in the Church," which tells women to "remain...

Brit Bishop Sorry for 'Praising' Taliban

Venner: Remarks were 'incredibly insensitive'

(Newser) - A British bishop has apologized for suggesting that the Taliban have some admirable qualities. Stephen Venner, the newly appointed bishop to Britain's armed forces, had warned against portraying the Taliban as pure evil and said their "conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty" could perhaps be admired,...

Brit Military Bishop 'Admires' Taliban Loyalty

Gordon Brown does not agree

(Newser) - The Taliban's faith and loyalty to one another can be regarded as admirable, according to a British military bishop, who is urging an approach to them that recognizes they're not all bad. The Church of England's bishop to the Armed Forces, Stephen Venner, made his comments as Prime Minister Gordon...

LA Lesbian Bishop Rattles Anglicans

Archbishop of Canterbury not happy

(Newser) - The decision by the US Episcopal Church in Los Angeles to elect the first openly lesbian Anglican bishop in the world has sparked a sharp new controversy over gay church leaders. "I feel deeply ashamed that this is happening," says a leader of a conservative branch of the...

Anglican Church Offers Two-in-One Wedding-Baptism

(Newser) - With more than two in five British children born out of wedlock, the Anglican Church is introducing a new liturgical twofer—a combination wedding and baptism. The so-called "hatch and match" service is designed to encourage marriage, and senior bishops insist that the Church is not changing its teachings....

Anglicans Open Path for First Women Bishops

But deal provides loophole for traditionalists

(Newser) - The Church of England has drafted a plan to allow the first women bishops within 3 years, the Times of London reports. But there’s a catch—to appease traditionalists, parishes that won’t tolerate a woman can have their own “complementary” bishops. Still, members of this special class...

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