News for Week Ending 8/29/2011

Uganda anti-gay bill shelved

Reuters Africa reported August 23, 2011, that the Ugandan cabinet voted unanimously to block the re-introduction of the controversial legislation that would have introduced capital punishment for certain offenses related to homosexuality. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Although this means that the bill cannot become law in the near future, Uganda can hardly be considered a gay-friendly country. Reuters quoted Ugandan Attorney General Peter Nyombi as saying, “The position of the cabinet is that there’s already sufficient law to take care of all crimes envisaged by the proposed anti-homosexuality bill.”

Thinking Anglicans has collected many links to news and comment regarding the Uganda bill.

Same-sex blessing session maybe not so hostile

Last week, we reported on a special session on same-sex blessings requested by the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music at the meeting of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Basing our reporting on a story by George Conger in The Church of England Newspaper, we observed that “the presentation was not well received.” (Note that The Church of England Newspaper is not an official organ of the Church of England.) A subsequent report from Church Times by Simon Sarmiento paints a very different picture of the meeting. The reader can make up his or her own mind as to which report—if either—to believe.

In any case, it should be noted that the fact that the Consultation meeting was on the subject of marriage was a coincidence. The American delegation was not trying to inject the subject of same-sex blessings into the Christian marriage discussion.

New York diocese nominates lesbian, former Pittsburgh priest

The Episcopal Diocese of New York announced its candidates to replace retiring bishop Mark Sisk August 29, 2011. Among the candidates is the Very Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean of Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, a lesbian married to Emily Ingalls. Also among the five candidates is the Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon, Bishop in Charge, Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, and, for six years, Rector of All Souls’, North Versailles. A new bishop is to elected October 29, 2011. The report of the Committee to Elect a Bishop can be read here.

Pittsburgh issues diocesan profile; begins accepting names of potential bishops

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh posted its diocesan profile August 26, 2011, and the Nomination Committee is now accepting names of possible nominees for the next Bishop of Pittsburgh through September 30, 2011. (See stories on the diocesan Web site here and here.) A slate of candidates is expected to be released in January, after which there will be an opportunity to nominate candidates by petition.

All material related to the episcopal search can be found on the diocesan Web site here.