Week Ending 07/29/19

Canadian Church Moves to Remove Prayer for Jewish Conversion

The General Synod of the Anglican church of Canada passed one measure that made headlines in Canadian Jewish circles.  The synod voted to replace a prayer for the conversion of Jews in its standard Book of Common Prayer with one that prays for reconciliation between Christians and Jews.  The vote was close to unanimous.  The resolution must also pass at the next General Synod in order to go into force. 

New Religious Literacy Test Results Have Some Surprises

The Pew Foundation has released the results of a survey it used to try to determine religious literacy in America.  The results showed that Jews and Atheists actually knew more about the Bible, Christianity and other religions than did Christian church goers.  Evangelicals did better than other Christian groups on the Bible, but were less well versed about other religions.   Christianity Today provides a summary with charts and a link at the end of the article to test yourself on their questions.

Union of Black Episcopalians Wraps Up Meeting

 More than 300 from all parts of the U.S. and several foreign countries gathered in Los Angeles last week for the 51st meeting of the Union of Black Episcopalians.  Among them was Presiding Bishop Michael Curry who used his sermon at worship to urge that churches work to get out the vote in 2020.  He kept his talk officially non-partisan by saying the Episcopalians should let love guide their votes.  The meeting had numerous workshops of social issues and youth members had their own activities.  Episcopal News Services has more.

Ghana Supreme Court Justice Become First Female Lay Canon

Justice Sophia Adinyira has added a new honor to those she already holds.  St. Peter's Cathedral in Koforidua, Ghana, has named her a lay canon.  She is the first woman to be named a lay canon in Ghana.

Continuing Stories

Developments on the Legal Front in South Carolina

Early September is going to be a busy time for the lawyers from the Episcopal Church in South Carolina. Update reported last week on the surprise order by Judge Dickinson that the two parties in the litigation around church property in South Carolina return to mediation.  The mediator has been selected and the mediation will take place September 4. Blogger Steve Skardon has an interesting commentary dated July 23 on the order to mediate, suggesting it shows the federal judge's inability to sort through the issues.  The next day the lawyers need to be in New York.   The Episcopal Church has invited the Episcopal Church in South Carolina and the Church Insurance Company of Vermont to meet on September 5-6 in New York and see if they cannot come to an agreement.  South Carolina Episcopalians sued the Church Insurance Company because it honored claims for legal costs submitted by schismatic parishes. 

And Another Diocese Elects a Woman as Bishop

The Diocese of Montana has joined the ranks of recent dioceses electing women as bishops. The diocese held the election on the first day of their annual convention.  Choosing among three women nominees, the Diocese got the required majorities in the various orders on the third ballot, choosing a North Carolina priest, the Rev. Marty Stebbins as the tenth bishop of Montana.  Update has been following the unprecedented number of women elected as bishop in the last year.