By Terry Mattingly via Religion Unplugged (ANALYSIS) While the “Kingsfold” hymn melody was traditional, the modern text of “Creator of the Intertwined” captured the progressive course steered by the recent General Conference of the embattled United Methodist Church. “Creator of… Continue Reading
Richard Ostling via Religion Unplugged (ANALYSIS) Making history last week, delegates at a United Methodist Church General Conference in Charlotte agreed to allow same-sex clergy and marriages. Each UMC conference the past 52 years had upheld centuries-old heterosexual restrictions, most… Continue Reading
The answer to the question “Is sexuality dividing the church in Australia?” is a decided “yes!” for Mark Durie, a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Theology. He makes the case in his new book Double Minded: How… Continue Reading
If Christian news obeyed the rules of AFL, then we saw a star player kick the ball out of bounds on the full this week. That gets a free kick to the other side. The star player is Richard B.… Continue Reading
The Conversion Practices Ban Bill 2024, introduced into the NSW Parliament yesterday, seeks to ban “conversion practices” aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity captures some forms of prayer and counselling, but not sermons or… Continue Reading
An Obadiah Slope column Smokebreak via Jeannine Baird ### Warning – railway and design nerd item ahead: Watching a doco about the misunderstood genius Harry Beck, who designed the famous London underground map, Obadiah learned something now – Beck, it… Continue Reading
History has a way of rhyming, if not repeating, and John Dickson’s book Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History gives this reader an introduction to patterns of Christian blundering. But as often… Continue Reading
A member church of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) has gone public with a decision to withhold payments to the denomination. The Underdale–Glandore Lutheran Church in South West Adelaide resolved to send a message to the the SA NT… Continue Reading
Last Sunday, December 17, saw the first “Prayers of Love and Faith” being offered in the Church of England. These new official prayers allow LGBTQIA couples to receive prayers of blessing in local churches as part of ordinary worship services.… Continue Reading
A working group tasked with developing an apology by the Uniting Church (UCA) to LGBTQIA+ people has advised against the national assembly of the church making a formal apology at their 2024 meeting. A draft working document by the “Apology… Continue Reading