After years of wrangling over how the church should deal with homosexuality, its bishops announced in mid-January that they would not agree to same-sex marriage but were prepared to bless civil unions. They followed with an apology for the way that LGBTQI+ people were treated by the Church of England. (Pepinster, Religion News Service)
Read MoreIn what would mark a departure from centuries of tradition, bishops are to launch a project “on gendered language” referencing God in church services later this year. The move has been criticised by conservatives, who have warned that “male and female imagery is not interchangeable”. However, liberal Christians have welcomed it, claiming that “a theological misreading of God as exclusively male is a driver of much continuing discrimination and sexism against women”. (Swerling, The Telegraph)
Read MoreOfficials said more than 5,000 buildings have been destroyed by the 7.8 magnitude quake. More than 13,000 search and rescue personnel have been deployed, supplying 41,000 tents, 100,000 beds, and 300,000 blankets. Almost 8,000 people have been rescued so far. (Casper, Christianity Today)
Read MoreThe deepest split on the issue has been between evangelicals vehemently against moving away from what they call the biblical concept of marriage as being between a man and a woman and those campaigning for full equality, who are frustrated by the bishops’ willingness to recognize their mistreatment of LGBT members while being unwilling to offer them marriage. (Pepinster, Christianity Today)
Read MoreThe Russian military has disproportionately attacked evangelical Christians and “destroyed, damaged, or looted” at least 494 religious buildings, theological institutions, and sacred sites in Ukraine since invading the neighboring nation almost a year ago, according to the Kyiv-based Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF). (Saliashivili, Christianity Today)
Read MoreJesus Christ is now the center of a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign funded by the founder of Hobby Lobby and others, that is apparently just getting started. (Restrepo NPR)
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