Anglican Mainstream

By Jill Kirby, Conservative Home

By Nile Gardiner, Telegraph

By Sophie Borland, Mailonline

Guidelines state it would be ‘discriminatory’ for doctors not to prescribe either the Pill or morning-after pill just because they don’t believe in sex outside marriage

Doctors could be struck off for refusing to give contraceptive pills to women who aren’t married.

New guidelines from the General Medical Council state that it would be ‘discriminatory’ for doctors not to prescribe either the Pill or morning-after pill just because they don’t believe in sex outside marriage.

The rules, which also warn doctors that they face being struck off for refusing to carry out sex-change operations, have angered senior Catholic bishops and campaigners.

Critics fear the guidelines will marginalise Christian doctors and others with strong moral beliefs.

They warn the rules will affect a ‘significant number’ of doctors who will be pressurised to carry out treatment against their consciences.

The draft GMC guidelines, entitled ‘Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice’, tell professionals they ‘cannot be willing to provide married women with contraception but unwilling to prescribe it for unmarried women’. 

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By Ean Higgins,The Australian

THE power couple of Australia's increasingly open polyamorous community, Rebecca and James Dominguez, have made Senate submissions urging the legalisation of same-sex marriage, as they promote greater acceptance of multiple-partner relationships.

The couple have led the way in publicly outlining their own journey from monogamous marriage to one in which each has another lover as well.

In her blog, Ms Dominguez, who is an adminstrator with IBM in Melbourne, writes: "My life rocks . . . I am incredibly happy and have almost everything I could possibly want . . .

"I've built a house with my husband and my husband's boyfriend so there are four of us living together in nice harmony. (The fourth household member is Rebecca's boyfriend.)

"James outed himself to me as bisexual a year after we got married. Remarkably, this didn't really phase (sic) me.

"He talked to a nice female friend of ours that was interested in him, informed her about my boundaries and they agreed to have a sexual relationship.

Read here

by John Bingham, Telegraph

A Christian psychotherapist struck off after attempting to convert a homosexual man to heterosexuality said yesterday that counsellors with traditional views now face being “closed down”.

Lesley Pilkington, 61, spoke as she lost her appeal against her registration with her professional body being cancelled after an undercover journalist posing as a patient recorded her during a therapy session.
 
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) said that, although Patrick Strudwick had “deliberately misled” Mrs Pilkington, she was guilty of professional malpractice.
 
Mrs Pilkington, who believes that homosexuality is sinful, practices a controversial counselling technique known as “reparative therapy” involving counselling and prayer.
 
In 2009, Mr Strudwick, using a false name, arranged two counselling sessions with Mrs Pilkington telling her he was a “believer” after meeting her at a conference.
 
He later wrote about his experiences in an article in The Guardian and lodged a formal complaint with the BACP saying that he had been left disturbed by what took place.
 
During the session she asked him whether he had been abused as a child or bullied at school and whether any of his relatives had been Freemasons as a possible cause of his homosexuality.

A conduct hearing last year ruled that Mrs Pilkington had fallen short of professional standards by making “premature and reckless” diagnoses.

An appeal panel yesterday threw out a number of adverse findings against Mrs Pilkington but found that she had failed to take enough steps to ensure that Mr Strudwick fully understood what her counselling entailed and “precise belief system that underpinned it”.

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Focusing our prayers:

For the decisions to be made at this time:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17

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By Jeffrey Satinover, M.D., Ph.D. NARTH

I am writing as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and published research scientist who has practiced and lectured in both private and academic settings (e.g. Yale, Harvard Universities) including teaching constitutional law and civil liberties (Princeton). For scientific, clinical and legal reasons I strongly oppose SB1172.

First, as a matter of content, it is false to claim that homosexuality is immutable, and/ or that attempts (professionally guided or not) to change one's sexual orientation are harmful. Claims that science has demonstrated harm are false. Indeed, very large population-based studies performed all over the world demonstrate that even spontaneous change predominantly (in both absolute and proportional numbers) from homosexuality to heterosexuality is a statistical (though not universal) pattern in development.

At the beginning of my career I would not have credited this to be so, but I slowly learned that it is so.

You may find here a detailed analysis of how the scientific record has been misrepresented on this subject, even in US Supreme Court cases.

My testimony to the Massachusetts Senate Committee on the Judiciary, SB199, may be found here.

Second, as a matter of legal and ethical principle, liberty itself enshrines the right of self-determination.

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By Kathleen Gilbert, LifeSite News

Democrat House leaders including Nancy Pelosi have opposed a measure to ensure military chaplains are not forced to perform same-sex “marriages,” arguing that it is based on a “manufactured crisis” and therefore unnecessary – a response strongly criticized by chaplain advocates.

By Ruth Gledhill

House of Bishops approves Women Bishops Legislation

The House of Bishops of the Church of England today concluded its consideration of the draft legislation to enable women to be consecrated as bishops. It agreed that the legislation should be returned to the General Synod for final approval.

The House of Bishops had power to amend the draft legislation in such manner “as it thinks fit”. It made two amendments to the draft Measure.

The House accepted an amendment making it clear that the use of the word “delegation” (in Clause 2 of the draft Measure) relates to the legal authority which a male bishop acting under a diocesan scheme would have and was distinct from the authority to exercise the functions of the office of bishop that that person derived from his ordination. For example, when another bishop ordains someone to the priesthood he needs permission to do from the bishop of the diocese (“delegation”), but the power to ordain derives from his consecration as a bishop. The amendment also makes clear that delegation should not be taken as divesting the diocesan bishop of any of his or her authority or functions.

The House also accepted an amendment to express in the Measure one of the three principles which the House had agreed in December (see notes). This amendment adds to the list of matters on which guidance will need to be given in the Code of Practice that the House of Bishops will be required to draw up and promulgate under the Measure. It will now need to include guidance on the selection by the diocesan bishop of the male bishops and priests who will minister in parishes whose parochial church council (PCC) has issued a Letter of Request under the Measure. That guidance will be directed at ensuring that the exercise of ministry by those bishops and priests will be consistent with the theological convictions as to the consecration or ordination of women which prompted the issuing of the Letter of Request. Thus, the legislation now addresses the fact that for some parishes a male bishop or male priest is necessary but not sufficient.

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From Channel 4 News

Psychotherapist Lesley Pilkington loses her appeal against suspension from her professional body over a therapy session with a journalist who posed as a christian wanting to be "cured" of being gay.
 
Ms Pilkington, a qualified psychotherapist, was first suspended in 2010 by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) for breaching the BACP ethical framework.

In May 2009 campaigning journalist Patrick Strudwick went to see Ms Pilkington posing as "Matthew" and describing himself as a Christian who did not want to be gay any more. He secretly recorded the therapy sessions as part of an investigation into "conversion therapy" – a controversial treatment that claims to help a patient deny his or her attraction to the same sex.

In its original report, the BACP professional conduct panel found that: "In what was intended to be an assessment session, Mrs Pilkington did disclose her personal views on the complainant's lifestyle and sexual orientation.

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From Vatican Radio

It’s less than a week to the opening of the World Meeting of Families in Milan that will be attended by Pope Benedict for its final three days. Hundreds of thousands of people from more than 140 countries are set to attend the 5-day event. The World Meetings of Families are held every three years and are sponsored by the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Family as a way for families to meet, discuss critical issues and grow in the faith. This year’s theme is: The Family: Work and Celebration.

Among the participants planning to attend the event is Bishop John Hine, head of the Committee for Marriage and Family Life of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. He sees the Milan meeting as a great opportunity “to get together with other people who are similarly concerned for marriage and family life” at a time when "there are huge pressures on the family" and says “we can all learn from each other.”

Asked about the high rates of marital breakdowns in Britain, Bishops Hine says unfortunately there is a tendency nowadays for young people “to slide into marriage” after a series of relationships “rather than making a decision for a life long commitment to each other.” The problem, he says, is that in these situations, it’s just as easy for these young people “to slide out of marriage.”

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By John Bingham, Telegraph

Historic plans to allow women to become bishops have been plunged into crisis after existing bishops voted through an eleventh-hour concession to traditionalists.

Campaigners for women in the episcopacy in the Church of England are considering whether to vote the plan down themselves, with some privately condemning it as a “compromise too far”.

Others say that the concession would give legal status to the view that women bishops would carry a “taint.

Yet traditionalists also voiced disappointment at the measure, which they said falls far short of the assurances they say they need, and warned the Church is facing a “terminal” crisis.

It comes after the Church’s House of Bishops met behind closed doors in York to give its approval to the long-awaited legislation.
In theory it clears the way for a landmark vote at the Church's General Synod in July to ordain women as bishops.

But they added an amendment to the measure which would allow traditionalist parishes who refuse to accept the authority of a woman not only to opt out but also to have an alternative bishop specifically chosen to be “consistent with the theological convictions”.

The amendment goes further than a complicated arrangement already on the table requiring future women bishops to “delegate” their authority over parishes which object to a woman.

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From The Christian Institute

One Housing Group accused of crass insensitivity and ignoring tenants

Campaigners and residents have held a vigil outside One Housing Group head office in Chalk Farm, north London, calling for the cancellation of a lease given to British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) for an abortion centre. Bpas has opened the centre on the ground floor of a One Housing residential block of homes in Stratford, Newham, in east London.

The campaigners stood quietly outside One Housing Group’s front entrance. However they displayed graphic and bloody images of terminated unborn children on posters to demonstrate the full horror of abortion, and offered leaflets to One Housing staff and passers-by.

The event follows 10 months of campaigning by Newham residents and pro-life activists. Last summer One Housing made the lease over to Bpas for premises at 32-36 Romford Road, Stratford, E15. The affordable housing group made no attempt to consult or inform its residents in the block, and has refused to acknowledge that abortion is a sensitive, tragic and controversial issue to many people including its own tenants.

They have twice refused to meet campaigners and residents, and a letter sent to the Bpas abortion centre received no reply. A letter to One Housing signed by the tenants themselves fell on deaf ears. One Housing, it seems, isn’t listening.

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From Politics Home

Owen Paterson has become the first cabinet minister to come out in opposition to gay marriage.

In a letter to a constituent petitioning him to support the legislation, the Northern Ireland Secretary writes: "Having considered this matter carefully, I am afraid I have come to the decision not to support gay marriage…

"The Prime Minister has made clear that he supports equal civil marriage and the Government is rightly consulting widely on this issue before making any changes to the current position."

 He is the first cabinet minister to come out against the principle of the legislation. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has described it as "a distraction", but his comments reflected concerns about the timing, rather than the content, of the bill.

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The Rev’d Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform, said:

“We are grateful to those in the House of Bishops who have sought to protect the unity of the Church of England by seeking better provision for those Anglicans who cannot accept the oversight of female bishops.
 
“However we are disappointed that none of the very many compromise options that we and others suggested has been acted upon.

“While we recognise that these small amendments could be helpful, we are dismayed that the assurance for our future ministry within the Church of England will rest on what a Code of Practice says. Not only have the provisions of this Code yet to be agreed, but also, as we all know, Codes of Practice are frequently changed over time. This means that we are being asked to base our futures on a shifting foundation. In particular we are concerned that those considering ordination in the future could be discriminated against because of their views on the difference between men’s and women’s ministries.
 
“We will now take further counsel as we consider the exact wording of the revisions.”

 22nd May 2012

Yesterday we presented our petition of over 2200 names to the Archbishop of York in his position as Vice-Chair of the House of Bishops. A few hours later the House of Bishops had made their decision.

Many of the women who signed the petition have mixed feelings about the response of the House of Bishops. They are grateful that the bishops had the courage to amend the legislation, taking collegiate responsibility for the final wording of the Measure that General Synod will vote on in July but they are still concerned that not enough has been done to ensure a positive outcome in the final vote. 
 
It is encouraging that the Bishops have made clear by their second amendment that for those who would seek alternate episcopal provision this is an issue of theological conviction rather than sexist discrimination.

Susie Leafe said “It is disappointing that in an attempt to avoid being accused of discrimination against one group of women, the House of Bishops has chosen not to prevent discrimination against another group of women and the candidates for ordination that they support. This could have serious consequences for the Church of England as our survey showed that the churches represented had sponsored twice the national average number of ordinands. "

For further details contact: Susie Leafe (Proper Provision Coordinator & General Synod
 
Member for Truro Diocese) Tel: 07753690120. Email: properprovision2012@virginmedia.com

Read also: Press Release from WATCH and the actual texts of Women Bishops amendments from Thinking Anglicans

From The Christian Institute

American Christian media groups have met in Washington DC to discuss the problem and explore solutions.

They say traditional Bible-based Christian views on moral issues like marriage and abortion risk being censored.

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From Protect the Pope

The first UK civil partnership between homosexual persons was officially registered in a Unitarian Church in Liverpool between a self-described Catholic,and a self- described Anglican. The self-described Catholic is a member of Quest,a group dissenting from the Church’s teaching on sexuality.

According to The Tablet,‘The event included an interesting ‘liturgical innovation’,with a trained owl flying the length of the Grade-1 listed building to deliver the rings to the best man. ‘The Gospel was read by a religious sister of the Bethlehem Community in Liverpool’,which is part of the self-described LGBT ‘Ecumenical Catholic Church’.

Protect the Pope comment:When Tony Blair and the Labour government pushed through legislation to allow civil partnerships he attempted to re-assure Christians that the distinction between civil partnerships and marriages would be rigorously maintained by prohibiting civil partnership ceremonies in religious premises.

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By Stephen Adams, Telegraph

Same-sex couples will be given the same rights as heterosexual couples under guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
 
The NHS will also extend the upper age limit for IVF by three years to 42, following advice that suggests many women in their late 30s and early 40s could conceive after treatment.
 
The move will see thousands of women a year given the chance to become mothers without having to pay up to £8,000 to private clinics.
 
Fertility experts also questioned whether health authorities could afford to widen eligibility criteria, when only a quarter currently fund three cycles of IVF for infertile couples, as recommended by Nice.
 
Gedis Grudzinskas, emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Barts and the Royal London Hospital, said that while the new guidance reflects "social changes" there were questions over whether NHS trusts could afford it.

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