Church of England news stories on Newser

Church Keeps Catholics Off British Throne

Matt Cantor — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:28:05 CDT

Royals are free to marry atheists, agnostics, Jews, and Muslims—but don’t expect a Catholic wedding anytime soon. The British government recently attempted to end a policy, in place for centuries, that bars marriages between royals and Catholics ... but the Church of England blocked the move, the Telegraph reports. A...

UK Cleric to Women: 'Submit to Your Husbands'

Nick McMaster — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:35:00 CST

Two clerics at a British church have shocked parishioners by urging wives to "submit to their husbands in everything." Angus MacLeay of St. Nicholas Church in Kent distributed a leaflet last week entitled "The Role of Women in the Church," which tells women to "remain silent" whenever possible and take...

Brit Bishop Sorry for 'Praising' Taliban

Rob Quinn — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:48:00 CST

A British bishop has apologized for suggesting that the Taliban have some admirable qualities. Stephen Venner, the newly appointed bishop to Britain's armed forces, had warned against portraying the Taliban as pure evil and said their "conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty" could perhaps be admired, the...

Brit Military Bishop 'Admires' Taliban Loyalty

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:43:16 CST

The Taliban's faith and loyalty to one another can be regarded as admirable, according to a British military bishop, who is urging an approach to them that recognizes they're not all bad. The Church of England's bishop to the Armed Forces, Stephen Venner, made his comments as Prime Minister Gordon...

LA Lesbian Bishop Rattles Anglicans

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:00 CST

The decision by the US Episcopal Church in Los Angeles to elect the first openly lesbian Anglican bishop in the world has sparked a sharp new controversy over gay church leaders. "I feel deeply ashamed that this is happening," says a leader of a conservative branch of the Church of...

Anglican Church Offers Two-in-One Wedding-Baptism

Jason Farago — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:56:27 CDT

With more than two in five British children born out of wedlock, the Anglican Church is introducing a new liturgical twofer—a combination wedding and baptism. The so-called "hatch and match" service is designed to encourage marriage, and senior bishops insist that the Church is not changing its teachings. But...

Anglicans Open Path for First Women Bishops

Matt Cantor — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:21:00 CST

The Church of England has drafted a plan to allow the first women bishops within 3 years, the Times of London reports. But there’s a catch—to appease traditionalists, parishes that won’t tolerate a woman can have their own “complementary” bishops. Still, members of this special class of "flying" bishop...

Website Seethes Over Newly PC Christmas Carols

Kristina Loew — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:17:00 CST

A British website is accusing churches of political correctness after they made changes to age-old Christmas carol lyrics, the Telegraph reports. Vicars say the edits aim to remove gender-specific or racially charged words, but the editor of a Christian site calls it "a festive car crash. Half the congregation sing...

Conservative Episcopalians Form Rival Branch

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:38:52 CST

Theological conservatives upset by liberal views of US Episcopalians and Canadian Anglicans formed a rival North American province today. The development is the culmination of a five-year rift that erupted when Episcopalians in New Hampshire consecrated the first openly gay bishop. The split represents a new challenge to the already...