Anglican Church 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...

Priest in Doghouse After Giving Pooch Communion

John Johnson — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:06:29 CDT

An interim priest at an Anglican church in Toronto has apologized to her flock after giving communion to a dog, apparently on a whim. The National Post sees it as a sort of proxy fight between liberal and conservative branches, but the priest herself just wants the story to go...

Anglican Leader: Irish Church Lost 'All Credibility'

John Johnson — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:52:02 CDT

The head of the Anglican church has set off a religious row by declaring that the Catholic church in Ireland has lost "all credibility" because of the sex abuse scandal. The archbishop of Canterbury made the comment in an interview with the BBC , then called the Catholic archbishop in Dublin...

Pope Urges UK Bishops to Fight Gay Equality Bill

Harry Kimball — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:13:43 CST

Pope Benedict wants English and Welsh bishops to fight proposed human rights legislation with "missionary zeal." The Equality Bill, which is pending in Parliament, is intended to combat discrimination on the basis of sex, race, disability, religion, or sexual orientation, but the pontiff argues that "it actually violates the natural...

British Priest OKs Shoplifting

Rob Quinn — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:51:50 CST

Shoplifting is no sin for people facing hard times, a British priest has declared to his congregation. Society's attitude toward the poor sometimes leaves them no option but to turn to crime, and shoplifting is better than "prostitution, mugging or burglary," said Father Tim Jones. He said that the poor,...

Risqué Xmas Ad Sparks Anger

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:50:41 CST

A New Zealand Anglican vicar trying to be funny by putting a sheepish Joseph naked in bed with Mary on a billboard has infuriated Catholics. "Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow," reads the ad. The idea "was to lampoon and ridicule the idea of a male God...

Episcopal Church Names Second Openly Gay Bishop

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:07:00 CST

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles yesterday elected the Rev. Mary Glasspool as its second openly gay bishop, underscoring Episcopal commitment to accepting same-sex relationships despite enormous pressure from other Anglicans. "Any group of people who have been oppressed because of any one, isolated aspect of their persons yearns for...

Anglican Deal May Lead to Married Priests

Jason Farago — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:55:51 CDT

The Vatican's attempts to heal the centuries-old rift with the Anglican Church may have a consequence nobody intended: an end to celibacy for priests. By offering a new Anglican rite under the umbrella of Catholicism, Pope Benedict XVI has invited married Anglican clergy into the fold—and cracked open the...

Catholic Church Welcomes Disgruntled Anglicans

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:42:02 CDT

Pope Benedict XVI has created a new church structure for Anglicans who want to join the Catholic Church, responding to the disillusionment of some Anglicans over the ordination of women and the election of openly gay bishops. The new provision will allow Anglicans to join the Catholic Church while maintaining...