Category Archives: The Church

Black man playing with a magnifying glass

Southern Baptist Decline

The two “big kids on the block” of American denominationalism are making front-page and prime-time news this early summer in ways which crowd out other stories of events and trends in most other groups. Only the Mormons are in competition for the spotlight right now.

Friends hugging on a hike

Inclusivity: More Than a Word

Inclusivity and religion, inclusivity and Christianity. I know those two words in today’s world seem to reside side by side. We know in our heart one cannot not have one without the other. However, what we experience with inclusivity and religion and/or Christianity, in this

St. Peter’s Square, Vatican, Rome

Rome Pokes Canterbury in the Eye — Again

On January 1, The New York Times reported that the Roman Catholic Church had established a “Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter” which will function as an ecclesiastical home for members of the Episcopal Church who wish to transfer their allegiance without giving

Women praying

Christian Spin on ‘Ex-Gay’ Study Creates Harm

A recent study, “A Longitudinal Study of Attempted Religiously Mediated Sexual Orientation Change,” published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, has been hailed by conservative U.S. Christians in publications and websites as a breakthrough. A Christian political group in Australia, the Salt Shakers,

Architecture Building Chapel

Same Church, Different Song of Equality

Background: In August, gay and lesbian people attended a meeting on the repeal of SB 48 – The Fair Education – that mandates inclusion of gays and lesbians in history lessons. They were asked to leave the meeting as the church expressed its desire to

People stacking hands together in the park

A Hole Is a Hole

Trust can be a noun, but it is also a verb. We can have a thing called trust, but trusting is what we do when we exercise it. A flaccid lump with no muscles can do nothing. Human beings cannot float around freely the way

Woman on Laptop on Bench

Unity Launches Online Resource for LGBT Community

For the first time in its 120-year history, Unity is offering spiritual resources specifically targeted to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families and friends. Paula Coppel, Unity vice president of communications and publishing, announced the new online LGBT resource center, located at