Women bishops * immigrants’ saint * Gaza escalates: Monday’s Roundup

The Church of England is expected to vote on women bishops today. Many in L.A. are flocking to an immigrants' saint. And the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to esaclate.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby visits with members of his congregation on April 6, 2014.

Let’s start this Monday with some news from England.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby visits with members of his congregation on April 6, 2014.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said he plans to push through legislation on women bishops.

The Church of England is expected to authorize the admission of women to the episcopate in what is being billed as a historic vote today.


Meanwhile, the Church of England is planning to offer devil-free baptismal vows and let clergy celebrate communion in jeans.

Pope Francis has reportedly claimed that “paedophilia inside the Church is at the level of 2 percent” and includes priests, bishops and cardinals. The Vatican has disputed the reports. The pope led prayers for peace in the Middle East during his Sunday appearance.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to escalate. More than 100 youths chanting “Israel murderer” tried to storm a synagogue as several thousand protesters took part in Sunday’s pro-Palestinian march in Paris.

Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai is celebrating her 17th birthday in Nigeria today with promises to work for the release of some 219 schoolgirls who have been held by Islamic extremists for three months.

George Fox University, a Christian University in Oregon, says that the U.S. Department of Education granted it a religious exemption from the Title IX relating to non-discrimination in housing and facilities. A transgender student had been denied on-campus housing with other men.

Many in Los Angeles having been flocking to see a statue of Santo Toribio, the immigrants’ saint.

The state of Kentucky is set to license pastoral counselors to provide faith-based mental health services.


How some colleges that ban premarital sex (think Catholic University, Liberty University) teach prevention of sexual assault.

Some food for thought: Are modern detectives the new priests? One columnist says our obsession with detective fiction suggests something remarkably adjacent to traditional theological concerns.

And a tweet to finish this off:

https://twitter.com/abumuqawama/status/487947832188739584

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