News Feed
On this page, we’ll post links to several recent news items of interest to the LGBT community and its allies in the PC(USA).
For more news, check our Presbyterian Links, found in the Resources section of our website.
Press Information concerning the 219th General Assembly
July, 7, 2010 “Gay activist beheaded in Uganda” by Andrew M. Potts for Sydney Star Observer
July, 7,2010 “New language offered for ordination standards does not include sexual ethics” by Bethany Furkin for GA219 Communication Center
July, 7, 2010 “Definition of marriage to include union of “two people”” by Mike Ferguson for GA 219 Communication Center
May 18, 2010 “First lesbian bishop leaves Anglicans headed for divorce” by Araminta Wordsworth for NationalPost.com
April 27, 2010 “Don Marsh is dead at 86“ by Jerry L. Van Marter for Presbyterian News Service
March 28, 2010 “Retired Presbyterian minister faces church court for performing gay marriages” by Guy Kovner for The Press Democrat
March 17, 2010 “Anderson ordination postponed by judicial stay” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Feb. 22, 2010 “Scott Anderson Approved for Ordination,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Feb. 7, 2010 “Presbyterian leaders oppose Ugandan anti-gay act,” by Bethany Furkin for The Presbyterian Outlook
Feb. 3, 2010 “Church stays with ELCA; pastor quits,” Keith Uhlig for the Wausau Daily Herald
Feb. 2, 2010 “Top military officer: Gays should serve,” Associated Press via MSNBC
Feb. 2, 2010 “Domestic Partnership Bill on Life Support,” by Trip Jennings for The New Mexico Independent
Jan. 25, 2010 “Breaking News: Same gender marriage committee concludes inconclusively,” The Presbyterian Outlook
Jan. 25, 2010 “Committee recommends steps toward traditional marriage and same-gender ceremonies,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Jan. 24, 2010 “For Transgender People, Name Is a Message,” by William Glaberson for The New York Times
Dec. 5, 2009 “Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elects openly gay bishop,” by Larry Stammer for the LA Times
Nov. 11, 2009 “Presbytery votes to permit Larges ordination; stay of enforcement sought,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Nov. 6, 2009 “2009 Covenant Network Gathering: Achtemeier charts spiritual journey on homosexuality at Covenant Network gathering plenary,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Oct. 21, 2009 “HHS to Create Resource Center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Oct. 21, 2009 “Church of Sweeden says yes to gay marriage,” online at www.thelocal.se
Oct. 12, 2009 “Thousands march in Washington for gay rights,” by Katherine Skiba for the Los Angeles Times
Oct. 12, 2009 “A report from the National Equality March in Washington, D.C.” by Michale Adee for More Light Presbyterians
Sept. 29, 2009 “Documentary follows transgender’s fight for ordination in PC (USA),” by Edward Terry for The Layman
Sept. 28, 2009 “Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the Diabolical Use of Religion to Encourage Homophobia,” By Michael A. Jones for change.org
Sept. 23, 2009 “Coming out in Middle School,” by Benoit Denizet-Lewis for the New York Times
Sept. 21, 2009 “Special committee to study issues of civil union and Christian marriage releases preliminary report; Group seeks feedback and responses from wider church,” press release from The Office of the General Assembly
Sept. 17, 2009 “Civil Unions-Christian Marriage committee approves preliminary draft report,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
Sept. 9, 2009 “Lutheran Pastor Sees People Returning to Church Following Assembly Actions,” ELCA News Service
Sept. 3, 2009 “Transgender and Christian: Finding Identity,” by Jori Lewis for Religion Dispatches
Sept. 1, 2009 “Protestant churches shift slowly towards gay equality,” by Wendy Cadge and Laura Olson for The Boston Globe
August 30, 2009 “Congregation embraces transgender minister as his secret is revealed,” by Christine McFadden for the Portland Tribune
August 26, 2009 “Semenya’s Race and Sex Struggle,” by Kay Wright for theRoot.com
August 24, 2009 “Sex and the Single Minister,” by Rev. Debra Haffner for the Huffington Post
August 24, 2009 “Lutheran gay clergy vote tests mainline churches,” by the AP featured on 365gay.com
August 22, 2009 “Conservatives mull future after ELCA lifts gay ban,” by Patrick Condon for the AP
August 21, 2009 “Lutheran Group Eases Limits on Gay Clergy,” by Michael Luo and Christina Capecchi for the New York Times
August 17, 2009 “ELCA Convention: Lutherans strive to avoid split on gay issue,” by Jeff Strickler for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
August 17, 2009 “Gay men attacked, executed in Iraq, rights group says,” CNN.com
August 10, 2009 “Why Gay Guys are Churchier Than Their Straight Brethren,” By David Gibson for PoliticsDaily.com
August 2, 2009 “Gunman kills two at gay center in Israel,” by Richard Boudreaux for the Los Angeles Times
July 29, 2009 “The growing power of clergy as a voice for gay rights,” by Michael A. Jones for GayRights.Change.org
July 14, 2009 “Episcopal Church Moves to End Ban on Gay Bishops,” by Laurie Goodstein for the New York Times
July 12, 2009 “Presbyterian Women to incorporate as a non-profit corporation,” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
July 10, 2009 “Dr. King’s SCLC moves to oust L.A. chapter president over his support for gay rights,” by Ryan Powers for thinkprogress.org
July 2, 2009 “Campaigners delighted as Indian court decriminalizes gay sex,” by Jeremy Page for UK Times Online
June 30, 2009, The White House Celebrates Gay Pride Month
June 30, 2009 “Upset Fort Worth residents protest raid on gay nightclub,” by Domingo Ramirez, Jr. for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
June 20, 2009 “Lutherans reject proposal on same-sex relationships,” by Ann Rodgers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
June 19, 2009 “Same-sex marriage: state laws banning it make no sense,” by Charles T. Moran for the Herald Journal
June 11, 2009 “The Sins of the Fathers: raising kids in a same-sex union,” by Lisa Miller for Newsweek
June 9, 2009 “Marriage Equality is a Theological Necessity,” by Serene Jones and Brad R. Braxton for the Huffington Post
June 4, 2009 “San Francisco’s blast at Vatican was legal, court says,” by Bob Egelko for the San Francisco Chronicle
June 3, 2009 “Church of Sweden elects lesbian bishop,” Ecumenical News International/Religion News Service
June 2, 2009, “How to come out on facebook,” By Caryn Brooks for Time Magazine
June 1, 2009, The White House declaration of Lesbian, Gan, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month 2009!
May 2009, “This is a choice: hope…or fear,” by Brian Donnelly for the Scotland Sunday Herald
May 28, 2009, A letter from the President of Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York, Serene Jones, on supporting same-sex marriage
May 27, 2009 “Group begins ad blitz against same-sex marraige,” by Jeremy Peters
May 27, 2009 “Nation’s eyes on state after prop 8 ruling,” by Carla Marinucci for the San Francisco Chronicle
May 14, 2009 “Lesbian wants to be ordained,” by Yonat Shimron for The North Carolina News and Observer
May 11, 2009 “Is my marriage gay?” By Jennifer Finney Boylan for the New York Times
May 8, 2009 “MIA on gay marriage,” by Eugene Robinson for the Washington Post
May 5, 2009 “Gay marriage advances in Maine,” by Abby Goodnough and Katie Zezima for the New York Times
May 1, 2009 “Finding a vision for the future by discovering the past,” and article featuring one of our member-churches, The Presbyterian Church of Astoria, by Paul Seebeck for Presbyterian News Service
April 30, 2009 “Foxx called out for criticism for anti-hate crime bill,” By Jim Morrill for the Charlotte Observer
April 29, 2009 “Transsexual wins $500,000 lawsuit,” by Nedra Pickler for the Associated Press
April 27, 2009 “Presbyterians bending toward justice,” By Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards in The Washington Post
April 27, 2009 “Amendment B is defeated,” By Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service
April 27, 2009 “Religious backers of gay marriage celebrate,” By Ross Boettcher, DesMoines Register
April 26, 2009 “Stacking the deck on gay marriage,” By Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune
April 25, 2009 “Presbyterians reject gay clergy, but vote closer,” by Eric Gorsky for the Associated Press, published in the Washington Post
April 25, 2009 “Fidelity-Chastity Ordination Standard remains in place in PC(USA),” by Leslie Scanlon for the Presbyterian Outlook
“Marriage Equality & Religion: The Massachusetts Experience,” video debunking myths of consequences for clergy and churches if gay marriage were to be established in your state, posted by Empire State Pride Agenda
April 22, 2009 “Man found guilty of murder, hate crime in transgender killing,” theDenverChannel.com
April 15, 2009 “Basu: Love for his daughter drives father’s activism,” by Rekha Basu, DesMoines Register
April 14, 2009 “Drag performer found dead in Fayetteville,” by Matt Corner, at www.q-notes.com
April 12, 2009 “Students encouraged to skip school on ‘Day of Silence,‘” by Lawrence Jones, christianpost.com
April 10, 2009 “Faith groups increasingly lose gay rights fights,” by Jacqueline L. Salmon, Washington Post
April 7, 2009 “Iraq’s newly open gays face scorn and murder,” by Timothy Williams and Tareq Maher, The New York Times
April 7, 2009 “D.C. council recognizes gay marriage,” by Gary Emerling, Washington Times.
April 7, 2009 “Gay Rights Groups Celebrate Victories in Marriage Push,” by Abby Goodnough, New York Times.
April 3, 2009 “Unanimous ruling: Iowa marriage no longer limited to one man, one woman,” by Jeff Eckhoff and Grant Schulte in the DesMoines Register
March 31, 2009 “Transgender minister Rev. Erin Swenson leads worship in Blacksburg,” By Tonia Moxley, posted in the Roanoke Times
March 25, 2009 “Synod court nullifies presbytery’s vote in Larges case,” By Leslie Scanlon, The Outlook. Get the official report of the SPJC here.
March 25, 2009 “God vs. Gay,” an interview done by The Advocate.com with Lisa Larges of That All May Freely Serve.
March 25, 2009 “Human Rights Campaign Statement on Presbyterian ruling on Lesbian and Gay Ministers“
March 24, 2009 “PCUSA Committee to Consider Removal of ‘Homosexual Perversion’ from Document,” By Lillian Kwon, The Christian Post.
March 24, 2009 “Southern Indiana Presbyterians Reflect Shift Toward Allowing Ordination of Gays,” Courier-Journal.com
March 23, 2009 “Presbyterians Move Closer to Accepting Open Lesbian, Gay, & Bi Clergy,” from GLAAD blog.
March, 2009 The launch of Legal Out, a resource for legal for LGBT folks.
March 22, 2009 “Lutherans move to allow gay clergy–sort of,” by Daniel Burke
March 19, 2009 “Lesbian takes big step in ordination bid,” by Julie Bolcer, Advocate.com
March 18, 2009 “Diverse Presbyterians undertake marriage, civil union assignment,” by Leslie Scanlon, Presbyterian Outlook.
March 27, 2007 “For some black pastors, accepting gay members means losing others.” This New York Times article, referenced recently by the Vice-Moderator, still powerfully speaks to our churches today.
March 18, 2009 “US endorses UN gay rights text,” by AP reporter Matthew Lee.
March 17, 2009 “Hearing will decide next steps in Lisa Larges’ Struggle,” posted by That All May Freely Serve.
March 13, 2009 “GA special committee to study civil union and Christian marriage to begin work,” posted on Presbyterian New Service.
March 11, 2009 “Ratification of Amendment B is trailing,” by JerryVan Marter for the Presbyterian News Service
“It’s not where you’re from it’s where you’re at,” Parts I, II, and III, blog posts by the Vice Moderator Byron Wade on sexuality and the African-American church, from his blog www.vicemodblog.com
March 4, 2009 “Capetz restoration case sent back to synod PJC,” posted on the Presbyterian News Service.
March 1, 2009 “Conversations,” by Jack Haberer, Editor of the Presbyterian Outlook.
Feb. 24, 2009 “It’s up for grabs: A status update on the voting for New Amendment B,” written by Jack Haberer, Presbyterian Outlook editor.
Feb. 18, 2009 “What have we got to lose?” From the monthly column of the 218th General Assembly Moderator, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow.
Feb. 18, 2009 “Ohio Presbyterians vote to let gays serve as clergy,” from the Columbus Dispatch.
Feb. 11, 2009 “Pastor worried outspokenness may cost him job,” from the Sacramento Bee.
Feb. 2, 2009 “Opponents of ordination standards get key win; more likely to follow,” an article from the more conservative Presbyterian Layman.
Jan. 29, 2009 “Yes to New B, Now’s the time,” Written by our Minister Director, Mieke Vandersall. Online at www.pres-outlook.org .
Jan. 23, 2009 “Evangelicals, Progressives announce common agenda.”
Jan. 27, 2009 Check out our first press release on the Religion News Service website!
Jan. 26, 2009 “Why adopt the New B?” by Paul E. Capetz, on www.pres-outlook.org
Jan. 26, 2009 “1000 Conversations organized after GA to promote dialogue over debate,” at www.pres-outlook.org
Check out President Obama’s commitments to the LGBTQ community.
Jan.18, 2009 A transcript of the prayer given by Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson at the inaugural events on Jan. 18.
Jan. 9, 2009 A thorough blog posting on one ordained gay man’s current struggle in the Church of Scotland.
Jan. 6, 2009 “A New Year’s Resolution for our church: Don’t take the reformed tradition for granted!” A Presbyterian Outlook blog posting. (How might embracing and understanding reformed theology affect the debates around amendment b…?)
Jan. 5, 2009 “No Defending the Defense of Marriage Act,” from the LA Times
An interesting ongoing discussion of the Newsweek cover-story on religion and gay marriage at the Witherspoon Society website.
Dec. 28, 2008 “How my mind was changed,” Rev. Arlo Duba for the Presbyterian Outlook. There have been many posts and articles online at the Presbyterian Outlook site from a wide array of perspectives lately.
Dec. 18, 2008 “Religion shaped 20008 in big, dramatic ways,” Presbyterian News Service
Dec. 7, 2008 Janet Edward’s Op-Ed response in Presbyterian Outlook to two articles they published by Barbara Wheeler and Mike Loudon, advocating not voting on Amendment B and voting “no,” respectively.
Dec. 6, 2008 “Gay Marriage: Our Mutual Joy,” Newsweek cover story
Nov. 30, 2008 “Covenant Network: Conversation not combat to reach ordination goals,” from Presbyterian Outlook.
Dec. 2, 2008 Religion in Tension on World Aids Day, from religion dispatches, www.religiondispatches.org
Nov. 24, 2008 15 (22) Biblical Reasons to Vote Yes on Amendment b, from More Light Presbyterians (www.mlp.org)
Nov. 20, 2008 John Knox Presbytery votes to enroll openly gay man as candidate. Read Scott’s “scruple” in our explanatory section on scruples here.
Transgender Day of Rememberance: a link to transfaithonline.org
Nov. 18, 2008 GAC office of racial ethnic and women’s ministries reorganized
Nov. 10, 2008 “Winning Isn’t Everything.” From the Presbyterian News Service, an article on amendment G-6.0106b and the Covenant Network.
Overviews of the 218th General Assebly:
Click here to read the official overview from the General Assembly office. It summarizes many of the important issues and overtures that were decided by this year’s assembly, including the action taken on Amendment B.
Click here to download a shorter GA summary from Presbyterian Outlook magazine.
For a more personal view of this year’s GA, go to “A View from the River” blog, written the Rev. Chris Shelton, Presbyterian Welcome board member, writing for Hudson River Presbytery.
Or, if you want to get some good lefty interpretations of what went on in San Jose, go to the Just Presbys website (justpresbys.org).
