Noteworthy

Recent News from CLGS

• The Presbyterian Church (USA), (PCUSA) the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, held its national General Assembly in San Jose, CA from June 21-28. The biennial conference involves lay and clergy delegates from the nation's 174 regional bodies, or Presbyteries, who debate and vote on issues of church policy and governance. This year, the General Assembly voted to recommend changes to the church's constitution that would allow openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to be ordained in the church. The following is a personal account of General Assembly from PSR communications assistant and GTU PhD student Richard Lindsay.

  Signs and portents of change in San Jose By Richard Lindsay

• Sustainable World, Sustainable Movement
  As a Center committed to scholarship, education and training at the intersection of religion and sexuality, CLGS seeks to advance the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. This critically important work of social and religious justice must begin with ourselves, as LGBT people, not only for the sake of sustaining our movement but for a sustainable world where all God’s creatures can thrive. Throughout our programming activities during the 2006-07 academic year, CLGS will address the hard work of sustainability among LGBT communities with reference to three broad, overlapping areas of concern: race and ethnicity, gender, and ecology. We sincerely hope that the work we undertake this year, both on the PSR campus and around the country, will spark ongoing conversations and renewed commitment to the kind of cultural, political and religious change that our faith traditions inspire and urge us to do.
  Read more about new programming at CLGS . . .



• Evangelical Theologian Changes his Mind on LGBT People
  In a new book published by Westminster John Knox Press -- Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church -- a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Jack Rogers, argues unequivocally for the ordination and marriage of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.— read more
   
• The SoulForce Equality Ride
  The SoulForce Equality Ride is taking thirty-two young adults on a seven-week bus tour from New York to Los Angeles to confront nineteen religious schools and military academies that ban the enrollment of LGBT students. Among the riders is Pacific School of Religion student Kayla Bonewell. Kayla is writing a blog on her Equality Ride experiences, which can be accessed here: http://www.cahouse.blogspot.com/. For more information on SoulForce and the Equality Ride: www.soulforce.org.
   
• Another Gay Bishop for the Episcopal Church?
  February 2006: The Episcopal Diocese of California (the Bay Area) recently released its list of candidates for bishop; among the five are one gay man and one lesbian. Read the commentary on the list by the Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. — read more
   
• "A New Ideology of Evil"?
  March 2005: The latest book by Pope John Paul II, published and released last week, suggests that same-gender marriage may be part of a "new ideology of evil." In a statement issued by the National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), of which CLGS is a member, the Roundtable wishes the Pope renewed health but strongly disagrees with his religious assessment of marriage equality. Equal marriage rights for same-gender couples can only strengthen the family. — read more
   
• Easter: It's about Nobody and for Nobodies
  March 2005: An Easter sermon from Dr. Robert Goss: "Easter is more than egg hunts and candies though MCC in the Valley gathered over 800 plastic Easter eggs with candies for orphans. Nobody wanted to provide plastic eggs filled with candies for the Easter egg hunt this year. MCCV, under the leadership of Audrey Antley, stepped up to volunteer. Orphans are castaway children, social nobodies. Easter is about nobody and nobodies. Let me reflect on this a bit." — read sermon
   
• Dancing with God: Anglican Christianity and the Practice of Hope
  January 2005: Congratulations to Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director on the publishing of his book. As he writes, "The image of dancing with God may seem like an odd one for a book on Christian theology. More than a few people probably assume dancing and theology have at least one thing in common: other people do them. The good news of Christian faith suggests something different. Each and every one of us is invited to dance with God. Each of us can dance. Each of us can do theology." — order this book from Amazon.com
   
• Uncommon Grace: An Evening with Bishop Gene Robinson
  November 2004: CLGS is pleased to welcome Bishop Robinson to the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday evening, January 24, 2005 with a festive reception. Proceeds from this event will support the many programs of the Center. We fully expect this event will sell out, so make your reservation today! — read more about this special evening
   
• Bishop Robinson and the Future of Anglican Christianity
  September 2004: Will Episcopalians still be considered Anglicans by the end of the year? The controversy around Bishop Robinson's ordination continues, and the Archbishop of Canterbury will soon make some decisions regarding the future of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, is also an Episcopal priest and theologian and has been working on this issue in a variety of ways. — read Jay's reflections and essays
   
• Asian Professor of Bible Speaks out for Marriage Equality
  September 2004: Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Pacific School of Religion and a United Methodist clergyman, was one of the speakers who addressed the "Summer of Love 2004" Asian American rally for Marriage Equality in San Francisco on Sunday, August 8, 2004. — read the transcript
   
• Bishop Robinson and the Future of Anglican Christianity
  September 2004: Will Episcopalians still be considered Anglicans by the end of the year? We'll soon find out. The ordination as bishop of openly gay and partnered V. Gene Robinson (Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire) last November prompted threats of schism by some Anglican Christians. The controversy over Bishop Robinson continues and the Archbishop of Canterbury will soon make some decisions regarding the future of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, is also an Episcopal priest and theologian and has been working on this issue in a variety of ways.— read Jay's reflections and essays on this topic
   
• California Court Invalidates Same-Gender Marriage Licenses
  August 2004: CLGS extends its sympathy to those many loving couples whose legal commitments to each other were invalidated by today's California Supreme Court decision and calls on religious leaders and faith communities to renew their efforts toward full marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples. Strengthening families, protecting children and ensuring equal protection under the law are at the root of the struggle for marriage equality and deserve the full support of faith communities. — read the CLGS press release on the Court's decision
   
• PSR Alum Files Lawsuit for Marriage Equality
  August 2004: The Rev. Phyllis Hunt, a recent graduate of Pacific School of Religion, and her partner Vilia Corvison have filed a state and federal lawsuit in Tampa Bay, Florida to have their Canadian marriage recognized in the U.S. — read the press release
   
• Reasons for Pride: Remembering Stonewall 35 Years Later
  On June 27, 1969 something remarkable happened in a tiny New York City bar which launched the modern gay and lesbian liberation movement. Since then, June has been "pride month" for LGBTQ people. Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, offers some reflections on Stonewall and reasons for living with pride.— read response
   
• With Open Arms: Gay Affirming Ministries in Bay Area Faith Communities
  This report, funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, examines how Bay Area religious communities have developed supportive ministries for LGBT people; it also outlines strategies to further promote gay-affirming congregations and increase dialogue about LGBT issues within larger denominational groups. Written by CLGS Consultant for National Programming Bernard Schlager, Ph.D.— read report
   
• Rainbow Flag Flies at School of Religion
  Article about the creation of CLGS published in the Contra Costa
  Times. — read article [Contra Costa Times article; opens in new window]
   
• Constitutional Convention in Massachusetts — Web Journal
  Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, has joined other religious leaders from around the country to bear witness to the religious support of the freedom to marry. Jay is writing his reflections from an historic Constitutional Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, that is convening to decide whether the Commonwealth's constitution should be amended to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman.
  Part One:    Tuesday, March 9—The Boston Tea Party of Marriage
  Part Two:    Wednesday, March 10—Have Collar, will Lobby
   
• Launch of CLGS Marriage Project
  The right of same-sex couples to marry is a key "wedge" issue in American political and public discourse today. The CLGS Marriage Project provides resources for understanding the complex history of marriage, its religious and historical dimensions, and the important difference between civil rights and religious rites. Please visit often and feel free to submit questions or suggestions for materials to post here. — visit CLGS's Marriage Project website
   
• CLGS Marriage Project Launch
  February 2004: Article on upcoming launch of CLGS's Marriage Project, during the Freedom to Marry Week — read article
   
• CLGS Denounces President Bush's Attack on Same-Sex Marriage
  January 21, 2004: The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion today denounced the threat leveled by President Bush against those courts that have recently ruled that same-gender couples deserve the same civil supports and protections afforded heterosexual citizens. In his State of the Union address on January 20, President Bush asserted that in order to defend the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, he would support a federal constitutional amendment to limit the benefits of marriage to unions between one man and one woman. — read press release
   
• CLGS Applauds Historic Ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
  November 18, 2003: By finding in favor of the plaintfifs in this case, this decision marks an important step toward full civil rights for LGBT people. CLGS affirms the right of same-sex couples to marry as a matter of social justice in our society. At the same time, the Center acknowledges the complexities of this issue for religious communities of faith. It is important to retain this distinction between religious rites and civil rights on this issue. — read press release
   
• Robinson Ordination Web Journal
  November 2003: Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, will attend the ordination of the Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson as the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson is the first openly gay person elected as a bishop in the Episcopal Church and his ordination will take place on Sunday afternoon, November 2. Jay, who is also an Episcopal priest, will be writing about his own impressions and observations of this event, creating a web journal from those
  reflections. — read journal
   
• The Marriage Controversy: Civil Rights and Religious Rites - by Jay Johnson, CLGS
  October 2003: Jay gives overview on recent decisions regarding same-sex marriage and on CLGS's "Marriage/Civil Unions Resource Project" — read article
   
• National Marriage Protection Week? - CLGS Responds
  October 12, 2003: After a truly remarkable summer of progress in LGBT issues—from the legal recognition of gay marriages in Canada, to the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of state sodomy laws and the election of an openly gay man as a bishop in the Episcopal Church—new attempts are afoot legally to restrict marriage in this country to heterosexual relationships and President Bush has just declared October 12-18 "Marriage Protection Week." Jay Johnson, CLGS Programming and Development Director, reflects on these remarkable events as CLGS announces the formation of a Marriage/Civil Unions resource center on this website. — read response
   
• CLGS Receives "Soaring Spirit Award"
  August 16, 2003: Mary Tolbert receives award for CLGS from New Spirit Community Church. — read article
   

• Jay Johnson, Programming and Development Director for CLGS, on KQED-FM's Forum

  August 8, 2003: Jay was a guest on Forum and participated in the discussion about the recent election of Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church's first openly gay Bishop. — listen to program on the KQED website

  
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