Ramadan Mubarak 2015

Front of the Quran
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ramadan Mubarak to all!

(Forgive my mistakes and stay blessed!)

Ramadan is a holy month for Islam - probably the holiest. It is a time when Muslims 'Sawm' (fast) for 30 days and nights. Sawm is considered the third (of 5) pillar of Islam and is believed to be the duty of all Muslims in good health and of age. (It was during Ramadan that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the final testament; the Qur'an is the last and final messenger to mankind.) Ramadan commemorates on the night of 'Laylat Al Qadr', the time that the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Because it is observed by the luna calendar -and the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar- the dates of Ramadan shift by approximately 11 days each year. (This year that is June 18th.) Those exempt are: pregnant or menstruating women, the old or infirm, and children before the onset of puberty.

i-thorts' i-Faith: Women clergy to be made temporary ‘bishops’ by Church of England

Eight women are to be made temporary observer “bishops” in the Church of England in the first steps towards trying to resolve the row over the consecration of women.

Read the Rest @ The Times »

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Also see: Welby Wants the Mitre on Female Heads »

And: « Justin Welby urges General Synod to vote in favour of female bishops »

Pagan Truth: Thanksgiving Roots

The VuDooMan is in the House
When you need a little faith, turn to the VuDooMan

It is taught in American schools that the Pilgrims established Thanksgiving (to share their abundant harvest with local Wampanoag "People of the Dawn" Tribe).

« Most history books would like to convince us that Thanksgiving Day goes back to only Plymouth Rock in the 1600's. Plymouth Rock was not the first Thanksgiving Day though. (Ever wonder why Canada has a Thanksgiving Day also?) This pagan feast, honoring the agricultural gods, goes back thousands of years, in one form or another. »

Cameron warns priests of turbulence after church votes no to female bishops

Backed by politicians of all stripes, prime minister urges Church of England to 'get with the programme' and reconsider decision.

Campaigners for female bishops hold a vigil outside Church House after the vote.
Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

« Read the Rest @ Guardian

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also see: BREAKING NEWS: Church of England general synod rejects women bishops »

BREAKING NEWS: Church of England general synod rejects women bishops

The Church of England's general synod has voted against appointing women as bishops.

Campaign group Women and the Church called it "a devastating blow" for the Church and the people of England.

Read the Rest @ BBC News »

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What an utter shambles!!

Tonight the traditionalits have won, but Christianity as a whole has lost bigtime. I knew that Roman Catholics are stuck in the fourteenth century, but I never thought British CofE ministers were also!! Shame on these 'men of God'!!

Welby Wants the Mitre on Female Heads!

Rt Rev Justin Welby

This is a follow up article to:
Placing the Mitre on Female Heads?

Selby Calls For Women Bishopd

Back in July I did an article on Women Bishops. (For those of you who read it back then, or would rather not bother, I’ll quickly summarise.)

1. The previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowen Williams, urged the General Synod to resolve the issue over female bishops (an issue 36 years in the making).
2. Parliament voted on this issue and allowed it (123 in favour and 53 against). If the vote hadn’t been passed it would have been shelved until 2015!
3. When it comes to women in roles within the church, things get sticky. Anglicans (happy to have female priest) don’t wish for them to pursue leadership positions.
4. While, in the past, the Anglo-Catholic's have gone as far as saying one may as well ;“ordain a pork-pie”.
5. Dr Rowen put forward conditions to appease those “who continued to have theological reservations”.
6. However, their are concerns from senior women clergy (some prospective candidates for the roles of women bishops) who take offence at not merely been asked to step-aside but demanded by church law (due to clause 5(1)c).
7. Eventually, the vote was postponed until November.

The vote will take place at a special session of the Church’s General Synod in London next week.

The high-flying crusader for women bishops, Christina Rees, objects to clause 5(1)c. She has concerns that the discrimination of females and the further favouring of males over females bishops will moth only cause fundamental problems, it’ll down-play the roles of female bishops within the CofE.

The online campaign (organised by blogger “Church Mouse") Yes 2 Women Bishops) has attracted large support in recent days.

The Rt Rev Justin Welby (as chosen successor to Dr Rowan Williams)   last week that he is in favour of female bishops and is set to make a personal plea to traditionalists to “go forward" in a show of unity, in an attempt to end years of struggle for women within the Church of England for leadership

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also see: Give winnings to church - Welby suggests »

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and: Welby to be next Archbishop of Canterbury »

Justin Welby urges General Synod to vote in favour of female bishops

Justin Welby, the bishop of Durham, has urged the General Synod to vote in favour of landmark legislation allowing women to become bishops as his appointment as the next archbishop of Canterbury was confirmed by Downing Street.

Read More @ Guardian »

Welby set to be archbishop of Canterbury

Bishop of Durham Justin Welby, an Eton and Cambridge-educated former oil executive, looks set to be named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury replacing Rowan Williams, who has held the post for a decade.

Read More @ Financial Times »