May 17, 2013
[Religion News Service – Washington, D.C.] Twenty-five top Christian leaders gathered in the U.S. city with perhaps the worst reputation for civil discourse May 15 and committed themselves to elevating the level of public conversation.
Meeting in a row house three blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the group spanned the Christian spectrum, and included officials from liberal churches and the most conservative of interest groups.
“The ground of our spiritual...
[Episcopal Public Policy Network] “A few years ago, government authorities in Turkmenistan persecuted a woman and her son because they had converted to Christianity. The son was tortured to death. The woman was twice detained and tortured. She fled to the United States, where, suffering from panic attacks and depression, she tried to kill herself. Later, after stabilizing, she learned about political asylum and applied for it. But the U.S. government rejected her request...
May 15, 2013
[Anglican Peace and Justice Network -- Press Release] The Anglican Communion’s Anglican Peace and Justice Network (APJN) has launched a worldwide survey to gather the experience of Anglicans and Episcopalians who have taken part in national or local truth and reconciliation commissions.
The aim is to learn from Anglican contributions to past and present truth and reconciliation processes. The information received will be used to create resources and mechanisms to support...
May 9, 2013
[Episcopal Public Policy Network] On May 7, 301 amendments to the Senate immigration bill were filed by nearly every Senator on the Judiciary Committee, which will begin hearing amendments tomorrow at 9:30 am. As you can imagine, this volume of amendments touches nearly every piece of the bill and, if enacted, could change the bill in any number of ways.
Some amendments would make the pathway to citizenship more inclusive by allowing immigrants who arrived after...
May 8, 2013
[Anglican Communion News Service] The president of South Sudan has appointed the archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan to chair the national reconciliation committee “trying to heal the mental wounds”’ in the world’s newest nation after 40 years of war.
Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul was appointed by Salva Kiir, who was facing many questions from the public and the media about why the he had earlier suspended the “much-needed” national reconciliation...
April 15, 2013
[Episcopal Church Office of Communication] As people gathered for the Second Worldwide Anglican Peace Conference, beginning April 16, a day-long tour provided time to get to know, learn and become acquainted with the host city, Okinawa.
The weather was a delightful 71 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny with a light breeze. Okinawa, an important port for incoming goods, consists of 160 islands with 1.4 million people, reflecting 1 percent of the population of Japan. From the...
April 12, 2013
[Episcopal Public Policy Network] Migel’s small plot of maize crop appeared infested with weeds; tall green plants disrupted the ordered rows of corn stalks. But Migel explained that the green legume, indigenous to Chiapas, Mexico, functioned as a natural fertilizer by extracting nitrogen from the air and enriching the soil.
Migel then took us to his garden. He had interspersed basil and oregano plants among his tomatoes and peppers. Their powerful smell keeps away...
March 25, 2013
[Anglican Communion News Service] Members of the Anglican Communion are being asked to sign a petition asking the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa – to urge Syria’s leadership to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians.
Four million people trapped in Syria need humanitarian aid, more than 2 million of them children. Schools and hospitals have been destroyed. According to Mandeep Tiwana, policy and advocacy manager of CIVICUS (...
Activist Vidalina Morales is traveling across Canada discussing mining issues in her home country of El Salvador. Photo:...
