Likeness or notions?

It is time that Christians were judged more by their likeness to Christ than their notions of Christ.
- Lucretia Mott,
Quaker abolitionist and women's rights advocate (1793-1880)
as quoted on God's Politics

Schoolboy Howlers 22

If you cross XY and XX chromosomes, you get XX (female), YY (male) and XY (undecided).

Missionskyrkan has a change of heart

On November 30, I wrote that the
central board [of the Svenska Missionskyrkan ("Swedish Mission Church")] decided 21.11.09 to allow, but not to force, pastors to perform same-sex marriages, starting March 2010, by which time an Order of Service will have been developed.
After taking a lot of flak, the central board rescinds their decision, debates it again in February and takes it to the Church Conference in May 2010. Hopefully, this means that the decision will have a broader base - but it might, of course, also be voted down. We'll have to wait and see.
Dagen reported on this new development 12.12.09.

A new secessionary bishop in Sweden

Arne Olsson, the bishop of the so-called Mission Province whom bishop Walter Obare from Kenya consecrated in 2005, turns 80 in 2010 and steps down from his episcopate. In his place, the ever meddlesome Obare will consecrate Roland Gustafsson, 57, who up till now has worked as a missionary in Kenya, mainly teaching at the seminary of the ELCK.
Gustafsson is not an ordained pastor as yet, so he will be ordained on January 16, 2010, awaiting his consecration on March 20.
God bless him and the Mission Province. It is good that there is an alternative for those conservative members of the CofS and the ELCF that feel as if their space is shrinking.
As well they might feel, since it no longer are the misogynistic and homophobic fundamentalists who call the shots in the large Lutheran churches in Sweden or Finland. I don't bear them ill will. I just don't really want them around.
Gustafsson vald till ny biskop i Missionsprovinsen (Kyrkans Tidning 30.11.09)
Missionsprovinsen fick biskop efter tufft förhör (Dagen 1.12.09)

Loldog marine

About dogs and people

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
- Robert A. Heinlein
as quoted by the Episcopal padre

Hammarskjöld on leadership

Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders without being humiliated.
Dag Hammarskjöld
as quoted on the blog Child of Illusion