Jun 27, 2003   | COMMENTS     

WASHINGTON — President Bush sent a position paper to Capitol Hill this week that clarifies his stance that religious groups discriminating against gay men and lesbians should remain eligible for federal funds, the Washington Post reported. The position paper states that “religious hiring rights” are part of religious organizations’ civil rights. “When they receive federal funds, they should retain their right to hire those individuals who are best able to further their organizations’ goals and mission,” according to the Bush paper. There was quick reaction to the announcement. “President Bush shouldn’t use his power to force taxpayers to fund their own discrimination,” said Dave Noble, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats. “He is wrong to tell states that they cannot protect their citizens against anti-gay prejudice in order to appease his right-wing base on the eve of a reelection campaign.” Religious groups that receive federal funds for charitable work are subject to state and local non-discrimination laws. The White House position paper suggests these groups should be bound by only federal law, which does not recognize discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Gay minister picked to edit United Church of Christ paper
CLEVELAND, Ohio — United Church News, the official newspaper of the United Church of Christ, announced that Rev. J. Bennett Guess, 36, a gay minister, will become the new editor next month. The monthly goes to church members nationwide and has a readership of 315,000. Guess worked at UCC’s Justice & Witness Ministries; before that, he was a pastor in Kentucky and also worked as a reporter for a daily newspaper. Guess was a founding member of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, the state’s gay- rights organization, which he co-chaired for five years. In 1999, he led a successful campaign to ban anti-gay discrimination in Henderson, Ky., an effort that was overturned in 2001. UCC has a history of liberal stances on gay-rights issues. In 1972, it appointed one of the first openly gay ministers of a major Protestant denomination.

Anglican clergy in Australia oppose recent gay appointments
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Bishops in the conservative Anglican diocese here have come out in opposition to newly appointed openly gay bishops. The Sydney bishops also spoke out against a British Columbia bishop’s decision to allow some parishes to bless same-sex unions. Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth joined five other Sydney bishops and Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen in a June 23 public statement in which they made it clear that anyone in the church hierarchy who supports such gay-rights issues was not welcome in the Sydney diocese. “We cannot welcome those who have abandoned the teaching of Scripture in such a flagrant manner,’’ Forsyth said. He was apparently referring to Rev. Gene Robinson’s appointment as bishop in New Hampshire and Rev. Jeffrey John in Oxford, England. The bishops said the church needed to resist caving into modern pressure. “We’re very concerned that the church should keep a rudder and not simply let the world around it buffer it along in certain directions,” Forsyth said.

Catholic archbishop meets with Minneapolis church over gay issues
MINNEAPOLIS — The Roman Catholic archbishop here held a one-hour closed meeting with leaders of a parish that has taken gay-friendly positions, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Archbishop Harry Flynn met with leaders from St. Joan of Arc Church on June 17 in what both sides described as a useful exchange of views at the archdiocesan office in St. Paul. “Both sides listened to each other,” Flynn’s spokesperson told the newspaper. The conciliatory tone was welcomed. “Normally, if the archbishop has a problem [with a parish], he’ll take it up with a small group,” said Rev. Harvey Egan, a retired priest who helped direct St. Joan’s toward social issues. “But nothing like this. Things are getting edgy.” The church angered archdiocesan officials by inviting gay religious activist Rev. Mel White to deliver a homily. The archdiocese had retracted an award to Kathy Itzin, a lesbian who serves as St. Joan’s religious education coordinator.

S.C. church draws reaction with sign supporting Scouts
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A Baptist pastor in nearby Socastee came out in favor of the Boy Scouts’ anti-gay positions through messages posted on a sign outside his church. Socastee Freewill Baptist Church Pastor Darren Squires told ...