Anglicans

The Church of England took a step toward allowing women to become bishops on Monday when the House of Bishops approved some widely-debated legislation after making only a few amendments.

During the meeting, the House approved some key amendments for those who hold to more conservative theological views, The Telegraph reports, including an exception that would allow those who are opposed to women bishops to submit themselves to an alternative male bishop if they felt the need to do so.

"The legislation now addresses the fact that for some parishes a male bishop or male priest is necessary but not sufficient," the House said in a statement. more >>

As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, which marks her 60-year anniversary as head of the British monarchy, a poll has found that most British people agree that she should continue to have an important faith role in the country.

Around 73 percent of respondents to a poll conducted by Comres agreed that the queen should keep her title as "Defender of the Faith," which was first given to Henry VIII. The title makes her the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, making her formally superior to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Only 25 percent of respondents said that they do not think Queen Elizabeth II should play any faith role or have any faith title at all.

Earlier this year, the queen celebrated the first of her Jubilee events with a multifaith reception at Lambeth Palace, where she shared that she believes the Church of England's role in the country is often misunderstood and underappreciated, the BBC reported. more >>

In honor of the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, every state primary and secondary school in England is set to receive a copy of the holy text distributed by the Department for Education.

Close to 24,000 Bibles are being distributed all across England, with Education Secretary Michael Gove insisting that every child should have the chance to read "the most important book written in the English language." According to The Daily Mail, the initiative was being backed by religious leaders across different religions, as well as academics, historians and cultural figures.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has reportedly shared with Grove that he supports the idea, but wanted to make sure that the project is not being funded by taxpayers' money, in order to avoid conflicts with non-religious groups opposed to the plan. Grove has expressed that it was with the help of charity money that the project got funded. more >>

A departing Anglican congregation held its final services at a Virginia church property that they lost to The Episcopal Church in a years-long court battle.

The Falls Church Anglican, a congregation that broke away from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia years ago over the increasingly liberal theology of the denomination, held two services on Sunday, leaving the property to a much smaller Episcopal congregation.

Jeff Walton, member of the Institute on Religion & Democracy and an attendee of the two services, told The Christian Post that the Anglican congregation's services were "forward-looking" in their focus. more >>

An Anglican lay minister has been temporarily banned from preaching at a church in the U.K. after a service in which he advocated for the traditional definition of marriage upset some of those in attendance.

Peter Gowlland, a retired science teacher, apparently encouraged worshippers to sign a petition against the government's plan to introduce same-sex weddings. The preacher asked of church-goers to be "bold like the apostles" in their vote in support of the traditional definition of marriage. The Telegraph reported that what followed was a "brief and polite" disagreement with two other lay readers in front of the congregation and a retired bishop.

Church of England readers are lay licensed ministers with theological training who preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work. more >>

With the search for a new leader for the Church of England unfolding, a claim that racism is taking hold within the Anglican Communion has spurred a debate about snobbery, elitism, and race within the nearly 80-million member body, whose majority of worshippers hail from the African continent.

In March, Rowan Williams, the current spiritual leader of the Anglican Church and head of the Church of England, announced that he would be stepping down as the Archbishop of Canterbury and returning to the ranks of academia. Williams had previously served as a professor of divinity at Oxford University. His fture role is the position of Master at the Magdalene College at Cambridge University.

Upon the announcement of Williams' departure, Ugandan-born John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, quickly emerged as an early favorite to replace him. Sentamu is the only black bishop within the Church of England – the mother church of the Anglican Communion, affiliated with Anglican and Episcopalian churches worldwide. more >>