Islam is the predominant religion in Turkey yet it is illegal for women to cover their faces in public buildings, universities and libraries. A female professor of history I spoke with was adamant that, in a civilised society, we need to see each other’s face when we communicate.
More here.
Blue Mosque:
St. Sophia’s: once a church, then a mosque, now a museum:
The Grand Bazaar:
Bosphorous Bridge:
In case anyone happens to be wondering whether there were any Anglicans in the 2011 Toronto Pride parade, here’s one:
At least he’s wearing clothes – even a tiara and pearls. They probably have some liturgical significance.
The Diocese of Ottawa’s version of St. Alban’s in Ottawa is obviously having a little difficulty placing bodies in the pews now that the ANiC congregation has vacated the premises.
To create the illusion of an active parish, the diocese is importing the congregation from All Saints’ Sandy Hill – and closing it for part of the summer:
Enquiries on this Anglican congregation shell game may be directed to what appears to be an abbreviated email address: as**@*****bn.com.
It was only a matter of time before someone pinned the blame on flatulating camels; and Australia wants to do something about it:
The world’s association of camel scientists fought back angrily on Monday over Australian plans to kill wild dromedaries on the grounds that their flatulence adds to global warming.
The idea is “false and stupid… a scientific aberration”, the International Society of Camelid Research and Development (ISOCARD) charged, saying camels were being made culprits for a man-made problem.
“We believe that the good-hearted people and innovating nation of Australia can come up with better and smarter solutions than eradicating camels in inhumane ways,” it said.
The smarter solution is obvious: harness the inflammable gaseous emissions in camel wind farms. You could include a few Anglican bishops, too.
From here:
Washington—As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, interfaith relations in the U.S. are taking on new importance. A case in point is the growing momentum of the Faith Shared project, an interfaith initiative designed to promote understanding and respect across all religions through joint services.
Sunday, June 26, saw dozens of events taking place in houses of worship across the country, including the Episcopal Church in the United States of America’s National Cathedral in Washington. Led by several religious leaders, including an imam, a rabbi and a priest, the cathedral service included readings from the Torah and the Q’uran. Similar celebrations took place in more than 70 other churches and 32 other states.
“What we have done together in this great cathedral this morning, along with others in similar services in houses of worship across our nation, can alter the image and substance of our nation, as well as our religion,” said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Washington-based Interfaith Alliance, one of the project’s sponsors. “Today’s beautifully written liturgy, informed by Islam, Judaism and Christianity, declares unambiguously that we are not scripture burners but, rather, scripture readers.
What exactly are the people who attend one of these interfaith services worshipping? Jesus dressed in a burka over a kippah?
Or are they worshipping each other’s tolerance?
Apparently one million people attended the Gay Pride parade in Toronto today:
TORONTO – More than one million people jammed the streets of downtown Toronto on Sunday, sporting rainbow-striped outfits, corsets and glitter for the country’s largest gay rights parade.
The crowd whistled and cheered as the Pride parade’s colourful floats many covered in balloons and blaring Lady Gaga music winded down Yonge Street under the blazing sun.
[……]
Still, one person was noticeably absent from the crowd – Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford.
This is what one million people looks like:
Obviously, there would have been no room for Rob Ford. Come to think of it, there would have been no room for a parade either.
Today, the Diocese of Ottawa’s version of St. Alban’s in Ottawa had its first service in the building that used to be the home of an ANiC parish. It has an odd way of advertising the Communion service. Here it is from Twitter:
Grab some wine before brunch on your way to the Market. Eucharist @ 10am. Daly & King Eddy.
Is this a desperate attempt by the author to conceal with a veneer of trendiness his embarrassment at believing in antediluvian, recondite rituals? Have they actually opened a wine bar in the narthex? – some churches have a Tim Hortons, so it’s only natural that Anglicans would have a wine bar. Is the author of the tweet likening the Blood of Christ to an incidental diversion while en route to the important business of the day – brunch?
Or is the Diocese of Ottawa merely confirming to the ANiC parish that it made the right choice when it left the diocese?
To coincide with Toronto’s Pride Week, James Ferry has been reinstated as a priest in the Diocese of Toronto: 20 years ago he was dismissed because of his 
sexual activity with another man. Nowadays, of course, the only priests in danger of being suspended are evangelicals who are not prepared to compromise their principles – like J. I. Packer. Such is the march of progress in the Anglican Church of Canada.
From here:
‘You Belong’ ― Gay priest Jim Ferry reinstated after 20 years as outcast
On Sunday, June 26th, 2011 the Rev. Jim Ferry’s license as priest was reinstated by Archbishop Colin Johnson of the Diocese of Toronto, and he was appointed Honorary Assistant of Holy Trinity, Trinity Square. It is 20 years since he was made an outcast by the previous Bishop of Toronto, Terence Finlay, for being in a same sex relationship. His outing and subsequent public trial in a Bishop’s Court garnered worldwide media attention.
Jim’s sermon “Pride and Prejudice” marked the opening of Toronto’s Pride Week celebrations at Holy Trinity, and highlighted the Pride 2011 theme: You Belong.
From here:
On Saturday, Sept. 10, Los Angeles city hall will host One Light, a vigil for peace on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the devastating events of Sept. 11, 2001.
Under the leadership of Episcopal Bishop Jon Bruno, the three Abrahamic faiths have partnered with LA city council to hold the vigil at 7: 15 p.m. “People of all faiths are invited and people of no faith are invited,” says Suffragan Bishop Mary Glasspool. Saturday evening coincides with the end of the Sabbath for Muslims and Jews and the beginning of the Sabbath for Christians.
“We proactively wanted to say ‘one light, one peace, one world’ to have a visible sign of unity for peace to preempt any kind of terror or fear,” says Glasspool.
The religious leaders, who include Rabbi Mark Diamond and Imam Shaquile Sahid, intentionally picked a secular venue so that no one religious group would appear to be favoured. Some 5,000 people are expected, and 500 symbolic glass light globes will be given out.
“The idea is for a representative from each house of worship—whether it’s a church, a synagogue, a mosque, an ashram or a temple—to take a globe back to their home house of worship,” says Glasspool. “It will be a huge celebration.”
Everyone will then proactively sing “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, while holding a glass light globe.
I’m anticipating this will not only be the end of terrorism but will usher in a new age of peace, love, universal accord and free love – mostly gay.
Bishop Mary Glasspool is the first Episcopal lesbian bishop: a person whom potential Islamist terrorists will respect.
