California

The first homosexual couple to be married in Southern California announced their plans to divorce recently, with the news coming as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has found the state's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.

Robin Tyler filed for divorce from Diane Olson on Jan 25, after years of challenging California's same-sex marriage ban. The pair were lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit that resulted in the state Supreme Court reversing California's ban on same-sex marriage in 2007.

The former couple visited the Beverly Hills Courthouse every year for seven years to apply for a marriage license and oppose Proposition 8, which maintained the traditional definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. After years of being denied, Tyler and Olson became the first lesbian couple to be married in Southern California when they exchanged vows in 2008. more >>

Crystal Cathedral, the Garden Grove, Calif., megachurch founded by the Rev. Robert Schuller more than 50 years ago, appears to be headed for a name change as well as a new design of the iconic church building, according to the property's new owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. 

The diocese finalized the $57 million purchase of the iconic property, complete with a stunning glass church building, on Friday. The ministry has been struggling financially for years, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Oct. 2010. The diocese will allow the Crystal Cathedral congregation to stay on the campus for the next three years before moving in. However, that is not stopping the new owners from making public some of its intended changes.

This week, Bishop Tod Brown announced that the diocese is looking for suggestions for a new name for the building. The suggested name should refer to Christ or to his activities as illustrated by the Gospels and can be submitted through the diocese's website. Following a review of all suggestions, Bishop Brown will determine the cathedral's name. The deadline for suggestions is Feb. 20, the diocese said in a statement. more >>

Proposition 8, which sought to maintain the traditional definition of marriage in California, was struck down by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco Tuesday, with the measure being deemed unconstitutional. Pro-family groups are likely to appeal the court's ruling.

The case will most likely head to the U.S. Supreme Court provided the court decides to hear it. No same-sex marriages are likely to be solemnized before the case is resolved.

The three-member panel in the 9th Circuit Court ruled 2-1 that Prop. 8 violates the U.S. Constitution. more >>

California megachurch the Crystal Cathedral now belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County after escrow closed Friday on the $57.5 million sale on a court's order.

The congregation of the Crystal Cathedral, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2010, can continue to worship in the landmark campus in Garden Grove for three years at $100,000 a month during the first year and $150,000 for the following two years.

"Our goal is to preserve an already cherished religious landmark and to enhance its worship use for Orange County Catholics and all people of faith who may be inspired by this wonderful, now Catholic, cathedral," Bishop Tod. D. Brown said in a statement after the diocese closed on its purchase Friday. more >>

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused on Thursday the motion by opponents of California's Proposition 8 – the 2008 voter-approved ballot initiative that defined marriage as between a man and a woman – to release the same-sex marriage trial video from 2010.

A three-judge panel of the federal appeals court said the video proceedings from the federal trial in San Francisco should stay sealed because the trial judge promised the defenders of Prop. 8 that it would be used by the court internally for non-public purposes only.

"The trial judge on several occasions unequivocally promised that the recording of the trial would be used only in chambers and not publicly broadcast," the panel said. more >>

Prominent media coverage of many of the nation's leading Christian pastors often places their lives and actions under the public microscope. From Joel Osteen's recent CNN interview, to last week's Elephant Room conferences, the very public lives of the country's top religious leaders frequently bring strong criticism. With many of these pastors leading churches with exploding congregations, and with many having best-selling books, one of the most vulnerable areas for criticism for them stems from their finances.

A recent article by The Huffington Post highlighted this issue, and it was claimed that the best paid pastors in America can receive hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars each year.

However, looking at the clergy jobs in America as a whole reveals they are layered like much of the rest of the country – only a select few pastors take in a large annual income; but those who do tend to contribute hugely to a wide range of charities and community outreach efforts. more >>