Episcopal clergy in the diocese of San Joaquin, California have been given authorization to bless same-sex unions, an announcement released on Thursday has said.

The announcement was made by U.S. Episcopal Bishop Chester Talton, who explained in the statement that clergy may “perform blessings of same gender civil marriages, domestic partnerships, and relationships which are lifelong committed relationships characterized by 'fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God.”

The announcement means that commencing from Sunday the diocese will recognize gay and lesbian relationships as “sacred unions”. more >>

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has rebuked the British coalition government, saying that it is committing Britain to “radical, long-term policies for which no one voted.”

Writing as a guest editor for the New Statesman magazine, Dr Williams told there was “indignation” at the lack of “proper public argument” on issues of health, education and welfare reforms.

The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion told that the government’s Big Society program was seen with “widespread suspicion” throughout Britain. The Big Society initiative is a plan introduced by British Prime Minister David Cameron that aims to shrink the state and hand more control of services to volunteer groups. However, Williams described it as a “stale” slogan which is viewed as an “opportunistic” cover for spending cuts. more >>

An Episcopal church in Maryland will be the first in the nation to join the Roman Catholic Church, both church groups announced Monday.

Both the members and pastor of St. Luke's Episcopal parish in Bladensburg, Md., will be converting to Catholicism under a process set up by the Vatican to bring disaffected Episcopalians and Anglicans into its fold.

St. Luke's, a small congregation of about 100, will come under the care of the Archdiocese of Washington until an ordinate is established in the United States. more >>

A communiqué signed at an Anglican Church of Nigeria diocesan Synod has praised the country’s representatives for overseeing successful and internationally credited elections, and has urged newly elected political leaders to fulfill their campaign promises.

Through the communiqué, the Synod commended the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, for overseeing the successful recent elections in the country. The communiqué applauded Dr Jonathan for “ensuring that every Nigerian’s vote counted”.

The communiqué was jointly signed at the Anglican Synod of the Diocese of Oke-Ogun by the Rt. Rev. Solomon Olaniyi Amusan, who is the bishop for the Oke-Ogun Diocese, and the diocesan chancellor, the Honorable Justice Ayobode Lokulo-Sodipe. more >>

The first of a series of ordinations are set to take place, which will see former Anglican clergy defect from the Church of England and become Roman Catholic priests, on Saturday.

Overall more than 50 former Anglican clergy will complete their defection over the next two weeks in a series of Pentecost ordinations.

The first of these will see seven former Church of England clergy be ordained in London by the Most Rev. Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark. The event will further establish the new Ordinariate formed by Pope Benedict XVI for Anglicans that wished to defect from the Anglican Church of England in protest against its moves to accept women bishops. more >>

Responding to Stephen Hawking’s claim that heaven was made up by people who were afraid of dying, Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu clarified what heaven really is.

“Heaven is not just some kind of place for retired Christians where they’re going to be enjoying their retirement,” he told BBC’s Toby Foster. “Heaven is where God’s will is being done. In fact, the Lord’s Prayer talks about ‘your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ So God is very much on earth as He is in heaven.”

During his two-day visit this past week to South Yorkshire, Sentamu spoke with BBC about his trip and other matters of faith as well. more >>