The Episcopal Church's House of Deputies (its House of Representatives) narrowly rejected a proposal to create a rite for blessing same-sex unions. However, it did approve a resolution to support unmarried couples. The House of Bishops (the church's Senate) is expected to approve the resolution today.

Just after a church in Bangalore celebrated an annual feast, something exploded outside, shattering windows and leaving a small crater in the church floor. It follows two other church bombings last week.

"In the name of the church of Rome I cannot not express bitterness for the affront to the Grand Jubilee of the year 2000 and for the offense to the Christian values of a city that is so dear to the hearts of Catholics across the world," said Pope John Paul II. There's an excellent commentary on the pope and the World Pride festival by George Weigel (who recently wrote a biography of the pope) in today's Wall Street Journal, but you'll have to be a subscriber to read it.

"The stained glass ceiling has been pierced," said Vashti Murphy McKenzie, pastor of Baltimore's Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church, last night as she became the first woman elected bishop in any of the three primarily black Methodist denominations.

He was at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic for treatment related to his Parkinson's disease. He should be well enough to attend Amsterdam 2000, a convention of evangelists from around the world.

By a 416-1 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution "strongly objecting ...