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What's clear from the debate, Schneeberger said, is that people support traditional marriage. "The Senate phone lines were jammed," he noted.

Democrats like Christopher Dodd (Conn.) complained that the Federal Marriage Amendment debate is "a waste of our time. We should be dealing with other issues." Later this afternoon, says ABC News, the Senate will discuss the Australian Free Trade Agreement.

Clive Calver has announced that he is resigning as president of World Relief, the global aid and relief arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, effective September 30. He'll then continue as minister-at-large for the organization until the end of March.

"Perhaps his greatest legacy will be his unwavering commitment that the mission of World Relief be accomplished through the local Church," a World Relief press release says. "It is because of a growing desire to move toward a position in local church ministry that Dr. Calver has resigned."

Calver came to World Relief seven years ago after serving 14 years as head of the U.K.'s Evangelical Alliance. The press release does not say what Calver plans to do next, or whether he and his family will stay in the United States or return to Britain. World Relief executive direct Tim Ziemer will serve as acting Chief Executive Officer while the organization seeks a new leader.

More on the Federal Marriage Amendment:

• The gay marriage ban: Where's the groundswell? | It infuriates conservative Christians, but it may take time to turn into action -- just like abortion (Beliefnet)
• Vote on gay marriage ban backfires on GOP | Senate Republicans had hoped the amendment would put the spotlight on Kerry. But it's Bush who's feeling the heat (Los Angeles Times)
• Gay marriage vote appears doomed | Senate leaders unable to agree on procedure (MSNBC)
• A crush of calls to Campbell | Gay marriage ban keeps phones ringing (Rocky Mountain News)
• Gay-marriage ban faces loss in early vote | Opponents to the amendment believe that they will easily muster the votes Wednesday to either block the proposal's consideration or defeat it outright (The New York Times)
• Gay marriage ban headed for Senate defeat | GOP may salvage rural voters' goodwill out of failure to amend Constitution (The Washington Post)
• Faced with dissension in its ranks, GOP retreats on gay marriage vote | Kerry, Edwards probably spared from voting on amendment (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Marriage fight heats up ahead of Senate | Both opponents and supporters of the Federal Marriage Amendment continued their vigorous efforts to persuade as many senators as possible to come to their side as the Senate prepares to vote on the highly charged issue today (The Washington Times)
• Gay marriage ban appears doomed | Amendment talks seen ending today (The Boston Globe)
• Same-sex marriage amendment stalls, but politics persist | Although Senate approval of the measure seems out of reach today, some think the issue can boost Republicans (The Oregonian)
• Marriage is sacred to Savannahians, but so is the Constitution | As lawmakers debate the issue in Washington, residents do the same here (Savannah Morning News, Ga.)
• Love will tear us apart | In the first of a series on the issues dividing America, Matthew Wells goes to Ohio to see how the row over gay marriage is affecting the race for the White House (The Guardian, London)

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July (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48