Canadian Supreme Court Backs Same-Sex Marriage

Canada's Supreme Court gives approval for same-sex marriage "Several centuries ago it would have been understood that marriage should be available only to opposite-sex couples," the Supreme Court of Canada ruled this morning. "The recognition of same-sex marriage in several Canadian jurisdictions as well as two European countries belies the assertion that the same is true today."

Canada's federal government may therefore change the legal definition of marriage in that country, the court said.

Those opposed to same-sex marriage are heartened that the Supreme Court did not rule that Parliament must change the definition of marriage. Many such groups in the U.S. have argued that the chief issue in this country's marriage debate has less to do with sexual ethics than with judicial overrides of the democratic process.

"The Court has clearly indicated that any changes to marriage must be made by Parliament and not through the courts," Focus on the Family Canada president Terence Rolston said in a press release. "Surely the Court would have ruled differently if traditional marriage was an attack on someone's basic human rights."

Religious groups may also be happy to see the court's extensive reiteration that "officials of religious groups [can] refuse to perform marriages that are not in accordance with their religious beliefs." Watch the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's website for response on this point.

But though the blow may have been softened, some Christian leaders are still troubled by the decision.

"It's a sad day for our country," Gordon Young, pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in St. John's, Newfoundland, told the CBC (quoted by the Associated Press). "God is in the DNA of this nation. We believe that changing the definition of marriage is changing the divine institution that God put in place for the order of our society."

Dozens arrested after Cairo Copts stone police Thousands of Christians rushed Sunday to the main Coptic Orthodox cathedral in Cairo to protest the abduction and forced conversion of Wafaa Constantine, the wife of a priest in Abou al-Matameer, Beheira province. Security officials say she converted to Islam and left her husband voluntarily.

The demonstration broke into a riot, with about 55 injured as the Copts threw rocks at police. The police reportedly retaliated in kind.

"The government is attacking Christians," priest Matyas Abdel Maseh told the Associated Press. "The army outside the gates is attacking us with stones."

Last night, Constantine's brother-in-law appealed for an end to the violence, saying the woman returned home.

"My brothers and sisters: my brother just told me that she arrived in a safe place and she is in good condition."

Thirty-four people were arrested during the clash.

"It was the second incident of sectarian strife in less than a week in Egypt," reports Reuters. "On Monday, police said they arrested 25 people and were keeping apart Muslims and Christians in a village south of Cairo after violence erupted. Muslims had set ablaze two Christian-owned pharmacies and a book store, thrown stones at Christian homes, and destroyed three police cars in Munqateen, 140 miles south of Cairo."

Baylor must cut $2 million from budget, won't fill many faculty positions Lower-than-expected student retention rates, increased scholarship spending, and high energy costs are forcing Baylor University to cut $2 million from its annual budget, which is about $340 million, university spokesman Larry Brumley announced yesterday. That means that several open faculty positions will go unfilled in the next school year. Ordinarily, such cost-cutting measures might be seen as everyday business, but the news comes as faculty members debate the results of a faculty senate vote on university president Robert Sloan. For the third time in about a year, the faculty senate said they wanted to see him removed from office. Sloan opponents claim success, saying 85 percent of the senate members voted against retaining the president. But Sloan supporters say the vote was a joke: Only 59 percent of eligible faculty members even bothered to vote, and many other faculty members are not part of the senate.

But Baylor's board of regents has repeatedly supported Sloan and his efforts to make the university into a top-tier research institution with a strong Christian identity. And response to the hiring issue (which officials say is not a freeze) suggests that relations between Sloan and the faculty are better than the Senate vote suggests.

"I think we can work with it," physics department chairman B.F.L. Ward told the Waco Tribune-Herald. "The university is making its effort to move forward with Vision 2012, and any time you have a bold vision, you are going to encounter rough spots. Of course we would rather be able to fill all our positions, but I do believe the university is doing an outstanding job."

Same-sex marriage:

NZ recognizes same-sex unions | New Zealand's parliament has passed controversial legislation to recognise civil unions between gay couples (BBC)
Unmarried gay couples lose health benefits | Many of the state's largest employers are dropping health benefits for unmarried gay couples, seven months after Massachusetts became the only state to legalize same-sex marriage (The Boston Globe)
Also: Massachusetts firms drop domestic-partner benefits | To some major Massachusetts employers, this year's advent of same-sex "marriage" means the end of their domestic-partnership benefit programs (The Washington Times)
Groups debate slower strategy on gay rights | Gay rights leaders are debating if they should moderate their goals after 11 states approved constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriages (The New York Times)
Married in Mass., single in N.C. | Couple at heart of gay marriage debate (The Charlotte Observer, N.C.)
'Religious left' supports gay marriage bill | Leaders of San Francisco's "religious left" lined up Tuesday to declare support for a bill that would allow same-sex couples to get married in California, arguing that the measure was a logical extension of the principle mandating separation of church and state (Associated Press)
Bills wed California to gay 'marriage' spotlight | Same-sex "marriage" promises to be a hot topic in California next year, as lawmakers introduce dueling bills this week and a high-profile lawsuit gets a hearing later this month (The Washington Times)
Appeals court hears arguments on legalizing gay marriage | Three judges peppered attorneys on both sides of the gay marriage debate with tough questions Tuesday but put off making a decision on whether to allow same-sex marriages in New Jersey (Associated Press)
Decision to delay partner benefits raises questions | Some say it was the will of Michigan voters, while others say the state should have waited for the courts (Associated Press)
State justice rules against 13 couples seeking same-sex marriage | It was the second ruling in two months against plaintiffs in six separate civil suits seeking state recognition of same-sex marriage. (The New York Times)

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