Religious Groups Organize Forums on Marriage Initiative

With the March 7 statewide vote fast approaching on the controversial anti-gay marriage initiative, the tempo of public debate among religious groups is picking up.

Sponsored by state Sen. William “Pete” Knight (R-Palmdale), Proposition 22, known officially as the Limit on Marriages Initiative, would prohibit California from recognizing marriages between people of the same sex performed in other states. No states now allow such unions.

The state’s Roman Catholic bishops, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Assemblies of God, and independent evangelical and Pentecostal churches support the initiative.

Opponents count support from many mainline Protestant churches.

Last week, United Methodist Bishop Roy I. Sano, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Bishop Paul Egertson and Episcopal Suffragan Bishop Chester L. Talton, all of Southern California, publicly opposed the measure.

Against that backdrop, the following events are scheduled:

HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE CHURCH

A public forum sponsored by opponents of Proposition 22 will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Irvine United Church of Christ, 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine. Free. It is co-sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based Equal Partners in Faith and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and is being held in conjunction with the National Religious Leadership Roundtable for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Equality, which meets in Santa Ana on Jan. 31 through Feb. 1.

* Backers of Proposition 22 have developed a Web site to assist networking among conservative Christians and others. The Web site is https://www.protectmarriage.net. Organizers of the pro-initiative campaign say they have no major public events planned.

* “Homosexuality: Religion on Trial in the 21st Century” is the topic of an inter-religious seminar today from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena. $30 registration. (818) 893-1581.

* Sister Jeannine Gramick, the Roman Catholic nun who was ordered by the Vatican last July to halt her ministry to homosexuals on the grounds that she had failed to make clear the church’s full teaching on homosexuality, will speak at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mother of Good Counsel Church, 2060 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. Her appearance is sponsored by the Los Angeles and San Diego chapters of the unofficial Catholic reform group Call to Action. For information, call Veronica Christenson at (818) 954-8671.

MUSIC and DRAMA

The off-Broadway production “Late Nite Catechism” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Mel’s parish activity center, 20870 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. $30. (818) 340-6021.

* The second annual Dave Schmidt concert will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at Palisades Lutheran Church, 15905 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. Offering. (310) 459-2358.

* The Azusa Pacific University Choir and Orchestra will perform contemporary Christian music tonight at 7 under the direction of Al Clifft at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 185 S. Center St., Orange. Offering. (714) 288-4400.

* Flutist Julie Long and pianist Bryan Pezzone will perform Feb. 9 at 12:10 p.m. as part of the Music at Noon concert series sponsored by Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Free. (626) 793-2191.

* A family issues drama will be presented tonight at 7 p.m. by the IN-SYNC Drama Players at the Vanguard University Lyceum Theater (formerly called Southern California College), across from the Orange County Fairgrounds, near the 55 Freeway and Fair Drive. It is sponsored by Goldenwest Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Huntington Beach. Free. (714) 897-1577.

EVENTS

The public is invited to a Chinese New Year celebration sponsored by the International Buddhist Progress Society on Sunday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at Hsi Lai Temple, 3456 S. Glenmark Drive, Hacienda Heights. Free. (626) 923-5151.

* Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, Egypt, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, is in Southern California until Tuesday. Three public appearances are scheduled: today at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony Monastery, 43725 Bragdon Road, Yermo, and Sunday at St. John Church, 21329 Cienega Ave., Covina at 9 a.m., and at St. Anthony & St. Abanoub Church, 2345 5th St., Norco at 7 p.m.

* Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa will address the annual luncheon of the Los Angeles Council of Churches at 11 a.m. today at the Proud Bird Restaurant, 11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles. During the luncheon, Christian Methodist Episcopal Bishop E. Lynn Brown is scheduled to receive the council’s Horace N. Mays Ecumenical Service Award, the Rev. Norman Copeland Sr. said. $40. Public is invited. (323) 733-4527.

* Rabbi Hershel Schachter will lecture on the theme “When Did We Become a People” at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Museum of Tolerance, 9760 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Free. (310) 772-2452.

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