That the Episcopal Church--an evaporating pond already overstocked with committed Muslims, witches and wizards, Sufi dancers, labyrinths, cosmic techno masses, Buddhists, John Spong, Marcus Borg, John Chane, and, yes, many people who engage in sex acts with members of the same sex--tosses an episcopal lesbian into the stagnating water just isn't news. It's sadly obvious that they desperately wanted the attention. They rented an auditorium that seats tens of thousands of people.

The God of the gaps. The God of the biblical Christian has sometimes been termed the 'God of the gaps' because it is supposed that we resort to him only when we cannot fill the *lacunae* in our knowledge. Now that scientific discovery is steadily reducing the number of these gaps, the argument runs, God is being squeezed out. One day there will be no gaps left, and we shall then be able to dispense with him altogether.

Over the last 20 years we have been distracted by conflicts and controversies that have kept us from effectively fulfilling the Great Commission. While we have been so distracted, Christian heritage, identity and influence have continued to decline in the West.

This "wall of separation" phrase has been grossly misunderstood as Jefferson advocating for the removal of religion from the nation or from the government. In truth, Jefferson not only believed in and promoted religion, he also authored his own version of the Bible (which emphasized the moral teachings of Jesus) in an attempt to create a more easily understood moral and biblical guide.