World AIDS Day message from the Archbishop of Canterbury
From the Archbishop of Canterbury website:
Archbishop's video message for World AIDS Day 2010
Tuesday 30 November 2010
In his message for 2010 World AIDS Day, the Archbishop of Canterbury celebrates the good news that can be found in examples of local responses to HIV and the impact of global action reflected in the latest statistics.Dr Williams also praises those living with HIV who have dedicated their lives to helping others – working to overcome the fear and stigma and demonstrating how, with access to treatment, people can live well with HIV. The Archbishop also reminds us that although there may be much to celebrate this year, there is still a good deal of work to be done to protect the very vulnerable, and in particular, women and children.
The Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued a letter - read it here. See excerpts below:
What can Christians do to ensure the victory of hope and new life in the face of silence and death?The first priority: continue to advocate forcefully for government investment in the fight against AIDS both here and abroad. The U.S. government's has, in the past two years, decreased our nation's promised investment in HIV/AIDS abroad. This reduction had included both funding for particular countries, and our investment in the multinational Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote compellingly of President Obama's unfulfilled commitments in a New York Times op-ed this past summer. As the President prepares his budget for the coming fiscal year, I urge Episcopalians to challenge him and the new Congress to keep America's promises to the world. Joining the Episcopal Public Policy Network will connect your voice to those of other Episcopalians working in this and other areas of social justice.
The second priority: Episcopalians must continue to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS within our own communities. This Church still has AIDS, and urgent challenges remain. Stigma continues to be a major issue in the United States and around the world. Encouraging routine testing is essential, particularly among adults over age 50. I commend to all Episcopalians the work of the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, which has done much to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and avenues of healing within our own communities.
Finally, I urge your prayers. As we prepare to mark the thirtieth year of the world's awareness of HIV and AIDS in 2011, pray for all who have died from this terrible disease. Pray for those living now with HIV and AIDS. And pray for a future without AIDS.
Father Tobias has written an very appropriate icon for WAD. It brought tears to my eyes the moment that I saw it.
http://ecva.org/exhibition/Seeking_And_Serving/13TobiasHallerSS1.htm
For many years those of us who have worked from within the pandemic have said that the Body of Christ has AIDS. Tobias shows us that Christ Himself stands with her ... always.
Posted by Hermano David | Brother Dav•veed![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 30, 2010 10:47 PM
Thanks for this, Ann.
In the U.S., the level of public concern about HIV and AIDS has dropped dramatically since antiretroviral drugs became available in 1996--but the HIV incidence rate has remained steady at an estimated 56,300 new infections each year.
That's a new infection every 9.5 minutes.
And despite the availability of treatment, an estimated 18,000 Americans died of HIV-related causes in 2007--the most recent year for which we have data.
I'm all for the church offering prayer and support for those living with HIV--but I would also say that the church needs to support comprehensive sex education to help combat the ignorance and stigma that are still far too common...and deadly.
In my parish, we actually provide that comprehensive sex education for our youth. We talk about sexual ethics from a faith perspective--and we also give our teens the information they need to protect themselves and their partners from sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Our ability to do that is one of the many reasons I am proud to be an Episcopalian....
Posted by Paige Baker![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 30, 2010 11:47 PM