Katherine_Hancock_Ragsdale

Katherine Hancock Ragsdale

Katherine Hancock Ragsdale

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Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (born c. 1959) is an American Episcopal priest based in Massachusetts and former president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School.[1] Before becoming dean she was director of Political Research Associates from May 2005[2] through June 2009. From September 2018 to October 2021, she was Interim President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation.[3]

Biography

She is an American progressive, and was a priest at St. David's Episcopal Church in Pepperell,[4] part of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Ragsdale has served for 17 years on the national board of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. She is also on the board of NARAL Pro-Choice America, The White House Project, the Progressive Religious Partnership, as well as the bi-national advisory board of the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence. She presented to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in 2004.[5]

She was named president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School on July 1, 2009.[6][7] Her appointment was criticized by religious conservatives, including Anglicans, who have been particularly critical of her endorsement of the "blessing" of abortion.[7][8]

She is the editor of Boundary Wars: Intimacy and Distance in Healing Relationships[9] and the author of numerous articles, including The Role of Religious Institutions in Responding to the Domestic Violence Crisis[10] and Hannah, a short story. She contributed an essay titled "Not by Outrage Alone" to the 2008 anthology Dispatches from the Religious Left: The Future of Faith and Politics in America [11]

She is openly lesbian.[7] On January 1, 2011, she married the Rev. Mally Lloyd at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. Bishop M. Thomas Shaw performed the ceremony.[12]

See also

  • Hannah, a short story.
  • Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (June 3, 2004). Testimony (Speech). Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: The Child Custody Protection Act: Protecting Parents' Rights and Children's Lives.
  • Sermon to the National Abortion Federation, 1997
  • The Supreme Court Returns to the Abortion Debate, comments at a Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life forum in 2006
  • "Panel on Abortion Cases Before the Supreme Court" (Press release). American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. Nov 2, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2007.

References

  1. [1]
    "Episcopal Divinity School: Board of Trustees". Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 Jan 2010.
  2. [2]
    "The Rev. Dr. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale Joins Political Research Associates as Interim Director" (Press release). Political Research Associates.
  3. [3]
    "The Very Reverend Katherine H. Ragsdale Named NAF Interim President & CEO". prochoice.org (Press release). 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  4. [4]
    "St. David's Church".
  5. [5]
    "The Child Custody Protection Act: Protecting Parents' Rights and Children's Lives". Senate Judiciary Committee. June 3, 2004.
  6. [6]
    "Katherine Ragsdale named president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School". Episcopallife online. 2009-03-30. Archived from the original on 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
  7. [7]
    Swain, Carol (2011). Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America's Faith & Promise. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-0-8499-4828-2.
  8. [8]
    Reilly, Adam (12 June 2009). "The blessing of abortion". The Boston Phoenix.
  9. [9]
    Ragsdale, Katherine Hancock (1996). Boundary Wars: Intimacy and Distance in Healing Relationships. Pilgrim Press. ISBN 978-0-8298-1118-6.
  10. [10]
    Ragsdale, Katherine Hancock. "The Role of Religious Institutions in Responding to the Domestic Violence Crisis". Albany Law Review. 58 (4): 1149–1170.
  11. [11]
    Dispatches from the Religious Left: The Future of Faith and Politics in America Ig Publishing
  12. [12]
    Lambert, Lane (January 4, 2011). "Marriage of 2 lesbian Episcopal priests adds new twist to gay issues". Patriot Ledger. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
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