c. 1996 Religion News Service

Agents removed from church firebombing investigations

(RNS)-Two of the 100 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents have been removed from the investigations of firebombed black Southern churches because they attended so-called”Good Ol’ Boy Roundups”where racist acts occurred.”The successful prosecution of the people who set fire to these churches is our paramount concern,”the Treasury Department said in a statement.”While there has been no determination that the investigation was impaired by these investigators’ participation, ATF has concluded that the appearance of fairness and impartiality requires that they no longer perform investigative work on these cases.” In another development, the National Council of Churches said it is joining forces with two civil rights organizations to seek solutions to the firebombings of more than 20 black Southern churches since January.

The council will send teams to visit the churches this spring as part of a coalition that will investigate the attacks and pressure government officials to bring those responsible to justice.”Our visits will seek to give greater visibility to the issue of racism in America and to provide moral support for the affected congregations and communities,”said the Rev. Mac Charles Jones, NCC associate for racial justice.

The coalition is working with the Atlanta-based Center for Democratic Renewal, which is conducting an independent investigation of the firebombings, and the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, which is considering possible legal strategies, including litigation, to respond to the church attacks.

In June, the three groups plan to convene a Washington meeting of pastors of the firebombed churches.

Also, USA Today has reported that an estimated $400,000 in donations have been received by churches affected by the string of fires.

The National Council of Churches, the Center for Democratic Renewal and the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference are accepting donations to help the churches.

One year after Rwanda genocide, a voice of hope

(RNS)-“The church of the Rwandese people is alive, strong and growing,”says Thembisile Majola, a World Council of Churches official.

Majola, a staff member on the Women’s Desk of the Geneva-based ecumenical agency, made her assessment after a late March visit to Rwanda and as the second anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda neared.

The killings, carried out by Hutu militants against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority and Hutu moderates, began on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was downed by rocket fire. At least 500,000 people, and perhaps as many as 1 million people, were killed in the four-month spasm of killing.

The genocide shook organized Christianity in Rwanda to its foundations, especially after accusations that some clergy either participated directly in the killing or encouraged the rampage. At the same time, dozens of priests, pastors and nuns were also victims of the killing.

According to Majola, women now make up 70 percent to 80 percent of Rwanda’s greatly reduced population. In addition to those killed, nearly 1 million Rwandans fled the country and now live in refugee camps in neighboring countries.”We saw and celebrated the strength of Rwandan women,”Majola said in her report.”But we also saw women suffering from serious psychological trauma even though they say they are in the rebuilding phase.” But she also said she found Rwanda’s Christians asking themselves why, in a country where the vast majority of the population is Christian, the genocide took place.”Women said to us, `As a nation, we need help to understand how we so misread the Bible and misunderstood the Christian message that we were able to use both to justify the killing. “`Go and tell the truth about Rwandese women, who in spite of the suffering are smiling and going on,'”Majola quoted the women as saying.”`Tell our brothers and sisters in exile that we have been rebuilding the wreckage and invite them to come back. We will welcome them back.'” Church leaders condemn beating of Hispanics

(RNS)-Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles led some 400 demonstrators in a march at the Los Angeles federal building Thursday (April 4) to protest the beating of two Mexicans by sheriff’s deputies.

The beatings occurred after a high-speed chase ended when a pick-up truck being pursued by the deputies pulled over on the highway. Some 19 alleged illegal immigrants fled the truck, according to the Associated Press, but at least three-Enrique Funes Flores, Santiago Garcia Pedroza and Slicia Sotero Vazquez-were caught by the deputies and allegedly beaten or mishandled.

As the Mexicans scrambled from the truck, TV news helicopters videotaped the deputies striking at least two of the Mexicans.”Like most of us, I was revolted,”Mahony told the rally.”I kind of felt those blows myself. … Everybody lost-the illegal immigrants, the citizens, everyone.” In New York, the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, said in a statement the action by the deputies was”unconscionable.”Videotape has once again revealed to the world the abuse of authority and institutionalized violence that immigrants, people of color and the poor live with on a daily basis in so many of our communities,”Campbell said.

Not everyone condemned the attacks, however.

The AP quoted Brad Decker, an officer with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department as saying that while it was”unfortunate that these folks got beat up. … They were breaking the law to begin with.”Patch those folks up and send them home with Band-Aids,”he said.

Episcopalians criticize N.Y. governor in death penalty flap

(RNS)-The Episcopal Diocese of New York has thrown its support behind embattled Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, who was removed from an emotionally-charged murder case because of his opposition to the death penalty.

Johnson was removed from the case, involving the slaying of police officer Kevin Gillespie, by Republican Gov. George Pataki after Johnson indicated he might not seek the death penalty for Angel Diaz, the suspect in the homicide.

In a resolution, the Episcopal diocese reaffirmed its general opposition to the death penalty, expressed support for Johnson, and criticized Pataki’s action.

The Rev. Michael S. Kendall, a spokesman for the diocese, said Wednesday (April 3) the church hoped it would put pressure on Pataki to reverse his position.

The New York Council of Churches adopted the same resolution and Howard Teich, president of the Metropolitan Region of the American Jewish Congress in New York, called Pataki’s action”an assault not on crime, but on liberty.” In an interview with RNS, Kendall called Pataki’s action in removing Johnson”political opportunism”and a”cry for vengeance … escalating this thing way beyond reason and that’s why we have to say something.”We in the church believe in a society that should heal,”Kendall said.

Pataki spokesman Patrick McCarthy, however, said the governor”cannot permit the failure of one district attorney to exercise his discretion responsibly to jeopardize a statute (the death penalty) that is critical to the public safety of New York.” Kendall said the Episcopal Church believes”the death penalty is not a deterrent. No one can play God but God. That is such an absolute punishment. It’s really our souls in this state that are at risk.” Ballantine shuts down Moorings, its Christian imprint

(RNS)-Ballantine Publishing Group has announced that it will discontinue publishing Christian books under its Moorings imprint.

Bruce Barbour, Moorings publisher, cited an”overall retrenchment”in the Christian book industry as a reason for the decision.”We had high hopes when we began Moorings two years ago,”he said.”I am disappointed to give up the struggle, but we were publishing into a strong headwind in Christian publishing and bookselling.” But Phyllis Tickle, religion books editor of Publishers Weekly, said religious book publishing, including evangelical Christian publishing, continues to thrive.”There’s been normal and above-normal growth in that whole subsection of religion publishing,”she said of evangelical Christian books.

The Nashville, Tenn., offices of Moorings, which was announced in June 1994, will close later this month.

Ballantine Publishing Group, which is a division of New York-based Random House, has published books of Christian interest under its Fawcett and Ballantine imprints for many years and will continue to do so, the company said.

Ruth Graham, evangelist’s wife, home for Easter

(RNS)-Ruth Bell Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham, is home for Easter.

Mrs. Graham, 75, had been hospitalized with bacterial spinal meningitis since March 6. She was released from Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., on Thursday (April 4), according to a hospital statement. Her doctors expect an”excellent recovery”from the illness, the hospital stated.

Mrs. Graham released a statement through the hospital thanking supporters for their prayers during her illness.

Quote of the day: The Rev. Robert A. Schuller, newly announced vice chairman of Crystal Cathedral Ministries.

(RNS)-In a teleconference April 3, Robert A. Schuller, the only son of television preacher Robert H. Schuller and designated heir to his father’s ministry at the famed Crystal Cathedral, said that America is doomed if there is not a spiritual revival in the nation:”I believe that we need to continue to promote the spiritual aspects of man in order to find redemption and to overcome the moral breakdown in our society and that can only take place from the inside out. We are not human beings with spiritual experiences. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. Until we realize that, we are just going to be floundering in our humanity.”

MJP END RNS