c. 1998 Religion News Service

New Christian Coalition head pledges focus on principles, not politics

(RNS) The new president of the Christian Coalition said he plans to return his organization’s focus to principles rather than politics.”It is more important for us to re-establish, without question, that we are focused on our main mission, and that we stand on certain basic values than it is to say we have to win the next election,”Donald Hodel told a group of editors and reporters Tuesday (Jan. 6) at The Washington Times.

He admitted the coalition, which claims to have 1.9 million members and supporters, has lost money and members since its informal alliance with Bob Dole’s 1996 run for president and its decision to pragmatically support candidates who disagree with its anti-abortion stance, the newspaper reported.”If Bob Dole had won, we’d have a bigger problem on our hands than we have,”Hodel said.”You would have `conservative’ control of the White House and Congress, and people would be saying, `If this is what conservative governing means, we want no part of it.” Hodel said the new managers of the coalition will take a harder position on Republicans and what many GOP members call”socially sensitive”issues.

He cited legal adoption of children by homosexual couples as an example.”It is imperative that we make plain that we do not hate homosexuals,”Hodel said.”What we oppose and will fight to the bitter end is efforts to make that lifestyle normal, to make the agenda that we perceive to be there part of the training of our children.” Hodel seems to be moving away from the strategies of Ralph Reed, former coalition executive director, who was often in the media spotlight.”A group like ours may, in fact, have greater impact if it is not visible,”he said.”One of the strengths of a grassroots campaign is that it doesn’t show up on a radar screen.” Hodel also admitted the creation of a new organization, the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, may be an indication the coalition disappointed some of its members. Some of the new group’s state chapter leaders are former coalition members who were upset the coalition comprised some of its principles to gain access to influential political leaders.”There is a big lesson for us in the Republican assemblies, no question about it,”he said.

But Hodel said he sees”no reason”why the coalition can’t work with the assemblies, despite the fact the group is specifically identified with the GOP.

American religious delegation to visit China, Tibet

(RNS) A delegation of three American religious leaders scheduled to travel to China in February expects to include a visit to Tibet during the trip.

Officials from the Clinton administration say they would welcome a visit by such a delegation since there are continuing reports of human rights abuses against Buddhists in Tibet, The New York Times reported.

China’s irritation over American criticism of its relations with Tibet has increased recently with the release of two American movies that depict Chinese abuses of Tibetan Buddhists. Tibet seeks greater autonomy from China.

The delegation, chosen by the State Department and the White House, includes Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, N.J.; the Rev. Don Argue, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a New York City rabbi who is president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. The trip will be paid for by groups affiliated with the religious leaders.

Last October, Chinese officials agreed during the summit meeting between President Clinton and China’s President Jiang Zemin to permit the delegation’s visit, but the itinerary and dates of the trip were not made public then.

White House and State Department spokesmen said U.S. leaders still have not received official confirmation of the itinerary from the Chinese government, but one official said”it would be remarkable at this point if they didn’t visit Tibet.” Plans for the three-week trip, which is scheduled to start on Feb. 8, include visits with senior Chinese leaders and visits to prisons where dissident church leaders are being held. The Americans hope to urge officials in Beijing to release the jailed clergy, who include ranking leaders of underground Chinese churches.

The Chinese government allows Christians to worship, but has imprisoned church leaders who are affiliated with congregations that are not officially sanctioned by the government.

Chiapas bishop: massacre could have been avoided

(RNS) Roman Catholic Bishop Samuel Ruiz of the Mexican Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas has said the pre-Christmas murder of 45 people in a village in his diocese could have been avoided and the slayings were a massacre just waiting to happen.”The tragedy could have been avoided if the government had taken notice of the many warnings we made,”Ruiz told a funeral Mass held for those who died in the attack, Ecumenical News International, the Geneva-based religious news agency reported.

Gonzalo Ituarte, Ruiz’s spokesman, said there had been previous warnings of a massacre and when news of the first killings on Dec. 22 reached diocesan offices, he called the office of the governor of the state of Chiapas but was told local officials had assured the governor’s office that nothing was amiss in the region.

The killings, many of which took place in the church during a prayer service for peace, went on for a period of five hours, according to news reports.

Meanwhile, Church World Service, the relief arm of the New York-based National Council of Churches, said it had sent $10,000 to humanitarian and religious groups in the area for the purchase of blankets, food and medicines for survivors of the massacre and refugees who have fled their homes fearing the violence will continue.”The news is grim,”said the Rev. Johnny Wray, chairman of Church World Service’s emergency response executive committee.”It is a modern-day `massacre of the innocents,'”he added, referring to to the biblical account of Herod’s slaughter of children around the the time of Jesus’ birth.

The CWS action was in response to a request by Ruiz that the agency provide aid for the purchase of clothing, diapers, blankets, tents and food, including beans, corn and sugar.

The religious aid agency also issued an appeal for $30,000 for the purchase of additional supplies and for longer-term aid for the refugees. An estimated 4,000 people have been displaced.

In Washington, the U.S. Catholic Conference released the text of a message Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of Newark, N.J., and chairman of the bishops’ international affairs committee had sent Ruiz.

McCarrick urged that the”tragically stalled peace talks”between the government and Zapatista rebels in Chiapas”be restarted with new vigor so that the new year may at least see progress toward justice, peace, and reconciliation among the people of Chiapas.”

Christian musicians nominated for gospel, non-gospel Grammys

(RNS) Christian musicians were nominated in four categories of the Grammy Awards outside the traditional six categories for gospel music.

Two groups from the Christian music realm were included among the five nominees for Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal.”Stomp,”performed by God’s Property featuring Kirk Franklin and”Salt,”and”You Don’t Have to be Afraid,”performed by Take 6, are among the nominations.”Stomp”also has been nominated for Best R&B Song.”Butterfly Kisses,”which has been recorded by three different artists _ Bob Carlisle, Jeff Carson and Raybon Bros. _ was nominated for Best Country Song.

Kirk Franklin also has been nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-classical.”This is phenomenal with `Stomp’ and Bob Carlisle being recognized outside of the gospel industry,”said Karen Berry, director of development for the Gospel Music Association in Nashville.”We’re just real excited about it.” The nominees in the gospel categories, according to the Associated Press, are as follows:

Best Rock Gospel Album:”All Star United,”All Star United;”Welcome to the Freak Show: dc Talk Live in Concert,”dc Talk;”Threads,”Geoff Moore & the Distance;”Smalltown Poets,”Smalltown Poets;”Conspiracy No. 5,”Third Day.

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album:”Under the Influence,”Anointed;”This Gift,”Gary Chapman;”Much Afraid,”Jars of Clay;”Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus,”Petra;”Star Bright,”Vanessa Williams.

Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel or Bluegrass Gospel Album:”Keep Lookin’ Up: The Texas Swing Sessions,”James Blackwood & the Light Crust Doughboys;”Back Home in Indiana,”Gaither Vocal Band;”Light of the World,”The Martins;”Amazing Grace 2: A Country Salute to Gospel,”various artists.

Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album:”A Miracle in Harlem,”Shirley Caesar;”I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray,”Fairfield Four;”Woman, Thou Art Loosed! Songs of Healing and Restoration,”T.D. Jakes;”Live in Charleston,”Mighty Clouds of Joy;”Live in Detroit,”Vickie Winans.

Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album:”Come Walk With Me,”Oleta Adams;”Pray,”Andrae Crouch;”Donnie McClurkin,”Donnie McClurkin;”Grace and Mercy,”Marvin Sapp;”Brothers,”Take 6.

Best Gospel Album by a Choir or Chorus:”Favorite Song of All,”Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir;”God’s Property From Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation,”God’s Property;”He’s Still Good!”Rev. Milton Brunson’s Thompson Community Singers;”Live in London at Wembley,”Love Fellowship Crusade Choir;”Time For Healing,”Sounds of Blackness.

Also, former President Jimmy Carter was nominated for his book,”Living Faith,”for the Best Spoken Word Album.

And,”The Preacher’s Wife _ Soundtrack,”by Whitney Houston, was nominated for Best R&B Album.

Quote of the Day: Chicago physicist G. Richard Seed

(RNS)”I’ve said many times that you can’t stop science. … God made man in his own image. God intended for man to become one with God. … Cloning and the reprogramming of DNA is the first serious step in becoming one with God.” _ Physicist G. Richard Seed of Chicago, quoted by Associated Press, on his comments in a National Public Radio interview about his plans to try to clone a human being.

MJP END RNS