c. 1999 Religion News Service
Religious groups respond to proposed FCC employment rules
(RNS) Religious groups are voicing support and suggesting revisions for proposed changes in rules of the Federal Communications Commission dealing with employment practices.
The United Church of Christ’s Office of Communication led a coalition of religious and civil rights groups in filing comments supporting the FCC’s plans to rewrite rules regarding equal employment opportunity. The National Religious Broadcasters, meanwhile, has proposed an alternative to what it calls”an unnecessarily restrictive definition”of”religious broadcaster.” The Rev. Everett C. Parker, director emeritus of the United Church Office of Communication, said women and people of color have had trouble getting mid-level policy-making posts. The new rules are necessary”if we are to ensure that the broadcasting and cable industries go forward vigorously with the hiring and upgrading of women and minorities,”he said, so that”we never again tread the path of racial and gender intolerance.” The FCC had to rewrite its rules after an appeals court ruled last year that comparing a station’s employees with the total workforce in the community of license was tied to quotas, and was thus, unconstitutional. The case concerned radio stations in Clayton, Mo., that are owned by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
The new rules do not require such comparisons but declare that discrimination will not be tolerated in the workplace.
The UCC Office of Communication was joined in its comments by the National Council of Churches, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Methodist Church, American Baptist Churches, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and Black Citizens for a Fair Media.
The NRB filed comments supporting a proposed rule to allow religious broadcasters to”establish religious belief or affiliation as a bona fide occupational qualification.”But the religious broadcasters group objects to the definition of a”religious broadcaster”as”a licensee that is, or is closely affiliated with, a church, synagogue, or other religious entity, including a subsidiary of such an entity.” NRB officials say about 40 percent of the organization’s members would be excluded from that definition.”It is extremely important that the Commission recognize that many of our members are not directly affiliated with a church, but subscribe to the NRB doctrinal statement and fill most of their airtime with religious programs,”said NRB President Brandt Gustavson.
The NRB proposed that the definition be amended to include licensees that include a religious purpose in their organizational documents or devote a majority of airtime to religious programming.
The UCC coalition did not challenge the FCC recommendation concerning religious belief or affiliation as a job qualification for religious broadcasters but it did oppose EEO exemptions for stations with 10 or fewer staff members.
Abortion rights foes, supporters condemn violence
(RNS) Anti-abortion groups issued a proclamation opposing violence this week as groups supporting abortion rights affirmed abortion providers.”We declare that the deliberate cold-blooded killing of a human being, from fertilization to natural death, is always wrong,”the”Pro-life Proclamation Against Violence”reads.”This belief is the essence of what it means to be pro-life.” In promoting peaceful protests, the proclamation urged”every pro-lifer to reject violence and those who commit violent acts”and”all perpetrators of violence to recognize that, far from being pro-life crusaders, they are nothing more than common criminals.” Thirty-two organizations have signed the proclamation, including the American Life League of Stafford, Va., the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of Nashville, Tenn., and the Society of Catholic Social Scientists of Steubenville, Ohio.”With the false characterization of pro-lifers in the media, we felt the time was right to clearly state the true pro-life position,”said Judie Brown, president of the American Life League.
The proclamation was released Tuesday (March 9), the day before the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice observed the third annual National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers.”As clergy who believe women are responsible moral decision-makers, our task all too often is to speak out against the hate-filled rhetoric and acts of violence that have terrorized abortion providers and their patients,”said the Rev. Carlton W. Veazey, the coalition’s president and CEO.
Observances marking the day and focusing on an end to violence were held on the anniversary of the murder of Dr. David Gunn, an abortion provider in Pensacola, Fla., who was killed on March 10, 1993.
Coalition members held a rally in Washington and sent cards, letters and flowers to abortion providers in several states.
Gays upset over Episcopal bishops’ effort to avoid battle on sexuality
(RNS) Gay-oriented interest groups within the Episcopal Church said Friday (March 12) they are dismayed with plans by the denomination’s House of Bishops aimed at avoiding any legislation on human sexuality issues at the church’s General Convention in the year 2000.”Once again, the bishops appear to have forgotten that the church is more than the episcopal order, but is a collaborative endeavor of laity and clergy,”three groups who support the full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church said in a statement.
The bishops’ plan to avoid debating the contentious issue of homosexuality was announced at the end of a six-day retreat of the church’s 140 prelates in Texas earlier this month.”The bishops came out of the meeting determined to support a less confrontational General Convention,”said James Solheim, a spokesman for the denomination.
Some bishops have said the church needs to have much more discussion of such issues as ordination of gays and support for same-sex union ceremonies before the church is ready to resolve them one way or the other.”Our vision of General Convention includes conversation, but not to the exclusion of taking stands on the many issues of justice that are before us,”said Integrity, Beyond Inclusion and The Oasis, the three pro-gay groups.
Meanwhile, Pamela Chinnis, who will preside over the House of Deputies _ clergy and lay delegates who make up a second body to the House of Bishops _ at the General Convention, told the Washington Times it will be”extremely difficult to try to put a gag order”on the convention.”The deputies have a right to introduce any resolution they want.”
Christian Coalition says it will raise $21 million for election campaign
(RNS) The Christian Coalition announced Thursday (March 11) a campaign to raise a record $21 million for its effort to mobilize 15 million conservative voters in the 2000 presidential election. “We are launching, effective today, the most massive effort to mobilize the grassroots in our history,”Coalition founder Pat Robertson told a news conference.
Flanked by supporters, Robertson said the campaign, called 21 Victory,”may be the most important initiative of the organization in its 10-year history.”The coalition has asked 50,000 supporters to contribute $20 a month for the next 21 months.
The announcement came on the heels of recent speculation that its influence on the political process was in eclipse.
Christian Coalition leaders have been quick to deny such allegation. On Thursday, Robertson characterized the resignation of several top Coalition officials as part of running an organization and dismissed allegations of unethical business practices, saying the charges had stemmed from an erroneous news story.
The Coalition’s election-year strategy calls for training 1.5 million conservative political activists and expanding conservative influence beyond its stronghold in the South, Southwest and the Midwest to include what Robertson said are the key swing states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. The”voter guides,”distributed by the Coalition to thousands of churches, will continue to be a mainstay in the organization’s educational effort. An online version of the guide _ which outlines candidates’ positions on such issues as abortion and school prayer _ will be available. “A couple of clicks of the mouse and you will be able to find out exactly where a candidate stands,”said Coalition Executive Director Randy Tate.”The issues that we stand for in the Christian Coalition are now very much in the mainstream in America,”said Robertson.”This isn’t some radical extreme, but it’s straight down the middle of what the American people would like to see _ and all we want to do is facilitate their knowledge of the issues and facilitate their citizenship involvement.” But Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the church-state watchdog group, sharply criticized the coalition’s program. “Robertson is desperately trying to regain some momentum after a year of disasters, blunders and defeats,”said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.
“Notations”removed from Baptist seminary’s accreditation
(RNS) The Association of Theological Schools has removed two critical”notations”from its accreditation of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.”All notations by ATS have now been lifted,”said Jim Cogdill, academic dean at the seminary in Kansas City, Mo.”We are thankful for the report so that our students can know their degree is fully accredited.” The notations concerned evaluative procedures and future financial planning, reported Baptist Press, the official news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The ATS Commission on Accrediting accepted the seminary’s report showing it now had procedures to address the ATS concerns.
The school previously had two other notations due to”inappropriate control”of trustees over faculty and administration. Those were removed in 1997.
Quote of the day: Oliver Thomas, special counsel for the National Council of Churches
(RNS)”I haven’t been in a single (public school) district _ from L.A. to Long Island _ where schools are promoting atheism and moral anarchy. To the contrary, the majority of educators are fighting for the moral as well as academic lives of their students.” _ Oliver Thomas, special counsel for the National Council of Churches, writing in the March 10 issue of The Christian Century in response to calls by some conservatives to take their children out of public schools.
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