c. 1999 Religion News Service

Presbyterians again pondering gay ordination issue

(RNS) A key committee at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has voted to recommend striking the so-called”fidelity and chastity”amendment to the denomination’s rule book, the Book of Order.

If approved by the full assembly, the action could open the way for the ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians to the church’s ordained ministry, according to some supporters of the proposal.

But before such ordinations could take place, the denomination would have to also change a 1978 policy barring the ordination of”self-affirming, practicing homosexuals.” At issue before the General Assembly _ the highest legislative body in the 3.6 million-member church _ is a clause added to the Book of Order last year which requires clergy to live within standards that include”fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.” The standard has been widely interpreted as banning the possibility of sexually active gays from being ordained.

The vote on scrapping the standard was 24-14, the Associated Press reported. The proposal now goes before the full 560 commissioners meeting in Fort Worth, where a simple majority is required for approval.

Even then, however, the proposal would have to be submitted to the denomination’s 173 presbyteries _ regional governing bodies _ for their approval.

House committee moves religious liberty proposal forward

(RNS) The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday (June 23) approved the proposed Religious Liberty Protection Act that supporters hope will protect religious expression when it conflicts with government regulations.

By a vote of 16-3, the committee moved consideration of the act to the full House. On the same day, a Senate panel held a hearing on the issue, featuring religious and legal experts.

Supporters of the RLPA hope it will replace the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was struck down by the U.S Supreme Court in 1997.

Under the proposed measure, government would have to demonstrate it has a compelling reason _ such as health or safety _ and is operating in the least restrictive manner to legally infringe upon religious beliefs or practices.

Chuck Colson, founder and chairman of Prison Fellowship, said his group backs the legislation approved by the House Judiciary Committee.”Religious liberty today has no meaningful protection against government interference,”Colson said.”RLPA would rectify this situation by requiring that governments have extraordinary and compelling reasons before they can restrict our religious practices.” The measure has drawn criticism from some groups, including those concerned it might allow religious exercise to override civil rights. The ACLU believes the measure could protect employers who don’t want to hire someone of a different faith or landlords who don’t want to rent housing to unmarried couples based on their religious beliefs.”The stakes are too high,”Christopher Anders, legislative counsel for the ACLU, said at Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.”Congress must not pass legislation that leaves the effect on civil rights an unresolved question.” Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, committee chairman, said the hearing addressed issues beyond a particular bill, but added he believes legislation concerning religious liberty is needed.”Rule-bound, and often hypersensitive to the charge of assisting religion, governmental agencies all around us cling to the creed that `rules are rules,’ and pay no heed to the damage that might be inflicted on the individual in the process,”Hatch said.”Such an extension of arbitrary rules into every corner of our lives cannot coexist with the infinite variety of religious experiences we enjoy and cultivate in America.”

German Catholics bow to Vatican on abortion counseling

(RNS) Germany’s Roman Catholic bishops, bowing to Vatican pressure, said Wednesday (June 23) certificates issued to women by the church’s pregnancy counseling centers would include unequivocal anti-abortion language.

The move to include a statement which reads”cannot be used for legally carrying out abortions,”was added at the direction of Pope John Paul II. It immediately met widespread criticism from a German physicians association, government officials and others.

The impact of the change, however, remains unclear. “At the end of the day, the women will still have the freedom to do what they intended with this and other certificates,”said Bishop Karl Lehmann, chairman of the German bishops’ conference, reported Reuters.

While Lehmann implied the additional wording would be of little consequence, the government official charged with family issues, Christine Bergmann, said the language added to the certificates would invalidate the them. They are required by law to terminate a pregnancy. “I regret that the bishops have failed to reach a clear decision on whether they intend to remain part of the state’s pregnancy counseling program,”said Bergmann.”This has created a legally ambiguous situation and moreover adds a psychological burden to women who are already facing a difficult decision.” Since German law requires women seeking an abortion to attend a counseling session, the ability to certify such counseling draws more women into the Catholic centers _ where church officials say they are more likely to decide against abortion. Catholic-run counseling centers account for some 250 of Germany’s 1,500 pregnancy counseling facilities. But Pope John Paul II was concerned the church appeared to be sanctioning abortion by issuing”permission slips.” In a recent letter to the Germany church, the pontiff said,”I ask you to make clear that the certificate, which affirms the church’s help and authorizes assistance, cannot be used for legally carrying out abortion.” Although the certificates will continue to indicate the woman’s name and the date she received counseling, whether they will be accepted by abortion clinics remains to be seen. If they are refused, the church-run clinics will almost certainly lose government funding. If the warning is ignored, Rome may once again choose to weigh in on the issue.

Jubilee 2000: G-7 debt plan positive but not enough

(RNS) Jubilee 2000, the faith-based movement lobbying for a cancellation of the international debt of the world’s poorest nations, has called the debt relief plan adopted June 18 by the world’s richest nations a positive first step.”It is a big advance beyond the $25 billion the G-7 offered in Birmingham (England) last year, but it will still leave many countries with no reduction in debt service payments,”Jubilee 2000 USA said in a statement.

The G-7, the world’s most industrialized nations, meeting in Cologne, Germany, approved a plan that would reduce the debt burden of the world’s 41 poorest nations by between $65 billion and $70 billion.

Some loans _ about $15 billion _ would be canceled outright under the plan and other mechanisms would be put in place to evaluate countries for other forms of debt relief, according to news reports from Cologne.

The Jubilee movement is calling for the cancellation of all $127 billion owed by the poorest nations.

Ann Pettifor, director of the Jubilee 2000 UK (United Kingdom) coalition, said the G-7 had made”great strides”since the Birmingham meeting.”If they continue at this pace, then we will achieve our goal (of total debt forgiveness) in the year 2000,”she said.

Carole Collins, national coordinator of Jubilee 2000 USA, however, noted that most poor countries will still pay more on debt service than they spend on health or education.”We urge the leaders not to think that their work is done,”she said.”Instead, they must step up the pace. The lives and futures of the poor in Africa, Asia and Latin America cannot wait.”

Vatican denies Lutheran agreement is”a repudiation of the past”(RNS) The Vatican said Tuesday (June 22) its agreement with the Lutheran church on the doctrine that faith alone leads to salvation does not represent a”repudiation of the past.” The statement, made by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, was seen as an indication of the continuing sensitivity of the issue of faith vs. works that was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation of four centuries ago.

It was the second clarification of the”Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification”drawn up by the two churches after decades of dialogue.

On June 12, Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the Vatican council and the Rev. Ishmael Noko, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, issued an”Official Common Statement and an”Annex”to the declaration.

They said the two documents will be signed along with the declaration on Oct. 31, which Lutheran churches celebrate as Reformation Day in honor of Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, setting off the debate that led to the division of Protestants from the Roman Catholic Church.

In Tuesday’s statement, the Vatican council said there had been”some erroneous interpretations”by the news media of the significance of the previous documents.

Quoting from all three documents, the council said that biblical studies, research on the history of theology and dogma and the ecumenical dialogue begun three decades ago at the Second Vatican Council”have led to a significant convergence regarding the doctrine of justification.” The council said the condemnations the two churches leveled at each other in the 16th century have been examined”from new perspectives.”It said that while the Catholic Church recognizes that it is faith that leads to salvation,”this faith is active in (God’s) love and for this reason the Christian cannot remain without works.””Thus there has been no repudiation of the past but rather a common step forward in the understanding of the mystery of Salvation in Christ made possible by the climate of reciprocal trust which has been introduced and which invites us to continue in the same spirit on the path undertaken,”the council said.

Quote of the day: Roman Catholic Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore

(RNS)”We bishops stand united in condemning terrorism which targets innocent people in revenge for the injuries which the terrorists conceive to have been committed against them. Such irrational behavior can never lead to justice but only to fear, misunderstanding, and more hatred.” _ Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore commenting on hate literature found at the site of one of three California synagogues set ablaze June 18. Keeler’s comments were made in a June 22 statement expressing solidarity with the victims.

DEA END RNS