c. 2005 Religion News Service

Bush Affirms Position on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

WASHINGTON (RNS) As Congress debated legislation that would lift some restrictions on stem cell research, President Bush affirmed his position Tuesday (May 24) by welcoming to the White House families with children who had been “adopted” as frozen embryos.

“Rather than discard these embryos created during in vitro fertilization, or turn them over for research that destroys them, these families have chosen a life-affirming alternative,” Bush said in remarks in the East Room.

“In the complex debate over embryonic stem cell research, we must remember that real human lives are involved _ both the lives of those with diseases that might find cures from this research, and the lives of the embryos that will be destroyed in the process. The children here today are reminders that every human life is a precious gift of matchless value.”

At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, members of the House of Representatives debated legislation that would go beyond the restrictions Bush placed on stem cell research in 2001. At that time, he permitted federal funding of research on stem cell lines derived from embryos that had been destroyed. His policy is that “we should not use public money to support the further destruction of life,” he reiterated Tuesday.

Bush has promised to veto the congressional bill, which has bipartisan support.

“The House of Representatives is considering a bill that violates the clear standard I set four years ago,” the president said. “This bill would take us across a critical ethical line by creating new incentives for the ongoing destruction of emerging human life. Crossing this line would be a great mistake.”

Congress also is considering a second legislative measure that would create a federal program that uses stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

The president suggested that he prefers exploration of such alternative sources of stem cells.

“With the right policies and the right techniques, we can pursue scientific progress while still fulfilling our moral duties,” he said.

_ Adelle M. Banks

World Orthodox Leaders Pressure Embattled Jerusalem Patriarch

(RNS) The world’s Orthodox leaders have unanimously decided to no longer recognize Irineos I, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, as the church’s chief representative in the Holy Land.

According to the Associated Press, the leaders voted Tuesday (May 24) to withdraw recognition of Irineos at a rare “pan-Orthodox” synod involving the 12 main Orthodox churches. The synod was presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide.

The vote is the latest attempt by church officials to dethrone Irineos amid allegations that he leased valuable church property to Jews in predominantly Arab East Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as their capital. Irineos, who refuses to resign, has denied all charges.

Tuesday’s vote does not ensure Irineos’ removal. But the act of refusing to recognize his authority is expected to put further pressure on him.

Jerusalem-based Orthodox Christians, who are Arab Palestinians, have been mounting a campaign to have Irineos removed, insisting that the patriarch’s actions _ assuming they are true _ weaken the local church and undermine Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem.

Both Jordanian and Palestinian officials have said that Irineos must resign. The Israeli government is still weighing what to do about “the Greek Patriarch Affair,” as it has come to be called in Israel. Israelis are watching the matter closely because it could impact the Greek Church’s handling of properties already leased to Israelis.

The Greek Patriarchate has already leased _ for a period of 99 years _ large amounts of land to the Israeli government, private builders and individuals _ particularly in Jerusalem. Many Palestinian homes, businesses and institutions have been built on land owned and leased by the Greek Church and other prominent churches.

Both Israelis and Palestinians fear that when the leases expire, the church will refuse to renew them. Such a move would threaten the delicate status quo that has existed in predominantly Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem.

_ Michele Chabin

Hare Krishnas Announce Abuse Case Settlement and Apologize

(RNS) Leaders of the Hare Krishna movement have apologized for past abuses of children in their boarding schools and announced the approval of a reorganization plan by a bankruptcy court.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Central District of California on Monday (May 23) confirmed the Chapter 11 reorganization filed by six Hare Krishna temples and affiliates.

The plan calls for $9.5 million in compensation to former students who alleged they were emotionally, physically or sexually abused during the 1970s and 1980s at boarding schools affiliated with the movement.

“As leaders, it was our responsibility to assure our children’s safety,” said Anuttama Dasa, a commissioner of the governing body of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in a statement.

“We failed them, and for that we are very sorry. It is heartbreaking that many of our children were abused. On behalf of our entire society, I apologize to these young people. I pray that someday they will be able to forgive us.”

The movement sought bankruptcy protection after a $400 million lawsuit was filed several years ago on behalf of about 90 former students. As it sought Chapter 11 protection, the movement opened the settlement process to other former students who did not participate in the original suit, identifying about 450 more claimants. Movement leaders expect the compensation to victims may increase if they succeed with an ongoing lawsuit involving its insurance carriers.

Windle Turley, a Dallas trial lawyer who filed the Texas lawsuit, said he particularly appreciated the apology that came with the settlement.

“I think that that is a sincere apology and that the partial resolution of this case … combined with an apology goes a long way to create validation among the victims, which is the most important therapy of all,” he said in an interview.

Individuals who made claims should receive compensation ranging from $2,500 to $50,000. The financial distributions are expected to begin later this year and end by 2011.

ISKCON represents the North American expression of the ancient Vaishnava tradition, a monotheistic faith within Hindu culture.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Goal: 50,000 Hispanics Become Southern Baptists Within Five Years

(RNS) A Southern Baptist task force has urged leaders of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination to take “unprecedented” measures to evangelize the growing number of Hispanics in the country.

Goals include baptizing more than 50,000 Hispanic converts by 2010 and starting 250 new Hispanic churches each year during that same period. The effort to start new churches, if successful, would give the denomination a total of 3,980 churches by 2010.

The task force members said the denomination must work among both Hispanic church members and non-Hispanics to evangelize Hispanics in their communities and workplaces.

“Due to the explosive growth of the Hispanic population, unprecedented cooperative efforts are going to be needed including the North American Mission Board, state conventions, state Hispanic fellowships, other Baptist agencies and existing churches,” concluded a report developed by task force members titled “21st Century Hispanic Realities: Transforming the Social and Religious Panorama of North America.”

The task force also recommended that the denomination’s mission board create a bilingual Web site to communicate with Hispanic Baptists and seminaries should offer training for Hispanic leaders at a range of education levels.

Task force leaders noted that there must be outreach to Hispanics who are not English speakers as well as those who are.

“We cannot be lulled into thinking that most Hispanics are assimilated and that our typical English-speaking approaches are all that we need to reach them and to start churches among them,” the 21st-century report reads.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Historic Torah Taken by Nazis Returned to Chief Rabbi

ROME (RNS) A precious 17th century Torah containing the body of wisdom and law of Jewish scripture has been returned to the chief rabbi of Rome more than six decades after it disappeared in a Nazi raid on Rome’s Jewish ghetto.

Dario Tedeschi, a lawyer who heads a government commission seeking the restoration of looted Jewish property, said that the director of a library in Amsterdam turned the book over to him at a meeting in Hannover, Germany.

“He told me that he had the assignment of consigning to me this book with a label that indicated its provenance from the library of the Rabbinical College of Rome,” Tedeschi said in an interview in the Rome newspaper Il Messaggero on Tuesday (May 24).

Tedeschi presented the small but valuable book to Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni on Monday at a ceremony in Palazzo Chigi, which houses the offices of the prime minister.

Calling the ceremony an “exceptional event,” Deputy Prime Minister Gianni Letta said, “We hope that others will follow it and that it will be possible to know more of these books and where they wound up.”

The Torah was the first of many books looted by the Nazis on Oct. 16, 1943 to be returned to the Jewish community. In the raid on the ghetto, the troops also seized 110 pounds of gold and arrested 1,022 Roman Jews to be transported to death camps.

The book was published in 1680. Its parchment pages contain the Pentateuch, which is made up of the first five books of the Bible, and prophetic readings for the Saturday service, Di Segni said.

_ Peggy Polk

Editors: Search the RNS photo Web site at https://religionnews.com for file photo of Petra

After 33 Years, Christian Rock Group Petra to Retire

(RNS) Petra, a Christian rock group, will retire in December after 33 years of performances.

John Schlitt, longtime lead singer, expressed gratitude for the opportunities that have arisen from being in the group.

“We’ve had a good long run. … We’ve seen God’s hand at work in our music on every continent and in every language,” he said in a statement.

The decision to retire was made by all of the members, according to a news release from Inpop Records.

More than 25 years ago, the rock group’s music was banned in some Christian bookstores. Decades later, the band was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame.

“The doubts about popular music mixing with Christian lyrics have mostly vanished due to their … track record of proven ministry and changed lives. Petra was a true pioneer for our industry,” said Frank Breeden, former president of the Gospel Music Association.

He made the statement when the group was inducted into the association’s Gospel Hall of Fame in 2000.

Petra’s style has evolved over the years, featuring a rotating group of musicians as the band has become an influential force in the contemporary Christian music world.

Petra has produced more than 20 albums and has received four Grammy Awards and 10 Dove Awards. The group is considering releasing a live album or box set and anticipates final tours in the United States and Europe.

_ Heather Horiuch

Quote of the Day: Kurt Fredrickson of Fuller Theological Seminary

(RNS) “We have to be careful when a pastor moves into the CEO mode and becomes too market-oriented, or there might be a reaction against megachurches just as there is against Wal-Mart.”

_ Kurt Fredrickson, director of a “Doctor of Ministry” program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. He was quoted in BusinessWeek.

MO/PH END RNS