c. 2005 Religion News Service
Iraqi Religious Minorities Worry About Proposed Constitution
(RNS) Leaders of some Iraqi religious minorities say the second article in the proposed constitution, which discredits laws that contradict the laws of Islam, could endanger their autonomy.
“Who will interpret these Islamic laws?” said Dr. Suhaib Nashi of the Mandaean Association Union. “We’re putting a couple of people (in charge) who will supervise any law that will come from Parliament.”
Mandaeans, who follow John the Baptist as their prophet, represent a part of Iraq’s tapestry of religious diversity. Sects of Christianity have existed in Iraq since before the nation was formed. Iraq is also the only home to the Shabak and Yezidis, whose faiths have elements of both Christianity and Islam.
“We need some sort of secularism, which is destroyed completely in (the second article),” Nashi said. Mandaeans are not recognized in the new constitution, he said. They are also not recognized in the Quran, the holy book of Islam.
Unlike the Mandaeans, the Assyrians are recognized in the proposed constitution. But Michael Yoash, a Christian Assyrian who is a leader of the Iraq Sustainable Democracy Project, said many members of his religious community are not satisfied.
“We don’t know how strong Islam is going to be, but we think it’s going to be very strong,” said Yoash.
Representatives from minority religions intend to work with one another and “try to really express our disapproval with that type of language in the constitution,” Nashi said.
An Islamic law that applies to Jews and Christians, Dhimmi law, permits non-Muslims to practice their faiths. But these minority faiths are still subject to Islamic rule. The new constitution would rename Iraq’s Christians, identifying them by faith and not ethnicity. This, some fear, could make them subject to Islamic law.
Some non-Muslims take hope from a statement immediately following the constitution’s second article calling Islam the official religion of the state. It says that no laws shall be passed that violate the principles of democracy.
“We don’t know what it would imply. It’s vague,” said Nina Shea of Freedom House, a nonpartisan civil rights advocacy group based in Washington. “But it’s better language and probably the best we can get because it’s qualified with the principles of democracy.”
It’s an improvement and closer to the language in the temporary constitution, Shea said. “If it’s Shariah, Islamic law, that’s a problem because it would override, trump all laws.”
_ Ashtar Analeed Marcus
In Faxes Sent to Media, Vatican Threatened Twice
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican was on high alert Friday (Aug. 26) after two written threats, but a spokesman for the Holy See said it had no reason to think the threats _ which mentioned Pope Benedict XVI by name _ were especially credible.
The threats, which were faxed to a Spanish television station and newspaper earlier in the week, carried the heading “The Pope of the Vatican Goes to War,” and were signed by an unknown person named D. Abdouh. The document said that after years of neutrality, the Vatican has come out against the Islamic world since Benedict became pope in April.
“The Vatican … has moved to support the Christian side of the countries in the world, and if possible, the Catholic side,” the document said. “The tendency of the Vatican (in the past) was to not take part in numerous wars.”
The document went on to say: “Many children of Islam signed themselves up to the ranks of those who fight Western terrorism, with sincerity, following what … intellectuals say through the media and motivated by the speeches of (U.S. President) George Bush, (Italian Premier) Silvio Berlusconi, and (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair. The new head of the Catholics, Benedict XVI, has launched a powerful message against these fighters.”
Berlusconi and Blair head the two European governments most closely allied with the U.S.-led war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Vatican is located within Berlusconi’s Italy.
The document said the pontiff’s remarks to Muslim leaders during the recent World Youth Day activities in Cologne, Germany, proved that the Holy See was an integral part of the Western coalition that has pitted itself against Islam.
In Cologne, Benedict met with Muslim leaders and said they had “a great responsibility” to educate young Muslims about the evils of extremism, telling the Muslim leadership, “I am certain that I echo your thoughts when I bring up the concern of the spread of terrorism.”
Some media reports pointed out that Benedict was subtly redefining Vatican relations with Islam, departing from the more conciliatory overtures of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, to forge an approach that presses for reform.
A Vatican press office official said the charges in the threats were groundless, pointing out that the Vatican has not taken a stand against Islam, but against Islamic extremists. The Vatican also opposes non-Islamic extremists, he said.
“The statements are not based on fact, but the threat could still be very real,” the spokesman said.
_ Eric J. Lyman
Spain Gets First Married Catholic Priest, Despite Rules on Celibacy
(RNS) The Tenerife diocese on Spain’s Canary Islands says the ordination of a married priest is a “very special exception” that does not entail any relaxation of the Roman Catholic Church’s rules on celibacy.
Father Evans David Gliwitzki was ordained Aug. 21 with the explicit permission of John Paul II, granted shortly before the death of the late pope.
Gliwitzki, 64, was already married with two daughters when he converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism.
Gliwitzki was born in Zimbabwe, the son of a Catholic father and an Anglican mother. He worked for the country’s national railroad until 1984, when he became a minister in the Anglican church.
As an Anglican pastor, Gliwitzki participated in ecumenical encounters between Anglican and Catholic clergy.
Despite similarities between the two denominations, one key difference is that celibacy is not required of Anglican clergy, as it is for Catholic priests.
In Britain, married Anglican priests have been welcomed into Catholic dioceses. But in Spain, a predominantly Roman Catholic country, Gliwitzki’s case is the first. It follows a fierce debate over the Spanish government’s recent legalization of same-sex marriage, which divided Catholics.
In a statement, the Tenerife diocese referred to the wide coverage the ordination of Gliwitzki has generated.
“This is not an entryway to the abolition of Catholic celibacy. Rather, it is a very special exception considering his married status and his particular circumstances of coming from the Anglican Church,” the diocese said.
_ Jerome Socolovsky
Episcopal Church Blasts Plan to Set Aside U.N. Poverty Goals
WASHINGTON (RNS) The United States has placed an “unwelcome obstacle in the path” of a 15-year plan to reduce global poverty by pushing the United Nations to scrap the goals at an upcoming summit, the top leader of the Episcopal Church said.
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, who has worked with other Anglican leaders to revive the 2000 U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), said allowing poverty to fester would hurt the war on terrorism.
“One of the most stinging lessons of our time is that the roots of terrorism and conflict most often can be found in those places where poverty and sickness abound and hope is lost,” Griswold said in a statement.
The MDGs would, among other things, work to cut global poverty in half by 2015, mandate primary school for all children and require countries to contribute 0.7 percent of their gross national product in foreign aid.
The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Thursday (Aug. 25) that the U.S. wants to strike all references to the MDGs at a Sept. 14 summit of world leaders at the United Nations.
New U.S. Ambassador John Bolton submitted 39 pages of proposed amendments that instead focus on internal U.N. reforms and global action against terrorism. “Our hope is to have a strong consensus document for the high-level event,” Bolton told reporters.
Griswold and other Anglican leaders _ most notably Archbishop Njongonkuku Ndungane of Cape Town, South Africa _ say that 2005 is a make-or-break year for the U.N. goals, and describe action so far as poor.
“For the U.S. to now oppose that long-held target further undermines our nation’s international credibility (and) weakens rather than strengthens global security,” Griswold said.
_ Kevin Eckstrom
New Head of Humanists Group Seeks Respect
(UNDATED) Roy Speckhardt, the new executive director of the American Humanist Association, says his organization will promote humanism as a “respected life stance.”
Speckhardt, whose new post was announced Thursday (Aug. 25), was previously the deputy director of AHA.
“I’m looking forward to helping the AHA advance humanist values, work toward progressive societal change, and uphold humanism as a respected life stance,” Speckhardt said.
According to the AHA Web site, “Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.”
Speckhardt will replace Tony Hileman, who served as executive director of the AHA for six years. Hileman has been nominated as senior leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, another humanist organization.
Mel Lipman, president of the AHA, said the organization had made significant progress under Hileman’s leadership.
“Hileman has made noteworthy strides for humanism,” Lipman said. “Under his leadership, the AHA has experienced significant growth in programmatic development and membership, which are now at a record level high.”
The American Humanist Association, based in Washington, has 110 local chapters.
_ Hugh S. Moore
Quote of the Day: Muslim Boy Scout Rehman Muhammad of Houston
(RNS) “We’re just average American boys doing average American activities. But after Sept. 11, we also have to be ambassadors of our faith.”
_ Rehman Muhammad, 13, member of all-Muslim Boy Scout Troop 797 in Houston. He was quote by Time magazine.
MO/PH END RNS
