c. 2008 Religion News Service
World Evangelical Alliance responds to Muslim document
(RNS) The World Evangelical Alliance has responded to a Muslim overture for interfaith dialogue by saying its members want to “live in peace with Muslims” but disagree with their view of God.
Last fall, more than 100 Islamic clerics and scholars issued their open document, “A Common Word Between Us and You,” to call on Christians to join them in a belief “that we shall worship none but God, and that we will ascribe no partner to him.”
The evangelical alliance, in a four-page response released March 29, said the document’s use of Quranic statements about God having no partner reveal a key difference between Christianity and Islam.
“Even though we are convinced that you misunderstand our doctrine of God being Three in One, when you speak about a `partner’ of God, we are convinced of the truth of Trinity and, therefore, we cannot accept your invitation,” wrote the Rev. Geoff Tunnicliffe, the alliance’s international director.
Muzammil Siddiqi, chairman of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America and a signatory on the Muslim document, said last fall that it was not calling for Christians to abandon their belief in the Trinity.
The evangelical association’s response, which seeks additional discussion between the religious groups, states appreciation for the Muslims’ expression that the two faiths play a key role in a peaceful future in the world.
The association stated “regret” for past and present actions by Christians that “do not match the teachings and examples of Jesus.” It also asked that Muslims help Christians practice their faith freely in Muslim countries.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Gay Catholics implore pope to listen and love
WASHINGTON (RNS) Gay and lesbian Catholics on Thursday (April 10) urged Pope Benedict XVI to see their lives and hear their testimonies during his U.S. visit, even as many acknowledged that may be unlikely.
With humor and intensely personal stories, the gay and lesbian Catholics declared their love for the faith and their longing to be accepted in a church that considers homosexual activity an “intrinsic evil” and homosexuality “objectively disordered.”
Benedict embraces the church’s traditional prohibitions against homosexuality; he has called gay unions “pseudo-matrimony” and wrote in 2003 that same-sex adoptive parents do “violence to these children.”
But the gay and lesbian Catholics said leaving the church isn’t always an option.
“There’s nothing that could push me away from the church. Nothing,” said Heather Mizeur, a Maryland state legislator, who said she encouraged her partner to convert to Christianity.
“All the 10 Commandments boil down to love,” she said. “We are rooted in love as Christians.”
New Ways Ministries, a Maryland-based support group for gay and lesbian Catholics, has tussled with Benedict before. In 1999, Benedict _ then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger _ silenced the nun and priest who ran the group for positions that were “doctrinally unacceptable.”
But gay Catholic advocates say time is on their side. “I believe that change will happen.” said Gregory Maguire, a novelist whose book “Wicked” was made into a major Broadway production. “The youths on this issue are smarter than we are.”
New Ways director Francis DeBernardo said the pope has walled himself off from rank-and-file gay Catholics. “Unfortunately, this leader does not understand the issue of homosexuality or does not understand gay and lesbian people,” said DeBernardo.
But Maguire said the pope could fix that by sitting down with gay Catholics, perhaps over dinner.
“As Christ sat with the suffering, come sit with us,” he said. “Chicken or fish? Red wine or white? …You are welcome any time, and you can take us as you find us, though a little advance notice would allow us to clear the bikes out of the driveway and tidy up the living room.”
_ Jonathan Rubin
German Catholics admit to wartime forced labor
COLOGNE, Germany (RNS) The Roman Catholic Church in Germany reported on Tuesday (April 8) that almost 6,000 people were used as forced labor in Catholic facilities during World War II.
The report by the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference found that 1,075 prisoners of war and 4,829 civilians were made to work at nearly 800 Catholic facilities, such as hospitals, monasteries and cemeteries.
The laborers were primarily from Poland, Ukraine and the Soviet Union. They worked as grave-diggers, gardeners and medical orderlies, among other jobs.
The 700-page publication, “Forced Labor and the Catholic Church 1939-1945,” is part of the church’s effort to reconcile its involvement with Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, a difficult period of history for Catholics.
The Vatican and the wartime pope, Pius XII, have been accused of turning a blind eye to the plight of Jews and other minority groups systematically killed by the Nazis.
Karl Joseph Hummel, a historian who lead the research for the report, said the German Catholic church engaged in “cooperative antagonism” with Hitler _ a position between collaboration and resistance.
While at times in step with the Nazi party, several major Catholic leaders in Germany voiced their opposition to its policies and several thousand Catholics were sent to death camps, he said.
In terms of forced labor, he noted that the church kept the workers in relatively good conditions, while the Nazis would frequently work people to death.
Cardinal Karl Lehmann, who stepped down in February as head of the German bishops, said the number of workers used by the church was small compared to the 13 million people estimated to have been forced into labor by the Third Reich.
“They nevertheless remain a burden of history that our church will keep facing up to in the future,” he said.
Since 2000, when the church admitted to using forced labor, it has provided $2.4 million to 587 workers who are still alive. In addition, it has paid $4.3 million for more than 200 “reconciliation projects” between Germany and Eastern Europe.
_ Ian Wilhelm
Evangelical leaders endorse `reconciliation referendum’
(RNS) Several prominent evangelical leaders have endorsed “A Reconciliation Referendum” that says Sen. Barack Obama’s recent address on race did not go far enough, and pushes church leaders to speak up more about the need to address racism.
“Opinion leaders in the national media praised the speech as courageous, but the notion that simply more talk is needed will no longer suffice,” the statement said.
“While politicians like Barack Obama and the national media wring their hands over a problem that has persisted in this country nearly 400 years, they offer no solutions to the problem.”
The statement was presented to Christian leaders at a recent meeting in Montgomery, Ala., hosted by “The Call,” a multidenominational movement focused on reconciliation and revival. More than 350 people have now endorsed the statement, which aims to achieve racial reconciliation within the next decade.
Among the signatories are Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship; the Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Bishop Harry Jackson, founder of the High Impact Leadership Coalition; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; and Alveda King, an anti-abortion activist and niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The statement said the controversy about remarks by Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, demonstrates the church needs to do more to address race relations _ including prayer, interracial evangelism and addressing poverty.
“The failure of good Christian people to provide a clear and convincing example of racial unity within the church has contributed to the divide between the races in the nation and it only appears to be widening,” the statement says.
“We must recognize that racism is not just a social problem in America; it is also a spiritual problem.”
_ Adelle M. Banks
Poll says Bible is America’s favorite book
(RNS) The Bible is the favorite book of all time for American adults, regardless of demographic group, according to a new 2008 Harris Interactive Poll.
Researchers said it’s rare to find such consensus among Americans, regardless of gender, education level, geographic location, race/ethnicity or age. Yet, more than 2,500 Americans surveyed in an online poll greed that the Bible is their No. 1 favorite book.
The poll also found that political affiliation did not affect novel preference _ Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike agreed on The Bible and “Gone With the Wind” as their top two favorite books.
According to the survey, America’s favorite books are:
1. “The Bible”
2. “Gone With the Wind,” by Margaret Mitchell
3. “Lord of the Rings” (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. “Harry Potter” (series), by J.K. Rowling
5. “The Stand,” by Stephen King
6. “The Da Vinci Code,” by Dan Brown
7. “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee
8. “Angels and Demons,” by Dan Brown
9. “Atlas Shrugged,” by Ayn Rand
10. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
_ Brittani Hamm
Australian Anglicans appoint woman bishop
(RNS) For the first time, a woman bishop has been appointed in the Anglican Church of Australia, making it the fourth Anglican province to have an active woman bishop.
The Venerable Kay Goldsworthy, 51, was named assistant bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Perth, Episcopal News Service reported. She will be consecrated May 22 at St. George’s Cathedral in Perth.
“In making this announcement, I am delighted that we in the church of Perth continue our unwavering commitment to Christ’s gospel by recognizing women and men as equal,” said the Most Rev. Roger Herft, archbishop of Perth, in a statement Friday (April 11).
He said Goldsworthy was one of the first women to be ordained to the priesthood in the same cathedral where she will become a bishop.
Goldsworthy, in a statement, said she was honored and humbled by the appointment.
“Since the first consecration of a woman bishop in 1989, women have been serving with distinction alongside men as bishops in many parts of the Anglican Communion _ a development long taken for granted,” she said.
“Australia has been a while catching up, but our time has come, and I know that the great majority of Australian Anglicans will warmly welcome this day.”
Currently, 14 of the 38 provinces in the worldwide Anglican Communion allow women bishops, but women are currently serving in only three provinces: the Episcopal Church (in the United States), Canada and the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
Herft said women could be named bishops following a ruling last October that such appointments are permitted by the Australian church’s constitution.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Archdiocese of Portland hands over deeds to 124 parishes
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) The Catholic Archdiocese of Portland is sorting out who owns hundreds of millions of dollars in church property and handing the deeds over to its 124 parishes.
The change is required by the bankruptcy settlement last April between the archdiocese and claimants. But a critic considers it a pointless maneuver meant to protect the archdiocese from future lawsuits.
In 2004, the Portland Archdiocese became the first U.S. Catholic diocese to declare bankruptcy; four other dioceses later followed suit. Portland emerged from bankruptcy with a $75 million settlement last year.
As part of the deal, parishes will receive the legal titles of their real property, including churches, schools and meetings halls, by the end of the month. Until now, almost all parish real estate deeds were in the name of the archdiocese.
During two-year bankruptcy proceedings, the archdiocese argued that parish real estate could not be sold for the settlement because it was held in trust for the parishes. But critics say the new structure creates the impression that the property is safe from future lawsuits.
“Once again, the church attempts to deceive the rank and file into believing they have some control,” said Bill Crane, director of Oregon Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “At the end of the day, when all is said and done, it’s the bishops and the hierarchy who do.”
Archbishop John Vlazny outlined the plan in a March 14 letter to parishioners recently distributed in churches.
“Most parishioners will not notice any difference in the life of the parish as a result of the restructuring,” he wrote.
The restructuring is one of the last requirements that the archdiocese must fulfill in the $75 million bankruptcy settlement that provided financial relief for about 175 people who say they were sexually abused by priests.
In theory, one parish could be sued under the new plan but the other parishes would not need to worry that their property would be seized for a settlement, an issue that took months to resolve during the bankruptcy.
But it hasn’t been tested in court, said Albert N. Kennedy, who represented plaintiffs during the bankruptcy. The restructuring will not affect future claims covered by last year’s bankruptcy settlement. And he’s not sure it would simplify any court cases down the line.
“In fact, the archbishop is in control of the entire archdiocese, and that is not going to change,” he said. “All the control is still in one person.”
_ Nancy Haught
National Day of Prayer observed from the air, on the ground
(RNS) On the National Day of Prayer, petitions to God will be made from the ground and from the air. Plans for the annual observance, on May 1, include private pilots who intend to fly and pray over all 50 state capitols.
Tens of thousands of events, organized through a Colorado-based task force, will be held in churches, on courthouse steps and in parks. Organizers range from military members to teenagers.
For the first time, the event will be marked at a memorial chapel in Shanksville, Pa., which commemorates the 9/11 crash site of United Flight 93.
“This is a critical time to be in prayer for our country,” said Shirley Dobson, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force and wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.
“The biblical principles upon which America was founded are under attack in every segment of society. We pray God will raise righteous leaders for our country.”
Christian scholar Ravi Zacharias is the 2008 honorary chairman. He will address observances on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon.
The National Day of Prayer was established by Congress in 1952 and is observed on the first Thursday of May.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Catholic high school teachers start strike as pope arrives
NEW YORK (RNS) As Pope Benedict XVI headed for his first papal visit to America, picketers assembled outside 10 Catholic high schools from Poughkeepsie to Staten Island on Tuesday (April 15).
Lay Faculty Association officials, representing about 450 teachers, said they don’t hold the pontiff responsible for their contract dispute with the Archdiocese of New York, but hoped timing the protest to his visit would publicize the union’s grievances and pressure the archdiocese to meet their terms.
The LFA has worked without a contract since Aug. 31, and wants a three-year agreement with improved pay, pension plan and health benefits, said Henry Kielkucki, union spokesman.
Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said the strike would not speed up negotiations, and called the timing an “insult to Pope Benedict and an insult to the Catholic faithful.”
Undeterred and armed with messages like “Practice What You Preach If You Want Us to Teach” and “Quality Education Deserves a Just Wage,” the teachers stood outside the schools, which remained in session Tuesday morning.
Members participated in a sickout on Jan. 10, which did not result in a better offer from the archdiocese, Kielkucki said. The union’s previous strike, in 2001, lasted 17 days.
The Federation of Catholic Teachers, a union with about 3,300 members, agreed to a new contract with the archdiocese Friday (April 11) after calling in sick at 18 elementary and high schools earlier this month.
Benedict will spend three days in Washington, D.C., before heading to New York on Friday, where he plans to speak at the United Nations, pray at the World Trade Center site and celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The LFA does not plan to picket at any of the pope’s appearances, Kielkucki said.
_ Nicole Neroulias
Quote of the Week: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
(RNS) “The more Beijing tightens its grip, the more the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people will slip through its fingers.”
_ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaking of China’s crackdown on Tibetans protesting for autonomy. A House resolution calling on China to end the repression and enter a dialogue with the Dalai Lama passed on Wednesday (April 9) by a vote of 413 to 1.
KRE/RB END RNS
