RNS's Evolution and Intelligent Design Package

The following package of nine stories chronicles -- from a variety of angles and viewpoints -- the growing clash between evolution and an alternative theory, intelligent design. While the debate is about science, it's fueled by religious beliefs and strongly held values. All of these stories moved on Nov. 23, along with a number of photos. Download the evolution stories from our online archives here and photos here. Just type evolution into the search engine.

Town Still Ridiculed 80 Years After Scopes Trial
DAYTON, Tenn. -- Eighty years ago, media coverage of the “Scopes Monkey Trial” branded this town a backwater haven of the Bible Belt, a place where ignorant Christians gave blind faith precedence over scientific discovery. It's still ridiculed for its biblical beliefs, recently by Comedy Central's “The Daily Show,” but its residents make no apologies. Nestled on the Tennessee River, Dayton offers gospel music at McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants. Last year, county commissioners voted to ban homosexuals, only to reverse themselves after a national outcry. Dayton is a place where residents rallied to raise money to keep Bible stories in their public schools after a lawsuit was filed. It's a Southern town where the first question after an introduction is not, “What do you do?” but, “What church do you go to?” In short, Dayton remains the faith-based city that hosted what was called the trial of the century in 1925, a trial that many cite as a turning point nationally for evangelical Christians and their beliefs. By Amy Green. With photos. 1,150 words with optional trim to 1,000.

School Board Chairman Defends Faith, Blasts Evolution
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. -- At the Sirloin Stockade, the state school board chairman leading an assault on “neo-Darwinian biological evolution” bowed his head and prayed aloud before eating his buffet lunch. A veterinarian and farmer, Steve Abrams makes no secret of his Christian faith or his belief that God created the Earth in six 24-hour days less than 10,000 years ago. “I don't believe Genesis is observable, measurable, testable, repeatable and falsifiable,” he added. “You take it on faith.” But Abrams, 56, insisted he's not trying to impose his religious views on the state's 460,000 public school students. His critics see it differently. Led by Abrams, the board's conservative majority voted 6-4 on Nov. 8 to adopt new science standards critical of the theory of evolution first advanced by Charles Darwin. By Bobby Ross Jr. With photo. 1,000 words with optional trim to 900.

Vatican Gives Mixed Messages on Intelligent Design
VATICAN CITY -- Ever since the Roman inquisition condemned Galileo, prompting over three centuries of damage control to the church's credibility, the Vatican has been careful not to overstep the limits of faith. That is why Pope Benedict XVI caught many by surprise when recently he described the universe as an “intelligent project that is the cosmos.” Echoing the language of the intelligent design movement, Benedict waded into a debate that has blurred the lines between religion and science in the United States and beyond. Advisers appear divided, however, over whether the pope supports intelligent design's challenge to evolution. Benedict “doesn't have the slightest idea of what intelligent design means in the U.S.,” said the Rev. George Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory and an outspoken critic of intelligent design. “Intelligent design in America is not science. It's a religious movement,” he said in an interview. By Stacy Meichtry. 1,000 words with optional trim to 725.

Vatican Astronomer Says Science Can't Prove God
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- From Brother Guy J. Consolmagno's perspective, the latest chapter in the evolution vs. creationism debate focuses on the wrong question. “People who want to use science to prove God did something are making a fundamental mistake,” Consolmagno, a Vatican astronomer, said between lecturing at biology and Latin classes. “It makes science more important than God,” he said. “People are trying to impose what they think their religion is on science. I also see people imposing what they think they know about science on religion.” Consolmagno recently discussed the connections between science and religion at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. By Rene Gadoua. With photos. 550 words.

`Evolutionary Evangelist' Takes Show on the Road
(UNDATED) For three years, Michael Dowd has traveled the country with his wife, science writer Connie Barlow, sleeping in their van or at friends' homes and preaching a 14 billion-year-old gospel. “The Great Story,” as Dowd calls it, presents the epic of evolution as sacred and meaningful, rather than as a mechanized process of random improvements. It combines the discoveries of science with a reverence for God and a reinterpretation of Christianity. Dowd was originally ordained a United Church of Christ minister but is no longer connected with a specific denomination. A Q&A with a self-described “evolutionary evangelist.” By Jill Smith. With photo. 800 words.

How a Bible-Carrying Anglican Theorized Evolution
(UNDATED) More than a century before today's proponents of intelligent design theory began arguing that life is too complex to arise through the natural process of evolution -- an argument that has produced the latest clash in America's culture wars -- Charles Darwin, evolution's main man, was causing trouble. He didn't set out to upset people. He was, after all, a strict Creationist on his way toward becoming an Anglican clergyman when he embarked at age 22 on the odyssey of naturalistic observations that would provide the grist for his revelation. His inscribed Bible -- which can be seen in a new exhibit about Darwin at the American Museum of Natural History in New York -- was among the handful of belongings he brought along for his seminal journey aboard the H.M.S. Beagle. Darwin had been sitting on the controversial notion of evolution and natural selection for 21 years. By Kitta MacPherson. With illustration. 1,400 words with optional trim to 1,100.

Intelligent Design Puts Big Spotlight on Small Town
DOVER, Pa. -- Todd Gentzler was sitting on the small wooden porch of the venerable brick house he bought a few months ago on Main Street, cleaning heating baseboards he had removed from inside, when he was greeted by a reporter. Media from across the country had converged on the town since the local school board introduced intelligent design in its ninth-grade biology classes in January, rekindling a national debate over evolution and creationism and pitching Dover into a landmark court battle over the constitutional separation of church and state. The New York Times had come. So had Newsweek, People and Rolling Stone. But as they wait for a judge's verdict, residents have grown weary of the attention their small town of about 1,900 has gained since the school board required biology teachers to read a statement on intelligent design. By Jim Lewis. With photos. 900 words with optional trim to 550.

Judge Will `Rule as I See Fit' on Intelligent Design
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Both sides of a federal trial on intelligent design expect that Judge John E. Jones III will rule on whether the school board in Dover, Pa., violated the First Amendment when it adopted a policy on intelligent design. But beyond that, all bets are off. The Discovery Institute, a Seattle-based proponent of intelligent design, wants the judge to limit his ruling to the school board's actions. Opponents of the policy want a broad ruling, one that addresses not only the board's decision but the issue of whether intelligent design is science or a new term for creationism. Jones, who plans to issue a ruling by early January, would not disclose whether he intends to issue a narrow or broad decision, but said he was aware of the potentially historic significance of his verdict. “I'll rule as I see fit,” he said Thursday (Nov. 10) in his chambers at the U.S. Middle District Court in Harrisburg, Pa. By Bill Sulon. 1,200 words with optional trim to 575.

Discovery Institute Seeks Acceptance in Science
(UNDATED) According to a six-year-old “wedge document,” The Discovery Institute, a leading proponent of intelligent design, “seeks nothing less than the overthrow of materialism and its cultural legacies.” The document described a five-year goal of making intelligent design “an accepted alternative in the sciences” and a 20-year objective of making “intelligent design theory ... the dominant perspective in science.” Leaked to the Internet in 1999, the Discovery Institute's Center for Renewal of Science and Culture calls it “an early fundraising proposal” that has become “a giant urban legend.” The document became an issue in a trial, awaiting a verdict, on about the teaching of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania public school district. By Bill Sulon. 1,000 words.

Sister Dorothy Kazel

Wednesday's RNS report features a two-part story about Dorothy Kazel, an American nun who was slain in El Salvador 25 years ago and whose influence continues today. David Briggs writes in part one: Forty-one-year-old Dorothy Kazel's body was discovered in an unmarked grave in El Salvador after she and three other women missionaries were murdered there on Dec. 2, 1980. Twenty-five years later, her legacy continues to be felt by Catholics and advocates of the poor in Central America. Through tape recordings she sent home, letters, journals and interviews, a story with new details emerges of a vibrant nun who grew up in Cleveland, broke off her engagement to take a religious vocation, rode motorcycles as she worked among the poor and now is on a path to possible sainthood.

In part two, Briggs looks at her legacy: Bishop Anthony Pilla's first official act as spiritual leader of the Diocese of Cleveland was to meet the body of slain missionary Dorothy Kazel at the Cleveland airport on Dec. 6, 1980. The brutal rape and murder of Kazel and three other missionaries evoked international outrage. But Pilla and Mother Bartholomew, the general superior of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, stood alone at the end of the tarmac as a simple wooden coffin with Kazel's name written on the side was wheeled toward them. It was a moment of meditation for Pilla: "Commitment to Jesus Christ is going to cost you." It certainly cost Kazel, who 25 years after her death continues to influence Catholics and advocates of the poor. Some are pushing her candidacy for sainthood.

Faith in God's protection

Quote of the Day: Mississippi Investigative Reporter Jerry Mitchell

"If they kill me, they kill me. I try not to do anything stupid. My faith plays a big role. I really believe God's hand has been in this."

-- Jerry Mitchell, award-winning investigative reporter for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger in Mississippi, commenting about how he has received threats for his coverage of members of the Ku Klux Klan. He was quoted by Christianity Today.

Terminated teacher

Quote of the Day: Fired Catholic Teacher Michelle McCusker

"I don't understand how a religion that prides itself on being forgiving and on valuing life could terminate me because I'm pregnant and am choosing to have this baby. I held the Catholic religion to a higher standard."

-- Michelle McCusker, a Catholic-school teacher who was fired after telling her employers that she was pregnant and did not plan to marry the father of the child. The New York Civil Liberties Union has filed suit against the Diocese of Brooklyn, on behalf of McCusker, who was quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

Vatican's document on gay priests

Tuesday's RNS report offers three articles on the Vatican's official document on gay priests, release today, Nov. 29.

Stacy Meichtry reports from the Vatican City: The Vatican officially published a document Tuesday (Nov. 29) that bars openly gay men from entering the priesthood and followed that up with an editorial rejecting homosexuality as abnormal. Critics had claimed that the widely leaked document's ban on men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" is ambiguous and open to interpretation by local church officials. But the Vatican forcefully responded Tuesday, reasserting its claim that homosexuality is a condition akin to a medical disorder rather than a fixed sexual identity or orientation. Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Vatican department that issued the document, defended the ban, saying it is wrong to consider homosexuality "a normal condition of the human person -- almost like a third gender."

Kevin Eckstrom's analysis suggests that the new rules on gays are unlikely to change seminary life. He recently visited Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitburg, Md.: When Joe Yokum was considering a call to the Catholic priesthood, the first question a seminary official asked him was, "Do you consider yourself to be a homosexual man?" If Yokum, 27, had answered yes, he probably would have been denied admission -- even before Tuesday's (Nov. 29) release of new Vatican rules that are designed to keep men with "deep-rooted homosexual tendencies" from becoming priests. Here at America's second-largest Catholic seminary, longstanding processes to "filter out" gay men have been in place. Church officials hope the new rules will codify for all seminaries what has been unwritten -- and sometimes unenforced -- policy for almost 45 years. If Mount St. Mary's is any indication, the new policies will not change the day-to-day life at America's 196 Catholic seminaries.

A former Catholic priest, however, predicts a gay exodus from the priesthood. Jeff Diamant writes: He left the Catholic priesthood in 1998, he said, because he was tired of shielding his identity as a gay man from a church that condemns homosexuality. The Rev. Mariano Gargiulo, now an Episcopal priest, says he believes Tuesday's expected Vatican edict banning most gay men from entering the seminary also will force many priests from the clergy. Gargiulo, who says he remains friends with dozens of gay Catholic priestsfrom his days in the Archdiocese of Newark, predicts that the ruling, while not applying to current priests, will heighten tensions within the church. "It will push many of them away," Gargiulo says. From his office at St. James Episcopal Church in Ridgefield, N.J., Gargiulo discusses his experience as a possible template for what many other gay priests -- especially noncelibate ones -- may do now that the Vatican document is released.

Meaning of mikvah; Internet ban for Orthodox Jews

Nancy Haught writes in Monday's RNS report on the practice of keeping mikvah, in which Jewish women immerse themselves in a ritual bath: For many Jewish women, keeping mikvah -- immersing themselves in natural, flowing water -- is a private matter. Their husbands probably know when they leave home to visit a mikvah. Attendants may know if a woman immersed herself so completely that not a strand of her hair floated to the surface. But only God knows, quite literally, the sincerity of a woman's prayer. Water flows through many religions in rituals that symbolize transformation, from death to life, rebirth and renewal. The mikvah is an ancient Jewish tradition still practiced in the modern world both because it is required by Jewish law and for a handful of other more contemporary reasons.

Jeff Diamant reports on a New Jersey Orthodox Jewish community's ban on the Internet for kids: Like so many Americans, Mesh Gelman relies on the Internet for work. But in a move that's likely to complicate his business in international trade, the Lakewood, N.J., man plans to unplug his home computer from the wired world, shutting out all that's good -- and bad -- about the Web. Gelman's reasoning is simple: His religious leaders have told him to do so. The father of four is a member of Lakewood's tight-knit Orthodox Jewish community, whose leaders have declared that Internet access should be removed from homes with school-age children to better protect them from the bounty of sexual images online. It is more than a suggestion. The community's policy -- formed with the principals of the area's 43 yeshivas, or Jewish private schools, and unveiled in late September -- decrees that any student with home access faces suspension or expulsion on the grounds that even one Internet-corrupted student could sway others.

AIDS in the black church; National Pomegranate Month

Progressive black church leaders are beginning to tackle the subject of AIDS, according to reporter Ivan Gale: Black clergy in America have long been out on the front lines of important causes affecting the black community. But the increasing crisis of AIDS in black America, and what the church's role should be, remains a deeply unresolved issue. Over the last decade, the rate of new HIV infections among whites has held steady while the rate has doubled for blacks. Though they constitute just 12 percent of the population, blacks now make up 40 percent of Americans living with the virus, and account for 50 percent of new infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The issue is a delicate one for clergy. Addressing AIDS means broaching sensitive topics like drug use, homosexuality and out-of-wedlock sex. There are ministers who see AIDS as a punishment for sinful behavior, who choose not to use their pulpit to talk about the prevention and treatment of the disease. Yet with World AIDS Day approaching Dec. 1, some progressive ministers are beginning to take a stand, preaching tolerance, creating AIDS ministries, and even opening up their churches for HIV testing.

Nancy Haught looks at the pomegranate, "a most spiritual fruit": Next time you're wandering the produce aisle, pick up a pomegranate and treat yourself to a lesson on world religions. Beneath that smooth, red and bitter skin lie hundreds of tiny scarlet seeds -- and almost as many religious associations. "People use whatever is at hand to express their religious beliefs," says Frank A. Salamone, an authority on religious symbols and a professor at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. Centuries ago, in the Fertile Crescent, where so many religions arose, the pomegranate was at hand. By its very nature, it lent itself to religious symbolism. Ancient Persians painted pomegranates on their shields for protection in battle. In Greek and Roman myths, it was the pomegranate that seduced Persephone, the goddess of fertility, into marrying her kidnapper, Hades, god of the underworld. Here in the midst of November -- National Pomegranate Month -- is a look at what this well-rounded fruit portends in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Separation of chuch and state?

Quote of the Day: Elementary school principal Deborah Dancy

"I certainly welcome it. The children who participate in the program are much more courteous, cooperative and respectful. Anything we can do to reduce discipline problems and develop character we are willing to do at this school."

-- Deborah Dancy, principal of William Ellery Channing Elementary School in Hyde Park, Mass., where Child Evangelism Fellowship opened a Good News Bible Club. She was quoted by The Boston Globe.

Bush presses China on religious freedom; pet chaplains comfort pet owners

RNS starts off on Monday with a story on reactions to President Bush's recent visit to China and his focus on religious freedom there. Jason Kane writes: Human rights activists are praising President Bush's call for religious freedom during his recent visit to China but are discouraged the Communist government does not appear willing to make concessions. The topic came to the forefront during the president's weeklong diplomatic swing through East Asia, including stops in Japan, South Korea and finally China, where appeals from the administration were largely ignored by the Chinese government and press. Nina Shea, director of the Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom, called China's indifference to the president's requests "disturbing." She said the appeals haven't "done anything and in fact it's been repression as usual."

Nicole LaRosa's feature on "pet chaplains" shows the importance of "man's best friend" in a family: When her cocker spaniel died last June, Pam Carpenter was devastated. Niki was the family clown. Abused as a puppy, he thrived after Pam adopted him and wielded control over her husband Don and their seven other dogs on their North Carolina farm. So when chronic bronchitis meant Niki had to be euthanized, Pam needed support. Enter the pet chaplain. Like others across the country, Rob Gierka is a chaplain for pet owners. Based at a veterinary hospital, he conducts pet blessings and funerals, honors prayer requests for pets, and lends an ear to those grieving the loss of their faithful furry friends. Gierka drove over an hour to be with the Carpenter family that evening. A friend of Pam's from graduate school, he led the family in a celebration of Niki's life.

Sikhs take on discrimination; Update on Vatican and Israel's property dispute; New Orleans' Episcopalians look forward

Friday's RNS report begins with an article on a new campaign launched by Sikhs in response to the increasing discrimination they've faced since Sept. 11. Kabuika Kamunga writes: "A number of Sikh-American groups have begun a campaign to explain their religion to the American public and to differentiate their beliefs from those of Muslims. There have been more than 600 reports of discrimination and violence against Sikhs since 9/11, according to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Sikh men often have been misidentified as Muslims and Arabs because they wear turbans in accordance with their religious tradition, but the headwear has led some people to believe they are allied with Al Qaeda. "My son and his friends were so badly harassed just because they (wear) the turban," said Ladi Kaur, a Rockville, Md., woman who owns an auto parts wholesale firm and is a member of the Sikh community. "They are American children with ... a different faith."

Vatican correspondent Stacy Meichtry updates Tuesday's story on the Vatican and Israel's property tax dispute: Until Thursday (Nov. 17), one issue appeared stalemated: the Vatican's rights to property and tax exemption in the Holy Land. Speaking to a press conference following a visit with Pope Benedict XVI, Israeli President Moshe Katsav said he promised Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano that "an effort would be made to accelerate the (negotiations) and respond positively to the requests of the Catholic Church."

New Orleans' Episcopalians look to an uncertain future as they struggle to rebuild upon their deep roots in the battered city, according to Bruce Nolan: With blazing morning light slanting through huge second-floor windows of the Cabildo museum, 40 Episcopalians prayed the same morning service their forebears offered in that landmark 200 years ago, celebrating both an anniversary and their community's new beginning in a storm-ravaged city. "We are here, not simply to remember, but to claim hope for the future," Bishop Charles Jenkins told the group on Thursday (Nov. 17). With their national church and other New Orleanians, Episcopalians in the Diocese of Louisiana face "the largest redevelopment project ever undertaken in the United States," Jenkins said. "Our 'new normal' will be a church fully engaged, a servant church, one that serves all for whom Christ died."

President Bush speaks for China

Quote of the Day: President Bush

"The people of China want more freedom to express themselves, to worship without state control, to print Bibles and other sacred texts without fear of punishment. ... By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their country grow into a modern, prosperous and confident nation."

-- President Bush, speaking Wednesday (Nov. 16) in Kyoto, Japan, days before traveling to China.

Free speech for chaplains; chaplains grieve for fallen Iraq soldiers; Bishop Carlton Pearson

Thursday's RNS report begins with two stories on chaplains. Adelle M. Banks reports that conservatives are pushing for free speech rights for chaplains: Political leaders and grass-roots petitioners have asked President Bush to issue an executive order that would allow chaplains to pray in public according to their religious beliefs. Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a Washington-based legal organization, is spearheading a petition drive signed by more than 80,000 people. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and dozens of members of Congress have made a similar request. The requests come at a time when the Air Force faces legal action about alleged proselytism in its ranks. In addition, the Air Force recently released interim guidelines about religious expression, fueling concern among Christian conservatives that their religious freedom is under assault. Sekulow called the issue "one of the hottest topics" on his live call-in radio show this year.

Kay Campbell's story is about army chaplains grieving for soldiers lost in Iraq: He speaks several languages, including Latin. But when the talkative Maj. Gerze Rzasowski, an Army chaplain, opens a book holding pictures and brief biographies of the 870 soldiers who have died since last November on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, he runs out of words. "Just to open this and see the faces," says Rzasowski, pausing as he leafs through the pages and stops to read for a moment, "it's kind of, yes, sobering." Rzasowski and a fellow chaplain, Maj. John Chun, grieve at a memorial to fallen soldiers in a corner of Redstone Arsenal's Bicentennial Chapel. Over a display of empty boots, soldiers' belongings and scattered pebbles to signify the desert setting of the current campaigns hangs a long banner printed with the names of the fallen.

An Oklahoma pastor's change of heart has driven away much of his church, according to an article by Bill Sherman: A high-profile evangelical pastor who lost 90 percent of his 5,000 members after adopting a universalist theology has begun holding services in Tulsa's oldest and largest Episcopal church. Bishop Carlton Pearson's "gospel of inclusion" theology -- that Christ died for the sins of the world, and therefore the whole world will be saved -- went against evangelical orthodoxy that salvation requires a personal response to the message of Christ. Higher Dimensions, founded by Pearson in 1981, once was one of Tulsa's largest and most prosperous churches. Its high-energy, sharp-dressing pastor appeared regularly on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and at national conferences, wrote several books, and hosted an annual Azusa Street conference that drew national speakers like T.D. Jakes, Time Magazine's best preacher in America.

Strong words from Richard Land

Quote of the Day: Southern Baptist Leader Richard Land

"I don't think the most damaging issue in this country is poverty, as important as the issue is. Yet not a single day has gone by in the last 32 years that I have not personally grieved and prayed for the 4,000 babies -- disproportionately African-American -- who have been aborted."

-- Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, speaking before the Trotter Group, an association of black columnists, at its annual meeting on Nov. 8 in Nashville, Tenn. He was quoted by Baptist Press.

Vatican Ban on Gays

Leaked Vatican Document Bans 'Deeply Rooted' Gays From Entering Priesthood

The RNS article of the week (linked above), by Vatican correspondent Stacy Meichtry, looks at the impending release of the Vatican's ban on gays in the priesthood.

Quote: "The Church cannot admit to the priesthood those who practice homosexuality, have deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or those who support the so-called `gay culture,'" Il Giornale quoted the document as stating.

and

Although the document allegedly restricts the access of gays to the priesthood, it does not ban gays outright as some media reports indicated.

Campus Christian groups fight for rights; Godparents don't have to be godly

Campus Christian Groups are fighting for the right to exclude gays and non-Christians, reports Kathleen Murphy in Wednesday's RNS report: The Christian Legal Society at Arizona State argued that giving gays and non-Christians membership would destroy the group's purpose, no matter what the university's nondiscrimination policy might say. So the group sued for an exemption. An out-of-court settlement was reached in September, with Arizona State agreeing to recognize the organization -- as long as it limited membership to all students, heterosexual and homosexual, who uphold its religious values on sexuality. Similar battles -- pitting students' constitutional right to religious freedom against public universities' educational interest in teaching inclusiveness -- are being waged across the country. A moment of legal truth may be approaching as three other state schools -- the University of California's Hastings College of Law, Southern Illinois University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill -- await decisions in federal courts.

Su-Jin Yim writes about a new trend in choosing godparents that's more secular and less concerned with the child's religious upbringing: Jennifer Fuentes believes in God. So does her husband, Tony. But when it came to choosing godparents for their only child, the Portland, Ore., couple, like so many others today, took a more secular approach. Half of the couple they chose is Catholic, as is Fuentes' husband. But deciding to ask their friends to be godparents to 3 1/2-year-old Mila revolved less around picking a spiritual guide than it did seeking strong role models, Jennifer Fuentes said. In an era when couples choose to be married by friends who "earn" online ordinations and blood relatives sometimes feel as distant as strangers, many parents are thinking less conventionally about whom they want to anoint as their children's life guides. The traditional role of godparents is steeped in centuries-old religion. People converting to Christianity needed a sponsor to vouch for them, and the practice soon evolved to include babies. Today, many parents are looking to less-religious friends and family members to be godparents.

High praise

Quote of the Day: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

"God truly blessed the world with the birth of His Holiness and the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama."

-- Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, introducing the Dalai Lama Sunday (Nov.
13) during the Tibetan spiritual leader's 10-day visit to Washington.

Bishop G.E. Patterson on concerns about his health

Quote of the Day: Pentecostal Bishop G.E. Patterson

"Some were literally shocked to see me come in here today. But the saints of God know it's not time yet, and it doesn't matter how many of your enemies say you're going to die."

-- Bishop G.E. Patterson of the Church of God in Christ, the nation's largest Pentecostal denomination, referring to concerns about his health at the 98th annual Holy Convocation. He was quoted by The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.

Adrian Rogers dies at 74; Catholic bishops criticize death penalty; Vatican's property rights in Israel unresolved

Adelle M. Banks reports that Southern Baptist trailblazer Adrian Rogers died early today: Former Southern Baptist Convention President Adrian Rogers died Tuesday (Nov. 15) after suffering from colon cancer and double pneumonia. Credited as one of the pre-eminent pulpiteers in his denomination and beyond, Rogers, 74, was known for his role as the first Southern Baptist president in the denomination's conservative resurgence that began in 1979.
"Few men have left such an impact on a church, a denomination and the larger world," said R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. "His personal defense of biblical inerrancy and the great truths of the gospel awakened a generation of Southern Baptists to a crisis in our midst -- and he put his own ministry and reputation on the line for the sake of denominational recovery and reformation."

Kevin Eckstrom continues reporting from the meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, and writes that today bishops ramped up the pressure against the death penalty: The nation's Roman Catholic bishops issued a renewed call to end the death penalty on Tuesday (Nov. 15), saying state-sponsored executions are unfair, unnecessary and unhealthy for America's moral soul. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting here, affirmed church teaching that allows the death penalty in limited circumstances, but said life imprisonment is a better alternative to capital punishment. "We seek to build a culture of life in which our nation will no longer try to teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill," the bishops said in their 18-page statement. In other action, the bishops approved new guidelines for the 30,000 U.S. Catholics who are working as lay ministers and doing many of the jobs once performed by a dwindling number of priests and nuns.

The Vatican's property rights in Israel remain unsolved, reports correspondent Stacy Meichtry: In the four decades since the Vatican issued Nostra Aetate, officially dropping the age-old insinuation that blamed Jews for the death of Jesus, the Holy See has made reconciliation a top priority in its relations with Israel. Full diplomatic relations were established, a regretful John Paul II visited the Western Wall, and his German successor recently entered a Jewish synagogue in Cologne. But behind the scenes of these high-profile gestures, the Vatican has been chafing over a long-running dispute that neither Nostra Aetate or any subsequent accord has managed to settle: a stalemate over the Vatican's rights to property and tax exemption in the Holy Land. The property dispute has become a persistent thorn in the side of Vatican-Israel relations and will be an awkward subtext for Thursday's highly anticipated visit by Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

A church divided

Quote of the Day: Episcopal Bishop Keith Ackerman

"We've reversed Genesis. We've brought chaos out of order. We've created God in our own image."

-- Episcopal Bishop Keith Ackerman of Quincy, Ill., on recent decisions by the Episcopal Church, including the 2003 consecration of openly gay New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson. Ackerman was attending a gathering of 2,500 conservative Episcopalians in Pittsburgh and was quoted by The Washington Times.

U.S. Catholic bishops meet; U.S. Episcopal bishops meet; Alito defends religion in the public square; Episcopalians help bring jazz back

American bishops convened in Washington this week are expressing reluctance to change the Mass to meet new Vatican standards, Kevin Eckstrom reports in Monday's RNS transmission: The nation's Roman Catholic bishops are showing surprising resistance to changing the words of the Sunday Mass in order to bring the liturgy in line with Vatican-ordered changes. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which is meeting here this week, said changing the well-known songs and prayers would not be accepted by rank-and-file Catholics, and the prelates would prefer to keep the Mass mostly intact. The tweaks in language, if adopted next summer, would represent the most sweeping changes to the daily worship life of America's 67 million Catholics since the current Mass was introduced in 1970. The bishops' reluctance to change, revealed in unsigned comments that were released Monday (Nov. 14), could spark an uncomfortable confrontation with Rome that is more characteristic of American Catholics' independent streak than the bishops' penchant for loyalty.

Conservative Anglicans are contemplating a`realignment' of the relationship between Episcopal Church in the United States and the worldwide Anglican Communion. Ann Rodgers reports from the convention in Pittsburgh Nov. 10-12: After a four-day meeting of 2,400 leaders who believe the Episcopal Church no longer upholds biblical tradition, tension remains between those eager to depart from the U.S.-based church and others counseling patience. Despite that difference of opinion, the predominant vocabulary of the Nov. 10-12 "A Hope and a Future" conference was not "split" but "realignment." That refers to relationships between the theologically conservative minority within the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) and the theologically conservative majority in the 77 million-member worldwide Anglican Communion. Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola said the U.S. bishops are now standing with one leg in ECUSA and one in the new Anglican Communion Network. "If you really want the global south to partner with you, you must let us know exactly where you stand. Are you ECUSA or are you Network? Which one?" Akinola asked to a standing ovation from most of those in the convention center.

Robert Schwaneberg writes about Samuel Alito Jr. as defender of religion in the public square: Zachary Hood made a poster of Jesus for a kindergarten assignment, only to see public school officials take it down. Dennis Blackhawk used two black bears in his Lakota Indian ceremonies and was fined $6,442. Newark, N.J., police officers Faruq Abdul-Aziz and Shakoor Mustafa grew beards in accordance with their Sunni Muslim beliefs and were threatened with dismissal. All of them found a sympathetic judge in Samuel Alito Jr., President Bush's nominee for a seat on the Supreme Court. A review of Alito's rulings as a federal appeals judge shows he is a vigorous defender of the right to practice one's religion, even if that requires moving the wall separating church and state a few feet to the right. And while such an approach heartens those who feel that public squares and schools have become virtual religion-free zones, it alarms groups dedicated to keeping government away from matters of faith.

Keith Spera reports on Episcopalians helping with the jazz rebirth in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina: Trumpeter, composer and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra founder Irvin Mayfield has yet to find his father. The elder Mayfield rode out Hurricane Katrina at his home, then disappeared during the subsequent evacuation. "Everybody's been asking me, `How do you deal with this thing with your dad?' More so than ever, we've got to do what it is that we do. What I do is play the trumpet and write music. So that's how I'm dealing with this." To that end, Mayfield reconvenes the 17-piece New Orleans Jazz Orchestra this week for a series billed as "the cultural reopening of New Orleans." It's largely funded by a local Episcopal church and the donations of Episcopalians across the country.

Vatican's document on homosexuality; Tom DeLay and tobacco; the Rapture Index

RNS starts Friday's report with an update from Stacy Meichtry in the Vatican City on the soon-to-be-released Vatican document on homosexuality: After a series of conflicting leaks regarding the content of the document in the U.S. and Italian media, the conservative daily Il Giornale of Milan published a report containing the first excerpts and direct quotes. "The Church cannot admit to the priesthood those who practice homosexuality, have deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or those who support the so-called `gay culture,"' Il Giornale quoted the document as stating. The Vatican will reportedly publish the document Nov. 29 under the title "Instruction on the criteria of vocational discernment regarding people with homosexual tendencies in view of their admission to the priesthood and to sacred orders."

Bruce Taylor Seeman writes about the pressure religious leaders are putting on Tom DeLay for FDA tobacco control: Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, indicted by a grand jury in his home state and bounced from his leadership position in Congress, has another distraction: Interfaith groups are pressuring him to drop his opposition to Food and Drug Administration oversight of cigarettes sales, which health experts say could save thousands of American lives. Religious leaders say they have leaped into the smoking issue for moral reasons. It is wrong, they argue, for tobacco companies to market lethal and addictive products, particularly to youths.

Finally, we report on the "Rapture Index," a feature on the Web site www.raptureready.com that measures how quickly the world is careering toward the Second Coming of Christ. Nancy Haught writes: On a good day, it claims 15,000 hits. Interest is peaking, spurred on by the apparent frequency and intensity of earthly disasters, last month's release of the third "Left Behind" movie and the prospect of a bird-flu pandemic.

Concert promoters just interested in `Redeemer'

Quote of the Day: Christian musician Nicole C. Mullen

"Don't waste my time. If you just want `Redeemer,' hire the best singer in your church. I will send you my personal soundtrack."

Christian singer Nicole C. Mullen, speaking of her frustration when concert promoters seem to only be interested in her for one or two songs instead of her entire presentation. She was quoted by Charisma magazine.

Volunteer wants more help for Hurricane Katrina victims

Quote of the Day: Presbyterian Volunteer Cathryn Rolfe

"I know our mission trips overseas are important, but these are our neighbors, and you need to get off your duff and forgo your own comfort zone and get down here, because you cannot imagine the mental and emotional devastation."

-- Cathryn Rolfe of Nashville, Tenn., a volunteer with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, on clean-up efforts from Hurricane Katrina in Long Beach, Miss. She was quoted by Presbyterian News Service.

When is a turkey not a turkey?

The Culture Wars Make a Stop at Thanksgiving

When it becomes a political and agenda-driven football. G. Jeffrey MacDonald looks at efforts to shape the meaning of Thanksgiving Day in the US in this week's RNS full-text article, linked above.

Quote: The efforts to define Thanksgiving's deepest meaning, one dining room table at a time, mirror larger, sometimes political, agendas to shape how Americans understand their country as one nation under God.

Protecting the expression of Christian beliefs

Quote of the Day: Thomas More Law Center President Richard Thompson

"America's culture has been influenced by Christianity from the very beginning but there is an attempt to slowly remove every symbol of Christianity and religious faith in our country. This is a very dangerous movement because what will ultimately happen is, out of sight, out of mind."

-- Richard Thompson, president of the Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., explaining why his organization works to protect the expression of Christian beliefs in the public square. Thompson, whose center has defended a Pennsylvania school district's inclusion of intelligent design, was quoted by The New York Times.

Defining Thanksgiving; Gay Episcoal bishop's remarks on Catholic Church; An alliance between liberals and evangelicals

Tuesday's RNS report looks at different attempts to define the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday in terms of the nation's divine destiny. G. Jeffrey MacDonald writes: Ever since John Winthrop proclaimed in 1630 a mission to establish "a shining city on a hill" to inspire the world, America has grappled with notions of a national destiny led by the hand of God. Now questions of divine national purpose are playing out in a new setting: the Thanksgiving table. Several agenda-driven groups are equipping gatherings nationwide with reflections on the holiday's meaning. Like the particular snippets of American history invoked in each, the reflections vary according to each group's answer to the divine destiny question.

Associate Editor Kevin Eckstrom talks to Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson about his recent remarks about the Catholic Church. Robinson, who is openly gay and whose 2003 election now threatens to split the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion, had criticized Pope Benedict XVI and suggested that frustrated Catholics could find a new home in the badly divided Episcopal Church. Eckstrom writes that Robinson denied accusations that he was trying to lure Catholics out of their churches. Still, Robinson said many Catholics who could no longer "hang in there" have joined the Episcopal Church after they "threw up their hands" when the conservative new pope was elected last spring. Reached on Monday during a layover at the Philadelphia airport, Robinson stood by his comments but insisted his critique was directed not at the church but at conservatives who say homosexuals were the cause of the Catholics' sexual abuse scandal.

Nicole LaRosa reports on the uneasy alliance being forged between liberals and evangelicals: When evangelicals took center stage at an interfaith "Make Poverty History" rally, the Rev. Chloe Breyer was uneasy at first. A progressive Episcopal priest and a staunch defender of abortion rights, she worried how evangelicals might upset a left-leaning coalition of religious activists lobbying the United Nations World Summit. She became impressed, however, with evangelicals' stories of relief work in Sierra Leone, their quick response to Hurricane Katrina and even their willingness to criticize President Bush on some issues, like foreign aid. "It was eye-opening for me," said Breyer. On a spectrum of topics ranging from genocide in Sudan to global warming around the world, liberal religious groups are beginning to see evangelical Christians as their unlikely allies. As evangelicals exert increasing political influence, particularly with the Bush White House, progressive religious activists are seeking ways to collaborate without compromising their principles.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.

Quote of the Day: Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.

"Moral Disaster of Monumental Proportion Reconciliation Act."

-- Proposed title of the 2006 budget bill, offered by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. Lautenberg borrowed the "moral disaster of monumental proportion" language from a letter by religious leaders that criticized cuts in the proposed budget.

The last crusade

Quote of the Day: Evangelist Billy Graham

"Ruth and I have enjoyed our time together these last few months, and we both feel at peace about the decision to have the New York meetings be our last. We know that God can still use us to reach people with the gospel message in other ways, and we look forward to seeing how he will do so."

-- Evangelist Billy Graham, in a statement issued days before he celebrated his 87th birthday on Nov. 7. He held his last crusade in June in New York.

Stress-relieving Zen meditation; Religion and union dues

Monday's RNS report begins with a story about busy New Yorkers relieving stress with zen meditation. Leslie Palma Simoncek writes: It's harder than it looks. Sitting still, counting exhalations, clearing the mind. It's just about impossible for over-stressed, multi-tasking New Yorkers with more things on their daily to-do list than there are days in the week to do them. But those who practice Zen meditation say if you keep working at it, those lists and all the chores attached to them will float away like bubbles on a breeze. "The first step is creating some quiet, some peace in your life," says Kenneth Byalin, who leads a Zen group that meets every Tuesday night at Mount Manresa Jesuit Retreat House. While Zen meditation is a 2,500-year-old Buddhist practice, its non-denominational character appeals to the members of the small, interfaith group. "There is no Catholic Zen, Jewish Zen or Islamic Zen," says Byalin. "It has no theology."

Bill Sloat reports from Cincinnati that the Bush administration has challenged Ohio's labor contract with 36,000 public employees, arguing in federal court that the state violated religious freedoms guaranteed under the 1964 Civil Rights Act: The case could have national ramifications. It hinges on the issue of whether Ohio compels nonunion workers who oppose abortion rights and gay rights to finance organizations with which they disagree. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled unions could not use money collected from nonunion workers for political activities those workers opposed. However, the unions could charge those workers for representation. In an unsual move, Justice Department civil rights lawyers are pushing Ohio to free state workers with religious objections from those costs, too.

The ethics of reproductive technology; The Crusades on the History Channel; Ushpizin

Friday RNS is publishing a feature on prenatal gender tests and two reviews. Peggy O'Crowley reports on the ethical questions arising from new and more accurate reproductive technologies: After learning that she was pregnant, Erin Rivera purchased a Baby Gender Mentor test kit, which claims a 99.9 percent accuracy rate. Rivera learned that she was carrying a boy. Three weeks later, she was told by the lab director who performed the test that she should have genetic testing. The gender test, he told her, showed an elevated level of protein in her blood. Such a level could indicate chromosomal abnormalities, she was told. More information than she wanted, Rivera said. As reproductive technology advances, new, unanticipated ethical questions are arising even as critics challenge the very accuracy of such tests. Taken together, these challenges could derail the emerging niche industry.

Our first review is a look at the History Channel's upcoming documentary "The Crusades: Crescent & the Cross" airing Sunday and Monday. Ted Mahar writes: The Crusades lasted close to 200 years and constituted one of the pivotal events in world history. Having occurred two centuries before Columbus landed in the Americas, they mean nothing to most Americans, whatever they may mean to the American future. But the Crusades are discussed in Middle East cafes as if they happened last week, says historian and novelist Tariq Ali, one of many scholars who describe events in the documentary.

Lisa Rose reviews a new film called "Ushpizin": In the Israeli fable "Ushpizin," unexpected guests arrive at the home of an Orthodox Jewish couple (real-life spouses Shuli Rand and Michal Bat Sheva Rand) over the holiday of Sukkot, a harvest celebration during which visitors are traditionally housed in thatched huts built to stand a week. The guests are less than pious, escaped convicts whose unruly behavior causes a scandal in the strictly religious neighborhood. The movie, shot in accordance with the rules and customs of Orthodox Judaism, vividly captures a community that has historically kept itself cloistered away from mainstream culture.

Tribute from the Archbishop of Canterbury

Quote of the Day: Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury

"Jesus tells us not to fear those who can destroy the body, but those who can destroy body and soul. And part of the sickness of spirit we feel when confronted with terrorism is that we face people whose souls are damaged, almost destroyed."

-- Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams at a memorial service for the 52 people who died in the London bombings in July. The service was held Wednesday (Nov. 2.) at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

Evangelicals embrace mystery; Spain's Sagrada Familia; and the "painter of light's" methods

G. Jeffrey MacDonald writes in Thursday's RNS report about evangelicals' greater acceptance of mystery in the wake of recent natural disasters: As a Baptist preacher in Waco, Texas, Randall O'Brien knows the Bible says disasters can be signs of God's judgment. But he's not preaching anything of the sort, not even in this year marked by one natural disaster after another. Instead, he's joining other evangelical Protestantleaders in offering an answer that would have been unthinkable for a Bible-quoting preacher even one generation ago. Despite all he knows from Scripture, O'Brien is proclaiming God to be a mystery, at least when calamity occurs. What O'Brien illustrates is a growing admittance of puzzlement in evangelical circles. That has prompted some religion scholars to wonder if understandings of God -- and religious authority -- might be undergoing some subtle but significant revisions among one of this country's largest and most influential religious groups.

Elizabeth Bryant discusses the seemingly endless work in progress that is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain: The Sagrada Familia soars above this Mediterranean cityscape, a whimsical confection of airy bell towers, triumphant angels and jewel-colored pinnacles. Nearly 125 years after the first stone was laid, this massive church represents the last great Roman Catholic edifice being built on a continent where religious observance is tumbling, and the Vatican's preachings for many appear obsolete. But rather than a forsaken symbol of bygone devotion, the Sagrada Familia is Spain's most visited tourist attraction -- even as its original architect, Antoni Gaudi, is on a fast track to sainthood. Nobody seems to know exactly when the church will be completed; estimates range up to 30 years or more. And until recently, nobody seemed to care.

Finally we take a look at painter Thomas Kinkade's methods in a feature by David Dunkle: Thomas Kinkade laughs at people who think he doesn't paint much anymore, or who believe he doesn't do his own work. "I love this mythology that I have a huge studio with all these artists hidden away, doing my work for me," Kinkade said during a telephone interview from his studio in Morgan Hill, Calif. "I would like to know where all those artists are. I could use them." Kinkade is known as the "painter of light" for his trademark paintings of warmly glowing cottages and lighthouses. In an interview, he discussed the work that has made him one of this country's most popular Christian artists.

John Danforth addressing progressive Episcopalians

Quote of the Day: Former U.N. Ambassador John Danforth

"You may disagree with everything they (conservatives) say and every position they take and every candidate they support, but they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they too read the Bible, and they too try to be faithful."

-- John Danforth, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and an Episcopal priest, addressing a gathering in Washington of progressive Episcopalians.

The Highest Court

Supreme Court Considers Use of Hallucinogenic Religious Tea

No, the Justices aren't pondering a change in the offerings of the Supreme Court coffee room. In this week's full-text RNS article, linked above, associate editor Kevin Eckstrom looks at the efforts of a small Christian sect to import hoasca tea, which contains hallucinogens and is used in a sacramental rite. Their case was argued before the Supreme Court earlier this week.

Quote: UDV members say the tea, which is brewed in the religion's Brazilian homeland, gives them a "heightened spiritual awareness" that allows them to communicate with God. UDV compares the tea with sacramental wine used in the Christian sacrament of Communion.

and

Several justices asked why hoasca should be banned when peyote -- used in Native American rituals -- is allowed. "Peyote seems to have been administered without the sky falling in," said Justice Stephen Breyer.

The Catholic nominee; religion and health

Kevin Eckstrom and Jason Kane write in Wednesday's RNS report on President Bush's new Supreme Court nominee. If Judge Samuel Alito is confirmed as the next member of the U.S. Supreme Court, he will become the fifth Catholic on the current court and will usher in the court's first-ever Catholic majority: Alito would join fellow Catholics Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Anthony Kennedy and Chief Justice John Roberts on the court. The development is significant in a number of ways, most notably as near-certain proof that Catholics have finally exorcised the ghosts of anti-Catholicism from politics past. And in a related way, Alito and Roberts' strong support from evangelical Christians shows how much relations between the two faiths have improved over the past 40 years, when many Protestants were deeply skeptical of Catholic John F. Kennedy's run for the White House in 1960.

Jeff Diamant and Joe Malinconico continue with some background on Alito's personal life: His neighbors have always known Samuel A. Alito Jr. was an important guy. After all, his work as a federal prosecutor and judge often made the newspapers. But in the western suburbs of Essex County, N.J., he is also known for his life away from work. Thrilled by his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, Alito's friends and acquaintances spoke about his calm on the baseball diamond coaching his son's youth league, his dedication to high school mock trial competitions, his attendance at Sunday Mass, and his friendly manner in the yard or across the backyard fence. The Alito family has belonged to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church in Roseland, N.J., for nearly 20 years.

We also report on faith-based groups jumping into the international health arena. Nicole LaRosa writes: Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders joined Bill Clinton and Bill Gates at Time magazine's global health conference in New York this week to discuss religion's role in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other health threats. United Methodist officials announced an anti-malaria initiative using mosquito nets and wind-up radios in sub-Saharan Africa. Evangelical pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren publicized his PEACE plan, for which he has recruited 15,000 congregants for church-to-church health ministry overseas. Pointing out the unique advantage of faith-based groups, Warren said rural villages in developing nations may not have a post office or a clinic, "but they got a church."

The material girl on spiritual matters

Quote of the Day: Pop Singer Madonna

"I woke up one day and thought, `My God, I'm about to have a baby; how am I going to teach my child what the meaning of life is when I don't know myself?' If she asks why she's here and who is God or why are people suffering, I want to have answers. And I want to ask those questions, too."

-- Pop singer Madonna in an interview with USA Today about how the birth of her daughter affected her thinking about spiritual matters.

Hallucinogenic tea; Orthodox Jewish politicians; and the faith-based response to Katrina

Tuesday's RNS report includes an article by Kevin Eckstrom looking at a case before the Supreme Court about whether to ban a sacramental tea: Lawyers for a small Christian sect asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to allow the importation of a hallucinogenic tea from Brazil, a move that government officials say violates federal drug laws. The justices seemed skeptical that the government has a compelling reason to ban the sacramental hoasca tea, which is used by the 140 members of the O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao de Vegetal (UDV), mostly in New Mexico. A 1993 law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, compels the government to allow religious practice unless it has a compelling interest not to. Several justices asked why hoasca should be banned when peyote, used in Native American rituals, is allowed. "Peyote seems to have been administered without the sky falling in," said Justice Stephen Breyer. At the same time, the high court appeared torn over whether the plants that are used to make the tea are banned under a 1971 international drug treaty.

Sally Goldenberg reports from New York on Orthodox Jewish politicians meshing their faith with the demands of their careers: David Ceder, the Democratic opponent to City Councilman James Oddo in the Nov. 8 election, has spent most of the past five months scurrying around Staten Island with his family in an ambitious attempt to collect signatures and establish himself beyond his Willowbrook neighborhood. But the political novice has lost valuable face time in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Ceder is an Orthodox Jew. His religious commitment restricted him from campaigning for most of October, which comprises 20 days of religious observance between holidays and the weekly Sabbath. For 10 of those days, he had to stop working before sundown to mark the official start of all Jewish holidays, thereby cutting himself off fromfrequent evening political functions. Still, Ceder, a candidate in the heavily Orthodox mid-Island district that includes parts of Brooklyn, envisions a healthy marriage between an Orthodox lifestyle and a job in politics. His sentiment is evidence of the increasing comfort Orthodox Jewsfeel toward their roles in public life.

We also have an update on the faith-based response to Hurricane Katrina, by Bruce Nolan in New Orleans: In the eight weeks since Hurricane Katrina, Southern Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, Lutherans and hundreds of volunteers from unaffiliated churches have poured tens of millions of dollars in private relief and volunteer labor into the region. Sometimes sleeping on bedrolls or cots in borrowed churches, they deploy daily to prepare food, spread tarpaulins over damaged roofs, saw trees off homes or rip out sodden wallboard. Others hand out household cleaning kits, distribute debit cards for gasoline and household goods, and sometimes provide a partner for prayer or a shoulder to lean on. The Katrina effort, many church relief officialssaid, dwarfs any previous faith-based domestic relief effort in memory, including that which followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Fighting the battle

Quote of the Day: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Executive John Carr

"I think many of us, particularly those of us who are raising teenagers, feel like we're in a battle for our kids' hearts, minds and souls and sometimes we're not winning. It occurred to me the other day, the only people who don't have sex on network television are married people."

-- John Carr, secretary of the Department of Social Development and World Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaking at a forum of the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation in Washington on Oct. 25.