Bush Library; Christian Churches Together

In Tuesday's RNS report G. Jeffrey MacDonald writes that the proposed Bush library is dividing U.S. Methodists: A controversial proposal to locate a George W. Bush presidential library, museum and policy institute at Southern Methodist University is becoming much more than a squabble within the university. For strong voices on both sides, it has touched off a fresh battle to define what lies at the heart of United Methodism -- and perhaps the heart of Christianity. For supporters, the plan for SMU would bear witness to Methodism's ability to tolerate a diverse range of political expressions. Critics, meanwhile, say a Bush Policy Institute would mark an unacceptable betrayal of what they regard as indispensable Methodist principles, such as non-aggression toward neighbors and disavowal of torture. Meanwhile, more than 9,000 Methodists, including bishops and members of Bush's home church in Dallas, have signed a petition to keep the Bush facility off SMU's campus.

Adelle M. Banks reports on a new Christian ecumenical group that is looking forward to its first official meeting: In an age of schisms and denominational division, members of five segments of Christianity are celebrating their ability to meet and work together on issues like poverty and evangelism. Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) will gather 36 leaders of denominations and faith groups for the official Feb. 7 celebration of their formation into a new network that its officials consider unprecedented. The worship service, which will feature a procession of clergy and a candlelight ceremony, will be a highlight of a Feb. 6-9 meeting in Pasadena, Calif. It marks a juncture for interdenominational relations that began with meetings in 2001 and includes Catholics, evangelicals and Pentecostals, Orthodox, mainline Protestants and racial/ethnic churches.

Catholic pilgrimage; Religion training for the gov't; Obit of the Rev. Robert F. Drinan

Monday's RNS report starts with a story by Katherine Boyle about a pilgrim on a trek to experience 365 Catholic churches in 365 days: David Heimann is not your ordinary pilgrim. Every day, the Illinois native walks into a different Roman Catholic church. Afterward, he turns to the Internet to blog about his experience, providing links to pictures of the churches through Google Earth. Heimann left his job at a Catholic church in Chicago to embark upon a yearlong, high-tech pilgrimage that will take him to 365 churches in 35 countries across five continents. "Sometimes ... we become so focused on our immediate experience of church that our only community is the one we go to every Sunday," Heimann said. "As you look across the United States and across the world, of course (the church) is thriving with great diversity, and it's easy to show on a Web site."

Boyle also reports on the religion training being given to employees at the Justice and Homeland Security departments: The departments of Justice and Homeland Security have begun training employees to better understand and protect the civil liberties of American Muslims, Sikhs and other minority ethnic and religious groups in the wake of Sept. 11. Responding to increased incidents of prejudice, federal officials are attempting to involve the communities in homeland security efforts "in a positive way," said Daniel Sutherland, officer for civil rights and civil liberties at Homeland Security. "We emphasize to our work force that we are not asking them to engage in something that is politically correct or what some people call sensitivity training; we're just trying to give them the skills they need to do their jobs most effectively."

The first Catholic priest to serve in Congress has died, report Adelle M. Banks and Melissa Stee: The Rev. Robert F. Drinan, the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as a voting member of the U.S. Congress, died Sunday (Jan. 28) in a Washington hospital. Drinan, who represented Massachusetts as a Democrat for a decade starting in 1971, suffered congestive heart failure and pneumonia in the 10 days before his death, said the Rev. John Langan, rector of the Georgetown University Jesuit Community, of which Drinan was a member. The Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at Georgetown's Woodstock Theological Center, used to have lunch with Drinan, whose "distinguished life" included serving as a lawyer and a spokesman for human and civil rights. "He wasn't in Congress representing the Catholic Church," said Reese, a fellow Jesuit."He was representing the people of his district and the good of the country as he saw it."

Mainstreaming Spirituality

Quote of the Day: Buddhist Monk and Author Matthieu Ricard

"The idea of meditation as developing some mental skills is now coming in to replace the old notion of someone blissing out under a bongo tree."

-- Buddhist monk and author Matthieu Ricard, speaking about the use of meditation for cognitive development and stress relief. He was quoted by The Washington Post.

Beatle Religion

The Gospel According to John, Ringo, Paul and George

Bob Carlton takes a look at rock music writer Steve Turner's "The Gospel According to the Beatles,” in this week's full-text RNS article, linked above.

Quote:

“Religion seemed sort of dull and conformist and rock’n’roll was sort of shiny and exciting, and the two didn't seem to meet at all. Then when the Beatles started asking questions about meaning and singing songs like ‘Nowhere Man,’ they actually investigated religion."

Carter at Brandeis; 10 minutes with Alexandra Pelosi; Birmingham churches; the Trinity debate

G. Jeffrey MacDonald writes in Wednesday's RNS report about Former President Carter's defense of his controversial book at Brandeis: Former President Jimmy Carter, speaking Tuesday (Jan. 23) before critics at a predominantly Jewish university, apologized for failing to make clear in a new book that terrorism is never justified as a political tool. But Carter defended the book's controversial title -- "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" -- by telling a capacity crowd of about 1,700 that he aims to be "provocative" and draw attention to the fact that "Palestinians are being terribly treated" in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In our feature 10 Minutes With..., Shona Crabtree talks with Alexandra Pelosi about her HBO documentary on evangelicals, "Friends of God"; her changing relationship with the church; and what role she thinks evangelicals will play in the 2008 presidential election.

A year later, burned churches are rising from the ashes in Birmingham, Ala., reports Greg Garrison: It has been nearly a year since nine Alabama churches were set on fire by three Birmingham college students, but a lot of rebuilding work remains. By late 2007, those nine churches expect to be restored or have larger, more modern facilities. "It's been a great struggle and there is a lot still to do," said the Rev. Robert Murphy, pastor of Pleasant Sabine Baptist Church in Bibb County. Much of the rebuilding has been funded by donations.

Senior Correspondent Adelle M. Banks looks at the Trinity debate, in which scholars are asking who comes first: The Holy Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- has been a source of debate for centuries among theologians. The issue of the proper roles for men and women, a comparatively newer fight, has been brewing especially strong in the last two decades among evangelical Christians. Now the two arguments have merged into one, as some scholars link their belief in a Bible-approved submission of women to men to a belief that the Bible indicates that Jesus is eternally subordinate to God. The otherwise esoteric theological discussion among certain evangelical scholars recently went public.

My Sweet Lord: Revisiting the Beatles and Transcendental Meditation

RNS offers a special package of four stories as part of its Tuesday report, called My Sweet Lord: Revisiting the Beatles and Transcendental Meditation. The articles included are as follows:

The Gospel According to John, Ringo, Paul and George, by Bob Carlton:
Forty years after John Lennon made his infamous and often misunderstood comment that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus" -- spawning ban-the-Beatles protests -- rock music writer Steve Turner explores the Fab Four's spiritual quest in his latest book, "The Gospel According to the Beatles."

Transcendental Meditation Makes a Comeback, by Nora O'Dowd:
"TM? Is that still around?" That's the immediate reaction of many to the mention of Transcendental Meditation. After a bright turn in the psychedelic limelight of the 1960s when it was embraced by celebrities such as the Beatles and Donovan, it seemed to go the way of bellbottoms, flower power and love beads. But others maintain that it's never gone away. Even in the years when TM "was not so popular in the United States, it was extremely popular in other areas of the world," says Bill Sands, director of the Maharishi Enlightenment Center in Paoli, Pa.

Beatles' Spiritual Guru Is Still Going Strong, by Amanda Garrett:
The Maharishi, who was embraced as a spiritual guru to the Beatles four decades ago, wants to open 3,000 so-called Peace Palaces around the world. He has opened an accredited university in Iowa, promised tantalizing superhuman powers, vowed to bring world peace and launched a political party, which in 2004 endorsed Rep. Dennis Kucinich's bid for the presidency. He also amassed a fortune estimated between $5 billion and $9 billion with his web of businesses and charities. His latest strategy is to do for yogic flying what Starbucks has done for a cup of coffee. Is the Maharishi selling religion? A cult? A pile of rubbish? People have been trying to figure that out for a long time.

Questions and Answers on TM With David Lynch, by Michael Kress:
In works such as "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks," filmmaker David Lynch has explored the darker side of human nature. In his personal life, though, Lynch has found contentment and balance by practicing Transcendental Meditation, or TM. Popularized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, TM involves twice-daily sessions in which practitioners meditate on a specific mantra. In recent years, Lynch has worked to publicize scientific research on the benefits of TM, and his David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace works to bring TM into schools to reduce student stress. Lynch spoke with Beliefnet about the effects of TM on his life and his plans for bringing the Maharishi's teachings to a much broader audience.

Merton's Abbey; Earth Sanctuary

Friday's RNS report features a look at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Ky., where silence speaks louder than words. Roy Hoffman reports: Like a pale fortress over the scarlet hills, the Abbey of Gethsemani rises at the end of Monk's Road. Founded in 1848 by French Trappist monks, Gethsemani is now home to about 70 monks who spend their days in work and prayer. It's also the yearly destination for 4,500 faithful, who stay for short periods in the retreat house, and an equal number of visitors who come to walk the grounds and visit the church and reception center. Visiting Gethsemani, it's impossible not to think about onetime resident Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk who wrote elegant poetry as well as a spiritual memoir, "The Seven Storey Mountain," among other books.

A spiritual retreat is not a vacation, writes correspondent Nanine Alexander in her first-person account: The sky is clouded but promising the first day of my solo retreat at Earth Sanctuary on Washington's Whidbey Island. I brush my teeth and dress, ready to go for my early-morning walk. I step quickly onto the back porch and close the door. Locking myself out. And so begins another day on the road to serenity. As a member of the generation that went in search of itself, I've come to realize that a lot of us are searching again. The number of people going on individual retreats in search of meaning in their lives is on the rise, according to the Travel Industry Association of America, a leading nonprofit trade association. But don't think this quest for meaning is limited to my baby boom generation. My quest was rooted in something very simple: I need periodic escapes from people and noise.

Episcopal Mother Church in Georgia Stays...

After some edgy moments (see here http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=16979 and here http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=16914) tensions between Christ Church in Savannah, Georgia, the diocese's mother church, and Bishop Henry Louttit seem to have eased a bit.

The scrum was over funds and theology. Christ Church had not paid is annual dues; Bishop Louttit seemed to be losing patience. According to a letter from the diocese's chancellor in November he was thisclose to booting the church's leadership from ECUSA. Oh, and did I mention Christ Church is a member of the Anglican Communion Network, the conservative ecclesial body set up to counter to ECUSA? And that they wanted exactly none of their annual "giving" to go to the national church?

Louttit doesn't mention how the financial situation was rectified. But it will be interesting to watch the diocese's annual assembly next month. Word is, some parishes that have been giving the full amount are not at all pleased with Christ Church's reluctance to pony up.



The Episcopal Church
The Diocese of Georgia

January 16, 2007



Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As many of you know, there have been on-going consultations between the Diocese and the clergy and lay leadership of Christ Church, Savannah. The first indication that many of you had about this was the letter sent out by our Diocesan Chancellor, Mr. James L. Elliott, to the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of Christ Church. Although there was an expressed mutual desire on the part of both Christ Church and me to resolve our issues in confidence with one another and without the specter of public debate, parts of the letter became the basis of a parish meeting at Christ Church. Our action in sending this letter out to parishioners and to diocesan clergy was in the interest of assuring that the full text be made available for all concerned. In the absence of a larger context and some background, this letter probably seemed to reflect a radical action taken with a 'zero-tolerance' approach, however this was not the intent. Suffice it to say that our Chancellor's letter represents only part of a process that has being going on for the last few years.

In meetings over the last few years, and more recently, in meetings involving the President of the Standing Committee, the Chancellor, and the Canon to the Ordinary, I have met with the clergy and lay leadership of Christ Church to discuss these issues and their concerns. Our on-going conversation has covered a number of issues, with Christ Church's financial support of the diocese (a canonical requirement of a parish) as only one of them. The issues have revolved around the question of whether the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of Christ Church desire to remain a part of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and therefore, whether they are willing to acknowledge me as their bishop, and whether they can live into their responsibilities under the canons and constitution of the church. The actions and words of the clergy and lay leadership have indicated to me a desire to leave this part of Christ's Church, but at our most recent meeting, which was subsequent to the publication of the chancellor's letter, they have assured me that, at this time, they intend to be members of this diocese. We will continue to be in dialogue, seeking, with God's help, a way forward for all of us.

I trust that many of you know how willing I am to understand the other side of issues that arise. Many of you also know that it grieves me deeply to take any actions that might bring great sadness or division. Yet, as your bishop, I believe I am doing the right thing. The Standing Committee has been kept fully apprised of the on-going dialogue, has participated in this journey with their prayers and counsel, and is unanimous in their support.

It has been my fervent prayer that we in the Diocese of Georgia be spared the difficulties some other dioceses are going through. I have worked, and will continue to work, to celebrate our diversity. I ask for your continued prayers for me, the clergy and the people Christ Church, Savannah, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Georgia.

Sincerely,
Henry I. Louttit
Bishop of Georgia

HIL/ged

Paris vs. Jesus

Quote of the Day: Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi

"I believe in the culture war. And you know what? If I have to take a side in the culture war, I'll take their side. Because if you give me the choice of Paris Hilton or Jesus, I'll take Jesus."

-- Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, talking to The New York Times about her new film, "Friends of God," about evangelical Christians. She is the daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Vatican v China; Defiant Catholics; Water from Mecca; Canadian secularism

Vatican correspondent Stacy Meichtry reports in Thursday's RNS report that the Vatican is considering taking a harder line towards China: The Vatican's push for dialogue with China is set to go under the microscope Friday (Jan. 19), when a group of the pope's top advisers will meet to discuss whether the Vatican should take a harder line towards Beijing for repeatedly consecrating bishops without the pope's approval. The two-day conference, which the Vatican confirmed in a statement on Thursday, underscores the difficulty Pope Benedict XVI faces in restoring formal ties with Beijing that were severed more than a half-century ago. Although relations began to thaw in recent years, especially after Benedict's election, the push for reconciliation has also intensified a power struggle for control over China's Roman Catholic clergy.

Jeff Diamant reports on defiant Catholics who leave the church, but keep their faith: She grew up Roman Catholic, but like millions of others, Rebecca Ortelli came to disagree with church teachings on contraception, Communion and priestly celibacy, among other things. Many like-minded Catholics drift away from the church or join other denominations. But Ortelli, 57, wanted to maintain both her Catholic identity and her world view. And she didn't want to feel one was inconsistent with the other. So 20 years ago she did what a small number of defiant Catholics are doing. She joined a church with many lifelong Catholics of similar views, a church that borrows heavily from Catholic rituals even though it's not part of a Catholic diocese.

Kathleen O'Brien writes about Muslims who bring "zamzam" water back from Mecca: It makes perfect sense to carry water to the desert. But why would anyone take the trouble to bring some back? If it is "zamzam" water, the answer is 1,400 years old: Muslims returning from the Hajj pilgrimage value it as a liquid memento from the holy city of Mecca. Once home, they drink it for its curative powers, and give small amounts -- along with dates -- to friends and relatives as a means of celebrating completion of their journey. They may even set aside some for their death, when it can be used both as a final ablution and to wash the burial shroud.

Will Canadian Secularism Spread South of the Border?, asks Vancouver correspondent Douglas Todd: The religious history of Canada is basically summed up in a scene in Denys Arcand's comedy-drama, "The Barbarian Invasions," says Mark Noll, one of the United States' most prominent religious historians. An aging priest laments what happened to Christianity in heavily Catholic Quebec. "In 1966 all the churches emptied out in a few weeks," the priest says. "No one can figure out why." The decline of Canadian Christianity may not have been quite so rapid, but Noll said Canada's transformation from a distinctly "Christian" nation to a decidedly secular one has recently caught the attention of American religious historians. Could it happen south of the border? Noll says probably not, but says it's a question worth asking.

Voice of the Faithful at Five

RNS' Daniel Burke profiles Catholic lay movement Voice of the Faithful, in this week's full text article.


Quote:

As VOTF passes the five-year milestone -- an accomplishment rare among social movements -- it faces crucial questions about the church reform it lobbies for, as well as the younger Catholics and momentum the group will need after the headlines and anger are gone.

"I think you have to move from anger to love," Fox said. "Anger can get people riled up but it's not sustainable. People get tired of being angry."

Scientists and evangelicals; 10 Minutes With Philip Jenkins; Thr3e; Bridgeport United Church of Christ

Wednesday's RNS report features an article by senior correspondent Adelle M. Banks on scientists and evangelicals coming together to overcome their mutual suspicion: They sat together at a long table at the National Press Club on Wednesday (Jan. 17), a dozen representatives of the scientific and evangelical communities. They not only declared their joint concern for the need to address climate change but their surprising discovery that they could be friends. Their news conference announced an "Urgent Call to Action," in which 28 signatories said they have begun "a major shared effort among scientists and evangelicals to protect life on Earth and the fragile life support systems that sustain it." But it turned into a literal time of testimony about how they have softened the mutual stereotypes and found a passionate determination to work together.

In this week's installment of our regular feature 10 Minutes With ..., national correspondent Daniel Burke talks with Philip Jenkins, professor of history and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University and author of two books on how Christianity's center of gravity is shifting to the "Global South," about Jenkins' book "The Next Christendom" and the upcoming meeting of Anglican primates in Tanzania.

Michael H. Kleinschrodt reviews the Christian horror film Thr3e: The scariest thing about director Robby Henson's Christian horror film "Thr3e" is the spelling of its title. The movie, distributed by Fox Faith, is an adaptation of the novel by Ted Dekker. I cannot comment on the book, but the movie is neither particularly Christian nor particularly horrific. While characters in "Thr3e" are fond of discussing the nature of evil, none ever attends a church service or even engages in prayer. Toward the end, one character says, "All that is needed to overcome evil is the power of God." That's all well and good, but no one seems to be invoking that power (which tends to undermine the movie's message).

Edward Hershey reports on a church in Portland, Ore., that houses three different faiths: "We're a different kind of church!" the Bridgeport United Church of Christ's Web site proclaims. How different? The church is home to a Jewish congregation and housed a Catholic liturgical community that may return. While it is common for synagogues and churches to share space, several experts say they know of no other Protestant-Jewish-Catholic partnership in the country. Bridgeport, which began in 1998 and moved into the modest two-story church in 2001, is a good venue for ecumenism, the Rev. Susan Leo says. "This building was built by Mormons back in the '30s, and there is no permanent symbolism anywhere," she says. "It feels like the presence of God without having anybody having to claim which faith of God is present."

History of Religion

Maps have a way of demonstrating just how small we are in the scheme of things--what one might call the "blip factor." Maps, like this History of Religion, which include a time axis (the spread of religion over 5,000 years) multiply that blip factor exponentially.

Putting the ol' ego aside, if you're looking for a fascinating, flash-animation look at where Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism have been these last five millenia, take a gander :http://www.mapsofwar.com/index.html.

Holy Eucharist or Bargaining Chip?

The politicization of the sacrament of Holy Communion continues apace, this time in the Catholic diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria, where the faithful were told that the way to the altar winds through the voting booth.

No voter's card, no communion: church - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

Money quote: "Whoever has not collected the voter's card after February 7 has automatically alienated himself from the community, the Church, the nation and will not be allowed to receive the Holy Communion.''

--From a church bulletin distributed in the Catholic diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria, via the Reuters news agency.

Slippery Slope

Quote of the Day: Christian Medical Association CEO David Stevens

"By stressing the educational level of sperm and egg donors, this center is preying on parents who have fallen victim to the false notion that babies are a status symbol, and that intelligence, race or appearance are somehow measures of worth. Do we really want to grade babies like meat in a supermarket?"

-- Dr. David Stevens, CEO of the Christian Medical Association, reacting to news of a Texas fertility clinic willing to offer infertile couples and single women the opportunity to order embryos based on detailed information provided about them.

A New Baptist Covenant

Carter, Clinton Meet With Baptists to Plan for New `Covenant'

RNS' Adelle M. Banks reports on the "celebration of a new Baptist covenant," a gathering to be held next January at the Carter Center in Atlanta which will bring together 40 Baptist organizations, as well as former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, to "emphasize their common goals."

Quote:

"Those of you who don't follow the ins and outs of various denominations in America, or did not have both the privilege and the burden to be raised in the Baptist church, cannot possibly appreciate how different this meeting is from what has gone on in our denomination the last 30 years," Clinton said at the news conference.

Leaping Faith

Quote of the Day: Retired Stuntman Evel Knievel

"I think about God a lot more than ever, though I used to ask him, `Help me make a good jump.'"

-- Retired stuntman Evel Knievel, speaking in an interview with USA Today. The former
daredevil, 68, uses a morphine pump to treat serious pain in a fused spine damaged by his risky motorcycle jumps from the 1960s and '70s.

Looking for Cash

Quote of the Day: Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk

"Ultimately, we depend on free-will offerings. If people don't like the product, they are likely to be less generous. We have no power of compulsion."

-- Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, talking to the Cincinnati Enquirer about his archdiocese's debt and declining revenues.

RNS Editor on NewsHour

Our esteemed editor, Kevin Eckstrom, was a guest on PBS's NewsHour Dec. 18, elucidating the increasingly complex story of schism within the Episcopal Church.

Online NewsHour: Update Parishes Leave Episcopal Church December 18, 2006 PBS

The Skating Nun

Gen-Xer Picks a Secluded Path and Finds Contentment

Janet Fillmore profiles Gen-X nun Sister Christina, who mixes a passion for in-line skating with the obligations of a cloistered life, in this week's full-text RNS article, linked above.

Quote:

What compelled the Gen-Xer -- a college graduate who enjoyed hanging out with friends; surfing the Internet for information on Gary Sinise, her favorite actor; and eating at Olive Garden -- to lock herself away from the world eight years ago?

Oath of Office Controversy

Quote of the Day: Muslim Congressman-elect Keith Ellison

"I'm a little incredulous about why anyone would care about what I'm going to swear on. In fact, if I swore on a book that wasn't of my tradition ... would you trust me?"

-- Muslim Congressman-elect Keith Ellison, speaking about the controversy surrounding his decision to take the oath of office on a Quran. He was quoted by the Detroit Free Press (Dec. 27).