No Belief in Dawkins in Turkey

Richard Dawkins may have a following and a best-selling book in the U.S., but apparently not in Turkey.

Update: Lotz Ministry Says Prayers Answered

We blogged earlier this week about Anne Graham Lotz's ministry announcing an "urgent prayer need" because a coliseum in Manila had said her Feb. 2 "Just Give Me Jesus" event was being cancelled and a cock fight would be held there instead. Well, the ministry run by the daughter of evangelist Billy Graham has just sent out this update:

Answered 11/30/07-
As you know our "Just Give Me Jesus" Metro Manila contract with Araneta Coliseum was broken and our date given to a cock fight. Twice we have made exhaustive, earnest, prayerful appeals to have our date reinstated. Twice we were firmly, flatly denied. But, the One who, when He opens the door, no man can shut - opened the door - and Araneta Coliseum has confirmed our date for February 2nd, 2008! Revival has begun!
Praise God! Praise God! And, thank you for your prayers!

He Still Loves Israel

Michelle Boorstein at the Post has a fascinating article on Theodor Herzl's (aka the founder of Zionism) grandson being exhumed from his grave in Washington to be buried near his relatives in Israel.

Stephen Theodore Norman was the only of Herzl's descendant to embrace Zionism, Boorstein writes.

"It wasn't sort of an obvious thing. Herzl didn't actually know [Norman]; it was a longer shot," said Jacob Dellal, spokesman for the Jewish Agency-World Zionist Organization, which represented Jews before the founding of the state. The group still shares jurisdiction over some state entities, including Mount Herzl.

Report: Obama is a Jihadist Vegetarian

Just kidding. WaPo cartoonist Tom Toles has a great take on the recent Obama-is-a-Muslim-in-disguise shenanigans.

If It Wasn't For Bad Luck...

...you know how the song goes. Rodney King, yes, that Rodney King, was hit by a shotgun blast while riding his bike in San Bernardino.

Oral Robertson University?

Speaking of Pat Robertson, the Virginian Pilot has this little nugget about Pat's offer to explore possible ties with the troubled Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, which remains in turmoil after ORU President Richard Roberts was forced out (Roberts said God told him to quit) under a cloud of allegations of lavish spending, improper sexual behavior and illegal politicking.

Both Roberts and Robertson are charismatic Christians with an eye for educating the next generation (Robertson founded Regent University in Virginia Beach).

“We are pleased to report that Dr. Pat Robertson, president and chancellor of Regent University and long-time friend of Oral Roberts University, has contacted members of the board of regents and has expressed interest in exploring options for the future of ORU with Regent University,” George Pearsons, chairman of the ORU Board of Regents, said in a statement posted on the university’s Web site.

Pearsons told the Oklahoman: "It's all open. It's all out there,” Pearsons said. "Pat's just interested in helping in any way he can. ... He really wants to see the university not only survive, but thrive.”

And then he added this little addendum, which might explain it all:

Pearsons also revealed that Robertson had made a "great” financial donation to ORU within the past month, but declined to release the amount.

Religious Liberty for All?

The case of the Regent University law student who pasted an, um, unflattering photo of Regent founder Pat Robertson on his Facebook page now heads to court.

Money quote, from Adam Key, the center at the center of it all:

"I went there because I wanted an environment conducive to learning that had a respect for religious liberty, but the only liberty they are interested in defending is theirs and people like them," Key said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.

O Mane Pad My Bills...

The PA state senate opened their session with a Buddhist prayer Tuesday night. No word in this article about what the prayer actually said, or even what school of Buddhism the pray-er follows (they call him Sensei, so I assume he's Zen).

Notwithstanding that, the reporter immediately moves on to the flap about prayer in the statehouse. Usual suspects, usual arguments.

Presby Pastor Throws Hat in Ring

Presbyterian News Service has word that the Rev. Bill Teng will stand for position of moderator of the PCUSA at the denomination's assembly in San Jose, Calif., next June.

I may be wrong but this is the first official announcement I've heard from any candidate.

Teng, who was born in Hong Kong and now pastors Heritage Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Va., says "Our denomination at this time really needs to have a sense of hope.”

Teng is vying to succeed the current moderator, Joan Gray, at the end of her term. The PCUSA is also accepting nominations to succeed the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the longtime stated clerk, who has said he'll step down at the end of his current term.

Mourning Hyde

Religious leaders from Cardinal George of Chicago to James Dobson of Colorado Springs are mourning former Rep. Henry Hyde today. I hadn't realized Hyde was author of the "Mexico City policy," which basically prohibits U.S. foreign aid from going to programs that offer abortion.

George says:
"His concern reached from those not yet born to immigrants. For all who believe that human life is a gift that should be protected, Henry Hyde was an inspiration. He stated once in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, 'God put us in the world to do noble things, to love and to cherish our fellow human beings.'"

Dobson said:

“As the author of legislation that came to be known as the ‘Mexico City Policy,’ Rep. Hyde helped prohibit federal money from being used to support abortion or abortion-related activities in countries around the world. The Democrat majority in both the House and Senate recently voted to rescind the policy – but it is likely to be thwarted, thankfully, by President Bush’s promised veto. How regrettable that Rep. Hyde was not in Congress to continue his struggle on behalf of vulnerable babies."

GOP Debaters Answer Biblical Question

A question of biblical proportions came up during Wednesday's CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate. A Dallas man held up a Bible to the camera during his videotaped query and asked if the candidates believed every word of it. Here's how the candidates, responded, according to a transcript in two parts from CNN Politics.com:

Anderson Cooper of CNN: Mayor Giuliani?
Mike Huckabee: Do I need to help you out, Mayor, on this one?
(Laughter)
(Applause)
Rudy Giuliani: Wait a second, you're the minister. You're going to help me out on this one.
Huckabee: I'm trying to help you out.
Giuliani: OK. The reality is, I believe it, but I don't believe it's necessarily literally true in every single respect. I think there are parts of the Bible that are interpretive. I think there are parts of the Bible that are allegorical. I think there are parts of the Bible that are meant to be interpreted in a modern context.
So, yes, I believe it. I think it's the great book ever written. I read it frequently. I read it very frequently when I've gone through the bigger crises in my life, and I find great wisdom in it, and it does define to a very large extent my faith. But I don't believe every single thing in the literal sense of Jonah being in the belly of the whale, or, you know, there are some things in it that I think were put there as allegorical.
Cooper: Governor Romney?
Mitt Romney: I believe the Bible is the word of God, absolutely. And I try...
(Applause)
... I try to live by it as well as I can, but I miss in a lot of ways. But it's a guide for my life and for hundreds of millions, billions of people around the world. I believe in the Bible.
Cooper: Does that mean you believe every word?
Romney: You know -- yes, I believe it's the word of God, the Bible is the word of God.
The Bible is the word of God. I mean, I might interpret the word differently than you interpret the word, but I read the Bible and I believe the Bible is the word of God. I don't disagree with the Bible. I try to live by it.
Cooper: Governor Huckabee?
Huckabee: Sure. I believe the Bible is exactly what it is. It's the word of revelation to us from God himself.
(Applause)
And the fact is that when people ask do we believe all of it, you either believe it or you don't believe it. But in the greater sense, I think what the question tried to make us feel like was that, well, if you believe the part that says "Go and pluck out your eye," well, none of us believe that we ought to go pluck out our eye. That obviously is allegorical.
But the Bible has some messages that nobody really can confuse and really not left up to interpretation. "Love your neighbor as yourself."
And as much as you've done it to the least of these brethren, you've done it unto me. Until we get those simple, real easy things right, I'm not sure we ought to spend a whole lot of time fighting over the other parts that are a little bit complicated.
And as the only person here on the stage with a theology degree, there are parts of it I don't fully comprehend and understand, because the Bible is a revelation of an infinite god, and no finite person is ever going to fully understand it. If they do, their god is too small.

Endorsement Watch: Huckabee Gains Falwell Jr. Endorsement

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has added a famous name among Christian conservatives to his list of endorsers: Jerry Falwell Jr., the son of the late Jerry Falwell and the president of Liberty University, which his father founded. “I knew Jerry’s dad for more than 30 years and have admired the long tradition of Liberty University and the legacy for creating ‘Champions for Christ,’’’ the GOP presidential candidate said in a statement. ``Dr. Falwell’s vision of helping students to start with nothing to believe they can change the world is exactly what our campaign is all about.’’

Here are some other recent decisions:

For former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
-- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson
-- Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

For former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:
-- Conservative leader Paul Weyrich
-- Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University

For Sen. John McCain:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas

For former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee:
--American Family Association Founder Donald Wildmon
-- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin
-- Former Southern Baptist Presidents Jimmy Draper, Jack Graham and Jerry Vines
--Charisma magazine founder Stephen Strang
--Vision America president Rick Scarborough
--Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver
--“Left Behind” series co-author Jerry Jenkins

For former Sen. Fred Thompson
--National Right to Life Committee

With a Middle Name Like Hussein ...

The Washington Post story today about the rumors swirling around Barack Obama that he's a closeted Muslim raise interesting questions about media responsibility -- specifically, where is the line between trafficking in rumors and reporting the news?

In a similar but unrelated vein, I'm often wondered where we draw the line in reporting on some of the more eccentric things that come out of Pat Robertson's or (the late) Jerry Falwell's mouths? Is every attack on Tinky Winky news? When James Dobson implies that SpongeBob SquarePants is gay, is it news, or does it only lend attention to something that's so absurd it should be ignored?

Back to Obama. His middle name is Hussein. His grandfather was a Muslim. He attended an elementary school in Indonesia that critics say was a madrassah. For the record: he's a member of the United Church of Christ, as Dan Burke noted here earlier.

Most of the rumors -- and they are just that, rumors -- come from the conservative press. They find new life on blogs and message boards. Obama himself has knocked this one down repeatedly, but some just refuse to believe him. From The Post:

The rumors about Obama have been echoed on Internet message boards and chain e-mails.
Bryan Keelin of Charleston, S.C., who works with an organization of churches there, posted on an Internet board his suspicion that Obama is a Muslim. "I assume his father instructed him on the ways of being a Muslim," said Keelin, who described himself in an interview as a conservative Republican who will vote for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

"The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out," says one of the e-mails that was posted recently on a blog at BarackObama.com, the campaign's Web site, by an Obama supporter who warned of an attempt to "Swift Boat" the candidate. "What better way to start than at the highest level, through the President of the United States, one of their own!"

Another e-mail, on a site called Snopes.com that tracks Internet rumors, starts, "Be careful, be very careful." It notes that "Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim," and that "since it is politically expedient to be a Christian when you are seeking political office in the United States, Obama joined the United Church of Christ to help purge any notion that he is still a Muslim."

So here we have the MSM -- the venerable Washington Post, no less -- repeating an untrue rumor that found new life on Snopes.com of all things. Is that responsible? Perhaps, although I was thought newspaper stories should be based on facts, not rumors.

Is it necessary? Unfortunately, probably yes, because once a story is out there (however true or untrue), it's a story nonetheless, and writing about those stories is how we earn our paycheck.

That said, I'm still not happy about it.

I like the Jesuits, and I love reading but ...

...I think I'll take a pass on this particular tome.

If the title don't put you off "A True and Perfect Relation of the Whole Proceedings Against the Late Most Barbarous Traitors, Garnet a Jesuit and His Confederates" (subtitles anyone?) ...

...how about this...

The book is believed to be bound with the skin of the later Father Henry Garnet.

The priest, at the time the head of the Jesuits in England, was executed May 3, 1606, outside St. Paul's Cathedral in London for his alleged role in a Catholic plot to detonate 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the British Parliament (aka the Gunpowder Plot), an act that would have killed the Protestant King James I and other government leaders.

Break out your checkbooks America, the book is due to be auctioned off Dec. 2.

Sid Wilkinson, the auctioneer, said: "The front cover is rather spooky because where the skin has mottled or crinkled there looks to be a bearded face."

In other words, it's a great coffee-table book. I think I'll wait for the leather-bound edition of "My Life With the Saints."

If ever there was a need for pictures. Alas, Catholic News Service didn't post any with the article.

Update: the London Telegraph has photos.

A Less Annoying Sudan Story

The good folks at United Methodist News Service have word that a Church in Tipp City, Ohio (Good place to be a waitress?) is trying to raise $1.5 million for relief efforts in Darfur.

Instead of buying boatloads of Christmas gifts, church leaders are asking for contributions for their "Christmas miracle offering."

Sounds kinda like a story we put out Tuesday on the "Advent Conspiracy"

Now, ain't that some Good News?

Father Andrew Greeley on Faithful Citizenship

Father Andrew Greeley's got a cogent analysis of the recent statement by U.S. Catholic Bishops on Faithful Citizenship in the Chicago's Sun-Times.

First off, Greeley says the media got it wrong. The bishops didn't say the eternal salvation of voters who vote for pro-abortion rights pols is in jeopardy. (The media don't do nuance very well, says he.) I'll try to follow up with the good father and see what we (I was in Baltimore and am implicated, I guess) got wrong.

Cutting to the chase (nuance be damned) here's Greeley's nut graph:

"I subscribe to the position that abortion, no matter how nearly universal in human history, is morally unacceptable (as is infanticide, which was far more frequent). But I wonder if it is proper or prudent to try to impose this Catholic moral view on a whole society that does not agree with us, especially when we cannot even persuade most of our own people. Might it not be a wiser strategy to strive to persuade the Catholic faithful, four-fifths of whom do not believe that it is always wrong, before trying to make Catholic morality the law of the land?"

Islam and Aaargh

Two stories in this a.m. WasPost combine Islam with a signficant aargh-factor.

Numero uno: Obama beating back from conservatives that he's a Muslim in disguise. The senator, who spent part of his youth in Indonesia, says:

"If I were a Muslim, I would let you know, " he said in Dubuque, Iowa, recently, according to CNN.com. "But I'm a member of Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street on the South Side of Chicago. We've got the best choir in town, and if you want to come and worship with us, you are more than welcome."

Numero dos: Authorities in Sudan have formally charged a British schoolteacher with inciting religious hatred for having a teddy bear named Muhammad.

Wait a minute, doesn't Sudan have bigger problems?

Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain calls the ordeal "shameful."

"This is a disgraceful decision and defies common sense. There was clearly no intention on the part of the teacher to deliberately insult the Islamic faith," he said.

The Golden Compass as Christmas Movie?

Some worry 'Compass' points kids in the wrong direction

RNS' Heather Donckels examines the controversy over the upcoming holiday film The Golden Compass, which is based on books by an avowed atheist, in this week's full-text article, linked above.

Quote:

Kiera McCaffery, a spokeswoman for the New York-based Catholic League, says the film is a hook to lure kids into a series of what she calls deeply anti-Catholic books.

"Once parents know about the books ... they're going to want to keep their children away from reading the books," said McCaffery, who has yet to see the film.

British Catholics to Blair: Don't go changin'

According to a forthcoming cover story (not yet online) in The Spectator of London, not all British Catholics are happy about former Prime Minister Tony Blair's expected conversion to the Church of Rome, given his record on such issues as abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and civil unions.

"Having Blair as a Catholic is like having a vegetarian in a meat-eating club," says one pro-life activist.

"Converts cannot cherry-pick which parts of the faith they agree with," observes an unnamed former underling of the prime minister. "It’s easier for cradle Catholics to dissent, but converts have to sign up to the whole agenda."

As to why Blair's record has evidently not disqualified him from membership in the church, one London priest explains: "The Catholic Church in England has been working-class Irish for yonks and we’ve only become socially acceptable in the last 30 years. It can be very flattering when you’re courted by the establishment."

"Golden Compass" Author Touted by Humanists

In the midst of the controversy about "The Golden Compass," a new movie that's been criticized for its adaptation from an atheist's novel, the American Humanist Association has weighed in with its support for author Philip Pullman. The Washington-based group has announced it will honor Pullman with its International Humanist Award next June. "Philip Pullman has provided humanistic fantasy stories that cut across religious barriers and can be enjoyed by most everyone,'' says Fred Edwords, director of communications for the association.

The Ayatollah and the Pope

Time's Jeff Israely reports that the Vatican may soon act as a key mediator in negotiations between Tehran and Washington over Iran's nuclear program.

Consider the irony of Pope Benedict—supposedly notorious in the Islamic world since his September 2006 speech in Regensburg, Germany—acting as peacemaker between a Muslim power and the West.

While the Time piece focuses on the all-important geopolitical implications of such a relationship, Jeff incidentally raises a fascinating point about similarities between the faiths practiced in Vatican City and Iran:

Religious experts say that Catholicism and Shi'a Islam have a surprisingly similar structure and approach to their different faiths. "What you have in Iran is a strong academic tradition, with both philosophical and mystical aspects — in many ways like Catholicism," says Father Daniel Madigan, a Jesuit scholar of Islam, and a member of the Vatican's commission for religious relations with Islam who helped arrange for Khatami's visit. There is also a clerical hierarchy in Shi'ism that is absent in other forms of Islam.

No doubt by coincidence, Reuters reports that the Vatican will soon issue a response to October's open letter signed by 138 Muslim scholars and clerics seeking better relations with the Christian world.

The Gospel According to Philip Seymour Hoffman

Our pal Jim Martin is excerpting parts of his book, "A Jesuit Off-Broadway," over at BustedHalo.

Today he's talking about his experience working with Philip Seymour Hoffman on the set of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot," where Jim served as a theological consultant.

"When I asked Phil Hoffman about his directing style on “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” he readily agreed with the inherent strength of the parable—or, in his words, the personal anecdote—in its ability to communicate more than a strictly worded directive.

"It's the way I normally direct," he said. "The anecdotes and stories spark a discussion with the actors and it starts a give-and-take about the character or the scene. And the more personal the better. If I can be open with my life, then the actors usually feel more comfortable expressing themselves through the work."

I asked if he ever felt the need to be more specific in his direction. "Sometimes you have to tell someone exactly what you want, but you can't dictate," he said. "You have to keep suggesting. Otherwise, the person becomes a sort of empty shell, and they end up performing in a way that's not at all, well, spiritual."

Is Mitt Romney nervous, or should he be?

Michael Luo tracks evangelical skepiticism over Mitt Romney -- one woman wondered if Mormon prayers "even get through" to heaven -- in Iowa in today's New York Times.

But it's not just about Romney; it's about the charging locomotive that is the Mike Huckabee campaign. Huckabee, you'll recall, is not just an evangelical Southern Baptist, but a former Southern Baptist pastor to boot.

From Luo's dispatch:

Barbara Heki, 51, from Johnston, Iowa, who began volunteering for Mr. Huckabee over the summer, compared Mr. Romney to Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who was dogged by accusations of flip-flopping when he ran for president in 2004. Nevertheless, Ms. Heki admitted that her evangelical faith also figured prominently in her choice.

“Mormons spend two years of their lives as missionaries, preaching an anti-Christian doctrine,” she said. “I don’t want someone out there, if I can help it, who’s going to be acting on an anti-Christian faith as the basis of their decision-making.”

Reincarnation Up for a Vote?

Elucidating earlier comments, the Dalai Lama said yesterday that the next Dalai Lama, traditionally "chosen" by reincarnation, could be democratically elected. The move is an apparent bid to keep China from appointing a lackey as his successor.

For centuries, the search for the reincarnation of religious leaders, known as lamas — including the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual head — has been carried out by Tibetan monks following the leaders' deaths, says the AP.

The 72-year-old spiritual leader appears in good health, so this may not come to pass for some time yet, the DL himself says "detailed discussions have not yet started." Still, China is ticked.

"The Dalai Lama's statement is in blatant violation of religious practice and historical procedure," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press.

China criticizing the Dalai Lama for breaking with Tibet's religious tradition? Don't be ridiculous says his envoy, Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari: "Such an uninformed response from Beijing betrays its own lack of legitimacy in this area. His Holiness was referring to options that exist in the future and that are deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhist practice."

"This is a religious matter, and His Holiness and Tibetan Buddhist leaders are far more competent to interpret Buddhist traditions than atheist members of the Communist Party of China. His Holiness has a historical and moral responsibility to the Tibetan people to safeguard the authenticity and purity of Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and in order to fulfill that duty he is sharing some of the possibilities for the future regarding the institution of the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has shared such views on other occasions over the past few decades since he arrived in exile," Gyaltsen continued.

Huckabee: "Christian Leader"

Mike Huckabee's newest ad leaves little doubt who he's pitching (evangelicals in Iowa) and who he's swiping (Mitt Romney).

The most striking and hard-to-miss aspect of the ad are the giant words "CHRISTIAN LEADER" that scroll across the screen. Hmm ... I thought he was running for president, not pope.

Anyway, from Huckabee himself:

“Faith doesn’t just influence me; it really defines me. I don’t have to wake up every day wondering, ‘What do I need to believe?’”

“Let us never sacrifice our principles for anybody’s politics, not now, not ever.” (from his rousing speech at October's Values Voter summit)

We believe in some things. We stand for some things. We live or die by those things.” (again, from speaking to the Values Voters)

Michael Luo breaks it down in The New York Times:

Mr. Huckabee is clearly using his faith to differentiate himself from his Republican rivals. His rise in Iowa polls has been fueled by evangelical Christians, who represent an influential voting bloc. Many of them have been dissatisfied by the Republican candidates who have sat atop national polls. But the emphasis on faith could also be seen as an allusion to Mitt Romney, whose Mormon faith troubles many evangelicals. Mr. Huckabee has waffled in recent interviews about whether he considers Mormons to be Christians. Officials in the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination to which Mr. Huckabee belongs, have warned their members about Mormonism being contrary to Christian orthodoxy. Mr. Huckabee’s claiming of the label “authentic conservative” and his call for conservatives not to compromise their principles could also be taken as a shot at Mr. Romney, who has been criticized for shifting positions and tone on abortion, gay rights and gun control.

Beliefnet Seeking Votes on "Most Inspiring Person"

Beliefnet.com is seeking online votes for "The Most Inspiring Person of the Year." Visitors can vote by going to Beliefnet's Web site.

Nominees for Beliefnet’s 2007 Most Inspiring Person of the Year are:

--Liviu Librescu―Self-sacrificing professor at Virginia Tech
Holocaust survivor and engineering professor Liviu Librescu threw his body between his students and a gunman blasting his way into the classroom

--Wesley Autrey―New York City's subway superhero
When a man having a seizure fell onto the city's subway tracks before an oncoming train, a complete stranger named Wesley Autrey dove to his rescue

--Majora Carter―Environmental advocate for the urban poor
A lifelong resident of the South Bronx, Carter works to empower residents of New York City's poorest borough to create a greener, healthier environment

--Maj. Scott Southworth―Soldier and adoptive father of an Iraqi orphan
When Maj. Scott Southworth of the Wisconsin National Guard volunteered at a Baghdad orphanage in 2003, he never expected that he would become a dad to one of the children and help many others

--Coach Tony Dungy―2007 Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts Coach
A devoted Christian who overcame personal tragedy, Dungy led the NFL team to a Super Bowl victory, the first African-American coach to win this honor

--Angelina Jolie―Celebrity advocate for the youngest war victims
This actress's humanitarian work and foundation continuously give hope to some of the world's poorest families

--Coach Luma Mufleh―Champion for refugee children
An immigrant from Jordan, Coach Mufleh founded a soccer team for low-income kids who came to the U.S. from war-ravaged lands; her help continues off the field

--Don Cheadle―Actor and activist for Darfur
After his groundbreaking movie role in "Hotel Rwanda," Cheadle became a leading advocate bringing attention to genocide in Darfur, through personal involvement and by producing a documentary and book about the crisis

--Dr. Catherine Hamlin―Healer of damaged women
At 83, Dr. Catherine Hamlin is continuing her life's work─helping women in Ethiopia get a second chance at life by repairing fistulas, the devastating internal injury that afflicts many after childbirth

--Barbara Morgan―Astronaut and teacher-in-space
Teacher Barbara Morgan watched in horror as the Challenger blew up with her friend and fellow teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard. Undaunted, she waited another 22 years for her chance to fulfill their dream of teaching from space

Last year’s honor went to the entire Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania in acknowledgement of their remarkable spirit of forgiveness in reaction to the murder of five young girls in their tight-knit community.

Survey: "Merry Christmas" Wins Over "Happy Holidays"

"Merry Christmas" is more popular as a seasonal phrase in advertising than "Happy Holidays,'' says Rasmussen Reports. A new national telephone survey finds that 67 percent of American adults prefer when stores use the Christmas phrase, compared to 26 percent who voted for the more generic one. The polling information distributor found no gender gap and little difference among demographic groups on the question, but political leanings showed a difference: 88 percent of Republicans prefer "Merry Christmas" but 57 percent of Democrats do.

His Holiness meets His Holiness? Not this time.

The Vatican has announced that the Dalai Lama will not, after all, be visiting Pope Benedict in Rome next month, as was widely reported a month ago.

As the pope's spokesman noted, no such meeting had ever been officially announced. But in waiting an entire month to deny the reports, the Vatican effectively acknowledged that such a meeting had at least been contemplated before being ruled out.

The Chinese government quickly made it clear that it would be unhappy indeed with such encounter, coming shortly after the DL's high-profile visits to other world capitals, including Washington, where he met with President Bush and addressed Congress.

The Vatican's most pressing concern with regard to China, with which it has not had diplomatic relations for half a century, is the fate of the "underground" Catholic church there, which is loyal to Rome and persecuted by the government.

According to the Vatican's AsiaNews agency, an underground priest in the province of Hebei was recently sentenced to three years in prison for organizing the consecration of a church.

Who knew Hanukkah could be so dangerous?

And it's not just the open flames on those Hanukkah menorahs ...

Turns out frying those potato latkes in hot oil is a fire hazard (keep the handle of the pan turned inward). And watch your sleeves as you light a candle and say the traditional blessing ... and you can say a blessing over real-live candles, but not those electric ones that plug in the wall.

The Orthodox Union, which lately seems to have guidelines for just about everything, has issued its annual Hanukkah safety kit (more resources here). I had no idea it could be this complicated -- or hazardous.

From the press release:

In addition, the OU has provided guidelines from Rabbi Hershel Schachter, OU Halachic Decisor, on Chanukah fire safety. In accordance with Jewish law (halacha) Rabbi Schachter declared:

“If one is not going to be home while the Chanukah candles are lit, it is better that they not be lit, but one can light later in the evening if they will be home. There should always be someone watching or near the candles. In terms of using an electric menorah, you shouldn’t say a bracha (blessing) on it, although you are able to say a bracha on electric (incandescent) lights for Shabbat and Yom Tov candles. When lighting in a hotel room, one should make sure he has half an hour to let the candles burn, and then blow them out when he has to leave.”

A Tale of Leaning Church Towers

In case you missed it over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, The Washington Post ran a story about a very old and very crooked church tower that has gradually leaned to the east over its 625 years of existence in Bad Frankenhausen, Germany. As engineers consider how to right it, they've got another famous structure for inspiration: The Leaning Tower of Pisa, which was fixed in the 1990s.

But there's an interesting wrinkle to the story: Supporters of this German church are a bit peeved that another German church, more than 200 miles away, has received a top designation from the Guinness Book of World Records, based on a measurement from the bases of the leaning church towers - and the famous one of Pisa, Italy.

Seems the record keepers are open to considering another crooked candidate in this odd case of leaning church towers.

Unique Evangelism Challenge

Sharing a rather unique challenge to evangelism, Bible teacher and author Anne Graham Lotz's ministry has announced in an e-mail message to supporters that a planned event in Manila may be in jeopardy because the arena has opted for a different event: cock fighting. Here's what the e-mail message, from the ministry of the daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, said:

URGENT PRAYER NEED
For the past year, Just Give Me Jesus Metro Manila has been scheduled for Feb. 2, 2008 at Araneta Coliseum. We have just been notified that the arena management has cancelled their agreement with us, and will instead host a cock fight that day.

Though we rarely extend such mass prayer appeals, we are asking our friends to please join us, immediately, in praying for the Lord to intervene and restore our event to its original location and date.
"Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" Nehemiah 4:20

Princes press the flesh

National Catholic Reporter's John Allen conveys well the "democratic" flavor of the reception for new cardinals held this past Saturday at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.

I spent an hour and a half in a crowd outside the Bronze Doors waiting to get in. It would have been longer but I tagged along with a group of Iraqi priests and nuns, who proved a match for even the most aggressive Italians at making their way through a line.

Once inside, it really was an incongruous scene: ordinary pilgrims freely mixing with ecclesiastical big shots ("Hey, isn't that Cardinal Law?") in grand halls which are ordinarily closed to the public, where the new cardinals waited to receive all comers. Some asked for a blessing, some just wanted to shake hands and get their picture taken with a prince of the church.

Cardinal DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, a youthful-looking 58 despite the visible presence of a hearing aid, was untiring and affable well past the end of the scheduled two hours. If he hadn't entered the priesthood, one senses that he could have been a highly successful politician (no offense meant).

Seeing DiNardo in action lends some credibility to the rumor that he is being groomed to replace New York's Cardinal Egan, who reached the ordinary retirement age of 75 this past April. But that wouldn't go over well with the Houstonians I met this weekend, who celebrated their archbishop's elevation with all the pride one usually associates with Texans.

Endorsement Watch: Huckabee Tries Not to Be "Left Behind"

Seems former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is working to not be “left behind.” He’s gained the support of both authors of the popular “Left Behind’’ apocalyptic series. His campaign announced Monday that he received the outright endorsement of series co-author Jerry Jenkins, the first time Jenkins has endorsed a candidate. And The New York Times reported Tuesday that Tim LaHaye, the other co-author, wrote a letter with his wife, Beverly, that was distributed to conservative Christian pastors to encourage them to attend conferences in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The former Arkansas governor is the only candidate scheduled to speak at them, the newspaper says.

Here are some other recent decisions:

For former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
-- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson
-- Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

For former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:
-- Conservative leader Paul Weyrich
-- Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University

For Sen. John McCain:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas

For former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee:
--American Family Association Founder Donald Wildmon
-- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin
-- Former Southern Baptist Presidents Jimmy Draper, Jack Graham and Jerry Vines
--Charisma magazine founder Stephen Strang
--Vision America president Rick Scarborough
--Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver

For former Sen. Fred Thompson
--National Right to Life Committee

FBI Tallies Incidents of Religious Bias

The FBI has released its 2006 hate crime statistics and tells us that religious bias was a factor in nearly 1,600 offenses reported by law enforcement officials. Here's what they found:

- 64.3 percent were anti-Jewish.
- 12.0 percent were anti-Islamic.
- 8.8 percent were anti-other religion.
- 5.5 percent were anti-multiple religions (groups of individuals of varying religions).
- 5.1 percent were anti-Catholic.
- 3.9 percent were anti-Protestant.
- 0.5 percent were anti-atheism/agnosticism.

God Exists. Discuss.

Jim Martin's column -- even if you believe God exists, it's impossible to prove -- from last week is generating some chatter down in Dallas.

The new demographics of Catholic schools

A report released by the Vatican today indicates some of the dramatic changes that America's Catholic schools have undergone in the decades since World War II.

Published by the Congregation for Catholic Education, the report deals with church-affiliated schools around the world, but breaks down statistics by country.

In 1950, the report reveals, 86% of the teachers in American Catholic schools were clergy or religious—almost all of them nuns. Today, 95.6% percent of the teachers are laypeople. (The proportion of women teachers remains basically unchanged at around 75%.)

According to the Rev. Angelo Zani, undersecretary of the Congregation, Catholic schools in the United States increasingly serve the underprivileged.

Dioceses and religious orders whose schools long catered to the upper-middle class have been shifting their mission to "smaller yet high-quality schools, particularly for the poorest and neediest classes in marginal urban areas or for minority students," Zani said at a press conference at the Vatican this morning.

Today, 43.2% of American Catholic schools are located in the poorest neighborhoods, Zani said, and 27% of their students come from minority groups. Almost 14% of the schools' students are non-Catholics.

The Vatican report claims a drop-out rate of only 3.4% for Catholic schools, compared to 14.9% for public institutions in the U.S.

Can Catholics Root for Rudy?

This a curious article from Newsweek. The reporters say a "number" of "activist" bishops told them they would deny Communion to Giuliani. Why not tell us their names, or at least the number?

Not trying to do media criticism here; just wondering if we can get some sources.

And Fort Worth Makes Four

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth on Saturday became the fourth U.S. diocese to change its constitution to pledge allegiance to the Anglican Communion, not the Episcopal Church.

This despite the objections and warning of ECUSA's Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

Bishop Jack Iker of Fort Worth said "She has no authority to bring Fort Worth into line with the mandates of the s0-called 'national church.' There is no such thing as the 'national church.' We are a confederation of dioceses, related to each other by our participation in the General Convention."

Hmm...a "confederation." Methinks I've heard this argument before.

Read all about it here.

State Baptists Act on Alcohol Use

The topic of alcohol continues to be discussed at the state conventions related to the Southern Baptist Convention, with the Florida Baptist State Convention among those taking prominent action this fall. At their annual meeting last week, Florida Baptists approved a bylaws revision requiring only teetotalers to serve on the state convention's boards.

Last month, the Missouri Baptist Convention passed a nonbinding resolution that states that no one elected to a board or committee in that state convention should be a "user of alcoholic beverages." That one passed after a resolutions committee initially declined to report it for a vote.

Earlier this month, attendees at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, approved a bylaws change that declared alcohol use as an unacceptable practice for staffers and board members.

The topic was also addressed on the floor of the Greensboro, N.C. meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2006, when those in attendance overwhelming passed a resolution -- after some spirited debate -- that declared their "total opposition" to alcohol use.

Columnist: Religious Folks Need to Deal With Their Own Prejudices

In a column for The Plain Dealer, religion writer David Briggs points out that research shows religious leaders have a range of prejudices to overcome. At a recent meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association, Michigan State sociologist Ralph Pyle presented new findings that show:

-- Moderate Protestants have the strongest anti-black views, followed by liberal Protestants.

-- Black Protestants were the most prejudiced against immigrants, followed by conservative Protestants.

The "good news" about all this, says Briggs, is that those who regularly attend church services are less likely to be prejudiced. And the "bad news"?: People without a religious affiliation were much less likely to be prejudiced than individuals who attend services once a month.

Don't Just Do Something, Sit There!

Connecticut's MiddleTown Press has a short item on a meditation-thon that took place (I believe, it's kind a hard to tell) on Nov. 17. Put on by the Buddhist Faith Fellowship of Connecticut, the event, or non-event, I guess, was supposed to be a fundraiser and way to interconnect a whole buncha minds. Is there a better way to raise money than meditating for 8 hours?

I'd really like to read a follow-up to see how all that went.

In Less Peaceful News (see previous post)

The more I think about it, the more I think Rachel Zoll is right. The Episcopal Church is not on the verge of schism, it's already schisming (not a word? ok, but it should be).

The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia filed a petition to Chatham Superior Court November 14 to regain "all real and personal property" of Christ Church, Savannah, whose vestry voted unanimously September 30 to place the congregation under the care of John Guernsey, a former Episcopal priest who was consecrated September 2 as a bishop in the Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda.

The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin announced November 16 that the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone has "extended an invitation to offer the diocese membership on an emergency and pastoral basis."

The announcement comes three weeks before the diocese is scheduled hear the second and final reading of constitutional changes that would delete all references to the Episcopal Church and state that the diocese is "a constituent member of the Anglican Communion and in full communion with the See of Canterbury."

PB Preaches Peace (in Korea)

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, head of the Episcopal Church, is in South Korea to participate in a 5-day forum of the worldwide Anglican peace conference.

The conference, which began November 14 with a three-day peace trip to Geumgangsan in North Korea (story to follow), stems from a 2005 Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) resolution calling for peace, reconciliation and reunification of this Asian peninsula, says ENS.

Says KJS: "This gathering can be a witness to that possibility. Wherever people begin to look for the image of God in people they would rather see as enemy, Zion emerges from the mist, and the nations begin to stream toward that holy mountain."

The bishop will see you now ...

G. Wayne Miller up at the Providence Journal spent a year with Bishop Thomas Tobin, following him around to schools, parishes, cemeteries, etc. The result is an ambitious day-in-the-life project that many papers don't seem to have the resources for anymore.

From the package's main blurb:

Outsiders do not ordinarily get access to the upper levels of the Roman Catholic Church, but beginning in October 2006, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin welcomed Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller deep inside the Diocese of Providence, which covers all of Rhode Island, America’s most heavily Catholic state. The result is a rare journey through a church, a diocese, and the life of a man. The series began Oct. 21 and will continue over the next two Sundays.

The photos by Mary Murphy are as interesting as the series and worth a look.

Beijing moves to block Rome's bishop

The Vatican's AsiaNews agency reports that China's government is threatening to delay the installation of a new Catholic Bishop of Guangzhou.

The new bishop has approval from both the Vatican and the state-backed Catholic Patriotic Association, but Beijing is apparently blocking the ordination unless Rome permits another bishop, who does not enjoy Vatican approval, to take part in the ceremony.

The struggle between an officially approved Chinese Catholic church and an "underground" church loyal to Rome has lasted more than half a century. Pope Benedict addressed the conflict in a pastoral letter to Chinese Catholics this past May.

Hopes for a reconciliation between the two churches rose in September when a new Bishop of Beijing took office with the joint backing of the Vatican and the Chinese government.

New Head of Roman Catholic Military Archdiocese

The USCCB news service tell us that Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, 55, current apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic, has been named to head the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

He takes over for Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, now ensconced in my fair city, B'more.

From the USCCB:

Archbishop Broglio is a native of Cleveland and was ordained to the priesthood in 1977 and immediately began service as an associate pastor in the Diocese of Cleveland. He was ordained to the episcopacy March 19, 2001, by Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

Timothy P. Broglio was born December 22, 1951. He earned a degree in classics from Boston College before entering the seminary. He finished his studies for the priesthood at the North American College in Rome.

After pastoral services in the Cleveland Diocese, he returned to Rome to study at the Pontifical Eccliastical Academy, the Vatican's school for diplomats. He earned a doctorate in canon law from the Gregorian University and entered the diplomatic corps in 1983. He worked in Vatican embassies in Ivory Coast and Paraguay before assignment at the Vatican Secretariat of State where he was chief of staff to the Secretary of State.

The Archdiocese for Military Services, USA serves without territorial boundaries and is present throughout the free world. Today, it serves over 1.4 million Roman Catholic men and women. This includes 375,000 in uniform and over 900,000 family members. The Archdiocese also ministers to the more than 300,000 Catholics who are in the Reserve, Coast Guard, in Government service overseas and Veterans Administration hospitals.

Carving Up the Northeast

Most of you might be carving up the ole Turkey this Thursday. I won't because I'm a vegetarian (long story).

United Methodist News Service has word of another carving, actually, more like merging, that could be approved next July.

"The new episcopal area and its one conference essentially would replace two current episcopal areas – New York West and Albany – and reduce the number of bishops in the jurisdiction from 10 to nine. The proposed date for the change is in 2010. On Oct. 6, members of the four annual conferences in Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont linked together electronically and overwhelmingly approved the resolution in a historic special session."

We'll All Be Calvinists Soon

Or, at least, with the arrival of personal genetic screening, we'll be forced to consider again the nature of predestination, as this story from the New York Times explains.

The author, Amy Harmon, scrutinizes her chromosomes for hints that she might be at risk for fatal/and or painful diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer's. Thankfully, she's not.

One can't help but wonder, however, what a journalist who did discover disturbing clouds on his horizon might write.

JP2 MTV

Journalists habitually described the late Pope John Paul II as a "rock star" as a way of evoking his extraordinary charisma. But now some of the late pontiff's devotees are hoping to make that description literally true.

The campaign to canonize John Paul has spawned a DVD entitled Santo Subito ("Sainthood Now"), after the phrase chanted by mourners in St. Peter's Square around the time of the pope's funeral. The video's producers describe it this way:

The first music DVD to embody the voice and the images of John Paul II. This 60 minute film or series of clips (most very modern and radical, graphically and artistically) in which John Paul II’s speeches and in 2 instances him singing, have been set to music, most of it orchestral and incorporating original Gregorian recordings, though some is electronic (Trip Hop) or contemporary acoustic guitar.

The DVD's composer claims to have received the Vatican's blessing for his project, but it's hard to imagine it could have appealed very much to John Paul's buttoned-down successor, whose preference for classical music is well known.

Reaction to Grassley Investigation Continues

A week and a half after Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced his investigation of six prominent television ministries, Charisma magazine editor J. Lee Grady has written a column defending the "good Senator" and pointing out that he is an "outspoken evangelical Christian" who has attended the same Baptist church since 1954 and that he previously conducted investigations of secular nonprofits including the American Red Cross and the Smithsonian Institution.

Meanwhile, Time magazine's online edition noted that the December issue of Grady's magazine features a photo of GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee with Kenneth Copeland, a leader of one of the six ministries under investigation. In an e-mail message to the magazine, Huckabee stands by Copeland saying the Texas minister and his wife, Gloria, are "about the most gracious, authentic, and humble people I know and I consider them dear friends."

See Grady's column here.

See Time.com article here.

Shifting evangelical fortunes

For those of you trying to follow the splinterization of the (politically minded) religious right, the LA Times has an intriguing dispatch from the evangelical heartland, Colorado Springs, that shows just how much things have changed.

Consider the pulpit of New Life Church, where Ted Haggard thundered as president of the National Association of Evangelicals before his scandal-fueled fall from grace. His successor at New Life, Brady Boyd, is approaching things a bit differently.

From the Times:

"As far as me standing in the pulpit holding a voter guide, that's not going to happen," said the Rev. Brady Boyd, 40, who leads a congregation of 10,000 at New Life Church. He will use his position to teach the Bible to believers. "I won't use it to influence their vote," he said.

That suits many in his congregation just fine. "If he starts talking politics, that makes me very uneasy," said Wolfgang Griesinger, 56, a political independent.

"It's not his place to tell us who to vote for," said Marsha Thorson, 54, a Republican who is leaning toward Giuliani.

Not at all different from what Haggard's successor at the NAE, Leith Anderson, said recently -- that he'd rather preside at a wedding or funeral than meet with a politician.

Hat tip: David Kuo's J-Walking

Clooney, Schmooney. Rick Warren's where it's at

Just because it's Friday ...

Those crazy kids over at the Wittenburg Door have crowned Rick Warren -- he, the Hawaiian-shirt wearing, Barack Obama-hugging publishing wunderkind pastor of Saddleback Church in LA -- the 2007 Sexiest Preacher Alive.

I'm not making this up.

Dubbed a "closet clothes horse" and a "hermeneutical hunk", Warren is ... oh, never mind. Read for yourself.

Top Holiday Songs on the Radio

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the performing rights organization, has tallied its latest list of the 25 most popular holiday songs in the last five years. The ASCAP list of the most performed songs on the radio airwaves includes songs that, for the most part, don’t relate much to the religious aspect of Christmas. Just as was the case last year, there’s an exception to that rule: “Little Drummer Boy,” which ranked ninth this time around. The list is below, but ASCAP’s news release on the list can be found here.

1. Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics

2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat "King" Cole

3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders

4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Bruce Springsteen

5. White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby

6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Aaron Neville

7. Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Bobby Helms

8. Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes

9. Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra

10. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry

11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams

12. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Amy Grant
13. Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Kenny G

14. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee

15. Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano

16. Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Ronettes

17. A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives

18. Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley

19. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis

20. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor
Performed by: John Mellencamp

21. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Elvis Presley

22. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como

23. Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)

24. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure, Bob Geldof
Performed by: Band Aid

25. Wonderful Christmastime
Written by: Paul McCartney
Performed by: Paul McCartney

When the pope gallops into town ...

Reuters is reporting that Australian officials have agreed to pay $37 million to the country's horse-racing industry to cover expenses related to the pope's trip in 2008 for World Youth Day.

Apparently the horse track offered the largest space for the 600,000 expected worshippers, including a clear line of sight between the field and the altar.

But no one ever said it was easy to make room for the pope. From Reuters:

The racing industry, already battling an outbreak of Equine Influenza which has seen horse racing in Sydney suspended since August, said it had to cover the cost of relocating 700 horses, staff and ancillary services to other courses.

Parenting Without God

Atheist parents say raising nonbelievers can be a challenge

RNS' Lilly Fowler looks at the challenges of raising kids without religion, in this week's full-text article, linked above.

Quote:

"People think for some reason we're destroying our children," said Arthur Appelgren, a 43-year-old self-described atheist who lives in Michigan. "Just because someone is religious doesn't make them moral. I don't care what they say."

Hope is on its way

Italy's La Stampa newspaper reports this morning that a papal encyclical on the virtue of hope will be published before Christmas, possibly as soon as December 8.

The document, which Pope Benedict wrote during his vacation this summer, is tentatively entitled Spe Salvi ("Saved by Hope"), an allusion to Paul's letter to the Romans (8:24).

This encyclical is one of two expected within the next few months. The other is said to treat Catholic social doctrine, and will reportedly focus on globalization.

North Carolina Baptists Expel Gay-Friendly Church

A year after the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina adopted a policy that states that churches can be expelled if they affirm gay people in their pews, a Charlotte church has been removed for welcoming gays to its leadership. Myers Park Baptist Church is no longer considered to be “in friendly cooperation” with the state convention after a vote on Tuesday. This action follows a move four years ago by the same convention to expel McGill Baptist Church in Concord, N.C., for not repudiating the lifestyle of two gay men it baptized.

See Biblical Recorder story here. See The Charlotte Observer story here. See Myers Park Baptist statements here.

Orthodox Christians to acknowledge papal primacy?

Italy's La Repubblica newspaper has a front-page story this morning on a "confidential document" produced by Roman Catholic and Orthodox theologians at a conference last month in Ravenna, Italy.

The document is supposedly a "road map" for ending the longest schism in Christendom, which dates back to the year 1054.

By recognizing the pope as "first of the patriarchs," and Rome as the "first see," the document points toward potential agreement on one of the major points of conflict between the two traditions: the question of the pope's authority.

On the other hand, the document stipulates that councils of bishops are the "principal instrument" for the expression of Christian communion, and that "the first [i.e., the pope] cannot do anything without the consent of all."

Sounds like the churches still have plenty of talking to do before achieving anything like unity.

Moreover, this document does not necessarily reflect the views of the Russian Orthodox, who have been especially wary of overtures from Rome, and whose representatives walked out of the Ravenna meeting (because of a dispute over which Orthodox patriarch has authority over the church in Estonia).

Presumably the document will be among the topics of discussion at a special consistory November 23, when cardinals from all over the world meet in Rome to discuss ecumenical relations (the day before Pope Benedict bestows red hats on the 23 newest princes of the church).

Endorsement Watch

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson picked up the endorsement Tuesday of the National Right to Life Committee, which commended the former senator for his “longstanding pro-life record.” See the committee's news release and statements here. See Thompson's statement here.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has recently been endorsed by a number of leaders from the faith community, including three former Southern Baptist presidents -- Jimmy Draper, Jack Graham and Jerry Vines -- and Charisma magazine founder Stephen Strang, Vision America president Rick Scarborough and Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver. See Huckabee's announcement of some endorsements here. See Baptist Press story here.

Here are some other recent decisions:

For former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
-- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson
-- Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

For former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:
-- Conservative leader Paul Weyrich
-- Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University

For Sen. John McCain:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas

For former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee:
--American Family Association Founder Donald Wildmon
-- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin

Romney - To speak or not to speak?

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Saturday his advisers are giving a thumbs down to the idea of a specific speech about his Mormon faith, the Associated Press reported. Seems the former Massachusetts governor is not ready to give a speech like then-Sen. John F. Kennedy did about his Catholic faith during the presidential election of 1960. See AP story here.

In other Romney news, CNN obtained an audio recording of a speech Romney did give to an invitation-only gathering of alumni, students and faculty at the fundamentalist Bob Jones University last Tuesday. He said he's getting "good support" from evangelical Christian leaders, despite their theological differences. Read CNN's story here.

What Romney faces

I'll admit that I've been taken aback by all the controversy surrounding Mitt Romney's Mormonism and suggestions that it might be a handicap for his presidential candidacy.

Maybe because I've been living overseas for more than eight years, I was until recently under the impression that America's culture wars were being fought mostly on the grounds of ethics (especially sexual ethics), not theology.

But a YouTube video I came across the other day gives a vivid picture of what Mormons are still up against in their efforts for acceptance by many other Americans. This is just one anecdote, of course, but its gives a sense of the passions that can arise over such questions.

(It's also an example of what an astonishingly rich medium YouTube can be.)

A quick look at the bishops' likely new prez

Manya Brachear and Margaret Ramirez over at the Chicago Tribune have a quick profile of Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, who is likely to become the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this week.

Chester Gillis, chair in Catholic studies in the theology department of Georgetown University, said George's ties to Rome could cut both ways.

"Cardinal George is someone with high visibility and high stature in the church. So, if there were an issue that needed to be brought to the Vatican's attention, he has the status to bring it, and they'll listen to him," said Gillis, author of "Roman Catholicism in America."

"On the other hand, he is someone that is so thoroughly known in many ways and so thoroughly obedient to Rome. Will creativity come to mind? Probably not. Will his vision be to empower the American church or remain obedient to Rome at all costs?"

Our own Dan Burke will be blogging about the bishops' conference from Baltimore, but Manya and Margaret's piece should be enough to whet your appetite.

Pope calls for global "solidarity"

In what could be a foretaste of his expected encyclical on Catholic social teaching, Pope Benedict XVI yesterday called for a "global model of authentic solidarity."

"It is only through a common commitment to sharing that it is possible to respond to the great challenge of our time: that of building up a world of peace and justice in which every man can live with dignity," the pope said.

"This can happen if a global model of authentic solidarity prevails, one that is able to assure all the inhabitants of the planet food, water, necessary medicines, and also work and energy resources, as well as cultural goods and scientific and technological knowledge."

The words recall Benedict's call this past September for a "logic of sharing and solidarity," which he said would lead to "fair and sustainable development."

This time, however, there was no denunciation of that "logic of profit" which "increases inequality between rich and poor and a ruinous exploitation of the planet."

We may have to wait for the encyclical, expected within the next few months, for more on that score.

Christian Coalition to Sit Out Prez Race

Even if the South Carolina-based group has fallen on hard times of late, it's surprising to see them take a seat on the sidelines.

Coalition head Roberta Combs says they want to concentrate on congressional races, where they might buy more bang for their buck.

"I think it's more important that we focus on the congressional races and getting more conservatives in office because that's who makes the laws that govern our land," says Combs.

The AP, via The State, has the story.

Jim Wallis on Pat Robertson: "Unprincipled"

Not that the two guys were ever buddies, but Jim Wallis over at Sojourners/Call to Renewal calls Pat Robertson on the carpet for his endorsement of Rudy Giuliani. You know, the guy who's thrice married, twice divorced, supports gay rights and abortion rights, has a penchanct for late-night drag.

Anyway, the money quote:

What exactly goes on in Pat Robertson's head has puzzled many of us for a long time. This endorsement ranks as one of the most unprincipled in recent political memory. Maybe principles never mattered much to Pat Robertson after all.

Ouch.

Perhaps the pro-business economic conservatism of the Republican Party was always more important to the televangelist than saving unborn lives. Robertson's longstanding support of murderous Liberian dictator Charles Taylor and his diamond investments thanks to Zairian dictator Mobutu Sese Seko speak louder than words when it comes to Robertson's ethic of life. And that's not to mention the more than $400 million Robertson's empire made when he sold his International Family Network to Rupert Murdoch, after building it on tax deductible contributions of thousands of CBN donors, many of modest means. He has been putting profits over principles for years.

Wow. Tell us how you really feel.

NAE: New Anti-political Emphasis

The Associated Press has a new feature about Leith Anderson, the Minnesota megachurch pastor who's the new president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). He's the guy who took over after the collapse of Ted Haggard.

Can't find the link yet, but the first four grafs are revealing about where Anderson intends to take (or not take) the NAE:

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) _ When a presidential campaign contacted the Rev. Leith Anderson to ask for a meeting recently, the president of the National Association of Evangelicals said he had a bigger priority that day.

"I had a wedding or a funeral, I can't remember which," Anderson said, sitting in his book-lined office at the suburban Minneapolis megachurch he's led for 31 years. "Anyway, I don't pre-empt a wedding or a funeral for a presidential candidate. Because I'm a pastor."

Indeed, Anderson still leads seven services a weekend at Wooddale Church. But the story of the spurned candidate, whom he declined to name, offers some insight into his vision for the NAE — an organization that represents 45,000 churches and 30 million members.

"My life is not in Washington," Anderson said. "I am not a politician. What evangelists are about is primarily faith, and not politics."

From the Thames to the Tiber

The British press is all atwitter about new reports that former Prime Minister Tony Blair is set to become a Catholic "within weeks."

As the Daily Telegraph notes, however, it's hardly a shock. It's been rumoured for weeks, and Blair's wife and children are all Catholic. Ruth Gledhill at The Times says he'll make the switch in time to celebrate Christmas Mass at Westminster Cathedral. (She's also got a blog about the whole l'affair d'Blair).

The Guardian has this little nugget about why this is such a big deal, at least on that side of the pond:

Although there is no bar to a prime minister being a Catholic and both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have had Catholic leaders in recent years, there has never been a Catholic in Number 10. Only the sovereign and heirs to the crown and their spouses are legally barred from membership of the faith because of the Act of Settlement following the Glorious Revolution, which overthrew the last Catholic monarch, James II, in 1688.

Pius XII for saint

The always pugnacious Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights has put together a petition, addressed to Pope Benedict XVI, supporting the beatification of Pope Pius XII.

The gesture is likely to provoke strong reaction from Pius's many critics, who allege that the War World II-era pontiff did not do enough to help Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide. But the Catholic League insists that “we know of no world leader who did more to resist the Nazis and rescue Jews than this great man."

As John Allen explained in an excellent column this past June, the debate over Pius XII is fated to continue indefinitely, above all because the central facts are not in dispute:

... the heart of the indictment is that Pius XII failed to issue a straightforward public denunciation of National Socialism, or an unambiguous public appeal for Christians to rescue Jews. ... The nature of the case, therefore, depends upon the pope's public record, which is already well known. By definition, nothing contained in the archives about his private views, or his behind-the-scenes action, can bear upon the crux of this charge. His critics are usually willing to concede everything the pope did in private to help people, but they maintain that it does not redeem his failure, in their eyes, to speak out more clearly in public.

Last May a committee of cardinals and bishops voted to recognize Pius's "heroic virtues"; and the following month, the Vatican Secretary of State gave a speech defending the wartime pope from his "black legend." All bets are on beatification, the next step before sainthood.

Brace yourselves for a lot more argument and acrimony.

Endorsement Watch: Wildmon for Huckabee

Following religious broadcaster Pat Robertson’s stand with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday, American Family Association Founder Donald Wildmon announced Thursday that he’s backing former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (see Huckabee announcement here).

Here are some other recent decisions:

For former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:
-- Conservative leader Paul Weyrich (See Romney announcement here)
-- Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University

For Sen. John McCain:
-- Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas (See McCain announcement here)

For former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee:
-- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin (See News & Observer story here.)

Muslim Activist Elected to San Carlos City Council

Omar Ahmad, the former director of one of the more established Muslim activist groups in the United States, has won a city council seat in San Carlos, Calif., according to this morning’s San Mateo Daily News.

Ahmad’s success raises two big questions: Will more Muslims run for office in 2008? And on what holy scripture, if any, will he take his solemn oath?

According to his campaign website, Ahmad is a "serial entrepreneur" and tech wiz who played major roles in companies like Napster and Netscape. He's also not to be confused with Omar Ahmed, the founder of the Council of American-Islamic Relations. Ahmad with an "a" recently headed American Muslims Intent on Learning and Activism, a San Francisco / San Jose area group formed in the early 90s. Despite its regional focus, “AMILA” is well know to many Muslims across America for being one of the first groups not afraid to openly address issues like domestic violence and poverty within the Muslim community, and to make local activism and volunteerism a central part of its mission.

According to the Shahed Amanullah, editor at the Muslim e-zine AltMuslim.com (and former AMILA official now based in Austin, Tx.) Ahmad edged out a rival by 12 votes to take one of two available council seats.

Happy 100th, COGIC

100 years later, Church of God in Christ comes of age

RNS' Adelle Banks profiles the Church of God in Christ on its 100th birthday, in this week's full text article, linked above.

Quote:

Tens of thousands of members of the nation's largest predominantly black Pentecostal denomination are expected to attend the 100th Annual Holy Convocation. They will gather at Mason Temple, named for the denomination's first presiding bishop, Charles H. Mason.

Where's Noah when you need him?

Orthodox rabbis are dispatching one of their own to the Georgia statehouse in Atlanta to pray for an end to the drought that is leaving large swaths of the Southeast parched and dry.

From the press release:

"Orthodox Jews wish to show solidarity with those suffering from the drought and other natural disasters. We want to kick off a nationwide movement of prayer. Furthermore, we wish to announce a program which we believe could curtail much of the disaster our country has been experiencing" declared Rabbi Yehuda Levin.

For what it's worth, Levin claims to have a good track record on this sort of thing. After staging a similar event at the statehouse in South Carolina in 1986, Levin reports that it rained for three days straight with a total of 2.75 inches.

Thompson Gets Some Evangelical Aid(e)

GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson has added a woman to his staff who has social conservative and Southern Baptist credentials. Shannon Royce, who last served as executive director of the Arlington Group, a Washington-based coalition of conservative and Christian groups, is now the Thompson campaign's grassroots and special projects director. Royce previously was director of government relations for the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

See Thompson campaign announcement here.

Graham Turns 89

Evangelist Billy Graham turns 89 Wednesday. He works on writing projects as his health allows and continues to grieve for his wife of almost 64 years, who died in June: "At times, I feel as if part of me has been ripped out, and in a sense that's what has happened, because Ruth was such an important part of my life. But my faith gives me great comfort, and I can't imagine going through something like this without strength that only the Lord can provide."

See his statement here.

Globe Disses "Islamofascism"

Conservatives love to use it, Muslims hate to hear it: The word is Islamofascism, a post-9/11 neologism popular with many GOP politicians to describe the Islamic-extremist threat, but challenged by Muslims as a term that smears all of them and their faith. The Boston Globe (who I occasionally freelance for) weighed in on the controversy Sunday (Nov. 4) with an editorial calling Islamofascism “A lazy, simplistic analogy.” I wonder how Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby feels about the Globe piece, since he’s used the phrase a few times in his columns, including in this 2006 piece about the Prophet Muhammad cartoons.

Bush taps theocon as envoy to Vatican

President Bush named Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard Law School professor and prominent "theocon," as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

Glendon's opposition to abortion is the element of her record most likely to inspire any objections during her confirmation hearings. But given the nature of this posting, it's hard to imagine that such views could disqualify her.

Even President Clinton, whose administration supported abortion rights, chose former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, a prominent opponent of abortion, as his first ambassador to the Vatican. Flynn served at the Holy See from 1993 to 1997.

God, or at least more ministers, for Huckabee

Bible-Belt Blogger Frank Lockwood has word that a few more evangelical ministers are painting Mike Huckabee as the David character in the presidential race.

Garry Wills Interview Part II

As I mentioned earlier, I recently sat down to talk to Garry Wills about his new book "Head and Heart: American Christianities," a full-length history of evangelical and enlightened religion in the U.S. A 1,000-word version of the story hit the wire last week. But far too much material hit the threshing floor to waste, so I'm posting an entire transcript on the blog in five parts.

Here's part two. We join the conversation as Wills is explaining the factors behind three great surges of evangelical activity in America.

Wills: It’s interesting that all three of these surges spent themselves, as all things tend to do, but more rapidly over time, I think. The first one, in the 19th century, was a self-starting religiosity, didn’t depend on government. There wasn’t much government. It was entirely self-organized, self-supporting, so it had more life in it, I think, than the later ones.

What broke it up was slavery. Slavery hit at the very heart of evangelical religion because some people said “The Bible supports slavery so we have to” and others said “No, there are things in the Bible that make us oppose slavery (e.g.) `Do unto others as you would be done unto by them’ You wouldn’t want to be made a slave, so you shouldn’t try to make other people slaves.” Both sides were so certain of their positions that it broke apart _ the Methodists, the Baptists, the Presbyterians _ and that effectively stalled the movement.

In the 20th century, it did involve the government. Now the government was a bigger part of everyone’s life, had more resources, so they tried to use the government to ban the sale of alcohol, for instance, or ban the delivery of mail on Sunday, or ban the teaching of evolution in school. When that happens people get a little way because of our tradition of separation of church and state. It’s more upsetting to a lot of people. And so that didn’t last as long. That lasted about 20 years, in its more fervent stages, as opposed to 30 (for the previous awakening).

The current one, I think, is running out of steam in about 10 years. You can see it running out of steam in the reaction to the Terri Schiavo case: 81 percent of people thought that was terrible. You can see it in the changed attitudes towards gays, you can see it in the growth of the evangelical movement to protect the environment, the action of moderate evangelicals like (former Missouri senator and Episcopal priest) John Danforth.

I think a lot of people think it’s clearly gone too far. For the government to spend millions of dollars, for instance, on abstinence-only sex education, which doesn’t work, has been proven not to work, and is simply a sop to far-right prejudice.

Q: What effect to you think this so called “astroturf”” lobbying groups, the groups that exist to stir up and mobilize the grassroots, have had.
A: The first Great Awakening, I don’t count that, because it was not after the Founding Fathers, so there’s not an enlightened religion that its reacting against, but it was largely foreign-inspired. It was the Scottish and English, Whitfield and others, who touched it off. It was very egalitarian and democratic. So, in that sense it was even more divorced from government efforts.

The second one (evangelical awakening) was more organized. The best example of that was the tremendous organization of the Prohibition lobby. That was an immense lobbying effort, really strong-armed and rough-and-tumble, a forecast of some of the more recent ones.

The more recent ones have, of course, perfected a lot of the techniques, incorporating a lot of digital tools they didn’t have before: direct mailing, the Internet, television evangelism. So now its very organized and the impact of that is, of course, very strong.

You couldn’t have the homeschooling movement without the Internet.

In all those ways (the last evangelical awakening) is organized somewhat from the top down. And of course, once Bush administration started infiltrating these people into the regulatory agencies and things like that, then it becomes really top down.