Huckabee Still Wants to Take America `Back for Christ'

Mike Huckabee says he won't step away from his comments 10 years ago in which he urged fellow Southern Baptists to "answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ."

I've long thought that if Huckabee succeeds in getting the nomination, we had all better be prepared for the press (and Huckabee's opponents) to dig up every sermon he ever preached and pick them apart. This may be just the start.

2 things:

To outsiders, such a statement may seem hyper-righteous or arrogant or (take your pick). But it's well down the middle for something you'd hear from a Southern Baptist preacher (like Huckabee). Anyone who knows evangelical or Southern Baptist culture would say this is absolutely standard fare. I guess the question is whether or not it should be standard fare for a presidential candidate. Then again, we've never really had a former pastor running for president, at least not like this.

Secondly, and maybe this is the more important question: what if Huckabee said he no longer believed that? What would that say about him? Seems that if the press is trying to get him to distance himself from his own deeply-held beliefs, he's caught in a damned-if-you-do/damned-if-you-don't position. It's not unlike the choice Mitt Romney often faces between embracing obscure Mormon doctrine or being forced to say he doesn't actually believe it.


The Associated Press: Huckabee Stands by 'Christ' Comment

Giving Mitt Romney a Run for the Money

The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (now head of Health & Human Services) spent considerable time mulling how Mormon doctrine could better be applied to public life.

Also turns out that many of those "private" conversations were tape-recorded, to do away with the hassle of taking notes. Leavitt has now asked that those notes be removed from the public archives.

From the Trib:

Over several mornings in late 1996, the group delved into the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, exploring the lessons from Mormon scripture and how they apply to modern government.
Leavitt told The Tribune he has not held comparable gatherings in his current role as HHS secretary, or previously as administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency.

In the transcripts, Leavitt said he felt an obligation, looking ahead to an easy 1996 re-election win, to use the 'blessing' of his popularity to convey a message strong on values.

'I mean, I think that the opportunity I have in January the 6th is to get up and to say something in a form that's big enough and appropriate enough for me to lay down a marker. I think that's going to be done in a little way and a big way, really, with this values campaign. I think that's going to be a big marker, because it's using all the tools of communication and it's going to draw on this trust that's been created by whatever combination of circumstances and personality and just blessing.'"

Away in a Manger ...

Sometimes you never know what your'e going to find in the Vatican's attic ...

Seems they still have pieces (or what they think are pieces) of the crib used by the baby Jesus some 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. They're kept in Rome, at the basilica of St. Mary Major, and apparently they're in such bad shape that they were kept under lock and key for this year's Christmas services.

There is No Name but Allah

Al Jazeera is reporting that the Malaysian government has agreed to allow a Catholic newspaper to use the term "Allah" to refer to God (in a Christian context) after earlier saying Allah could only refer to the God worshipped by Muslims.

The government gave no reason for the about-face. From Al Jazeera:

The government has previously warned The Herald, which has a circulation of 12,000 among Catholics, that its permit could be revoked if it continued to use the word "Allah" for God in its Malay-language section.

"Allah" is Arabic for God and means the same in Malay, Malaysia's national language.

Christians in Malaysia have argued that the word "Allah" was used by Christians before Islam.

Orthodox Jews and Pius XII

A New York State politician plans to petition the Vatican against the possible beatification of the controversial wartime pontiff, Pius XII.

The news has generated some fascinating comments on an Orthodox Jewish Website.

A number of the writers support the politican's initiative. A few express fear of provoking an anti-semitic backlash.

But the most common argument is that non-Catholics should simply not care what the Vatican does.

As one puts it: "By protesting the 'sainthood' of Pope Pius XII, we are attaching importance to the 'sainthood' of all the other 'saints'."

Billy Graham Again on "Most Admired" Men List

For the 51st time, evangelist Billy Graham has been named as one of the 10 most admired men, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll. Both the 89-year-old evangelist and former South African President Nelson Mandela received 3 percent of the votes of 1,011 adults surveyed Dec. 14-16. Pope Benedict XVI, along with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and former President Jimmy Carter, received 2 percent of the votes.

In case you were wondering, President George W. Bush was named most admired man, with 10 percent of those surveyed choosing him. Sen. Hillary Clinton was named most admired woman with 18 percent of the votes.

Rankings, in order, of the men are: President George W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, Sen. Barack Obama, Graham, former South African President Nelson Mandela, former President George H.W. Bush, Gates, Benedict, and Carter.

The Only Thing She Has to Fear Is ...

Frank Newport, the "Gallup Guru" you see all the time on CNN, has some interesting numbers about Hillary Clinton's campaign. Bottom line: 62% of Republicans say they would be "afraid" if she is elected president.

Unfortunately, Newport doesn't show a breakdown by religion, but since religious conservatives make up at least one-quarter of the GOP base, it's safe to conclude the evangelicals would be among those shaking in their boots at the prospect of another Clinton White House.

But in glancing at Newport's analysis, I stumbled across his compilation of voters' feelings about a Mormon president. One of the more interesting was the parallels between Romney's race and the ghosts of his father's 1968 campaign:

6. As far back as 1967, only three-quarters of Americans said they would vote for an otherwise well qualified person who was a Mormon. This year – some 40 years later -- the results to this question are almost exactly the same.

It's interesting that among most categories, Americans' willingness to vote for a candidate in various categories has risen shaprly over time, except for Mormons (according to recent Gallup data):

a Jew: 91% (up from 82% in 1967);
an atheist: 46% (up slightly from 40% in 1967);
an African American: 93% (up from 53% in 1967);
a Catholic: 93% (already high from 90% in post-JFK 1967);
a homosexual: 56% (up from 26% in 1978, the earliest date Gallup had available)
a woman: 86% (up from 57% in 1967)
A Mormon: 80% (up from 75% in 1967)

Looks like Mitt Romney also has a few things to worry about.

New U.S. envoy to the Vatican

Despite reports that her nomination might be in trouble, the Senate last week confirmed Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law professor and prominent "theocon," as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

UPDATE: As noted by another news service's blog, this blogger was still reporting that Glendon's nomination might be in trouble even after she had already been confirmed. Apologies.

Roma's Tony

Tony Blair finally took the Catholic plunge on Friday, just in time for Christmas. (Remember where you heard it first.)

Questions About Thompson's Methodist Math

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette says GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson overstated the extent of support he has received from members of the Wesleyan/Methodist movement. The former senator, in a Dec. 14 announcement, said he received the endorsement from “two men who represent 40 million people around the nation from 42 different Wesleyan denominations.”

But the newspaper noted that the math was a bit off, with reporter Frank Lockwood stating that the religious leaders “represent a group closer to the size of West Memphis, not the state of California.” One of those men, the Rev. Benny Tate, the vice president of the Congregational Methodist Church told the paper his conservative Wesleyan denomination has 26,000 to 27,000 members. He and the Rev. Phillip Knight, the president of that denomination, lead the Wesleyan Center for Strategic Studies that was formed from an annual meeting of leaders from conservative Wesleyan/Methodist denominations, Thompson’s campaign said.

In a comment on a story on his Ethics.Daily.com Web site, Robert Parham said the candidate overstated both the number of Methodists and Wesleyans in the country _ probably closer to 14.2 million _ and showed “how disconnected he is from American Christianity.”

Theme and Logo for Pope's Trip Announced

I knew that papal visits usually had a theme, but a logo?

The pope is coming to visit New York and Washington April 15-20.

Anyway the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released both the theme and the logo this week.

Theme: Christ our Hope, a reflection of Pope Benedict's latest encyclical "Spe Salvi."

Logo is here: http://www.uspapalvisit.org/mediakit/

Logo designer Donna Hobson, director of publications at The Catholic University of America explained her goal with this design.

“I wanted to incorporate the papal colors—yellow and white— and my vision was to show a welcoming, arms-open, smiling Pope Benedict,” she said.

Bush gets "cold feet" on Vatican appointment?

The American Spectator says that Democratic senators are blocking the nomination of prominent "theocon" Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. envoy to the Vatican, and that the White House may be getting "cold feet" on the appointment.

CORRECTION: As subsequently noted by another news service's blog, this post appeared after Glendon's Senate confirmation. Since the source cited above was published one day before the Senate voted, blame for the error lies entirely with this blogger.

The Dalai Lama is "not a call girl"

Thanks to the Canadian prime minister for clearing that up.

Infamous Irish Priest Faces New Sex Charge

Oliver O'Grady, the Irish-born priests whose rape of children in California was documented in the Oscar-nominated film "Deliver Us From Evil," now faces a new legal challenge, according to the Stockton Record.

Says the Record:

A new lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Stockton alleges that former priest sexually abused another child while serving in Lodi, Calif. in the 1970s.

A 43-year-old female plaintiff filed the suit anonymously, claiming she was a student of O'Grady's at St. Anne's parish school in the early to mid-'70s when the abuse took place.

It is one of many such suits against O'Grady, who served prison time for child molestation and then became the subject of an award-winning documentary about his crimes.

O'Grady was convicted in 1993 of molesting two boys, served seven years in Ione's Mule Creek State Prison and was deported to Ireland in 2000. He disappeared after the documentary, "Deliver Us from Evil," came out in theaters, according to reports by U.S. and Irish newspapers.

A year ago, a 42-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman each filed lawsuits alleging abuse by the defrocked priest. Both suits were dismissed and are being appealed, said attorney M. Ryan DiMaria of Newport Beach law firm Manly, McGuire and Stewart, which has represented many plaintiffs in clergy abuse cases, including the one that sent O'Grady to prison.

Muslim Car Talk

According to Catholic World News, an Iranian company is making a new vehicle specifically for Muslims. The car will be adorned with Islamic symbols and have a compass pointing toward the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

There's probably a good joke in there somewhere but I'll let you make it.

Read the brief here.

Hajj-Choo!

Muslim officials brace for Hajj health risks

RNS' Omar Sacirbey looks at the health issues that Saudi Arabia deals with during the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, in this week's full-text article, linked above.

Quote:

The Hajj, which this year begins Dec. 18, is a health-care challenge by any stretch. Some 2 million global pilgrims descend on Mecca every year for five days, living in tight quarters where coughing and touching can easily spread germs.

Vatican nixes "Golden Compass"

The makers of The Golden Compass were probably not expecting a rave review from the Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano. And they didn't get one.

Huckabee and Christ-Related Ads, Part II

After GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee made waves with a new TV ad reminding viewers of the Christ in Christmas, the Web site of the former Arkansas governor now features an ad about freedom that includes the controversial cross from the wreckage of the Twin Towers.

The Boston Globe reported on reaction to the Christmas ad. Ron Paul, a competitor for the GOP nomination, told Fox News Channel that Huckabee was "using a cross like he is the only Christian, or implying that subtly." And, criticizing the rise in religious talk by politicians on the airwaves, church-separationist Barry Lynn called the current contest "a religion-drenched primary" for both parties.

Huckabee has defended the Christmas ad and his campaign has noted on its Web site that it set a campaign record for the number of hits it received in the first 36 hours it was available.

Across the Universe

The Washington Post has a groovy story about this American cat called Maggie O'Hara (a former actress) who wants to restore the ashram where The Beatles hid out with the Maharishi in 1968 to do some transcendental meditating.

O'Hara has lived in India running schools for the poor for the past 30 years, has submitted a plan to the government to turn the ashram into a home and school for 2,500 street children from New Delhi, about 115 miles away. She would also open a job training and rehabilitation center for 500 women, the Post reports.

Ten of the 500 rooms would be used as an eco-hotel, where guests could volunteer to work with the children or simply relax in the same ashram where John Lennon searched for the meaning of life and George Harrison worked to perfect his sitar playing.

The article is full of great little nuggets like this:

The Beatles' time in Rishikesh is often described as one of their happiest and most creative periods. They ate communally and relaxed, free from the constant watch of the media. They learned the maharishi's philosophy that repeating a word, or mantra, helps the body relax.

But things quickly grew troubled for the band, the maharishi and the ashram.

First, Ringo Starr left early, citing the irritation of bugs, heat and spicy vegetarian food. The band then became disillusioned with the maharishi, who allegedly started asking them for millions of dollars and was seen aggressively hitting on the women they traveled with.

Lennon wrote the song "Sexy Sadie" about the maharishi. It begins, "Sexy Sadie, what have you done?/You made a fool of everyone." A year and a half later, the Beatles announced they were breaking up.

And here I thought "Sexy Sadie" was about a girl. And the walrus was Paul, right?

Read the whole article here.

Good News for Black Catholic Jewish Hispanic Mormon Female Homosexuals

Gallup made a great poll available to reporters late last week detailing long term trends in who Americans would be willing to vote as president.

The categories are Catholic, Black, Jew, woman, Hispanic, Mormon, homosexual, and atheist.

For example, 93 percent of Americans said in December, 2007 that they would vote for a Catholic president, all other qualifications being equal. Only 4 percent said they wouldn't. In February of 1937, 60 percent of Americans said they would vote for a Catholic; 40 percent said they would not.

In 2007, 93% said they would vote for a black president; in 1958, which is as far back as this category goes, 37 percent said they would.

In 2007, 91% said they would vote for a Jew; in 1947, 46% said they would.

In 2007, 86% said they would vote for a woman; in 1937, 33 percent said they would.

In 2007, 86% said they would vote for a Hispanic; there are no longitudinal numbers for Hispanics, though.

In 2007, 80% said they would vote for a Mormon; in 1967, 75% said they would.

In 2007, 56% said they would vote for a homosexual; in 1978, 26% said they would.

In 2007, 46% said they would vote for an atheist; in 1958, 18% said they would.

All this repetition makes me think of the repeating skit on Late Night with Conan O'Brien "In the Year 2000..."

Al Qaeda versus the Pope

Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, posted a video on the Internet on Sunday criticizing the King of Saudi Arabia for visiting Pope Benedict at the Vatican last month.

Yesterday the Vatican press spokesman told Reuters that Al Qaeda's reaction shows that “those who don't want dialog" are "worried" by the recent exchanges between the pope and Muslim leaders.

Huckabee Merges Religion, Politics in Christmas Ad

GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, has continued his merger of religion and politics with a new TV ad that reminds people that the Christmas season is about Christ. "At this time of year, sometimes it's nice to ... just remember that what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ,'' said the former Arkansas governor, with a Christmas tree over his right shoulder and a harp gently playing "Silent Night" in the background.

Oh little town of ... Nazareth?

This year's nativity scene in St. Peter's Square will show the baby Jesus not in the traditional Bethlehem manger but in His father's carpenter shop in Nazareth.

For some reason, the designers decided to use the Gospel of Matthew as their source this time around, rather than the more popular version of the story in Luke.

Episcopal Bishop: Yep, We're Gone

Earlier this month, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori sent a letter to San Joaquin bishop John-David Schofield, asking if he and his dioceses had officially abandoned the Episcopal Church.

Today, Episcopal News Service, has his reply.

In a pastoral letter intended to be read December 16 in the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, Bishop John-David Schofield said that since the December 8 diocesan convention the diocese is "no longer operating under the looming shadow" of the Episcopal Church's "institutional apostasy," according to ENS.

Schofield wrote in his letter that this "institutional apostasy" stems from what he calls the Episcopal Church's "failure to heed the repeated calls for repentance issued by the Primates of the Anglican Communion and for the cessation of false teaching and sacramental actions explicitly contrary to Scripture," ENS reported.

Schofield's letter has not yet been posted on the diocesan website.

Extreme Makeover: Vatican Edition

Franco Zeffirelli says the "Prada Pope" needs a new look.

"His wardrobe needs to be revised," the film and opera director told the Italian newspaper La Stampa. "The papal vestments have been done over to be too sumptuous and showy."

Zeffirelli, who put Jesus of Nazareth on screen, said that Benedict also needs a new communications style—and he offered his services to make it happen.

"Benedict XVI still has a cold way of communicating, little suited to what is happening around him. ... If they give me an official supervisory role, I would dedicate myself to it full time."

Conservative Judaism's New Leader?

'Plucky' Jewish leader insists on a brighter future

RNS' Ansley Roan profiles Arnold Eisen, who's "poised to become a leader in what was once the country's largest Jewish movement, Conservative Judaism," in this week's full-text article, linked above.

Quote:

Although there is no single leader for the movement that claims about 750 U.S. congregations, members have traditionally looked to the JTS chancellor for direction. Eisen has embraced that role -- a "vocation," he calls it -- and his first task is to communicate "what Conservative Judaism stands for."

Glendon blocked for pro-life views?

Robert Novak suggests that pro-choice Catholics have effectively blocked the nomination of Harvard Law School professor, and prominent Catholic "theocon," Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, "raising the possibility that the post may be vacant when Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States in April."

Did Episcopal Bishop Pressure Priests?

Episcopal News Service is reporting that Bishop John-David Schofield pressured priests to vote "yes" on secession from the Episcopal Church or face financial penalties.

According to ENS "Schofield threatened the personal livelihoods and congregational finances of priests who opposed his efforts to lead the diocese out of the Episcopal Church."

The news service, which serves as the Episcopal Church's house organ but doesn't make a practice of pulling punches, attributes the information to Michael Glass, a San Rafael, Calif.-based attorney who represents congregations and individual Episcopalians who wish to remain in the Episcopal Church, and an unnamed source.

The unnamed person said Schofield told him during a break in the convention that diocesan support of his mission congregation will stop at the end of December because he abstained in the December 8 vote. Glass confirmed Schofield's threat. The warning came, the person said, despite the fact that money was earmarked in the 2008 diocesan budget for support of the congregation.

The person said both Schofield and his assistant the Rev. William Gandenberger told him and another congregational leader a month ago that diocesan support might cease, since any funds in the diocesan budget for mission would have to go towards Schofield's legal defense.


Asked whether such a threat had been made, Gandenberger replied, "absolutely not."

Read the whole story here.

Pope to Muslims: let's get to work

The National Catholic Reporter has my recent RNS piece on Pope Benedict's reply to "A Common Word," the letter from 138 Muslim scholars and clerics seeking better relations with the Christian world.

Benedict invited a delegation of the signatories to the Vatican, for a papal audience and a "working meeting" with Vatican experts on inter-religious dialog. So far, the Muslim writers have yet to reply publicly to the invitation.

The Vatican rag

Italian Vaticanista Sandro Magister has a piece (in English) on recent and upcoming changes at the Pope's own newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

Nearly 150 years old, the paper got a new editor in late October, who has already made noticeable changes, including smaller photos and more writing by non-Catholics and women.

In the works: a graphic redesign and an online edition, so that the whole world can read a publication currently restricted to a few thousand subscribers.

Endorsement Watch: Pressler Backs Thompson, LaHayes Back Huckabee

GOP Presidential candidate Fred Thompson has gained the endorsement of former Texas Court of Appeals Judge Paul Pressler, an architect of the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention. Pressler said: “Fred is the consistent conservative in the presidential race and is the most electable.”

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has picked up the support of Tim LaHaye, co-author of the “Left Behind’’ apocalyptic series, and his wife, Beverly LaHaye, founder of Concerned Women for America. Tim LaHaye said Huckabee “stands without apology for the pro-life, pro-marriage platform.’’ Beverly LaHaye added that Huckabee is “a man of absolute faith in God and courageous enough to try to do something to bring America back to its foundation.”

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
--Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.

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

Nunsense

Our pal Jim Martin over at America magazine is picking apart the story of Sister Kathy Avery, a Michigan nun who told her pupils she wouldn't stand for naughty words -- and then proceeded to list every naughty word in the book.

Jim is asking, however, why this is a story at all. He has some interesting theories.

More on Obama, the non-Muslim

The Clinton campaign has canned a second official for forwarding a hoax e-mail that said Barack Obama is a Muslim intent on destroying the U.S.

Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ. He's never been a Muslim, according to his autobiography. Neither was his father, nor his step-father, nor his Kansan-born mother.

Asked by the AP to explain why two people connected to the campaign would have forwarded similar e-mails and if the campaign was taking steps to find out if it's more widespread, Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee replied, "We communicated to all of our paid staff and volunteer leadership that the senator and the campaign have a zero tolerance policy for this type of activity."

Also, the Washington Post's ombudsman takes on her paper's front-page report on rumours about Obama's faith. The piece, which has been heavily criticized by the Obama campaign and by journalism scholars, garnered this reaction: "Hundreds of negative comments, e-mails and phone calls about the story came to The Post; only one e-mail to me was positive," said ombuds(wo)man Deborah Howell.

The story was right in one respect: there are plenty of people who think that Obama is Muslim, based on his name, rumors circulated by right wing preachers, or bogus news stories.

Fantastic fore

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has a recent RNS piece on the strangest relic in Christendom.

Since it was written by yours truly, I will forbear to extol its manifold splendors. But if you read only one article on the Holy Prepuce this holiday season, it will probably be this one.

Catholics and Mormons

Peggy Noonan's evaluation of Mitt Romney's faith speech last Thursday included this aside:

He had nothing to prove to me regarding his faith or his church, which apparently makes me your basic Catholic. Catholics are not his problem. His problem, a Romney aide told me, had more to do with a particular fundamentalist strain within evangelical Protestantism.

I haven't seen any surveys on this, but anecdotal evidence suggests to me that she's right.

After the Mormons built their Temple in Kensington, Maryland, in 1974, my Catholic parochial school in nearby Bethesda took our entire student body on a pre-consecration tour of the building; and no one gave us any lectures afterwards about the "errors" of the Latter-day Saints.

It's also worth noting that Mary Ann Glendon, the Harvard Law School professor and prominent Catholic "theocon" whom President Bush recently nominated as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, has been an adviser to the Romney campaign.

Mormon friends tell me that they feel much closer to Catholics than to Protestants. They note key similarities between Mormonism and Catholicism, including the importance of sacraments and the "prophetic" role of leaders in both churches.

Still, I find it paradoxical that members of the one of oldest Christian churches and one of the newest should get along so well, at least in the American context.

Anyone else know how to explain it?

Grammy Gospel Nominees

The nominees for the 50th annual Grammy Awards have been released and artists with multiple nominations in the gospel categories include Casting Crowns and Israel and New Breed. Veteran Christian artist Michael W. Smith has received his 13th career Grammy nomination. Here's the list of nominees in the gospel categories:


Best Gospel Performance

East To West by Casting Crowns
Blessed & Highly Favored by The Clark Sisters
Never Gonna Break My Faith by Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige
With Long Life by Israel And New Breed Featuring T-Bone
He Set My Life To Music by CeCe Winans

Best Gospel Song (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

Blessed & Highly Favored; Karen Clark-Sheard, songwriter (The Clark Sisters)
East To West; Mark Hall & Bernie Herms, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
Encourage Yourself; Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers)
Made To Love; Cary Barlowe, Toby McKeehan, Jamie Moore & Aaron Rice, songwriters (TobyMac)
Praise On The Inside; James L. Moss, songwriter (J. Moss)


Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album

Before The Daylight's Shot by Ashley Cleveland
HIStory: Our Place In His Story by The Cross Movement
Open Book by Da' T.R.U.T.H.
The Reckoning by Pillar
Comatose by Skillet

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

The Altar And The Door by Casting Crowns
A Deeper Level by Israel And New Breed
True Beauty by Mandisa
Stand by Michael W. Smith
Portable Sounds by TobyMac


Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album

Amazing Grace by Bill & Gloria Gaither And The Homecoming Friends
Journey Of Joy by Karen Peck And New River
Everybody's Brother by Billy Joe Shaver
Salt Of The Earth by Ricky Skaggs & The Whites
Tell Someone by Kenny & Amanda Smith Band
I'll Fly Away: Country Hymns & Songs Of Faith by Various Artists


Best Traditional Gospel Album

Live - One Last Time by The Clark Sisters
The Grand Finale': Encourage Yourself by Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Life Changing by Smokie Norful
Thirsty by Marvin Sapp
Cherch by Bebe Winans

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album

Grateful by Coko
Free To Worship by Fred Hammond
V2… by J. Moss
T57 by Trin-I-Tee 5:7
Alone But Not Alone by Marvin Winans

Bush Speaking Less About Faith?

As candidates' faith increasingly becomes a major story on the presidential campaign trail, the man who has the job they all want has quietly dropped speaking about his own faith, according to the Houston Chronicle's Julie Mason.

Bush is not talking about his faith anymore, Mason writes. Once a central theme to much of his rhetoric, Bush's relative silence on the subject was brought into sharper focus Thursday by Republican Mitt Romney's speech in College Station, detailing his own views on religion in America.

"It's funny, because everyone and their campaign manager is talking about religion, and the president in the White House seems to have removed all of that from his speeches," John C. Green, an expert on politics and religion at the University of Akron, tells Mason.

The absence of much movement on issues such as gay marriage, embryonic stem cells, and abortion during the president's second term may explain the lack, according to some scholars and pundits.

More cynical observers theorize that since he's not campaigning anymore, he's got no need to speak evanglicalese.

The article doesn't mention this, but I wonder how much of it has to do with the departure of his speechwriter Michael Gerson, himself an evangelical, who was known to embroider the president's speeches with theological language?

Read Mason's article, and tell us what you think.

Baptists and the Pope

Pope Benedict XVI met privately with more than 20 Baptist leaders, including at least one representative from the U.S. on Thursday, according to Catholic News Service.

The meeting was cosponsored by the Baptist World Alliance and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Benedict said he hopes a dialogue between the two "will bear abundant fruit," and an "increase of understanding a cooperation."

The pontiff did not shy away from noting the differences between Catholics and Baptists, however, saying that "historically controverted issues," such as "the relationship between Scripture and tradition, the understanding of baptism and the sacraments, the place of Mary in the communion of the church, and the nature of oversight and primacy in the church's ministerial structure," needs further discussion.

Perhaps the most interesting comment came from Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Christian unity council, who said "In the past, who would have thought that (Baptist representatives) would have willingly come to talk together with us?"

You can read the rest of CNS's story here.

Bible & Quran Side- by-Side

A new Dutch Web site, with text in English, Dutch and Arabic, is believed to be the first to offer integral texts of the Bible and the Quran.

The website makes it possible for anyone to access the two books anonymously.

A universal search function makes it possible to search the texts using any word and to compare them. The site shows the frequency of the word in each of the books and also displays all relevant parts of the text.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the word "Jesus" appears 2,415 times in the Bible; only 18 in the Quran. "Truth" appears 120 times in the Bible; 121 in the Quran.


The site contains a selection of eighteen stories that appear similarly in both the Quran and the Bible.

Arabist and philosopher Tariq Ramadan said: "If we want to promote mutual respect we need knowledge of the other text, but in a humble way. Every one of us should be committed to get knowledge from the Web site."

Tough Days for Roger Mahony

It ain't easy these days for LA's Cardinal Roger Mahony.

First, Mahony tells priests that he was assaulted -- beaten, it sounds like -- by a man who were angry over his handling of the clergy sex abuse scandal. Mahony has declined to press charges and would prefer the whole matter go away.

Now comes word from the LA Times that Mahony has sought a restraining order against a man who's been making threats againt him and other church staff.

No word if the assailant in the first case and the man in the second are one in the same.

I Stand Corrected

Turns out what you read isn't always what the writer meant to say ...

Re: my earlier "Outrage of the Day" post about "contribution envelopes" hanging on the Christmas tree at Point of Grace Church in Waukee, Iowa, it turns out that those envelopes were for the church, not the campaign.

My thanks to Ted Olsen of Christianity Today for pointing that out, and to Ruth Marcus at The Post for clarifying.

And my apologies to the Huckabee campaign and Point of Grace for any misdirected indignation.

Five Loaves, Three Fishes, One Campaign

Andrew Sullivan has this little morsel from a Mike Huckabee Q&A, where he links the surge in his campaign with Jesus' power to feed the 5,000.

(We're working on the technical aspects of posting video to this blog; stay tuned)

Did Romney Seal the Deal?

My initial response is that I think he made progress. Whether that is enough to win over wary evangelicals remains to be seen.

I was particularly impressed with this section:

Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for President, not a Catholic running for President. Like him, I am an American running for President. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

He also got strong applause for this section:

There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers – I will be true to them and to my beliefs.

Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it.

So here's a question for our readers: did he pass?

A Catholic Fantasy

This year has been awash with fantastical tales: The ending of the Harry Potter series, the movie versions of "Beowulf" and "The Golden Compass."

None of them compare with this:

"An American bishop gets kidnapped outside his cabin in the High Sierras one snowy morning in November 2008 by three liberation theologians who look like terrorists.

They take him off to southern Mexico in his own helicopter and put him on trial for his sins in front of an international television audience. A jury of his peers, six retired Latin American bishops, find him guilty, and give him a surprising sentence. The bishop falls in love with his kidnappers and leads the American Catholic Church into a radical new way of being, still Catholic but aggressively account­able to the people."

That's right, veteran Vatican journalist (and former Jesuit) Robert Blair Kaiser has penned a novel called "Cardinal Mahony," with the aforementioned plot.

Kaiser says: "This work pushes the envelope. It is both “fiction” and “non-fic­tion,” set in the reality of the current priest-sex-abuse scandal and projecting ahead in time to tell the story of a colorful crew--and a new Cardinal Mahony--working to give Catholics a voice, a vote, and citizenship in their Church. Utopian? Yes! Why not dream?"

Check out the awesome cover here.

Vatican Indulgence to Mark 150 Years of Lourdes

Pope Benedict XVI is granting the plenary indulgences for the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes.

"The forthcoming 150th anniversary of the day in which Mary Most Holy, revealing herself as the Immaculate Conception to Bernadette Soubirous, wished a shrine to be erected and venerated in the place known as 'Massabielle' in the town of Lourdes," the decree reads, "calls to mind the innumerable series of prodigies through which the supernatural life of souls and the health of bodies has drawn great advantage from the omnipotent goodness of God."

Read the whole thing here.

An indulgence is a remit of temporal punishment, or consequence, for sins. See more about them here.

Here are the terms of the indulgence:

A) "If between December 8, 2007 and December 8, 2008 they visit, preferably in the order suggested: (1) the parish baptistery used for the Baptism of Bernadette, (2) the Soubirous family home (3) the Grotto of Massabielle, (4) the chapel of the hospice where Bernadette received First Communion, and on each occasion they pause for an appropriate length of time in prayer and with pious meditations, concluding with the recital of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith, ... and the jubilee prayer or other Marian invocation."

For those unable to make it to France, there's this:
B) "If between February 2, 2008 ... and February 11, 2008, Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes and 150th anniversary of the apparition, they visit, in any church, grotto or decorous place, the blessed image of that same Virgin of Lourdes, solemnly exposed for public veneration, and before the image participate in a pious exercise of Marian devotion, or at least pause for an appropriate space of time in prayer and with pious meditations, concluding with the recital of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith, ... and the invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary."

Outrage of the Day

So, as Ruth Marcus tells us over at the Washington Post, the good folks at Point of Grace Church in Waukee, Iowa, are hanging donation envelopes for Mike Huckabee on the church Christmas tree.

I'm sorry ... what the?

From Marcus' column:

WAUKEE, Iowa -- Lori Hommer is threading blue ribbon through contribution envelopes to hang on the Christmas trees at Point of Grace Church, and she scarcely pauses when asked if she's decided on a candidate in next month's caucuses.

"Yes, Mike Huckabee," said Hommer, 50, who teaches at the church. "He has conservative Christian values . . . the same values I have." As to the man who had been leading in the polls here until recently, she said, "I could probably support Mitt Romney if I had to. I'm just a little leery of him. I'm just not sure he's genuine."

You can read the rest of the column, but I had seen enough. George Bush paved the way for GOP candidates to use church membership directories to solicit campaign donations, but c'mon, donation envelopes on a Christmas tree? Huckabee -- or at least his campaign -- should know better than that. Shame on them.

To say nothing of the staff at Point of Grace, who allow their church to be coopted for shameless political posturing. Jesus overturned a few tables at the Temple; time for someone to toss over a few trees.

It brings to mind my favorite quote from church-state separation veteran James Dunn: Mixing church and state is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn't wonders for the manure, but it's awful for the ice cream.

Principal at NY Muslim School Loses Round 1

The AP reports that Debbie Almontaser, the principal at New York's first Arabic-themed school, has lost round 1 in her battle to get her job back after she caused an uproar over her use of the word "intifada."

From the wires:

NEW YORK (AP) _ The founding principal of the city's first Arabic-themed school, forced out over comments she made to a newspaper about the word "intifada," is not entitled to get her job back, a judge said in a preliminary ruling Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein said Debbie Almontaser's free-speech rights were not violated because she made the comments in her role as acting principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn. Her employer, the city, has a responsibility to supervise and monitor its messages to the public, he said.

Almontaser had sued schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She stepped down under pressure in August after she was criticized for not condemning the use of the word "intifada" on a T-shirt made by a youth organization. Instead she discussed the history of the Arabic term, which is commonly used to refer to the Palestinian uprising against Israel.

Almontaser said the meaning of her words was distorted after she told a reporter that "intifada" stemmed from a root word meaning "shake off" and that the word has different meanings for different people but certainly implies violence to many, especially in connection with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The judge noted that she had been instructed by the press staff for the schools not to discuss the T-shirts. He rejected her requests to be reinstated and to stop the city from looking for a new principal.

Three Kings

We Three Kings of Orient Are ... mostly unknown


RNS's Benedicta Cipolla traces the various threads of the biblical story of the three wise men who bore gifts to the baby Jesus, in this week's full-text article, linked above.

Quote:

"For Matthew, the magic star leading the wise men to the place of Jesus' birth is his way of saying what happened in Jesus is for the Gentile world as well," said Marcus Borg, professor of religion and culture at Oregon State University and co-author of the new book, "The First Christmas."

Magic Garden Indeed

Reuter's has word of some Holy Smoke blowing in a Greek nunnery.

Seems two men posed as gardeners to help the sisters plant their garden. While there, they surreptitiously planted some 30 cannabis (aka weed, pot, ganja, dope, the funky stuff, wacky tobacky ... you get the point) plants.

"The nuns did not know what they were and assumed they were large decorative plants," a police official told Reuters.

No word on whether the plants were harvested.

Archdiocese of New York and the Color of Abuse

The Catholic Archdiocese of New York is handing our coloring books to kids to warn them about sexual predators, (You can interpret this picture on your own).

New York says its the first effort of its kind in the U.S.

In the coloring book, a perky guardian angel tells children not to keep secrets from their parents, not to meet anyone from an Internet chat room and to allow only "certain people" like a doctor or parent to see "where your bathing suit would be," according to the AP.

Critics say: say the books should say explicitly that trusted adults — including priests — may be the abusers.

The lay reform group Voice of the Faith says: “The book depicts all of the aggressors as sinister men,” Mary Pat Fox, VOTF's prez. “In fact we know that abusers do not have a common description, often do not appear to be sinister, and frequently are attractive figures. Children must be made aware that an unsafe person also could be an attractive woman or man who approaches them in a kind and solicitous manner. The grooming process that lures children into a false sense of security is a significant part of an abuser’s process and success,” she added.

Not Everyone (Hearts) Huckabee

The first signs of a Mike Huckabee backlash have emerged, not long after the former Arkansas governor took the lead in an influential Iowa poll.

A Washington Post editorial raises questions about TrustHuckabee, a group of pushpollers with shady financial and political ties.

And columnist Richard Cohen says Huckabee, by running as a "Christian leader" is really being a "shameless follower."

Cohen says:

"It is absurd that Romney feels compelled to deliver a speech defending his beliefs and that Huckabee does not have to explain how, in this day and age, he does not believe in evolution. But it is singularly appropriate that Romney's speech be delivered at the Bush library. For it is the 41st president's underachieving son who put such emphasis on religious belief -- and has shown us all, with his appalling record, that faith is no substitute for thought. A mind honed on the whetstone of doubt might have kept us out of Iraq.

The Republican presidential field has some feeble minds and some dangerous ones as well, but none has done as much damage as Huckabee has. Religion does not belong in the political arena. It does not lend itself to compromise. It is about belief, not reason, and is ordinarily immutable. Romney is a shifty fellow, but he will always be a Mormon, and it will never make a difference. Should he become president, he will still light the national Christmas tree and pardon the Thanksgiving turkey and host the Easter egg roll on the White House lawn.

Inevitably, Romney's speech will be compared to JFK's. But when it comes to being beholden to a religious doctrine, it is Huckabee and not Romney who has some explaining to do. What's more, Huckabee is the one who is capitalizing on religious intolerance. He says he's a Christian leader, but the evidence proves otherwise. He's really a shameless follower. "

Cardinal Says He Was Assaulted Over Sex Abuse

Numerous news outlets are reporting today that Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles told priests that he was assaulted by a man shouting angry statements about the sexual abuse of children.

The cardinal described being approached last July by an unidentified man outside Our Lady of Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, said the Rev. Michael Gutierrez, who was at the meeting.
“He went down there to drop something off at the mailbox when this guy approached him, saying some stuff,” said Father Gutierrez, pastor of St. Anne Catholic Church in Santa Monica. “Then, boom, the guy was on him.”

Mahony, who did not appeard to be badly hurt, did not report the incident to the police.

No comment.

Trail Mix: Huckabee Bristles at Creationism Question

Mike Huckabee is happy to tell you he's a former Southern Baptist pastor -- who also believes in creationism -- but just don't ask him about evolution.

So says the AP, which reports that Huckabee got uncharacteristically annoyed at a question on whether evolution shoudl be taught in schools:

Huckabee — who raised his hand at a debate last May when asked which candidates disbelieved the theory of evolution — asked this time why there is such a fascination with his beliefs.
"I believe God created the heavens and the Earth," he said at a news conference with Iowa pastors who murmured, "Amen."

"I wasn't there when he did it, so how he did it, I don't know," Huckabee said.

But he expressed frustration that he is asked about it so often, arguing with the questioner that it ultimately doesn't matter what his personal views are.

"That's an irrelevant question to ask me — I'm happy to answer what I believe, but what I believe is not what's going to be taught in 50 different states," Huckabee said. "Education is a state function. The more state it is, and the less federal it is, the better off we are."

He also refused to take the bait on whether Mitt Romney (a Mormon) can be called a Christian:

"I'm just not going to go off into evaluating other people's doctrines and faiths. I think that is absolutely not a role for a president," the former Arkansas governor said.

Charles Wesley Crosses the Tiber

Charles Wesley, the British hymnwriters whose words form the background track for so much of Christian life -- "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", anyone? -- got a long-overdue audience in Rome when Catholics and Protestants came together to celebrate his 300th birthday with a Vatican hymn-sing.

As Catholic News Service points out, given that much of Wesley's hymnody is a staple of Protestant worship, the event was not insignificant.

The Rev. John Barrett, president of the World Methodist Council said, "It was mind-blowing really" to celebrate Wesley and sing his hymns "in Rome with an ecumenical gathering."

"I think Charles Wesley would be thrilled. He did not write these hymns just for Methodist people, but because they expressed Christian truths," Rev. Barrett said.

Newdow Back in Court

Michael Newdow, the California atheist who sometimes seems to have nothing better to do than challenge every reference to God found in America, was back in court Tuesday for Round 2 of his campaign to strip the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

From the AP:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ An atheist pleaded with a federal appeals court Tuesday to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" from U.S. currency, saying the references disrespect his religious beliefs.

"I want to be treated equally," said Michael Newdow, who argued the cases consecutively to a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He added that supporters of the phrases "want to have their religious views espoused by the government."

Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, sued his daughter's school district in 2000 for forcing public school children to recite the pledge, saying it was unconstitutional.

The 9th Circuit ruled in Newdow's favor in 2002, but two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he lacked standing to sue because he didn't have custody of the daughter on whose behalf he brought the case. He immediately filed a second lawsuit on behalf of three unidentified parents and their children in another district.

In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento again found in favor of Newdow, ruling the pledge was unconstitutional. The judge said he was following the precedent set by the 9th Circuit's ruling in Newdow's first case.

Terence Cassidy, a lawyer for the school district, argued Tuesday that reciting the pledge is simply a "patriotic exercise" and a reminder of the traditions of the U.S.
"How is pledging allegiance to a nation under God not a religious act?" Judge Dorothy W. Nelson asked. Cassidy said the pledge has religious elements but is not a religious exercise.
Newdow said the pledge has "tons of religious significance. That's why everyone gets so angry when we talk about ... taking it out."

Nelson asked Cassidy whether removing the words "under God" would make the pledge any less patriotic.

"Not necessarily," he replied, arguing it provided a historical context, not a religious one.

Congress added the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, and passed a law requiring all U.S. currency to carry the motto "In God We Trust" a year later. Congress first authorized a reference to God on money in 1864.

Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh and ... Red Bull?

Apparently the angels descending from the realms of glory on that first Christmas in Bethlehem weren't the only ones with wings ...

Reuters tells us that energy drink giant Red Bull has pulled an ad in Italy that featured a fourth Wise Man bearing a fourth gift -- a can of Red Bull -- to the infant Jesus. The ads were pulled after an Italian Catholic priest didn't get the joke.

"The image of the sacred family has been represented in a sacrilegious way," Father Damanti told Corriere della Sera. "Whatever the ironic intentions of Red Bull, the advert pokes fun at the nativity, and at Christian sensitivity."

Ecumenical News International is reporting that the furor has now spread to Poland.

Ideas for Bodhi Day

Many of you may know that Sat. December 8 is Bodhi Day, when Buddhists celebrate the Buddha's enlightenment. It's a big deal in Asia, where you'll see Buddhist families, particularly in Japan, stringing colored lights on ficus trees (must be something about this time of year that makes people want to illuminate, perhaps the pervasive darkness does it).

Read more about the day here.

The Year in Review

United Methodist News Service has a nice year-ender on all the doings in their denomination during 2007.

In edition to all the work they do with peace and justice, as well as disaster relief, UMNS noted that the church's U.S. membership declined by about 1 percent, while worldwide membership, particularly in Africa and Asia, was up.

And way down near the bottom of the article, you find some stuff on issues that many in the mainstream media consider the most "newsworthy," i.e. the church's struggle to hammer out a policy that's both open to LGBT members and traditionalist members. The Drew Phoenix story (you can find my take here) is a particularly fascinating chapter in that ongoing story.

Also, don't miss the fine year-ender by our editor, Kevin Eckstrom, which ran in WaPo last weekend.

Holy mobile

The Italian bishops are complaining about a new business that sends images of Catholic saints to people's cell phones, as substitutes for the traditional prayer cards. One bishop has called it a "blasphemous idea."

No doubt the bishops' counterparts in Spain are no more happy about this skit, which suggests yet another way in which information technology might transform Catholic devotion.

Cartoon Mormonism

Here's a video that's been making the rounds of the Internet via GodTube.

It's an animated short that purports to explain some of the more distinctive doctrines of Mormonism. From its style, it appears to have been made sometime in the mid to late 1970s; but of course it's gained new currency with the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney.

The video is unsympathetic, to put it mildly. It would be interesting to know to what extent and in what respects Mormons find that it distorts their beliefs. Perhaps the LDS church has made a cartoon rebuttal?

Flap Over Falwell Endorsement

Church-state watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State wants the IRS to look into Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Fallwell Jr.'s endorsement of Mike Huckabee for president.

In a complaint filed with the federal tax agency, Americans United noted that Falwell hosted the candidate at Liberty University and then sent an email message on Liberty University letterhead endorsing Huckabee, says AU.

According to AU: Falwell is following in the footsteps of his late father Jerry Falwell Sr. In 1993, Falwell Sr.'s Old Time Gospel Hour had its tax exemption retroactively revoked for the years 1986 and 1987 and the ministry was required to pay $50,000 because of involvement in partisan politics.

Read all about it.

Ace in the Hole

As America's governors turn their lonely eyes to slot machines to stem budget deficits, numerous religious leaders (a la Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston) have rallied and cited moral arguments against the gambling proposals.

But gambling actually has quite a role in Jewish and Christian history, says Boston College professor Dwayne Carpenter, and it ain't all bad.

In fact, says Carpenter, "both the Catholic and Jewish traditions traditionally set aside days for gambling."

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church encouraged adherents to gamble on holy days. Carpenter cited one medieval treatise that suggested Christmas as an apt gaming day, because "it is a holy day on which everyone should rejoice in his home."

"It's not fair to say that the religious authorities were enthusiastic about gambling throughout the year. But it was seen to be a way to . . . add to the merriment of an already joyous occasion," he said.

No word in the article about Pascal's wager.

Vatican-China rapprochement?

A new Roman Catholic bishop of Guangzhou, China, was installed today with the joint approval of the Vatican and the Chinese government.

Coming days after the installation of a bishop in Hubei province, also with the agreement of Beijing and Rome, the event may signal improved relations between the government-approved Chinese Catholic church and an "underground" church loyal to the pope.

Last month, the Chinese government was still apparently blocking the Guangzhou appointment.

Was the Vatican's announcement last week that Pope Benedict would not meet officially with the Dalai Lama a factor in Beijing's growing flexibility? Observers are free to speculate.

Atheists Say Pope Needs a History Lesson

American Atheists, Inc. say Pope Benedict XVI blames atheism for "the greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice," in his new encyclical "Spe salvi," while missing the mote in his church's own eye.

"Benedict needs to go back to school and study history," said Ellen Johnson,President of American Atheists. "The most noxious and oppressive tyranny inevitably cloaks its mis-deeds in the rationale of religious faith. It is the values that originated with the Enlightenment and secularism which offer humanity the real hope in the form of freedom, progress and diversity."

Even in the current day, "it's pretty clear that our world is suffering from too much religion and too little secularism," noting militant Islam as a particularly vexing problem.

The atheists continue in that fire-breathing vein here.

Update: Cross Can Go from LA County Seal

The AP tells us the Supreme Court has declined to get involved in an ongoing spat over the cross in the old LA County seal. The crosses were added to symbolize the area's Catholic mission past, but some objected, calling it an improper government sponsorship of religion. They were removed in 2004.

Interestingly, when the cross was removed, so was the goddess Pomona -- "the goddess of gardens and fruit trees – is holding in her arms a sheaf of grain, an orange, a lemon, an avocado and a few grapes to represent Los Angeles County’s agriculture," according to the County site. She was replaced by a "Native American woman (who) represents the early inhabitants of the Los Angeles Basin, including the area we now call Los Angeles County." Oil derricks were replaced by an non-religious depiction of the San Gabriel Mission in a nod to the region's religious past.

From the AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Supreme Court on Monday ended a challenge to Los Angeles County's decision to remove a cross from the county seal.

The court, without comment, declined to revive a lawsuit filed by a county employee that said the decision in 2004 to alter the seal was a display of hostility toward Christianity.
A U.S. district judge and a federal appeals court had previously rejected the claims of Ernesto R. Vasquez.

The county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in 2004 to remove the cross from the seal to stave off a threatened lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The case is Vasquez v. Los Angeles County, 07-427.

New meaning to the term "leather-bound"

The BBC tells us that a rare 17th century book, believed to be bound with the skin of a Jesuit priest, has found a new owner -- for a cool 5,400 pounds, or nearly $11,000.

The book's cover is said to contain an image of the Jesuit, Henry Garnet, who was executed for his role in Guy Fawkes' infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605 -- an unsucessful effort to blow up Parliament and assassinate (Protestant) King James I.

Diocese to pay $37M more to abuse survivors

The Davenport Catholic Diocese and its insurance carriers have agreed to a $37 million bankruptcy reorganization plan that will benefit approximately 156 people who say clergy and other diocesan personnel sexually abused them, lawyers for the victims said this morning, reports the Des Moines Register.

The most interesting part of the settlement, for sure for local folks, is bound to be this: The diocese will provide the opportunity for survivors to address the parish in which their abuse occurred as well as publishing their stories in the Catholic Messenger.

Fox Buys Beliefnet

Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced its acquisition of Beliefnet, a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith and build diverse spiritual communities by providing content and tools for a broad range of religions and spiritual approaches. Beliefnet, the largest online faith and spirituality destination, will become part of Fox Digital Media, spearheaded by President Dan Fawcett, which takes on an expanded role to support FEG’s vast cable, TV and film brands online, and drive FEG’s continued growth in the online market.

h/t: Dallas Morning News, which has more.

KJS Tells 3rd Bishop: Step Back from the Brink

The Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has written her third letter to a conservative bishop who has moved his diocese to the canonical outskirts of the Episcopal Church.

Last December, Bishop Jon-David Schofield and his San Joaquin, Calif. diocese, voted to make some changes to their diocesan constitution, basically eliminating the sections that call for obeisance to the mother church aka the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. The changes have to be approved a second time to go into effect. San Joaquin is meeting Dec. 7-8.

Earlier this year, KJS sent similar letters to Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh and Bishop Jack Iker of Forth Worth, Texas.

Jefferts Schori writes Schofield:

"You have been clear that you feel your views are dismissed or ignored within the Episcopal Church, yet you have ceased to participate in the councils of the Church. It is difficult to have dialogue with one who is absent," Jefferts Schori wrote. "…The Church will never change if dissenters withdraw from the table. There is an ancient and honored tradition of loyal opposition, and many would welcome your participation."

Read the full letter and context from Episcopal News Service here.

Controversial Anglican Bishop On "State of Church"

News from my inbox this a.m.: Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns, who was installed by Archbishop Peter Akinola of the Anglican Church of Nigeria to minister to disaffected conservatives in Northern Virginia and beyond, will give a "state of the church" address this Thursday.

Minns is the sort-of head of the conservative splinter group Convocation of Anglicans in North America, which, under Akinola's guidance, split from the Episcopal Church last winter. They are now engaged in a protracted battle over who gets to keep church property.

Here's more on the speech:

The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) will hold its first CANA Council starting on Thursday this week, marking the first time that the Council will come together as one community in Christ. The Council will conclude on Sunday with the consecration of four bishops-elect. CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns will address the Council in a “State of the Church” address focusing on this critical time in the Anglican Communion.

WHO: CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns

WHEN: Thursday, December 6 at 2:30 pm ET

WHERE: Church of the Epiphany, 3301 Hidden Meadow Drive, Herndon, VA 20171

NOTE: The consecration of the bishops-elect will be held on Sunday, December 9 at 2:00 pm ET at Church of the Epiphany.

Romney's No JFK

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, perhaps trying to tamp down what has become feverish speculation about his upcoming speech on religion, said yesterday in New Hampshire that "I'm not going to be giving a JFK speech."

After seeing his support slip in Iowa, particularly among Christian conservatives, a crucial caucus constituency, Romney agreed to make a speech on his Mormonism, which some Christians labeled "cultish" and "not Christian."

Read the Wall Street Journal's report on Romney's new comments here.

Ruth Gledhill's 10 Reasons to Love America

They gave us fish 'n chips and Elton John, and in return, we gave them Bob Dylan and Al-Anon.

Ruth Gledhill of The Times of London gives us her list of 10 things we should love about America. She starts with a YouTube clip of Bob Dylan singing "Knocking on Heaven's Door" from Billy the Kid.

This is an apparent retort to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' put-down of the U.S. management in Iraq, implying that Washington could learn a few things about how to manage an empire from Britain's sojourn in India.

Her list of America's Top 10 gifts to the world:

1. The Constitution.
2. Democracy.
3. Equality of opportunity.
4. Lack of class differences.
5. Jazz.
6. Hollywood.
7. The Twelve-Step addiction recovery programme.
8. Bob Dylan.
9. Multi-culturalism.
10.The World Wide Web.

HIllary's AIDS Speech

For anyone wanting to read the full text of Hillary Clinton's speech at Rick Warren's HIV/AIDS conference, the campaign has it up here.

In the Gospel, we learn that one-third of Christ’s ministry was healing the sick. And if you read those moments, when Jesus is presented with someone who is ill, it becomes abundantly clear that Christ had a choice. He could have been too busy. He could have thought you know this is not the message of the day. I don’t need to do this; I’ve already done it in Capernaum so I don’t need to do it again. But he made the choice. He never asked why someone was sick. He just healed and ministered those in need.

That is what Saddleback has chosen too. Other churches, nonprofits, and governments have also chosen to heal, to help, to redeem. For many of us the Golden Rule calls on us to act.

Hillary on Faith Without Works, and Works Without Faith

Our partners over at Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly have snippets of Hillary Clinton's speech at Rick Warren's AIDS conference last week ...

Clinton briefly talks about her own faith, and invokes the Democrats' favorite Bible verse from James 2:20 -- "Faith without works is dead" with this little addendum: "But I have concluded that work, without faith, is just too hard."

Kickin, Surfin, Bucking with Jesus

OK, fine, blame me for posting this .... but blame Dan Burke for finding it.

The good folks over at Fishermen bring us the Rodeo Jesus. The Surfboard Jesus. The Skater Jesus. Even Rockclimber Jesus. All yours for between $20 and $30.

From the site:

"Fishermen stands for the inspiration of faith: the people, places and moments that restore our connection. Our Goal is to introduce the most thought provoking, intriguing products that remind us of His eternal and enduring presence."

Thought provoking. Indeed.

The 12 Days of Kitschmas

Hmmm...should I go for the St. Sebastian pincushion or the hip-flask Bible? Too many choices ....Head on over to ShipofFools.com to see their holiday offerings. (caveat browser: not for the easily offended)

Sudan frees British Teacher

Via AP and Reuters:

KHARTOUM: The British teacher jailed in Sudan for allowing her students to name a teddy bear Mohammed was released last night only hours after receiving a pardon from President Omar al-Bashir.

Gillian Gibbons - sentenced on Thursday to 15 days in jail for insulting Islam - was released into the care of the British embassy in Khartoum following an appeal by two leading British Muslims to Mr Bashir.

Senior presidential adviser Ghazi Saladdin said Mr Bashir insisted that Ms Gibbons had had a "fair trial", but he agreed to pardon her because of the efforts by the British delegation, led by Labour peer Nazir Ahmed and his Tory colleague Sayeeda Warsi.

It was unclear when Ms Gibbons would leave Sudan. Sudanese presidential spokesman Mahzoub Faidul said earlier that she was to fly back last night. However, travel agents in Sudan said the earliest Europe-bound flights would not leave Khartoum until today. Ms Gibbons, in a written statement read by Baroness Warsi after news of the impending release, apologised for any discomfort she had caused to the people of Sudan.

"I have been in Sudan for only four months but I have enjoyed myself immensely. I have encountered nothing but kindness and generosity from the Sudanese people," she said.

"I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone. I am sorry if I caused any distress."
Baroness Warsi, the Tory spokeswoman on community cohesion, and Lord Ahmed, had launched a private initiative to secure Ms Gibbons's release. They delayed their departure after Mr Bashir confirmed a last-minute meeting.

Ms Gibbons had sparked a complaint after she let her pupils at Khartoum's private Unity High School pick their favourite name for a teddy bear as part of a project in September. Twenty out of 23 in the class chose Mohammed - a popular boy's name in Sudan, as well as the name of Islam's Prophet.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose country has had poor relations with Sudan for several years mainly due to the conflict in Darfur, said he was "delighted and relieved" to hear Ms Gibbons would be released. "Common sense has prevailed. She will be released into the care of our embassy in Khartoum after what must have been a difficult ordeal," he said.

Sudan's Council of Muslim Scholars had urged the Government on Sunday not to pardon Ms Gibbons, saying it would damage Khartoum's reputation with Muslims around the world.

Hundreds took to the streets of the capital on Friday, many waving swords and Islamic flags, calling for her death.
But many ordinary Sudanese said they thought she had made an innocent mistake.

Khartoum has had tense ties with Europe and the US over disagreements on how to handle Darfur, where the UN wants to deploy a joint UN-African force.

Methodists Going to Hell

When United Methodists gather for their 2008 General Conference in Fort Worth, they'll be sitting on a part of town once known as Hell's Half Acre, where dusty cowboys wet their whistles in saloons and ahem, met with ladies of the night in brothels. Then they hit the Chisholm trail.

Think some journalists may have fun with this?

Fort Worth is also home to the National Cowgirl Museum. Yee haw.

Will they or won't they?

Yet another turn of the screw in the story of a possible meeting between Pope Benedict and the Dalai Lama.

Last week, the pope's spokesman announced that no audience had been scheduled, leading many to think that the rumored meeting had been canceled to appease the Chinese government.

But shortly thereafter, the same spokesman said that he could not rule out a private, informal meeting of the sort which the two religious leaders held in October of 2006.

Stay tuned.

Catholic League Slams Bishops on Golden Compass

Apparently, not even the Catholic bishops are orthodox (or censorious) enough for the N.Y.-based Catholic League.

The Catholic bishops' reviewer says the Church in the film is "very much fictionalized."

The Catholic league says its not quite fictionalized enough.

"Philip Pullman's books do not portray a 'very fictionalized church,' one that is 'a stand-in for all organized religion.' They portray the Catholic Church. That is why he uses the term 'Magisterium,' (for the evil empire)," said the League.

The League says that the USCCB reviewers were "wrong" to say that it was 'a bit unfortunate' that Pullman chose this term Magisterium for the evil empire. "He deliberately chose it because his target from the very beginning has been Catholicism, not anything else. It was Pullman who said that 'I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.' Not to accept what the man says about himself shows no respect for his integrity," said the League.

The article, published on Lifesite.net, draws a parallel to "Brokeback Mountain," which the bishops' reviewed positively but later changed "after a LifeSiteNews.com readers issued numerous concerns to the Bishops Conference." [sic]

Read all about it.

No More Nukes, Religious Leaders Say

The Episcopalians, Quakers, Methodists, Lutherans, inter alia, are asking Sen. Byron Dorgan, chairman of a senate committee on energy, to eliminate funding for new nuclear warheads on the upcoming appropriations bill.

Read the letter here.

"Spe Salvi" Online

For those of you looking to find Pope Benedict's new encyclical on Christian hope online, here it is.

First Ted Haggard, now Larry Craig

Mike Jones, the Denver escort whose exploits with Ted Haggard fueled the evangelical leader's fall from grace, is back.

The Idaho Statesman is reporting that Jones also knew Craig -- you know, the toe-tapping Idaho Republican with the wide stance in a Minneapolis airport bathroom -- in the biblical sense. Jones is one of eight men who claim they had sex with Craig or were propositioned by him.

From the AP:

One of the men identified in the report, Mike Jones, 50, described as a former male escort, was the focus of the sex scandal involving Haggard, the disgraced leader of Colorado's New Life Church.

Jones said Craig paid him $200 for sex in late 2004 or early 2005. The encounter took place at a studio apartment in downtown Denver, Jones said.

Jones told the Statesman that he did not recognize Craig until his arrest made the news. The newspaper reported that Jones went on the record after Craig appeared in a television news report in August to address the arrest and his future in politics.

Jones has written a book about his experience with Haggard and acknowledged to the Statesman that his allegation about Craig might help sales. A message left for Jones by The Associated Press through his publisher Sunday evening was not immediately returned.

Romney to Make Faith Speech

As many of you may have heard, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will make a speech about his faith (a la JFK 1960) Thursday in College Station, Texas. Wonder if all this has to do with Mike Huckabee's surging Iowa poll numbers, especially among Christian conservatives.

Kevin Madden, Romney's press person says:

“Governor Romney has made a decision to deliver a speech titled “Faith in America.”

“The governor has been invited to The George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas to deliver this address on Thursday, December 6.

“This speech is an opportunity for Governor Romney to share his views on religious liberty, the grand tradition religious tolerance has played in the progress of our nation and how the governor’s own faith would inform his Presidency if he were elected.

“Governor Romney understands that faith is an important issue to many Americans, and he personally feels this moment is the right moment for him to share his views with the nation.”

“Governor Romney personally made the decision to deliver this speech sometime last week.

“While identifying a venue for this address, the campaign consulted with President George H.W. Bush’s office last week about Governor Romney’s decision. President Bush was gracious enough to extend an invitation to deliver the speech at the presidential library.

“The invitation to speak at the presidential library is not an endorsement of Governor Romney’s campaign.

-Kevin Madden, Romney for President campaign spokesman