Front Page

Middle East Peace: End Violence, Protect Civilians, Cease Rhetoric of War, Urges WCC

July 13, 2006 – The new wave of violence in the Middle East is a cause for alarm around the world, and all sides should cease the violent confrontation and ensure the protection of civilians, the World Council of Churches (WCC) appealed today. "The WCC strongly urges all parties to immediately stop and reverse the escalation of the conflict and all use of the rhetoric of war," the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, said in a statement issued on 13 July.

UMCOR Attorney Wins Immigration Appeal

July 14, 2006, NEW YORK – An attorney for the United Methodist Committee on Relief has won an appeal from the nation's highest immigration court for a native of Guyana who is a U.S. citizen. T.J. Mills, the attorney, said the decision was particularly important "because some people who have been deported to Guyana now may return to the U.S. as full citizens." UMCOR's immigration ministries include Justice For Our Neighbors, a national network of church-based, volunteer-led immigration clinics that assist asylum seekers and immigrants in navigating the maze of rules and laws that affect their lives in the United States.

Anti-Torture Group Urges Senate to Drop Judicial Nominee NRCAT
Calls Haynes ‘Architect' of U.S. Torture Policy

July 12, 2006, LOUISVILLE – A broad coalition of religious organizations, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has expressed "grave concern" to lawmakers about one of President Bush's nominations for federal appellate court judge. The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) says nominee William J. Haynes II, currently general counsel of the Department of Defense, was the "primary architect" behind implementing a United States policy allowing torture and abuse against prisoners held in connection with the war on terror.

Cuba: WCC Warns Against New US Government Restrictions

July 10, 2006 – New proposals to tighten US economic and humanitarian restrictions on Cuba will adversely effect vulnerable Cuban people, and a recommendation that would isolate the Cuban Council of Churches constitutes "a gross violation of religious freedom and a remarkably aggressive interference in religious matters," the WCC states in a letter addressed to President George W. Bush, issued on 10 July 2006. The letter, signed by WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, comes as a response to the report of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, an American government body which advises on US policy on Cuba.

General News

Church of England Begins Long Process Toward Ordaining Women Bishops

July 10, 2006 – The process of ordaining women bishops in the Church of England began its steady course July 10 after a motion that calls for the practical and legislative arrangements of admitting women to the episcopate to be explored passed by a large majority with three amendments and after a four-hour debate at the Church's General Synod, meeting at York University in England. The motion invites dioceses, deaneries and parishes "to continue serious debate and reflection on the theological, practical, ecumenical and missiological aspects of the issue" of ordaining women bishops. It also calls for the formation of a legislative drafting group, "which will aim to include a significant representation of women," charged with "preparing the draft measure and amending canon necessary to remove the legal obstacles to the consecration of women to the office of bishop."

Conference to Provide Support, Training for Emergency Chaplains

July 11, 2006 – Fires and other disasters make front-page news, but the work of chaplains who serve in such situations often goes unnoticed. That's one reason LCMS World Relief/Human Care is hosting a first-time conference to provide support, training, and networking for Lutheran emergency-services chaplains, Nov. 13-14 in St. Louis. Organizers say the conference was planned specifically for LCMS chaplains, but all Lutheran chaplains are welcome. They include chaplains who work with fire and police departments; emergency medical services; the FBI; Secret Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the U.S. Border Patrol; and in other emergency services.

Camp Helps Children with Storm Stress

July 13, 2006, PASS CHRISTIAN AND GULFPORT, Miss. – The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is indelibly etched into the memories of children living along the Gulf Coast. "I was scared, because you could hear the wind making those sounds," recalled Jenifer Truong, 12, of Pass Christian, Miss., who worried whether she "would see everyone again." Truong is one of about 250 children attending Camp Noah this summer at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Pass Christian and First United Methodist Church in nearby Gulfport. Local churches and the United Methodist Committee on Relief are providing facilities and funding for the week-long day camps.

Familiar Faces Play Key Roles at Global Mission Event

July 12, 2006 – Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold and a host of Episcopalians active in world mission will lend their gifts of experience and compassion to the upcoming Global Mission Event (GME) 2006, sponsored by the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). "Sent by God's Grace for the Sake of the World" is the theme of the event taking place July 27-30 at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. Griswold, along with ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, will be a featured speaker at the opening celebration on the evening of July 27.

ELCA College Experiences Carbon Monoxide Leak, One Death

July 14, 2006, CHICAGO – A carbon monoxide leak early July 14 in a dormitory at Roanoke College, Salem, Va., caused almost 100 visitors to be treated at Roanoke-Salem area hospitals. One death was reported, but carbon monoxide poisoning may or may not have been the cause. Roanoke is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "We have had one fatality. It is an elderly person. At this point, it may or may not be related to the incident with carbon monoxide. That is, of course, being investigated," Teresa Gereaux, director of public relations, Roanoke College, told reporters at a morning news conference. "I believe it was a male.

Celebrations Mark Arrival of the First Protestant Missionary in India
LWF President Hanson Says Indian Lutherans Have Much to Teach Us

July 13, 2006, CHENNAI, India/GENEVA – Inaugurating week-long celebrations to mark the tercentenary of Lutheran ministry in India, His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Surjit Singh Barnala, said the arrival of the first Protestant missionary no doubt "marked a remarkable change in the lives of the Tamils in that area (and) the beginning of modern education there." The opening ceremony took place in Chennai, India, at the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute on July 3. Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg, a German Lutheran missionary sent by the Danish King Frederick IV to seek converts to Christianity, first arrived in Tranquebar (Tarangambadi in Tamil), which was then a Danish colony on India's eastern coast, 300 kilometers south of Chennai, on 9 July 1706.

Women's Ordination Conference Welcomes International Perspectives

July 12, 2006, MANCHESTER, England – The history of women's ordination in the global church is being addressed at a three-day conference held at the University of Manchester in England July 12-14 under the theme" Women and Ordination in the Christian Churches: International Perspectives." Setting the scene for the conference, Dr. Ian Jones, research associate at the University's Lincoln Theological Institute, explained that the conference is intended to explore the wider story of the participation of women in the church. "The last 150 years has seen the remarkable growth of women's place in ordained ministries in the global church, but it has progressed at a different rate depending on which church," he said.

NCC Issues Call for Submissions to Ecumenical Film Festival

July 11, 2006 – Cannes. Toronto. Tribeca. Oberlin, Ohio. An open call has been issued for submissions to a different type of film festival – original short films that focus on ecumenism and church unity. The first-ever Oikumene Film Festival will be part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches. The event takes place July 19-23, 2007, in Oberlin.

Ecumenical News

The American Jewish Committee Launches Engagingamerica.org Virtual Resource Center

July 13, 2006 – AJC's interreligious and interethnic departments recently launched www.EngagingAmerica.org, an intergroup virtual resource center. This novel and dynamic online resource provides a wide array of resources about ethnic, religious and national origin groups in America – including core beliefs and doctrines, demographics and organizations, and contemporary issues of concern. In addition, it shares a great deal about the American Jewish Committee and where it stands on current public policy and intergroup issues.

Editorial Page

Commentary: Call to Ministry Carries High Standard

July 11, 2006 – God calls all people to ministry. As each one of us surrenders ourselves to serving God, a call is placed upon us. It is a lifelong call that you never retire from. From our day of surrender and resurrection on, we are God agents. From the beginning of the Christian movement, the church has set aside, anointed and appointed people for leadership in this community of those called by God. When a person responds to a calling by God to full-time ministry, he or she begins a lifelong struggle with that calling. Some respond right away, others deny the call, while still others delay their response.

Spanish News

Lideres Evangélicos Se Retiran Del Congreso Nacional De Educación Por No Ser "Tomados En Cuenta"

14 julio 2006, SUCRE, Bolivia – Los líderes evangélicos que participaban en el Congreso Nacional de Educación, que se lleva a cabo en esta ciudad y del cual se espera la redacción del anteproyecto de la Nueva Ley de la Educación Boliviana, abandonaron la cita esta mañana por "no haber sido tomados en cuenta," según dieron a conocer en un comunicado. "Comunicamos a ustedes que el día de hoy 14 de julio del año en curso, en horas de la mañana, la delegación de Asociación Nacional de Evangélicos de Bolivia (ANDEB), presente en el Congreso Nacional de Educación, que se lleva a cabo en la ciudad de Sucre del 10 al 14 de julio, abandonó las instalaciones del mismo," dice la declaración.

Organizaciones Religiosas Y Sociales Protestarán Frente a Congreso Por Pago De Deuda Ilegal

7 julio 2006, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – El pago de la deuda externa argentina es un "perverso saqueo" contra el país, pero el gobierno sigue empeñado en cancelarla, denunciaron organizaciones religiosas y sociales, al cumplirse seis años que un Juez de la Nación resolvió que la deuda fue alevosamente aumentada desde 1976. "Ese fallo es una formidable herramienta para enfrentarse a este perverso saqueo, pero ha sido prácticamente desconocido por el Congreso de la Nación, que sigue negándose a tratarlo y a impulsar la investigación requerida," dijo un pronunciamiento de las organizaciones que llamaron a una gran movilización para el próximo jueves frente al Parlamento.

Especialista Evangélico Dice Que Pastores E Iglesias No Pueden Diagnosticar La Depresión

12 julio 2006, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina –"Ni las iglesias ni los pastores, están preparados para diagnosticar la depresión," aclaró el pastor Jorge A. León, cuestionando un articulo publicado el domingo en el diario La Nación que sostiene que capacitar a los religiosos, a quienes suelen acudir en primera instancia los deprimidos, sería una forma eficaz de combatirla. León, autor de "Psicología Pastoral para todos los cristianos" y otros 15 libros sobre el tema, afirmó que la depresión no es un estado espiritual sino una enfermedad causada por diversos factores y que se presenta de diferentes maneras, al punto que muchas veces ni los médicos se animan a diagnosticarla y prefieren apoyarse en un trabajo en equipo.

Cuba: El CMI Alerta Sobre Las Nuevas Restricciones Del Gobierno De Los Estados Unidos De América

10 julio 2006 – Las nuevas propuestas de restricciones económicas y humanitarias más estrictas contra Cuba agravarán la vulnerable situación de la población de ese país, y la recomendación de aislar el Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba es "una grave violación de la libertad religiosa y una flagrante y agresiva interferencia en los asuntos religiosos," declara el CMI en una carta dirigida al presidente George W. Bush, enviada el 10 de julio de 2006. La carta, firmada por el secretario general del CMI, Dr. Samuel Kobia, es una respuesta al informe de la Comisión para la Asistencia a una Cuba Libre, órgano asesor del Gobierno estadounidense sobre la política en relación con Cuba.

Enseñanza Religiosa Enciende Debates De Congreso Nacional De Educación

11 julio 2006, SUCRE, Bolovia – El tema religioso y, en especial, el impacto de la Iglesia Católica en las escuelas, promete encender los debates del Congreso Nacional de Educación, que se inició ayer lunes en Sucre, en medio de versiones contradictorias sobre el futuro de la enseñanza religiosa en Bolivia. Según un artículo publicado el lunes en La Razón, ni la admisión de su catolicismo por el presidente Evo Morales, las declaraciones del vicepresidente Álvaro García Linera sobre su respeto a la religión y el anuncio del ministro de Educación, Félix Patzi, de que la enseñanza de la religión será opcional, aplacaron el debate sobre la educación laica propuesto por el gobierno y la Iglesia Católica.

Pastor Menonita Es Nuevo Líder Del CIEETS

13 julio 2006, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – El pastor Jairo Arce, líder de la Fraternidad de Iglesias Menonitas de Nicaragua, es el nuevo director ejecutivo del Centro Intereclesial de Estudios Teológicos y Sociales(CIEETS), que antes condujo el pastor bautista Pablo Cruz. "Hay que ver un CIEETS hacia el futuro, caminando y creciendo con seguridad y fortaleciendo las relaciones con los pastores, líderes e iglesias a través del acompañamiento con una práctica cristiana, de justicia y de profunda oración," dijo Arce tras asumir el cargo el 9 de julio.

Caravana De Pastores Por La Paz Cruzó Sin Incidente Frontera Con México En Camino a Cuba

6 julio 2006, MËXICO – La caravana religiosa de Pastores por la Paz cruzó sin incidentes la frontera con México hoy jueves, minutos después de las seis de la mañana, en su camino hacia Cuba llevando ayuda humanitaria, según reportó la periodista Ellen Bernstein. La delegación itinerante, conformada por nueve vehículos pintados de colores llamativos que portan unas 100 toneladas de donaciones recogidas en 127 localidades de Estados Unidos y Canadá, pasó el puente internacional Pharr, escoltada por la policía local, y entró a México.

Universidad Luterana Pide Investigación Sobre Cruenta Represión En Protesta Estudiantil

14 julio 2006, SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – La Universidad Luterana Salvadoreña (ULS) condenó la muerte de dos miembros del cuerpo antimotines de la Policía Nacional Civil (PNC), ocurrida durante una manifestación estudiantil, demandó al gobierno una exhaustiva investigación de los hechos que permita dar con los "verdaderos responsables." El pasado 5 de julio se produjo una protesta de estudiantes de secundaria y universitarios en las afueras de la Universidad de El Salvador, que fue violentamente reprimida por la policía con el uso de helicópteros y francotiradores, con un saldo de dos policías muertos, un trabajador herido de gravedad y una treintena de detenidos.

Consejo Mundial De Iglesias Reacciona Contra Nuevas Regulaciones Sobre Asistencia Humanitaria a Cuba

10 julio 2006, GINEBRA, Suiza – El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) reaccionó enérgicamente contra las recientes recomendaciones de la Comisión estadounidense sobre Asistencia a una Cuba Libre, que pide intensificar las restricciones económicas y humanitarias destinadas al pueblo cubano y aislar al Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC) "Sería una flagrante violación de la libertad religiosa y una notoria interferencia en asuntos religiosos," dijo el CMI en una carta dirigida al presidente George Bush, conocida este lunes.

Iglesias Presentan Libro Sobre Pandillas Juveniles En Centroamérica

14 julio 2006, SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – La Comunidad Cristiana Mesoamericana (CCM) presentó el jueves 13 el libro "Una aproximación al fenómeno de las maras y pandillas en Centroamérica," documento que pone en relieve las razones y condiciones de las pandillas en la región y en el que las Iglesias reconocen que sus programas pastorales se han quedado cortos en la prevención y tratamiento de ese grave problema. La investigación recoge el resultado de entrevistas con pandilleros y religiosos de Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador y Nicaragua.

Religious Liberty News

Appellate Division of New York Supreme Court Unanimously Dismisses Lawsuit
Against the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

July 6, 2006, NEW YORK – On June 22, 2006, the New York Appellate Division, First Department, unanimously affirmed the decision of Justice Ira Gammerman dismissing a lawsuit brought against the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America by several individuals concerning the granting of the Archdiocese's 2003 Charter. "It must be dismissed," the Court wrote referring to the lawsuit, "because it involves a question of internal governance of a hierarchical Church." The ruling of this Appellate case firmly supports long-established decisions and is consistent with recent judgments on the hierarchical nature of the Greek Orthodox Church by appellate courts in Pennsylvania and Texas. The Court ruled that the First Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits courts from interfering with doctrinal and ecclesiastical affairs of a hierarchical church, including matters of internal church governance..

National News

NCC Applauds House, Urges Senate Passage of Voting Rights

July 14, 2006, WASHINGTON – The National Council of Churches USA praised the House of Representatives for overwhelmingly passing, by a margin of 390-33, H.R. 9, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. Efforts to weaken the reauthorization were also defeated in last night's vote. The bill now moves onto the Senate and is expected to be voted on before the August recess. NCC released the following statement about this civil rights victory: "We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 by an overwhelming majority.

Let Justice Roll Raising State Minimum Wages, Pushing Federal Hike

July 13, 2006 WASHINGTON – North Carolina and Pennsylvania are the latest states in a growing movement to raise the minimum wage for working Americans. Today, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley signed into law the bill raising the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania's governor did the same just last Sunday. "From Arkansas, Michigan and West Virginia to Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Americans have rejected the $5.15 an hour minimum wage as too low," said Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign national coordinator.

International News

Archbishop of Canterbury: Trust in God Is Faith's Answer to 7/7 Terror

July 8, 2006, LAMBETH PALACE – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, will preach July 9 that faith communities can best counter extremist terrorism by demonstrating extreme confidence in God. In a sermon to be preached in York Minster, England, Williams says the pain of last July's terror attacks in London is still felt deeply. "Today it is inevitable that we should have much in our minds all those whose lives were so brutally taken away, as well as those whose lives were shattered by injury or bereavement," Williams' sermon reads. "People of faith have had to try and come to terms with the horrible fact that there are those who want to serve their God and their idea of justice by organized slaughter and suicide."

Gathering Brings Together Sudan's ‘Lost Boys and Girls'

July 12, 2006, FAIRFAX, Va. – What gives a five-year-old the strength to survive the slaughter of her family? How does a six-year-old walk a thousand miles and survive by eating leaves and mud? Where does a seven-year-old get the courage to jump into the crocodile- infested Nile?

Lutherans and Muslims Assess Tsunami Disaster Relief, Plan Cooperation,
LWF President Hanson Speaks of Signs of Hope at Seminar on "Dialogue in Life"

July 7, 2006, MEDAN, Indonesia/GENEVA – Muslim and Lutheran leaders from Asia have affirmed diversity among religious leaders, the importance of dialogue to discover common and universal values, and the need to act. Meeting 18 months after the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami disaster, 85 Muslim and Lutheran leaders from India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand – the countries the most severely affected – affirmed the harmony of Christians and Muslims in response to the tsunami, and the importance of local leadership in directing that response.

Tranquebar Mission Restored after 300 Years of Lutheran Ministry in India

July 12, 2006, TARANGAMBADI, India – Thousands of Tamil people joined international guests and Lutheran church leaders July 8-9 here at the Tranquebar Mission on the southeast coast of India, where German missionaries Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Pluetschau arrived July 9, 1706. The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC) marked the 300th anniversary of Protestant ministry in India by rededicating historic buildings, dedicating new structures and praising God.

AACC in Support of Somalia Peace Talks to Be Held in Khartoum

July 14, 2006 – The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) views political developments in Somalia as critical to the entire Horn of Africa. We were encouraged when Somali political players, following a tortuous two-year peace process in Kenya, that was brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), entered into negotiations to end the political stalemate. The negotiations led to the formation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in January 2004, which was given the mandate to run the affairs of Somalia.

Middle East News

International NGOS Call for Urgent Protection of Civilians in Gaza,
Immediate Unobstructed Access Essential for Delivery of Humanitarian Aid

July 7, 2006 JERUSALEM/GENEVA – Eighteen international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have expressed grave concern about the severe impact of the recent actions in Gaza. In a joint statement issued on Friday, 7 July, they call for "the urgent protection of civilians in Gaza, as well as immediate and unobstructed access for the delivery of critical humanitarian aid and supplies necessary to provide for basic human needs." The statement is signed by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and 17 other international NGO partners active in humanitarian relief work in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Mideast Violence Futile, Say NCC and CWS, Urge Nonviolent Solution, Prayers and Advocacy

July 14, 2006, NEW YORK – "Is there ever to be an end to violence in the land we call holy," asks the National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service, its humanitarian partner agency, in a statement issued today following days of unchecked death and destruction in the Middle East. "What has violence solved these last 60 years? What has violence solved these past weeks," the statement also asked as the NCC and CWS called for an immediate cessation of attacks on all sides. The statement urges the United States government and other nations, "recognizing the success of former peace initiatives," to seek nonviolent solutions with the assistance of the United Nations for all the parties in the region.

People in the News

Suzanne Gibson Wise Elected Chair of Lutheran Services in America

July 12, 2006 – Suzanne Gibson Wise, president and chief executive officer, Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas, Raleigh, N.C., was elected chair of the Board of Directors of Lutheran Services in America (LSA) during the 2006 LSA Annual Conference April 26-28. LSA, one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States, is an alliance of nearly 300 social ministry organizations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LSA provides services to more than 6 million people a year.

Reviews

Beyond the Stereotypes, Islam on its Own Terms

July 13, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – The faith of a billion Muslims today, developed over fourteen centuries, is sympathetically and skillfully presented in Understanding Islam: An Introduction from Fortress Press. In this marvelous volume, author C.T. R. Hewer's extensive knowledge and contextually sensitive presentation yield an exceptionally rich and faithful account, presupposing no prior knowledge of the traditions, without orientalist, Western, or Christian biases. Includes diagrams, glossary, and easy to follow references to the Qur'an.

A One-of-a-Kind Resource for Enriching Prayer

July 14, 2006, MINNEAPOLIS – How can a little circle of eighteen pearls make a difference in our frantic lives? Stranded by stormy weather on a small Greek Island, Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Martin Lönnebo created the Pearls of Life concept to guide his own prayer. He shared the idea with others and was amazed at their response and their stories of ever deepening prayer. Over 50,000 copies of the book have been sold in Sweden and Germany.