Front Page

Association of German Lutheran Churches Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Emphasis on Commitment to Ecumenical Dialogue and International Cooperation

March 31, 2008, WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA – The United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) feels committed to "keeping up the ground water level of Reformation theology in congregations," says VELKD Presiding Bishop Dr Johannes Friedrich. Speaking on 2 March at the VELKD's 60th anniversary celebration in Wittenberg, Germany, Friedrich underlined the significance of the association of eight Lutheran churches. In their confession of faith, the Lutheran churches had recognized the power "that holds the churches to their cause and at the same time, offers the opportunity to constitute communion in faith over territorial borders," he noted. The broadening effect of this confession had worked not only within Germany but also far beyond, according to Friedrich.

NCC Laments a ‘Disastrous' War, Now Entering its Sixth Year

March 12, 2008, NEW YORK – It's a sermon that has been widely preached for five years and generally ignored in the halls of government. As the fifth anniversary of the March 17 invasion of Iraq approaches, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA repeated the message: the war has been a ‘disastrous mistake' and should be brought to an end. Speaking on behalf of the NCC's 35 member communions, all of whom have been critical of the war, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon also said the war intended to make America safe from terrorism "has made this country less secure."

World Church President Reaffirms Adventist Church's Non-Combatant Position

March 28, 2008, SILVER SPRING, Maryland – Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the global Seventh-day Adventist Church, has reiterated the church's long-held position on non-combatancy in an article published in the March issue of "Adventist World," the church's international journal. In the article, "Clear Thinking About Military Service" the General Conference president explains that deciding to carry arms puts "the spiritual and moral foundations of your life in serious jeopardy."

Win Without War Coalition Calls on Congress
to Reject Request for $100 Billion More for War

March 28, 2008, NEW YORK – The Win Without War Coalition, marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Invasion of Iraq March 19, has called on Congress to reject President Bush's request for an additional $102.5 billion to continue the U.S. occupation in Iraq. The call comes in the form of an open letter to Congress addressed to Rep. John P. Murtha (R-Pa.), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Murtha has described U.S. military policy in Iraq as "muddled" and warns that the danger to U.S. troops has increased because U.S. forces are stretched beyond their limits. Win Without War is calling on Americans who oppose the war to sign on to the open letter.

General News

New Anthem, Praise Song Commissioned for 300th Anniversary of the Brethren Movement

March 27, 2008, ELGIN, IL – An anthem and a praise song have been commissioned in honor of the 300th Anniversary of the Brethren movement. The 300th Anniversary Committee of the Church of the Brethren has commissioned the creation of the new music. The anthem is titled, "Speak, O Lord." Text and tune are by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, arranged by John Ferguson. The anthem has been published by Morningstar Music. Copies can be ordered at a reduced price by using the downloadable form located on the worship page of the Anniversary website

Faith Community Examines Disaster Response

March 31, 2008, NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two years ago, the Rev. L. George Abrams stood for the last time in his parish pulpit in Washington, and told his United Methodist congregation he was leaving full-time church ministry to follow a new calling. "I am called to disaster ministry," Abrams said. "I haven't really understood what that means, and then all of the sudden I see this conference advertised on domestic disaster ministry." Abrams, the disaster response coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Annual (regional) Conference of the United Methodist Church, met in Nashville with peers from other conferences and denominations for the 2008 Church World Service Forum on Domestic Disaster Ministry.

Willie Marare: Thankful to God, Despite Hardships

April 4, 2008, HARARE, Zimbabwe – The Rev. Willie Babopotongerenyi Marare has suffered imprisonment, attacks on his home and the deaths of his two sons. The setback that finally made him stop preaching was the loss of his eyesight in 2001. After a lifetime of dedication to The United Methodist Church, he relies on the support of his five daughters and "Christians" because there is no pension money for him or his wife.

The Greek Orthodox Church in America – Dead or Alive?
Reflecting on State of Orthodoxy in North America

April 2, 2008 – In the form of a question, our Lord warns us that towards the end of human history many shall fall away from the church. He asks in Luke 18:8, ..".when the Son of Man comes, shall He find the faith on the earth? (Lk. 18:8)." The Orthodox New Testament translates this verse not as "faith" but "the faith." In other words, shall He find His Church, the Orthodox Church which He planted as the faith, the truth, as the light of the world? The passage is a warning to us. St Cyril comments on this passage and says, "The Lord tells us that the love of the multitude shall be made cold, and that in latter times some shall apostatize from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having been branded as to their own conscience."

Lutheran Writers Project, Book Club Launches Web Site

March 31, 2008 – More than 250 Lutheran writers gathered for a weekend of worship, keynote addresses, readings, workshops and panel discussions at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. An outcome of "Called to Create: A Lutheran Festival of Writing" was the birth of the Lutheran Writers Project and the Lutheran Writers Book Club. The Lutheran Writers Project provides resources and event planning for writers, readers and such institutions as churches, schools and churchwide organizations.

San Joaquin Episcopalians Place Their Future in Context of Healing
Presiding Officers Answer Questions on Implications of Diocesan Dispute

March 29, 2008, STOCKTON, California – The reorganization of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin officially began on the evening of March 28 in a church partially illuminated by the Paschal Candle. Officiant Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies, began the service at the Episcopal Church of St. Anne in Stockton, California, with the Easter acclamation: "Alleluia, Christ is risen." After the Prayer for Light and the rest of the candles were lit, she and the congregation recited the three Easter Lucernaria, or anthems.

Ecumenical News

Ecumenical Cooperation Covenant Signed

April 4, 2008 – Over 1,000 people gathered in Newcastle's Christ Church Anglican cathedral on Wednesday to welcome the signing of a historic covenant on ecumenical cooperation between the Anglican diocese of Newcastle and the Catholic dioceses of Maitland-Newcastle and Broken Bay. While similar covenants have been signed between Anglican and Catholic churches at parish level, it is believed to be the first covenant between Anglican and Catholic Dioceses in Australia, a Maitland-Newcastle media release says. The congregation was called to prayer by the sound of the didgeridoo, followed by a smoking ceremony.

Salvation Army and African Instituted Churches Welcomed at Forum on Bilateral Dialogues

April 1, 2008 – Christian World Communions as well as the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches sent representatives to the Ninth Forum on Bilateral Dialogues in order to share information on recent bilateral consultations between churches and to discuss the vision of unity expressed in their ecumenical texts. For the first time, the 10-15 March meeting in Breklum, Germany included theologians from the Salvation Army and the African Instituted Churches. Other Christian World Communions (CWCs) represented in Breklum were: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Reformed, Disciples of Christ, Baptist, Old Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and United and Uniting Churches.

Editorial Page

Commentary: A Look Inside the Black Church

April 4, 2008 – The YouTube explosion of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's sermon clips and the continuous loop being played to millions on CNN, Fox News and other media outlets reminds Christians that, in our worship and living experiences, we still face the daunting challenges of racial division. We've realized anew that there is much we do not know about each other across racial and class lines. Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ, of course, have gained particular notoriety recently because presidential candidate Barack Obama is a member of the Chicago congregation. For myself, Wright has been a colleague and friend for more than 20 years.

Commentary: Race Speech Models Holy Conferencing

April 4, 2008 – U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's recent speech on race in America was a powerful and electrifying moment in recent oratorical history. Whatever it does for his 2008 presidential campaign, it stimulated conversation about race in hallways, at dinner tables, and even on late-night television shows, superseding topics like gubernatorial resignations and affairs. I hope that we can keep these conversations going in the future, whether or not we agree with his perspective.

Spanish News

Encuentro De Teología Y Discapacidad Reclama Inclusión De Discapacitados
Las Iglesias, Ocultan Las Discapacidades O Las Atienden Con Paternalismo, Afirman

31 marzo 2008, ECUADOR – Convocada por la Red Ecuménica en Defensa de las Personas con Discapacidad, EDAN, y el Programa de Educación Teológica Ecuménica, se realizó en Quito, del 26 al 29 de marzo, la Primera Consulta Latinoamericana sobre Teología y Discapacidad. A instancia del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias, y con la colaboración del CLAI y Visión Mundial, 48 personas- teólogos y teólogas, biblistas, entre los que se encontraban personas con discapacidad, familiares de éstos y especialistas en el tema- de diferentes confesiones de once países de Latinoamérica, se dieron cita en la consulta.

Leonardo Boff Desafía a Decidir Que Futuro Queremos Para Nuestro Mundo

31 Marzo 2008, GUATEMALA – El teólogo Leonardo Boff hizo un recorrido por Centro América. Llegó a Guatemala el 24 de marzo y se trasladó inmediatamente al interior del país para convivir en una ceremonia maya con un grupo de sacerdotes mayas en el municipio de Santiago Atitlán a 140 kilómetros al sur-occidente del país. Los días 25 y 26 hizo tres presentaciones en la ciudad de Guatemala con los temas: Espiritualidad y Teología, El Grito de los Pobres es el grito de la Tierra y La Desigualdad en la Globalización.

Opinión – Ser Minoría Cristiana En Sudán

3 abril 2008 – En Jartum, capital de Sudán, los cristianos tienen dificultades para tener su propio hogar incluso después de la muerte. El cementerio cristiano de la ciudad, que se ha convertido en centro de venta de automóviles de segunda mano, demuestra claramente los problemas con que se enfrenta la comunidad cristiana minoritaria en el norte, parte predominantemente musulmana del país. El principal y único cementerio cristiano ‘oficial' de esta ciudad de unos 8 millones de habitantes ocupa 1,6 hectáreas de tierra, que el antiguo vicepresidente Abel Alier concedió a las iglesias de Jartum con esa finalidad en 1975.

Las Iglesias Del Sudán Se Enfrentan Con "Enormes Tareas Y Desafíos"

31 marzo 2008 – En medio de los combates y la crisis humanitaria que se padece en varias regiones del Sudán, y con el riesgo de que fracase el acuerdo de paz de 2005 que puso fin a dos decenios de guerra civil entre el norte y el sur, el pueblo y las iglesias del Sudán se enfrentan con "enormes tareas y desafíos," tal como se informó a un equipo ecuménico internacional de representantes de iglesias, al comienzo de una visita de solidaridad de ocho días realizada al país. Representantes del Consejo de Iglesias del Sudán se reunieron en Khartoum con la delegación presidida por el secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, el miércoles 26 de marzo.

Realizan En Lima Vigilia De Solidaridad Con El Tíbet

4 abril 2008, LIMA, Perú – Activistas de organismos de defensa de los derechos humanos y seguidores del budismo tibetano en el Perú se congregaron ayer jueves 3 de abril en una manifestación denominada "Vigilia Solidaria por la Paz y el Diálogo con el Tíbet." La cita se desarrolló en el Parque Alfonso Ugarte, ubicada frente a la Embajada de China, en el distrito de San Isidro, en Lima, a partir de las 8 de la noche hora local.

International News

Global Partnership Takes Aim at Malaria Deaths

April 2, 2008, NEW YORK – United Methodist Bishop Janice Huie joined Ted Turner at the United Nations on April 1 as he announced an expanded global partnership to help end malaria deaths. The hope is that the partnership, led by the people of The United Methodist Church and Lutheran World Relief and organized by the United Nations Foundation, will raise $200 million to fight malaria in Africa. Development of the partnership has received support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Peace Fest to Be Part of Brethren Anniversary Events in Germany

March 24, 2008, ELGIN, IL – A Peace Fest is planned for August 1 at the Lutheran Pfarrkirche St. Marien in Marburg, Germany, as part of a weekend of international celebrations of the 300th Anniversary of the Brethren movement. The 300th Anniversary celebrations will be centered in the village of Schwarzenau, Germany, on August 2-3. The first group of Brethren were baptized in Schwarzenau in 1708, in an act that founded and began the Brethren movement.

Islam Overtakes Catholicism as World's Largest Religion

March 31, 2008 – Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism to become the world's largest single religious denomination, according to L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper. In an interview with the paper Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, compilier of the Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican yearbook, said "For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us." He said that figures for 2006 showed that Catholics accounted for 17.4 per cent of the world population while Muslims accounted for 19.2 per cent.

Illegitimate Foreign Debt and LWF Renewal Process
to Feature at Latin American Church Leadership Conference
State Minister Patino to Report on Ecuador's Foreign Debt Audit

March 31, 2008, TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras/GENEVA – The 2008 conference of church leaders from the 14 member churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Latin America will focus on illegitimate foreign debt, the LWF renewal process, and the evaluation of a five-year joint process by the region's member churches. According to Rev. Martin Junge, area secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean in the LWF Department for Mission and Development (DMD), a highlight of the 31 March – 4 April gathering in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, will be the participation of Ecuadorian Minister of State Ricardo Patino, who is also president of Ecuador's Commission for the Complete Auditing of Public Debt.

Sudan: Churches at a Crossroad

April 4, 2008 – Sudanese churches stand at a crossroads, said the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia. On the one hand, they face a transition from liberation fight to rebuilding their homes and communities. On the other, they live in a country where Islam and Christianity cross paths and the relationship between the two is vital. Speaking 3 April, at the closing session of a 3-day Congress of Sudanese Churches leaders in Juba, capital city of southern Sudan, Kobia addressed the historical significance of the country and assessed the post-war role of its churches.

Sales Park for Second Hand Cars on Christian Cemetery Illustrates Difficulties of Sudanese Christians

April 4, 2008 – In Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, it is hard for Christians to have their own place – even after they have died. The city's Christian cemetery, which has been turned into a sales park for second hand cars, illustrates well the challenges faced by the minority Christian community in the northern, predominantly Muslim part of the country.

Church Rescues Children in Displaced Persons' Camp

April 1, 2008, GULU, Uganda – Dorothy Lakol walks a few steps outside her family's hut to her mother's gravesite. Lakol's mother, Betty Amon, died two years ago of AIDS at Layibi, one of the internally displaced persons' camps established by the Ugandan government during the country's 20-year civil war. Dorothy's father, Solomon Ochen, her brother, Regarha, 12, and her sister, Phoebe, 6, all have the same deadly disease. Only Dorothy, 10, has escaped the sickness that will soon take the rest of her family away from her.

Pastor Brings Church to Vulnerable People

April 1, 2008, GULU, Uganda – Dust kicked up by the occasional passing car adds another gray layer on the babies' skin and turns everything the same dull color. The Rev. Titus Olaka looks distinguished in his white shirt and tattered wool suit jacket, sweat beads glisten on his face. Bible in one hand, he welcomes visitors to his parish-the Opit Camp for Internally Displaced Persons in rural northern Uganda. It is a hot, miserable place where thousands of people have been forced to live in mud huts crammed tightly together.

People in the News

Prejean Accepts World Methodist Peace Award

April 4, 2008, NEW ORLEANS – United Methodists "stood by my side at the very beginning," said Sister Helen Prejean as she received the 2008 World Methodist Peace Award. Prejean, 68, the Catholic nun who has become an international spokesperson against the death penalty, was presented the award April 2 by the Rev. John Barrett, president of the World Methodist Council and an ordained member of the British Methodist Church. She is the author of Dead Man Walking: an Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, which detailed her relationship with Patrick Sonnier, a convicted killer of two teenagers who was executed in 1984.