Front Page

Churches Called to Recognize Image of God in Dalit Women
Ecumenical Workshop Addresses Gender-Based Caste Discrimination

March 27, 2009, BANGKOK/GENEVA – Participants in a workshop at the Global Ecumenical Conference on Justice for Dalits in Bangkok, Thailand, have highlighted the close connection between caste and patriarchy. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Council of Churches organized the 21-24 March gathering, which was hosted by the Christian Conference of Asia. Entitled "Multiple Discriminations: Special Characteristics of the Situation of Dalit Women and Dalit Christians," the workshop uncovered the additional layers of stigma and degrading treatment Dalit women face as a result of their sex.

Lutheran Bishop Testifies Before House Subcommittee on Climate Change

March 26, 2009, WASHINGTON – The Rev. Callon W. Holloway Jr., bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Southern Ohio Synod, Columbus, was one of seven witnesses who testified before the U.S. House Energy and Environment Subcommittee on March 25 in a congressional hearing, "Preparing for Climate Change: Adaptation Polities and Programs." Holloway said that the United States "must acknowledge its role and moral responsibility" in the global climate change crisis and "commit to providing substantial financial support reaching between $7 billion and $21.5 billion a year by 2030 and further increasing over time."

Peace Journalism Can Challenge Impunity!

March 26, 2009 – Writing in The New York Times (March 2, 2009), Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu – a speaker at WACC's recent Congress on the theme "Communication is Peace" – has called on Africa's political leaders to take sides and support the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its attempt to have President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan indicted for the crime of genocide. Tutu pointedly asks if African leaders are "on the side of justice or on the side of injustice? Are they on the side of the victim or the oppressor? The choice is clear but the answer so far from many African leaders has been shameful."

Educating All Our Children: Ecumenical Gathering Revisits No Child Left Behind
John Jackson Speaks at Ecumenical Advocacy Days.

March 24, 2009 – John Jackson, President and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, was one of several impassioned advocates for equality in childhood education who spoke to and interacted with a group of representatives at the Transforming No Child Left Behind event during the National Council of Churches' Ecumenical Advocacy Days, March 13 in Washington, D.C. Jackson compared the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, as told in John 6, to the idea that John's version of feeding the many does not mention what Jesus preached about. He intoned that our children will not remember what we say about providing quality education for them; rather it is what we do to ensure equal access to quality education for all that they will remember.

President Obama Welcomes Archbishop, Hosts March 25 Celebration at the White House

March 26, 2009, WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama welcomed Archbishop Demetrios of America and the Greek-American Orthodox community to the White House yesterday and hosted a celebration and reception for March 25th, the 188th Anniversary of the start of the Greek War for Independence of 1821. The President received the Archbishop in private and along with Vice-President Joseph Biden had a very cordial and open conversation. Later they all came into the East Room of the White House, where for the first time in the history of this event, the Vice-President introduced Archbishop Demetrios and said: "I speak on behalf of every American, Greek or otherwise, who cares about the union we share when I say that, Archbishop, we are truly lucky to have you here."

Diocese of Colorado, Episcopal Church Prevail In Grace and St. Stephen's Church Property Dispute

March 24, 2009 – An El Paso County district judge ruled March 24 that the property and assets of the landmark Grace and St. Stephen's Church in downtown Colorado Springs are held in trust for the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Denver-based Diocese of Colorado, and ordered a disaffiliated group to vacate the $17 million property. Judge Larry E. Schwartz, in a 28-page ruling, stated that the parish's "founding documents, various bylaws, relevant canons of the general church and consistent parish loyalty to the Diocese over most of its 135-year existence demonstrate a unity of purpose on the part of the parish and the general church that reflects the intent that all property held by the parish would be dedicated to and utilized for the advancement of the work of [the Episcopal Church]."

Easter Message

ELCA Presiding Bishop's 2009 Easter Message

March 26, 2009 – "Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified ... has been raised." Mark 16:6 When Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome came to the tomb, their hopes and fears intersected. They wondered aloud about the impossibly large and heavy stone that presented an obstacle to their immediate plans. Worse, what they thought lay behind the stone was unspeakably devastating. Jesus, who embodied the hope of God's promise in a fully human life, was not simply dead, but crucified – executed in the most extreme humiliation, a savage mockery of the hope that had lived with him. But the stone was gone, the grave empty.

General News

Church of the Brethren Redesigns Congregational Life Ministries, Closes Washington Office

March 25, 2009, ELGIN, IL – The Church of the Brethren is redesigning its Congregational Life Ministries and has eliminated the Congregational Life Team, effective April 6. The denomination also closed its Washington Office, as of March 19. The actions are part of a plan created by executive staff to respond to financial challenges facing the denomination and the decision of the Mission and Ministry Board to reduce the operating budget for core ministries by $505,000 this year.

Feature: a Battle for Cultural Survival
Faith Galvanizes Indigenous Village into Action amid Dramatic Climate Change

March 24, 2009 CHICAGO, Illinois, USA/GENEVA – No roads lead to Shishmaref, a traditional Inupiaq village along the Alaskan coast, where residents live on seals, walrus, fish, birds, caribou and moose that they hunt themselves. Villagers, the Inuit people of Alaska's Arctic Northwest and Bering Straits region, date their culture back thousands of years. Located on an island about three miles long and a quarter mile wide (4.8 x 0.4 km) and home to some 560 people, Shishmaref is washing out to sea. It is among the three most imperiled Alaskan villages endangered by erosion and flooding due to climate change, according to a report by the United States Government Accountability Office.

United Church News to Cease Print Publication, Move Online Exclusively

March 23, 2009 – United Church News will end its newsprint edition later this year and move online its delivery of denominational news. The decision was made on March 20 by the board of directors of the Office of General Ministries (OGM), which has been struggling with skyrocketing costs for the newspaper's production. Postage and printing costs have more than doubled during the past five years, with those costs now surpassing $125,000 per issue. The National edition will publish three more monthly issues in April, June and September. The Conference editions — or "wrap arounds" — will end in April, although Conferences will have the opportunity to print one additional issue if willing to share the costs equally with the UCC's National setting.

Young Lutherans Imagine a World Without Hunger in ‘Taking Root'

March 25, 2009, CHICAGO – Children, youth and teenagers can play an active role in ending hunger. The Rev. Stacy K. Johnson, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), hopes that young Lutherans understand that as Christians they are called to work for an end to hunger in creative, imaginative and faithful ways. To help them understand their roles, Johnson spent two years putting together "Taking Root" – a new ELCA World Hunger curriculum for children in grades 3-6, youth in grades 7-9 and teens in grades 10-12. Taking Root challenges students to imagine a world without hunger.

Lutheran Theologians Respond to ELCA Task Force Documents

March 23, 2009, CHICAGO – Three theologians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) responded unfavorably to content in two documents released by the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality. The task force released Feb. 19 a proposed social statement on human sexuality and a report recommending a process to consider changes to ministry policies that could make it possible for Lutherans in committed same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers.

Starting New Congregations Is High Priority for Lutherans

March 25, 2009, CHICAGO – Starting new congregations is a priority for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), but developing a congregation from scratch can be a frenzied experience. According to the Rev. Justin A. Grimm, emotions are minute-to-minute in mission development work. "There are highs and lows that come right at you, one after another." Grimm serves as pastor of Advent Lutheran Church, Lake Ann, Mich. Advent became a congregation of the ELCA in 2007.

Editorial Page

Editorial: Tuning in on God's Righteousness – a Reflection for Youth Day

March 23, 2009 – In a recent issue of the Taiwan Church News, it was reported that a group of youth made it their mission to ride their bicycles across Taiwan. In a short time span of 14 days, they rode from Puli to Taipei and then headed eastward to Ilan before turning back to Puli. During this 1,400 kilometer journey, these youth shared about their daily adventures, prayed together, recorded the experiences of their peers, and wrote about their thoughts on their homeland, their national identity, and themselves. Hearing stories about these youths actively pursuing their dreams as they rode their bicycles reminds me of a movie released a few years ago called "The Motorcycle Diaries."

Spanish News

Camisetas Con Consignas Antiárabes Y Atrocidades En Los Ataques Israelíes, Salen a La Luz

26 marzo 2009, BUENOS AIRES – Parte del mundo que contempla con escándalo e impotencia el conflicto en Medio Oriente, que se cobra la vida de civiles- mujeres, niñas, niños, ancianos, ancianas- cada día, no pudo más que horrorizarse ante la difusión de una camiseta de moda entre los soldados israelíes. En la espalda, la prenda dice: "Un tiro, dos muertos." En la imagen se puede observar el dibujo de una mujer palestina embarazada.

Nilton Giese Es Confirmado Como Secretario General Del CLAI

24 marzo 2009, LIMA, Perú – El pastor brasilero Nilton Giese fue electo formalmente como el nuevo secretario general del Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI), en el marco de la reunión ordinaria de la Junta Directiva de este organismo ecuménico, que se desarrolló en Lima, Perú, desde el miércoles 18 hasta el domingo 22 de marzo. Giese, de 49 años, venía desempeñando el cargo de secretario general interino del CLAI, por acuerdo de la Junta Directiva en su reunión desarrollada en la ciudad de Panamá, en febrero del 2008. Anteriormente, se desempeñaba como director del Departamento de Comunicaciones del CLAI, desde marzo del 2005.

El Compromiso De La Iglesia En La Sociedad Actual Fue Eje De La Cátedra De Teología G.casalis

25 marzo 2009, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – En esta crisis económica global que vivimos, la iglesia debe escuchar a las nuevas generaciones y profundizar en el conocimiento del mundo que nos rodea, planteó el pastor de la Iglesia Reformada de Francia, Juan Carlos Tenreiro, invitado a la 23° Cátedra de Teología George Casalis a la que convoca cada año la Facultad Evangélica de Estudios Teológicos y el Centro Intereclesial de Estudios Teológicos y Sociales, CIEETS, del 17 al 20 de marzo. Este año la Cátedra escogió el tema "Juan Calvino, testimonio para la iglesia y la sociedad moderna," con el objetivo de acompañar el proceso de capacitación y apoyo a la unidad de acción de la iglesia, así como para fortalecer el espacio de reflexión.

Julio Rivera, Sobreviviente De La Masacre En Las Aradas: ¿Por Qué No Hay Teléfono En El Cielo?

27 marzo 2009, SAN SALVADOR – Este día el Tribunal internacional para la aplicación de la justicia restaurativa en El Salvador escuchó los impactantes testimonios de Erlinda de Franco, cuyo esposo, Manuel Franco, fue ejecutado; Esperanza Cortés, quién denunció la desaparición de sus dos hermanas, y de Miriam Ayala y Julio Rivera, sobrevivientes de la masacre de Las Aradas, ocurrida en el departamento de Chalatenango el 14 de mayo de 1980. El esposo de Erlinda, Manuel Franco, era líder del Frente Democrático Revolucionario cuando fue secuestrado junto a siete dirigentes políticos y asesinado por un grupo paramilitar el 27 de noviembre de 1980.

Human Rights News

National Council of Churches Urges Congress to Require Human Rights Certification in Philippines

March 25, 2009, NEW YORK – The National Council of Churches today urged Congress to require assurances that the Philippines is living up to human rights standards before providing its government with additional military financing. Despite efforts by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to tie U.S. military aid to improvements in the Philippines' human right record, widespread abuses continue, said the NCC's General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, in an open letter to the Congress.

Religious Liberty News

Institute Denounces Tajik Religion Law

March 23, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy vehemently denounces the new law signed today by Tajikistan's President Imomali Rakhmon that will severely restrict the religious freedom of multiple faith communities. This new law, which was passed by the Parliament earlier this month, is widely recognized throughout the international community as a move that legalizes some of the government's most repressive practices and policies. Muslims make up about 97% of the country's population, with a majority of those adhering to the Hanafi School of Sunni Islam.

National News

United Methodists Share Concerns with Lawmakers

March 23, 2009, WASHINGTON – Faith communities must mobilize now if they want affordable, high-quality health care to be available to everyone, an aide to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy told a group of United Methodists. "You have the close, intimate relationships; remind us of the faces of the patients," said Lauren Gilchrist in a March 20 meeting at the senator's offices. "Stories are imperative. That is what drives Senator Kennedy." Gilchrist, a staff member on health care policy, met with members of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society concerned about the issue. Kennedy (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health Committee, has said, "In the most prosperous nation in the world, no citizen should have to decide between a doctor visit and paying their rent or buying food."

Obama Staffer Says Make Neighbor's Struggles Real

March 23, 2009, WASHINGTON – People of faith have a tremendous responsibility to keep the struggles of their neighbors' daily lives in front of the president, Senate and House of Representatives. Members of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society heard that message repeatedly as they visited legislators from their states and districts during their March 18-22 spring meeting in Washington. A member of President Barack Obama's administration pleaded with the board members to remain engaged with their communities and the Oval Office.

Lutherans in North Dakota Brace for Record Floods

March 26, 2009, CHICAGO – As residents in North Dakota rush to prepare for record-breaking floods, Lutherans there are doing what they can to protect rural and urban communities. According to the National Weather Service, many rivers in the state are at flood stage. The Red River is predicted to crest at a record 41 feet by March 28. The river flows north through eastern portions of North Dakota and western Minnesota. Bonnie Turner, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) coordinator for North Dakota, spent March 24-25 traveling by car along the Red River between Wahpeton, N.D., and Fargo, N.D.

Archbishop Demetrios Meets with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

March 26, 2009, WASHINGTON – The Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed Archbishop Demetrios of America yesterday at the State Department, as a good friend and an inspirational leader. The early afternoon meeting lasted about 50 minutes. Following the conclusion of the meeting Archbishop Demetrios made the following statement to members of the Press: It was a good meeting held in a cordial and sincere atmosphere where the issues of concern that are pending and relate to the Patriarchate, Cyprus and the issue of the name of FYROM were clearly addressed.

CRWRC Calls out Local Volunteers to North Dakota Floods

March 27, 2009 – With the Red River expected to crest above a record-breaking 41 feet in Fargo, North Dakota, early tomorrow, disaster response volunteers have been called to the scene by the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (www.crwrc.org). An urgent appeal to residents in nearby counties to assist with sandbagging and risk reduction through today was distributed on Tuesday to local congregations in the area. That evening, President Obama declared the flood area a federal emergency.

International News

In Congressional Testimony, Church Addresses Philippine Abductions, Political Killings

March 23, 2009 – Human rights violations in the Philippines, in particular the abduction of Episcopalian James M. Balao, have been addressed in Episcopal Church testimony sent to the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Appropriations and Sub-Committee on State, Foreign Operations. The Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, the Episcopal Church's senior director for Mission Centers, and Alexander D. Baumgarten, international policy analyst in the church's government relations office, submitted the testimony, dated March 18, outlining the Episcopal Church's concern for the continuing widespread human rights abuses in the Philippines, where extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances have been commonplace under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presidency.

Augsburg Mayor Welcomes Participants at LWF International Consultation
City's past Bequeaths Responsibilities for the Future

March 25, 2009, AUGSBURG/GENEVA – In a welcoming address on 25 March in the Golden Hall of the Augsburg town hall, the deputy mayor of the city of Augsburg, Hermann Weber, called it "a special honor" to greet the participants of the international consultation "Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches: Transformative Perspectives and Practices Today." On behalf of the Lord Mayor Dr. Kurt Gribl, Weber welcomed the approximately 120 theologians to Augsburg, where the gathering is being held on 25-31 March.

Institute Condemns Continued Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan

March 23, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy denounces the Pakistani government for its ongoing discrimination against the Ahmadi Muslim community, specifically in its charges against 15 Ahmadi men and its complicity in the deaths of two Ahmadi doctors. Although the Pakistani Constitution theoretically guarantees freedom of expression and religion in Articles 19 and 20, it also contains an amendment from 1974 which excludes Ahmadis from its definition of a Muslim.

World's Churches Wrestle with the Ancient System of Caste Discrimination
LWF General Secretary Noko: Everyone Considered "Touchable" by God

March 26, 2009, BANGKOK/GENEVA – Recounting stories such as the alleged forced poisoning of a young couple, speakers at the Global Ecumenical Conference on Justice for Dalits which opened in Bangkok, Thailand, on 21 March gave a face to the 3,500-year-old system of caste-based discrimination, detailing practices many would consider unthinkable in the 21st century. Shortly after their wedding on 5 May 2003, S. Murugesan (25), and D. Kannagi (22), both college graduates from Puthukkooraippetti village in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, were allegedly forced to drink poisonous liquid in the presence of scores of people, who witnessed the couple's agony.

The Increasingly Desperate Situation of the People Trapped in Vanni

March 27, 2009 – As religious leaders, we are extremely concerned about the deteriorating plight of the civilians who are still trapped in the Vanni. Endless debates about the actual numbers trapped or who is primarily to be blamed for their plight are not the most urgent needs at this stage. The immediate and absolutely urgent need is to recognize that this is a very critical humanitarian crisis faced by fellow Sri Lankans. The needs of food, water, health, sanitation, shelter and, above all, physical security of these our sisters and brothers and children need to be addressed without delay.

Solidarity with Oppressed Groups a Christian Responsibility Churches Urged to Advocate for Dalit Rights

March 27, 2009, BANGKOK/GENEVA – Church representatives at the recent "Global Ecumenical Conference on Justice for Dalits" in Bangkok have underlined the need for consistent implementation of comprehensive affirmative action policies in order to protect marginalized groups from discrimination. The conference workshop "Affirmative Action and Advocacy in Affected Countries" determined that members of ostracized groups such as Dalits remain social, economic and political outcasts, even in countries with laws targeting prejudicial practices.

Church of England Clergy Wanted for War- Torn Sri Lanka

March 27, 2009 – Clergy from the Church of England are being invited to provide respite for Sri Lankan priests in the war-torn country. CoE clergy will be asked to take over from Sri Lankan clergy in safe regions, so that those clergy can provide respite for their countrymen in conflict zones. Lanka Nesiah, speaking on behalf of Bishop Duleep de Chickera, in the Diocese of Colombo, explained: ‘There is a great need to provide relief to our clergy in the north and east. We will not place visiting clergy in conflict areas or expose them to any kind of danger.

Theologians from Across the Globe Gather in Augsburg for Lutheran Consultation
Participants to Reconfigure Lutheran Theology for the Future

March 27, 2009, AUGSBURG/GENEVA – "It is an overwhelming experience to see so many people here from all over the world, and all of them are Lutherans," declared Dr Bernd Oberdorfer, professor of Protestant theology at the University of Augsburg, in his opening address before an international gathering of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) on 25 March in Augsburg, Germany. "This displays in a wonderful way that the Lutheran church is a worldwide community," he remarked.

Declaration of the World Water Forum Falls Behind International Consensus, Says EWN

March 25, 2009 – Governments, civil society organizations and Christian agencies have expressed their disappointment that the ministerial declaration adopted at the World Water Forum in Istanbul does not include a reconfirmation of water as a human right. "It is difficult to understand that the Forum has produced such a text while the consensus of the international community of states is already much more advanced," commented Michael Windfuhr, human rights director of Bread for the World, an agency of the Evangelical Church in Germany.