Front Page

Health Not a Commodity but a Right, Also in Times of Influenza

May 20, 2009 – What do you think about when you hear the word "health"? A doctor with a stethoscope, lab testing tubes, coloured pills? Wrong answer, grassroots health activists say. You should be thinking first of clean drinking water, nutritious food, a safe work environment and essential health care made accessible at the community level. Yes, even in times of influenza A. A large spectrum of grassroots health activists – nearly one hundred sponsored by the World Council of Churches (WCC) – gathered in Geneva in mid May to press these issues within the global public health discussion.

Religious Leaders Applaud Obama's Middle East Peace Efforts
Jerusalem Bishop Joins High-Level Peace Conference in Atlanta

May 22, 2009 – President Barack Obama's efforts towards a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine and lasting peace in the Middle East continue to be a source of optimism for the global religious community. In a May 17 letter to the White House, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori joined Jewish, Muslim and other Christian leaders representing the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East (NILI) in commending Obama's decision to make Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace "a high priority from the start of his presidency."

Convention to Consider Justice and Peace Initiatives

May 18, 2009 – The 76th General Convention this July will be asked in various ways to continue the Episcopal Church's mission of living out the baptismal covenant vow to "strive for justice and peace." Already-filed resolutions, most contained in the triennial reports of the church's commissions, committees, agencies and boards, address social justice issues and echo the baptismal promise to "respect the dignity of every human being."

General News

Message of 16th Century French Theologian Addresses Religious Conflicts Today

May 22, 2009 – The lessons of a 16th century theologian born in France speak directly to a post-modern world hungry for peaceful and united communities according to the president of a global network of Protestant churches. In a presentation to be delivered at a public event at the Sorbonne University in Paris on Friday 22 May, the president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) notes that Calvin, a pioneer leader of the Protestant Reformation, once wrote that he would eagerly "cross ten seas" if that would further the cause of Christian unity.

Women Ordained until 12th Century: US Theologian
The Hidden History of Women's Ordination

May 22, 2009 – Gary Macy, a professor of theology at California's Jesuit-run Santa Clara University says that there is little room for historical doubt that women were ordained in the Catholic Church until about the end of the 12th century. According to Macy, the practice ended because of "virulent misogyny," California Catholic reports. Macy told attendees at a Monday night lecture at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee, there is little room for historical doubt that women were ordained in the Catholic Church until about the end of the 12th century.

Congregation Commits to Family Torn by Tragedy

May 21, 2009 – "We are committed to support this family, no matter what it takes." These are the words of Rev. Donald C. Porter, pastor of Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind. The family he is talking about is that of 3-year-old Laura Lynette VanNiekerk, who police believe was killed May 1 by her father, Johan VanNiekerk, in a motel in Battle Creek, Mich. Also found dead at the scene was Laura's grandmother, Brenda VanNiekerk, 72. Laura's two sisters, Samantha, 11, and Olivia, 6, attend Unity Lutheran School, which is sponsored by Mount Calvary and Peace Lutheran Churches in Fort Wayne, although they are not members of either congregation.

"The Other Holy Land" to Be Rebroadcast on Hallmark Channel June 7

May 19, 2009, NEW YORK – "The Other Holy Land" will be rebroadcast on the Hallmark Channel, Sunday, June 7, 2009 from 7 – 8 am EDT and PDT; and 6 am CDT. The hour long beautifully filmed program features four places in Asia Minor: Constantinople, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Smyrna – where it becomes strikingly clear that the history of Christianity in "The Other Holy Land" is also the history of the Greek Orthodox Church. The documentary was filmed in Turkey and the United States and includes interviews with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Demetrios of America and other noted theologians and historians.

Luther Seminary to Host ELCA Book of Faith Jubilee in August

May 19, 2009 – Registration is open for the Book of Faith Jubilee, which will be held Aug. 14-16 at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. The jubilee will include several keynote addresses. Workshops and affinity groups will address such topics as teaching the Bible in congregations, opening the Bible at home, the Bible and the arts, and the Bible and culture.

Church Leaders, Theologians Seek Rejection of Task Force Documents

May 22, 2009, CHICAGO – In an open letter to voting members of the 2009 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly, church leaders and theologians expressed concern over the "fidelity and future" of the denomination. As of May 22, more than 500 people had signed the letter. The letter, made available May 19, centers on two documents released earlier this year by the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality – a proposed social statement for the church, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," and a report and recommendation for a process to consider changes to ministry policies that could make it possible for Lutherans who are in "publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gendered relationships" to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers. The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly – the highest legislative authority of the 4.7-million member church – will consider both documents Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis.

Minnesota: Native American, Hmong Congregations Seek to Preserve Cultural Identities

May 18, 2009, MINNEAPOLIS – The Episcopal Church is committed to sharing "the good news of Jesus in ways people can understand and receive" within a variety of cultural contexts, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told gatherings of Native American and Hmong Episcopalians during a May 14-17 visit to the Diocese of Minnesota. On Saturday, she toured the Prairie Island Indian Reservation and met with a group of about 25 clergy and lay leaders at the Messiah Episcopal Indian Mission in Welch, about 50 miles south of Minneapolis.

Oprah Features United Methodist ‘Heroes'

May 19, 2009 – Two United Methodists are making medical miracles come true in a small Arkansas town. But they are no longer unsung heroes for starting a free medical clinic in Eureka Springs. Dr. Dan Bell and his wife, Suzie, members of Eureka Springs United Methodist Church, received the blessing of one of the nation's most influential cultural figures when they were featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" May 19. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a correspondent on the show, visited the clinic to tape a segment of "Heroes in Hard Times." For Suzie Bell, it was just another sign that the Eureka Christian Health Outreach clinic is part of God's plan.

Study Finds Pay Incentives for Pastors

May 20, 2009 – United Methodists who decide to move from one congregation to another just might be putting a few extra dollars into their new pastor's pocket. A transfer member can add more than $32 to pastoral compensation, according to a study presented at the recent annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics and Culture in Arlington, Va. The study, "Is Higher Calling Enough? Incentive Compensation in the Church," finds strong evidence that pastoral compensation conforms to standard business models.

Editorial Page

Ethics: Free Will Requires Entering Moral Trenches

May 22, 2009 – The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima Aug. 6, 1945. Three days later, U.S. forces dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. On Aug. 15, 1945, Japan announced its surrender. More than four decades later, ethicists still agonize over the decisions that killed an estimated 110,000 to 340,000 people, mostly civilians, but may have saved the lives of an estimated 850,000 to 1.8 million people, mostly civilians, by leading to a quick end to the war in the Pacific. "We are presented with an impossible decision among courses of action that are all totally abominable," writes Michael Bess in his excellent 2006 book, "Choices Under Fire: Moral Dimensions of World War II." "Either way we choose—kill 200,000, kill 340,000, kill 850,000, kill 1.8 million—we are in effect giving our assent to an abomination in which hundreds of thousands of innocents will suffer and die.

Spanish News

El Asesinato Del Sacerdote Rosebangh Se Suma a Un Clima Político Enrarecido En Guatemala

21 mayo 2009, GUATEMALA – El día 18 de mayo a las 5:30 de la tarde, en aéreas de la reserva nacional Laguna Lachúa en la ruta que conduce de Playa Grande, Ixcán, El Quiché a Chisec, Alta Verapaz, fue asesinado el padre Lorenzo Rosebangh de nacionalidad estadounidense, quien conducía un microbús con una delegación de los padres misioneros Oblatos de María Inmaculada que venía a una reunión de congregación en Playa Grande.

Culmina COP/COL De Iglesias De La FLM Con Desafíos En Diaconía Y Deuda Externa

20 mayo 2009, LIMA, Perú – La Conferencia de Obispos, Presidentes y Líderes (COP/ COL) de las iglesias latinoamericanas afiliadas a las Federación Luterana Mundial (FLM) terminó el pasado 15 de mayo en Lima, confirmando su compromiso con la continuidad de la diaconía y el servicio, así como con el tema de la deuda externa ilegítima. En la primera parte de la jornada, el secretario para América Latina y el Caribe de la FLM, Rev. Martín Junge, expuso el tema "El Papel de la Diaconía en la vida de la Iglesia: Visión y realidad."

El Mensaje De Un Teólogo Francés Del Siglo XVI Aborda Los Conflictos Religiosos De Hoy

22 mayo 2009, PARÍS, Francia – Las lecciones de un teólogo francés nacido en Francia en el siglo XVI se dirigen a un mundo post-moderno, hambriento de paz y unidad de las comunidades, dice el presidente de la red mundial de iglesias reformadas. En una conferencia pública presentado el viernes 22 de mayo en la Universidad de la Sorbona en París, el Presidente de la Alianza Mundial de Iglesias Reformadas (ARM), señaló que Calvino, un pionero de la Reforma protestante, escribió que "la cruz atraviesa diez mares" sin vacilar si se haría avanzar la causa de la unidad de los cristianos.

Iglesias Luteranas Latinoamericanas Dialogan Sobre Proceso De Renovación De La FLM

18 mayo 2009, LIMA, Perú – Desde el lunes 11 de mayo, líderes, obispos y presidentes de las Iglesias Luteranas de América Latina se reunieron en Lima en el marco de la Conferencia de Liderazgo (COL) y Conferencia de Obispos y Presidentes (COP), para intercambiar opiniones sobre el proceso de renovación de la Federación Luterana Mundial (FLM). En esta ocasión, los y las representantes del luteranismo latinoamericano vienen dialogando acerca de la reestructuración de la FLM, ante la falta de recursos financieros, la cual devendrá en un "achicamiento" de esta organización.

Movimiento Negro Dice Que Las Iglesias Fueron Cómplices Con La Esclavitud

22 mayo 2009, BRASIL – Organizaciones vinculadas al movimiento negro piden, en manifiesto divulgado el miércoles 13 de mayo que las iglesias históricas se pronuncien sobre los 121 años de la abolición inacabada, y pidan perdón "por la complicidad y la omisión delante de la esclavitud y el racismo sufrido por el pueblo negro." Brasil recordó el día en que fue firmada la ley que terminaba con la esclavitud formal. El manifiesto negro sustenta, con todo, que el país "mantiene una de las más acentuadas desigualdades social y económica del mundo" y que la población negra está al margen de la riqueza producida por la sociedad brasileña.

Sesiona Taller De Ciencias Bíblicas En El Oriente Cubano

22 mayo 2009, BAYAMO, Cuba – Con la presencia de casi 300 pastores y líderes de una veintena de denominaciones evangélicas, se celebró el 11 de mayo, en esta ciudad, un Taller de Ciencias Bíblicas organizado por El Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC) y en coordinación con Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas (SBU) a fin de brindar capacitación en relación con el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento. Los biblistas y teólogos de SBU, doctor Edesio Sánchez y Plutarco Bonilla tuvieron a su cargo la parte docente del evento.

Las Iglesias Reformadas Deben Hacer Oir Su Voz En Los Pasillos Del Poder, Dice Pastor Colombiano

20 mayo 2009, GINEBRA, Suiza – Ya es tiempo de que las Iglesias reformadas hagan escuchar sus voces en los espacios donde los poderosos toman decisiones, declara un dirigente de iglesia colombiana. "La iglesia tiene que proclamar en los pasillos del poder que no somos los dueños de la riqueza del mundo sino únicamente sus intendentes" sostiene Helis Barraza Díaz, responsable de la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia, entrevistado en Ginebra, donde se reune la red de la Alianza por la Justicia Económica y la Vida en la Tierra, uno de los programas de la Alianza Reformada Mundial (ARM).

Víctimas De Violencia, Cristianos Indios Cifran Esperanzas En Resultados Electorales

19 mayo 2009 – Según un trabajador eclesial indio, la violencia contra los cristianos registrada el año pasado en el estado indio de Orissa no fue un acontecimiento único, sino la consecuencia de una sociedad fragmentada. Sin embargo, los resultados de las recientes elecciones generales son alentadores. La ola de violencia que comenzó después del asesinato de un importante líder radical hindú en agosto de 2008 – asesinato revindicado por rebeldes maoístas, pero del que algunos militantes hindúes acusaron a los cristianos – refleja cómo la sociedad india se está fragmentando en divisiones comunitarias, afirma John Suresh Kumar, miembro del Consejo Sinodal de Servicios Sociales de la Iglesia del Norte de la India.

National News

First of its Kind CWS Project Wins National Award
Neighborhood: New Orleans Honored by Leading Network of U.S. Aid Agencies

May 19, 2009, SALT LAKE CITY – Paint is barely dry on the homes it helped rebuild in Little Woods but already the Neighborhood: New Orleans project has garnered a national award for New York-based humanitarian agency Church World Service. National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster chose to honor Neighborhood: New Orleans with its 2009 Innovative Program of the Year Award, presented at the National VOAD annual conference in Salt Lake City. National VOAD is a coalition of nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of their overall mission.

Lutherans Help Rebuild Homes in New Orleans' Little Woods Neighborhood

May 21, 2009 – More than 500 volunteers worked on rebuilding 12 homes in the Little Woods neighborhood of New Orleans in one month's time. Four years ago Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast. About half of the homes in Little Woods remain untouched. In an effort to assist homeowners there move back into their homes, Church World Service spearheaded a rebuilding initiative called "Neighborhood: New Orleans" April 19-May 16, 2009.

International News

Adventist President's Visit to China First by a Top Church Leader in Decades
Hub Congregations Support Nearly 40,000 Adventists

May 20, 2009 – Shenyang/China, 20.05.2009/ANN/APD Two Seventh-day Adventist congregations in the Northeast Chinese city of Shenyang illustrate the dynamics of the church in China, where local churches often serve as both ministry and administrative hubs for smaller congregations. The Beiguan Church, with nearly 3,000 members, worships in a building situated in a modern neighbourhood and is often visited by sightseeing tours. Four miles away, the Beishi congregation shares an aging, overcrowded structure with another Protestant church amid a densely-packed tangle of shops and homes.

After Communal Violence, Indian Christians Draw Hope from Elections

May 18, 2009 – According to an Indian church worker, the violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa last year was not a one-time event but the consequence of a fragmented society. However, the results of the recent general elections are heartening. The wave of violence that started after the killing of a prominent radical Hindu leader in August 2008 – a murder that was claimed by Maoist rebels, but blamed on Christians by Hindu militants – reflects how Indian society is being fragmented along communal lines, said John Suresh Kumar, of the Church of North India Synodical Board of Social Services, speaking at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, on 13 May.

Lutherans, Chinese Christians Work Together in Disaster Response

May 22, 2009, CHICAGO – Soon after an earthquake struck the Sichuan province in southwestern China one year ago, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) developed a $1.6 million plan to help reconstruct areas devastated by the earthquake. Today Lutherans remain committed to rebuilding areas that have received little attention. The May 12, 2008, earthquake killed 68,713 people. About 18,000 people are still not accounted for and presumed dead. One million people remain homeless, according to ELCA Global Mission. Long before the earthquake, the ELCA had been engaged in ministry and accompaniment with Chinese Christians, said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director, Asia-Pacific desk, ELCA Global Mission.

Humanitarian Aid Not Keeping Pace with Pakistan Crisis

May 21, 2009 NEW YORK – With U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week pledging an additional $110 million in humanitarian aid to Pakistan, international relief and development agency Church World Service calls for immediate humanitarian attention to health services for the 1.5 million people displaced by ongoing battles between the Pakistan military and Taliban insurgents in the country's North West region. CWS Pakistan/Afghanistan Country Director Marvin Parvez, in New York City to raise funds for the response, said that unless immediate needs for water and sanitation in displacement camps are addressed, those uprooted will face serious health epidemics – a "second disaster."

Aid Reaches Pakistani Women & Children with Needed Essentials

May 18, 2008 – The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee is assisting some of the millions of Pakistani civilians who are being displaced by increased government assaults on Taliban militants in the last month. Over the weekend, Pakistan's government urged civilians to continue to leave areas where fighting is ongoing according to Al Jazeera reports early today. CRWRC (www.crwrc.org), an international faith-based relief and development organization based in the U.S. and Canada, is assisting several thousands who are displaced in camps in Mansoor town, Swabi province, in Pakistan's NorthWest Frontier Province.

Zimbabwe Diocese Breaks Chains of Dictatorship
Bakares' Ministry Prepares the Way for Harare's Resurrection

May 21, 2009, BERKELEY, California – For Anglicans in the Diocese of Harare, Zimbabwe, Holy Week and Eastertide have been a time of new beginnings, and interim Bishop Sebastian Bakare has a bag of chains in his office as proof. The chains, now broken, once locked the doors to the Harare cathedral preventing Anglicans from worshipping in their church. Bakare led worship in the cathedral on Easter Sunday for the first time since coming to the diocese in December 2007. It was, he told Episcopal News Service, "our resurrection Sunday." That feeling of new life continues to deepen in the embattled diocese that is recovering from the effects of Bishop Nolbert Kunonga's episcopacy and finding ways to minister in a country being ruined by a dictatorial president.

Middle East News

ELCA Bishops Join Middle East Meeting at Carter Center

May 20, 2009, CHICAGO – Two bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were part of a diverse group of Christian leaders who pledged to President Barack Obama that they will "build constituencies that will advocate for a just political settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." The Christian leaders met privately May 14-15 at the Carter Center, Atlanta, and were hosted by former President Jimmy Carter, a longtime advocate for Middle East peace. The Christian leaders discussed strategies toward a resolution of the longstanding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

People in the News

John H. Thomas Named to CTS Senior Staff

May 19, 2009 – Chicago Theological Seminary has named the Rev. John H. Thomas as Senior Advisor to the President and Visiting Professor in Church Ministries. Thomas' appointment will take effect Jan. 1, 2010. He concludes his term as General Minister and President of the UCC on Sept. 30, 2009. In this newly created position, Thomas will play a strategic role in promoting and enhancing the national and global profile of CTS. Thomas will also cultivate relationships with key constituents and congregations; support strategic fund raising efforts; foster student and faculty recruitment; provide leadership development opportunities for students, alumni/ae, and national religious leaders; and teach courses.