Front Page

WCC Welcomes New Iraqi Council of Church Leaders

February 19, 2010 – "With great hope and deep satisfaction" the World Council of Churches (WCC) has welcomed the news that a Council of Christian Church Leaders of Iraq has been established. "In our view, it is a development that augurs as much for the future of the churches in Iraq as it does for Iraq as a nation," the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit wrote in an 18 February congratulatory message to the members of the new body.

CWS Helps Haitians Apply for Temporary Protected Status;
Says Earthquake's Impact Demonstrates Need for U.S. Immigration Reform

February 17, 2010, NEW YORK – Feelings of hope and relief were palpable among Haitians applying for Temporary Protected Status at ‘TPS Days' in New York, N.Y.; Lancaster, Pa., and Miami, Fla., today, three of five special immigration legal clinics being held this week at local offices and affiliates of the global humanitarian agency Church World Service. All these events plus a Citizenship Day Feb. 17 in Atlanta, Ga., and a TPS Day Feb. 19 in New Haven, Conn., are part of a nationwide CWS campaign in support of fair, humane U.S. immigration reform.

Embarking on a ‘Shared Lenten Journey,'
Christian Leaders Press Immigration Reform

February 19, 2010 NEW YORK – Responding to a "divine mandate" and as a "patriotic act," the chief executives of Church World Service and the National Council of Churches are pressing "comprehensive immigration reform" in the United States. In a letter to the leaders of the 36 communions that compose their organizations, the Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS Executive Director and CEO, and the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC General Secretary, said the urgent need for immigration reform must be a shared Christian concern in the season of Lent.

Christian-Muslim Summit Will Launch Diplomatic Initiatives to End Violence

February 18, 2010, WASHINGTON – Delegations consisting of leaders from Anglican, Shi'a, Sunni and Catholic faith traditions will convene March 1-3 at Washington National Cathedral to discuss reconciliation between Islam and the West. Four principals from each faith, along with five eminent religious leaders and experts from each of their respective religious communities, will strategize on how to use their influence within their governments to promote peace efforts worldwide.

General News

The Feast of the Sunday of Orthodoxy

February 21, 2010 – Now to Him Who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we can ask or think, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Eph. 3:20-21). The Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas To all the Clergy and the Laity of the Holy Orthodox Churches in the Americas Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Non-White Lutherans Share Concerns, Ask for Voice

February 18, 2010 – It was a telling moment when Rev. Eloy Gonzalez posed a question to more than 100 mostly non-white participants at the recent multi-ethnic symposium: "How many are delegates to the next [LCMS] convention?" Only one person, a Black woman, stood. "That's the problem," responded Gonzalez, senior pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Irving, Texas. "The issue" he was trying to illustrate, Gonzalez said later, "is that people who serve in ethnic minority ministries have very few venues ... to share their voice with the broader church."

Two ELCA Congregations Become Partners in Mission

February 15, 2010, MINNEAPOLIS – Two urban congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are getting to know each other. One congregation gave the other money to help with finances, but the relationship is moving deeper than that. The money was a first step in what they hope to be a bigger plan. The two congregations are Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis and Jordan New Life Community Church, which resides in the heart of Minneapolis' north side.

ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Lutheran CORE Announcement

February 18, 2010, CHICAGO – The churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) said it "will continue to respond to those congregations with questions or concerns" related to the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, adding it is "committed to ongoing conversation" with those congregations. The comments were part of a Feb. 18 statement from the ELCA churchwide organization following an announcement from the Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE). CORE announced its proposal for "the reconfiguration of Lutheranism in North America," in a Feb. 18 news release.

Veteran Civil Rights Leader Calls for Reform

February 18, 2010, DALLAS – A United Methodist minister who trained civil rights workers during the turbulent 1960s is calling for a "movement in our nation where no one is treated unfairly." The Rev. James M. Lawson, 81, distinguished professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., was in Dallas for a series of speeches in area churches commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro, N.C., lunch counter sit-ins to protest racial discrimination. The Dallas Peace Center honored Lawson at a Feb. 1 meeting of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in the Dallas Convention Center.

Young Clergywomen Blaze New Trails

February 19, 2010 – After a recent worship service at Branches United Methodist Church in Florida City, Fla., the Rev. Audrey B. Warren returned to the sanctuary to turn off the lights. There, draped in Warren's stole and with the microphone in hand, was 4-year-old Cassandra. "I didn't catch what she was saying, but I have to believe that she was ‘playing pastor,'" Warren recalls. "If that is not progress ... I don't know what is. How amazing for young girls to dream of being pastors." At 26, Warren herself belongs to a distinct minority: young women who are lead pastors.

Ecumenical News

US Lutherans Discuss Need for Unity with Ecumenical Leaders

February 17, 2010 – "The prayer of Jesus that his disciples may be one so that the world may believe (John 17:21) takes on new urgency in view of the challenges peoples and churches are facing today," said the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, in welcoming a delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Tveit was one of three general secretaries of world ecumenical organizations who met with the ELCA group of clergy and lay leaders in Geneva, Switzerland, on 15-16 February, providing perspectives on their work and how it interacts with the ELCA's ecumenical vision.

"Truth Does Not Fear Dialogue," Says Ecumenical Patriarch

February 18, 2010 – Indifference in regard to Christian unity is not an option for the disciples of Jesus, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has stated in an encyclical issued on the occasion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy. "It is not possible for the Lord to agonize over the unity of His disciples and for us to remain indifferent about the unity of all Christians," Bartholomew wrote in the encyclical. The Sunday of Orthodoxy is commemorated this year on 21 February. The encyclical refutes "fanatical" challenges brought against theological dialogues among different Orthodox churches and against ecumenical contacts with the wider community of Christians by "certain circles that exclusively claim for themselves the title of zealot and defender of Orthodoxy."

ELCA Delegation Meets Three World Church Leaders in Geneva

February 16, 2010, GENEVA – Declaring that "we need some dreams," the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, who recently began his new role as general secretary of the World Council of Churches, met with a delegation of clergy and lay leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) here Feb. 15. Tveit was one of three general secretaries of world church organizations who met with the ELCA group, providing perspectives on their work and how it interacts with the ELCA's ecumenical vision. The 12-member official ELCA delegation just concluded a two-week "2010 Ecumenical Journey" led by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop and president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

Spanish News

Concilio De Obispos Y Presidentes De CIEMAL Pasan Por Período De Transición En Su Presidencia

16 febrero 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Una comunicación del Consejo de Iglesias Evangélicas Metodistas de América Latina (CIEMAL), fechada el pasado 10 de febrero en la ciudad de Sao Paulo, confirma la existencia de un período de transición presidencial, en el cual el obispo Neftalí Aravena, quien presidiera ese organismo desde su IX Asamblea General, celebrada en marzo de 2008, "entrega su función desarrollada hasta el momento." "Dicho cambio se basa en el reglamento del Concilio de Obispos y Presidentes de CIEMAL, el cual señala que participan los obispos y presidentes en ejercicio.

Cardenal Absuelto De Acusaciones En Vísperas De Inauguración Del Festival De Poesía

19 febrero 2010, MANAGUA, Nicaragua – El Tribunal de Apelaciones de Managua, anuló el pasado 8 de febrero, la sentencia condenatoria dictada contra el padre y poeta Ernesto Cardenal, al que se le acusaba de delito de injurias y calumnias en perjuicio del señor Emmanuel Zerger. Desde agosto del 2008 existía esa acusación, la cual exigía una multa de 1000 dólares. Amigos y admiradores del escritor propuesto actualmente al Nobel de Literatura, vieron con suspicacia el hecho de que se le otorgara la absolución solo a días del inicio del Festival de Poesía, en la ciudad de Granada, este 14 de febrero.

Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Comienza Plan Misional Para Los Próximos Diez Años

18 febrero 2010, COLOMBIA – El plan de acción de la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana (IELCO), para los próximos 10 años, acaba de ser aprobado durante la quincuagésima cuarta Asamblea General de ese organismo, celebra aquí entre los días 11 y 14 del presente febrero. Dicho plan se desarrollará mediante la ejecución de cinco estrategias. La primera, Iglesia comprometida: Como respuesta a la acción de Dios, los miembros de la Iglesia asumen y se motivan a dar testimonio de su fe, a través de la proclamación del Evangelio de Jesucristo, de la defensa y la promoción de la justicia y la paz, y del cuidado responsable de su entorno natural. Segunda, Iglesia evangelizadora y discipuladora:

Observatorio Ecuménico De DDHH-Asesinan a Quemarropa a Un Líder Sindical

19 febrero 2010, TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras- El pasado lunes 15 asesinaron en una esquina de la capital hondureña a un lider sindical que colaboraba con el movimiento de resistencia nacional, formado luego del golpe contra el gobierno de Zelaya del 28 de junio de 2009. Francklin del Cid, comunicador del Observatorio Ecuménico de DDHH del CLAI y pastor en Tegucigalpa, informa en primera persona de la situación de violencia y terror que continúa en ese país. Son las 9: 15 de la noche y acabo de llegar a mi casa. Vengo del principal hospital de Honduras, en Tegucigalpa. No es el principal centro de asistencia médica por lo positivo que allí hay, lamentablemente.

Luteranos Responden a Informe Contra El Hambre Y Aumento De Las Necesidades Por Emergencias

17 febrero 2010, ESTADOS UNIDOS – La red Feeding America informó de un aumento en el número de clientes que acudieron a los sitios de su programa de alimentos de emergencia, de acuerdo a un reciente estudio de "Hambre en Estados Unidos 2010." La red es un grupo nacional de despensas de alimentos, cocinas comunitarias y refugios. Los patrocinadores de estos grupos son, principalmente, programas basados en la fe o con afiliación religiosa. "Los luteranos participan activamente en el tratamiento tanto de las necesidades inmediatas como de las causas de raíz del hambre y la pobreza," dijo Nancy Arnison, directora del Programa de la ELCA para Aliviar el Hambre en el Mundo.

CONEP Y UNICEP Se Manifiestan En Contra De Nuevo Proyecto De Libertad Religiosa

15 febrero 2010, LIMA, Perú – Tras las recientes modificaciones al dictamen sobre la Ley de Libertad Religiosa, el Concilio Nacional Evangélico del Perú (CONEP) y la Unión Nacional de Iglesias Cristianas Evangélicas del Perú (UNICEP) manifestaron su desacuerdo con los cambios realizados. Por medio de un comunicado conjunto, CONEP y UNICEP sostuvieron que el dictamen, basado en los proyectos de ley 1008/2006-CR y 2560/2007-CR, y aprobado por la Comisión de Justicia y Derechos Humanos el pasado 14 de diciembre, "contradice marcadamente los principios de laicidad e igualdad, al establecer un trato preferencial a una determinada confesión," en referencia a la Iglesia Católica.

Según El Vaticano Declaración Común Recogería
40 Años De Ecumenismo En La Historia De La Iglesia

16 febrero 2010, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Un comunicado emitido el pasado sábado por el Consejo Pontificio para la Promoción de la Unidad de los Cristianos, de la Santa Sede, ve como posible la redacción de una Declaración Común que recoja en síntesis 40 años "sobre la fe que comparten los cristianos de las diferentes confesiones." El anuncio fue hecho tras haber sido convocado ese organismo en Roma, durante un simposio que sesionó del 8 al 10 del pasado febrero y agrupó a teólogos católicos, luteranos, reformados, anglicanos y metodistas, según una nota aparecida en ZENIT, el órgano informativo oficial del Vaticano.

Secretarios De Sociedades Bíblicas Visitaron Cuba Para Conocer Su Trabajo

16 febrero 2010, LA HABANA, Cuba – Una delegación de Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas (SBU), encabezada por su secretario regional para el Área de las Américas, el reverendo Melvin Rivera, visitó la Isla la pasada semana, a fin de conocer de cerca la labor que se realiza aquí, en torno al uso y la distribución del sagrado texto. "Cuba es un modelo en el que las iglesias, los pastores, los jefes de obras y los obreros trabajan unidos, en un mismo espíritu, para que la Palabra de Dios no falte y siempre esté disponible," afirmó Rivera.

Human Rights News

Seventh Annual Youth for Human Rights World Tour Launched
Three-Month Crusade by Educators Officially Begun from Manhattanville College Friday

February 19, 2010, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, New York – The Seventh Annual Youth for Human Rights International World Tour launched Friday, February 19, with a human rights education panel hosted by Rev. Wilfred Tyrrell, Associate Academic Dean of Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. The theme of this year's World Tour is the United Nations International Year of Youth, which has as one of its objectives the promotion of "the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and freedoms, and solidarity." For the next three months, Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) president and founder Dr. Mary Shuttleworth of Los Angeles will meet with heads of state, leaders and educators in 15 countries to promote human rights education.

New York Metro News

Manhattan United Methodists Find Niche in Colombia

February 18, 2010, NEW YORK – A 600-member United Methodist congregation in Manhattan – no strangers to outreach at home and beyond – is discovering anew what the church is all about. And they are discovering it in Colombia, South America, where civil war and violence related to drug trafficking have slashed deep fissures in the social fabric. Three million people are displaced; another 2 million fled to other countries. Poverty is a way of life for many people. But in Colombia, notes the Rev. Javier Viera, "the whole concept of church is all the ways the church is reaching people."

International News

HAITI: Earthquake Survivors Urgently Need Rain-Proof Housing
LWF World Service Director Impressed by Global Relief Response

February 16, 2010, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti/GENEVA – One month after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the first strong tropical rain surprised the survivors in their sheet-roofed shacks and caught them unprepared. Spontaneously a lot of people gathered in the center of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, demanding material for new accommodation, reported Bobby Waddell, the Haiti emergency senior advisor for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for World Service (DWS). Erecting rain-proof housing for hundreds of thousands of homeless Haitians remains a top priority.

Nations Rally to Defend Human Rights in Iran

February 16, 2010, GENEVA – Countries from around the world have voiced strong concern at the United Nations Human Rights Council over Iran's deteriorating human rights record. In speeches yesterday and in documents filed with the Council, nations and human rights groups described the degree to which Iran has failed to live up to its obligations under international human rights law. "The good news is that governments and organizations are rallying to defend innocent Iranians, who have over the last year seen their human rights so gravely violated," said Diane Ala'i, the representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.

Baha'is Offer Decision-Making Model at UN Commission

February 16, 2010, UNITED NATIONS – A new model of decision-making among peoples of different cultures would contribute to integration "at this time of transition to a new social order," according to a new Baha'i statement. The statement was prepared for the 48th United Nations Commission for Social Development, which concluded on 12 February. The commission is the chief U.N. body charged with following up on the World Summit on Social Development held in 1995 in Copenhagen, where world leaders outlined principles that would characterize a new "society for all." These principles included respect for diversity and participation of all people.

Lutherans Work to Build Shelters in Anticipation of Haiti's Rainy Season

February 17, 2010, CHICAGO – With the rainy season expected to begin at the end of March, it is critical that the people of Haiti have some shelter to help preserve health, sanitation and dignity, according to a Feb. 17 report from a Lutheran World Relief (LWR) assessment team in Haiti. To help "beat the clock," Lutherans are working quickly to set up shelters for Haitians displaced from their homes since the Jan. 12 earthquake. "The rains will also pose a threat to infrastructure," reported LWR.

People in the News

WSC-AR Recognizes the Significant Contributions
of Harvinder Singh Phoolka to Khalsa Panth

February 15, 2010 – 1984 is a watershed for Sikhs. The trauma of Operation Bluestar and the Government sponsored pogrom that followed, has left a permanent impression on the Sikh psyche. 1984 has altered and redefined the dynamics of Sikh relationship not only with the political entity that is India, but also Indian society at large. A quarter of a century later, 1984 remains unpunished and all the issues around it unresolved. The crimes committed against the Sikhs were horrendous enough, but they became infinitely worse when seen in the light of government collusion, if not very active participation.

ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury Recognized for Interfaith Work

February 17, 2010 – Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams on Feb. 16 received the Woolf Institute of Abrahamic Faiths "Building Bridges Award" in recognition of his "commitment to addressing contemporary cultural and interfaith issues," a Lambeth Palace news release said. The award was presented at the Woolf Institute's fundraising dinner at London's Middle Temple, hosted by Lord Harry Woolf, former Lord Chief Justice, and patron and sponsor of the Woolf Institute.