c. 2005 Religion News Service

Pope Says God Considers Embryo `Full and Complete’ Human Life

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The embryo is a “full and complete” human being even though it is “shapeless,” Pope Benedict XVI said on Wednesday (Dec. 28), underscoring Roman Catholic teaching that regards abortion and the destruction of embryos for stem cell research as acts of murder.

Benedict made his comments during a general audience on the feast day of the Holy Innocents, which commemorates the thousands of male infants slaughtered by Herod around the time of the birth of Christ.

“The loving eyes of God turn towards the human being, considered full and complete in its beginning,” Benedict said.

Quoting from Psalm 139, Benedict said the psalm’s description of the human form as “still `shapeless’ in the maternal uterus” could be understood as a “reference to the embryo, described in those terms as a tiny reality that is oval and rolled up.”

“The idea that God already sees the entire future of that still `shapeless’ embryo is very powerful,” Benedict said.

Benedict’s comments come amid renewed debate in Italy over abortion rights that is expected to heat up as the country prepares for national elections in April.

Although few expect changes to occur to the 1978 law that legalized abortion in Italy, conservative lawmakers, led by right-wing health minister Francesco Storace, have been pushing to grant anti-abortion groups access to health clinics where abortions are performed.

_ Stacy Meichtry

Christian Reformed Church Leader Dies After Battle with Brain Cancer

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (RNS) The Rev. David Engelhard, a former Bible professor who guided the Christian Reformed Church through a period of historic change, has died after a yearlong struggle with brain cancer.

Engelhard died Thursday (Dec. 22), surrounded by his family at Porter Hills Health and Rehab Center. He was 64. His wife, three children and their spouses read from the Bible and sang in his final moments.

“His last breath was very peaceful. That’s what we prayed for,” said his wife, Jeanne. “He was just such a wonderful person, and God’s servant.”

Engelhard’s death came 10 months to the day after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Colleagues lamented Engelhard’s death at an early age but expressed gratitude his long trial was over.

“The ending is in some sense a relief,” said the Rev. Peter Borgdorff, executive director of the 273,000-member CRC. “But it is a life cut short.”

Borgdorff praised Engelhard’s commitment both as a professor at Calvin Theological Seminary for 23 years, and as CRC general secretary from 1994 until his health forced him this spring to retire early.

“He was a dignified representative of the church in ecumenical settings, and he made his mark as a worthy servant,” said Borgdorff.

Engelhard guided the CRC through a troubled era, steering debates at the annual CRC Synod when it approved women’s ordination in 1994-95.

“He was in every good sense of the word a leader” who valued diversity and debate, said the Rev. Henry De Moor, academic vice president of Calvin Seminary.

_ Charles Honey

Ohio’s `Critical’ Teaching of Evolution Could Become Legal Battleground

(RNS) Now that a Pennsylvania ruling has been made on intelligent design, Ohio could become the next legal battleground over the critical teaching of evolution in public schools.

U.S. District Judge John Jones III ruled Dec. 20 that intelligent design is creationism in disguise and cannot be taught as an alternative to evolution in public school science classes. The 139-page ruling, the result of a high-profile trial in Dover, Pa., is expected to have an impact in Ohio.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which helped bring the Dover lawsuit, has obtained boxes of records from the Ohio Department of Education pertaining to the state school board’s adoption of a controversial science lesson plan nearly two years ago, as reported in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

That action is a prelude to a possible challenge of the lesson, “Critical Analysis of Evolution,” which critics contend is warmed-over intelligent design. Intelligent design is a belief that life is so complex a higher being must have had a hand in its creation.

After the ruling denouncing Dover’s policy, those critics gave Ohio an ultimatum: Get rid of the plan, or face a long, costly and potentially embarrassing lawsuit.

“We hope Ohio takes notice and cleans house,” said Richard Katskee, Americans United’s assistant legal director. “Whether there is a legal challenge really depends on what the Ohio Board of Education does.”

State Education Department spokesman J.C. Benton said the curricula simply requires students to think critically about scientific theories such as evolution, Charles Darwin’s widely accepted theory that life descended from common ancestors.

“There was considerable conversation on these issues and people have passionate opinions,” Benton said. “However, we are confident this process not only took into consideration, but also respected, those opinions on all sides of the issue.”

_ Scott Stephens

Editors: To obtain photos of the Siegel family celebrating Hanukkah, go to the RNS Web site at https://religionnews.com. On the lower right, click on “photos,” then search by subject or slug.

A New York Family Celebrates Hanukkah With Lights, Songs and Gifts

NEW YORK (RNS) A person unfamiliar with the traditions of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, would do well to have the pajama-clad Siegel youngsters serve as guides to the ancient celebration.

From lighting the menorah and singing Hebrew songs to opening the presents with glee, the three grade-school students manage to strike the delicate balance between celebrating and honoring the holiday.

“I love seeing the smile on the kids’ faces and just being part of the tradition,” said their mother, Stacy Siegel, during Tuesday (Dec. 27) night’s celebration of the third evening of Hanukkah. “It’s a festive time. We just try to have fun.”

The “joy of the miracle of Hanukkah,” as 7-year-old Zachary likes to call it, is actually rooted in two “miracles” surrounding the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C.

They are, “that the oil that the Jews found lasted for eight days and they didn’t expect it to last that long,” according to 10-year-old Halle, and “that the Maccabees _ a very small team _ defeated a very big team, which was the Syrian-Greeks.”

The combination of the two events essentially returned religious freedom to the Jewish people of Jerusalem, and the day’s worth of oil lasting for eight days is the basis for 4-year-old Dana’s favorite part of the holiday, “lighting the candles.”

After their father, Steven, lit the shamash, or helper candle, family members took turns lighting the three wax candles on one of two menorahs. A third menorah, this one electric, glowed white in their window.

The family recited two prayers in Hebrew before singing several songs, including the liturgical “Maoz Tsur.”

The food eaten during the holiday is usually fried in oil in honor of the miracle, typically latkes, or potato pancakes, but the Siegels had sufganiyot _ Israeli jelly doughnuts the family approximated using helpings from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Then came the storytelling, spinning the dreidel, and the most anticipated part of the evening, the presents.

Halle’s gifts were earrings and a necklace, while her brother Zachary received a “Marvel Nemesis” video game for PlayStation 2.

Dana, the youngest celebrant, was given a Playtime Baby, a newborn doll that she began feeding with a toy bottle within minutes of tearing off the wrapping paper.

_ Yoav Gonen

Quote of the Day: Christian Songwriter Gloria Gaither

(RNS) “I think a great message set to simple music is a piece of portable theology. Hardly any of us remember the sermons we have heard. But songs, time and time again, have gone with people to the bathtub, the coal mines, wherever they went, and made a difference.”

_ Christian songwriter Gloria Gaither, quoted by Charisma magazine.

MO/JL END RNS