c. 2008 Religion News Service

Associated Church Press honors top publications

(RNS) Religion News Service, The Catholic Sun and Mennonite Weekly Review were among the top winners of this year’s Associated Church Press awards, which were announced Tuesday (April 22) in Dallas.

Awards were given in more than 60 categories for work published in religious publications in 2007. Winners were designated “Best of the Christian Press.”

Religion News Service won an Award of Excellence, first-place honors, for “Best in Class” in the news service category. It was the first time RNS has won first-place honors for two consecutive years. RNS was followed by Presbyterian News Service, winning an Award of Merit, and Ecumenical News Service, gaining an Honorable Mention.

The Catholic Sun, the newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix, won the first-place “Best in Class” award for a regional newspaper, followed by The Alabama Baptist and Word and Way, the newspaper of the Baptist General Convention of Missouri.

Mennonite Weekly Review won top honors in the national or international newspaper category, followed by The Anglican Journal. The Christian Chronicle, a newspaper for members of Churches of Christ, and United Church News, a publication of the United Church of Christ, tied for third place.

Other “Best in Class” winners include:

_ Special Interest Magazine: A Common Place (first place); New World Outlook (second place); devozine (third place).

_ Denominational Magazine: aLife, the magazine of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (first place); Disciples World and Interpreter (tied for second place); The Banner and U.S. Catholic (tied for third place).

_ General Interest Magazine: The Progressive Christian (first place), Sojourners (second place), Congregations (third place).

_ Journal: Touchstone (first place), The Cresset (second place), Reflections (third place).

_ Newsletter: Baptist Peacemaker (first place), Nuestra Parroquia (second place), Congregational Libraries Today and Vital Theology (tied for third place)

_ Independent Web site or E-zine: Cafe (first place), United Methodist NeXus (second place), Salt of the Earth (third place).

_ Adelle M. Banks

Israeli court rules for Messianic Jews

JERUSALEM (RNS) Israel’s High Court of Justice has ruled that some _ though not all _ Messianic Jews may receive automatic Israeli citizenship under the country’s Law of Return immigration policy.

The court ruled on April 16 that Messianic Jews _ people who define themselves as Jewish believers in Jesus _ may immigrate to Israel under the country’s Law of Return if their father is Jewish, but not if their mother is.

The Law of Return affords citizenship to almost anyone who is born Jewish (who had a Jewish mother), as well as a non-Jewish person who can prove at least one of his parents or grandparents was Jewish according to Jewish law.

Two years ago, a dozen members of the Messianic community living in Israel petitioned the court after the Interior Ministry denied their request for citizenship, reportedly on the grounds that they were involved in missionary activity, which is illegal in Israel.

More than a decade ago, the court ruled that Jews who converted from Judaism cannot gain citizenship under the Law of Return. It based its decision on the law’s provision that “the rights of a Jew under this law … are also vested in a child and a grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew, except for a person who has been a Jew and has voluntarily changed his religion.”

Baptist Press reported that Messianic community members will now “receive equal treatment under the Israeli Law of Return, which says that anyone who is born Jewish can immigrate from anywhere in the world to Israel and be granted citizenship automatically.”

But that may not be the case.

A staffer at the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, which petitioned the court on the matter, called the Baptist Press interpretation of the ruling “mistaken.”

“Only non-Jews will actually benefit from the ruling. If you’re a Jew according to Jewish law, if you were born of a Jewish mother, this ruling doesn’t apply to you. The Law of Return continues to prohibit Jewish converts to another religion to immigrate.”

However, the staffer said, the court’s decision “does change the situation for others who had a Jewish father, regardless of their religious beliefs. For these people, being part of the Messianic Jewish community cannot legally be a factor in determining citizenship.”

_ Michele Chabin

Bishop bans sports hymn from cathedral

LONDON (RNS) The hymn “Jerusalem,” the unofficial national anthem for England’s sports teams, has been banned from one of the Church of England’s grandest cathedrals on grounds that it is not “to the glory of God.”

The hymn, composed during World War I, has drawn the fire of a number of religious leaders for the military tenor of its lyrics, which speak of arrows, spears, bows of burning gold and chariots of fire.

The latest is the Very Rev. Colin Slee, dean of London’s Southwark Cathedral, who has ordered the ditching of “Jerusalem,” with its poetry by William Blake and music by Sir Hubert Parry.

In a statement to journalists, Southwark Cathedral said the dean, who has the final say on what material is used in its liturgy, “does not believe (the hymn) is to the glory of God and it is therefore not used” in most of its services.

Although “God Save the Queen” is Britain’s official national anthem, “Jerusalem” has been taken to the hearts of sports fans and is particularly popular each April 23, St. George’s Day, in honor of England’s own patron saint.

The Church of England itself has officially accepted that “Jerusalem” is a “widely loved hymn” that is “fixed in generations of hymn books and has its rightful place in Church of England worship.”

Even Britain’s Scottish-born prime minister, Gordon Brown, has chosen it as his favorite hymn.

This is not the first time the hymn has come under religious attack. St. Margaret’s in London’s Westminster, the parish church of the British Parliament, once refused to allow “Jerusalem” because, the church said, its lyrics contrasting “dark, satanic mills” with “England’s green and pleasant land” discriminated against city dwellers.

_ Al Webb

Southern Baptists report lowest baptism rate in a decade

(RNS) The number of baptisms in Southern Baptist churches _ considered a key measure of vitality and evangelism _ dropped to its lowest level in a decade last year, the denomination announced.

The nation’s largest Protestant denomination has highlighted its need to increase baptisms in recent years, with special emphases at annual meetings and a nationwide tour by a past president. But data gathered by the convention’s LifeWay Christian Resources show that baptisms have declined for the third straight year.

In 2007, baptisms decreased by 5 percent to 345,941, compared to 364,826 in 2006.

“This report is truly disheartening,” said Thom S. Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, announcing the findings on Wednesday (April 23). “… We are a denomination that, for the most part, has lost its evangelistic passion.”

Southern Baptists also saw a drop of almost 40,000 in membership from 16,306,246 in 2006 to 16,266,920 in 2007.

Despite fewer members and baptisms, the denomination’s churches saw an increase in attendees, with worship attendance increasing slightly to 6.15 million. The number of churches also grew to 44,696 in 2007, an increase of 1 percent from 44,223 in 2006.

LifeWay produces its Annual Church Profile by compiling information from state conventions affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It reported that 1,300 fewer churches submitted data for the 2007 profile than participated in 2006.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Americans more versed in the Bible than Europeans, Vatican study says

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Americans are more likely than Europeans to own and read a Bible, but Poles are most likely to have a basic knowledge of Scripture, the Vatican reported Monday (April 28).

The statistics are among preliminary findings of a study of Bible reading in the U.S. and eight European countries. An Italian market research firm produced the survey in preparation for an international synod of Catholic bishops to be held this October in Rome.

More than 90 percent of American households contain at least one copy of the Bible, the highest level among the countries studied, according to the study, which targeted 13,000 interviewees.

Three out of four Americans had read at least one passage of Scripture over the previous year, compared to only one out of four Spaniards, who ranked last in that respect. Americans were also most likely to read the Bible directly, rather than rely on preachers and other interpreters for knowledge of its contents.

Not surprisingly, exposure paid off in familiarity with the book. When asked seven basic questions about the Bible’s contents and authorship, 17 percent of Americans were able to answer all correctly, compared to an average of 15 percent in all the countries studied.

Poles took the prize for biblical knowledge, with 20 percent earning perfect scores on the test. The lowest rank went to the Russians, only 7 percent of whom were able to answer all the questions right.

_ Francis X. Rocca

Jewish leader says German ban on Hitler’s book should be lifted

COLOGNE, Germany (RNS) A prominent Jewish leader has called for Germany to lift a 70-year-old ban against publishing “Mein Kampf,” Adolf Hitler’s infamous manifesto on the racial supremacy of the Aryan people.

The book should be published online with editorial comments, said Stephan Kramer, general secretary of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, during an interview Friday (April 25) with German radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.

“I’m basically in favor of the book being made publicly accessible with annotation,” Kramer said. He said his organization, the national umbrella group for Jewish congregations in Germany, could help scholars provide context to the proposed new version of “Mein Kampf.”

Since the end of World War II, Germany has effectively barred the copying or printing of the book due to its anti-Semitic views. According to Deutschlandfunk, the German state of Bavaria, which owns the copyright on the book, said it will not remove the restrictions.

However, Kramer’s public support will likely embolden German historians who have long argued that “Mein Kampf” should be made available to the public. They insist that the ban is ineffective since the book is widely available on the Internet and with the government’s copyright expiring in 2015, neo-Nazis will eventually print editions without scholarly notes.

“Mein Kampf,” which means “My Struggle” in German, was first published in 1924 and is a mix of autobiography, political treatise, and screeds against Jews and communists. Hitler wrote the book while imprisoned for a failed coup d’etat in Munich.

Despite Kramer’s stance, other Jewish leaders have balked at reprinting “Mein Kampf,” saying it would be an insult to the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

_ Ian Wilhelm

Episcopal Church sues breakaway bishop for control of money, property

(RNS) The Episcopal Church is suing a breakaway conservative bishop to gain control of property and assets in dispute since his California diocese seceded from the national church last year.

Bishop John-David Schofield, of the Diocese of San Joaquin, Calif., was removed from ministry in March for leading about 30 congregations to leave the Episcopal Church and align with a South American Anglican church instead. He remains in control of diocesan property and bank accounts.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday (April 24), Episcopal leaders demanded that Schofield vacate diocesan offices and cede control of financial accounts.

Bishop Jerry Lamb, appointed to lead the 18 or so congregations in the Fresno-based diocese that remain loyal to the Episcopal Church, called the lawsuit “regrettable” but “necessary.”

“The diocese and the Episcopal Church have no other viable option but to seek the intervention of the court to recover the property and assets of the diocese,” he said in a statement.

Schofield said the suit’s contents “contain no surprises.”

“In spite of the claims of the Episcopal Church, nothing in their current constitution and canons prohibits a diocese from leaving one province and moving to another,” he said in a statement.

Like many conservatives, Schofield has long lamented the leftward drift of the Episcopal Church.

His concerns reached a breaking point when Episcopalians elected an openly gay bishop in 2003, and three years later, a woman, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, as presiding bishop. Schofield does not ordain female clergy.

_ Daniel Burke

Egan angry that Giuliani took Communion at papal Mass

(RNS) Cardinal Edward Egan of New York says he wants to meet with former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani after Giuliani broke their “understanding” and took Communion at a papal Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Egan said Monday (April 28) that he had a tacit agreement with Giuliani that “he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion.”

“I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding.”

Sunny Mindel, a spokeswoman for Giuliani, told The New York Times that Giuliani considers his faith “a deeply personal matter and should remain confidential.”

The fact that Giuliani received the church’s highest sacrament in front of Pope Benedict XVI and Egan, and that several high-ranking Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, reportedly received Communion during the pope’s Mass in Washington, has angered some conservative Catholics.

Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington has tried to avoid public confrontations over Communion with Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, and said he’s relying on local bishops to discuss the matter with those elected officials.

“The decision concerning the refusal of Holy Communion to an individual can best be made by the bishop in the person’s home diocese with whom he or she presumably is in conversation,” said Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for Wuerl. “Archbishop Wuerl respects the role of the local bishop as each bishop grapples with this decision.”

The Rev. Frank Pavone, a New York priest who is national director of the group Priests for Life, said Giuliani can’t insist that his faith is simply a private matter.

“The Catholic faith is not simply about one’s private and confidential relationship with God,” Pavone said. “It’s public, as evidenced by the fact that Mr. Giuliani received Communion in public.”

_ Kevin Eckstrom

Wis. couple charged after death of daughter

(RNS) A Wisconsin mother and father have been charged with second-degree reckless homicide after their 11-year-old daughter died of untreated diabetes when they prayed for her but did not take her to a doctor.

Dale and Leilani Neumann of Weston, Wis., were charged Monday (April 28) in the March 23 death of their daughter, Madeline Neumann, the Associated Press reported. They face 25 years each in prison if convicted.

“It was very surprising, shocking that she wasn’t allowed medical intervention,’ said Jill Falstad, district attorney of Marathon County, Wis. “Her death could have been prevented.”

Although friends and family had urged the couple to get medical assistance for their daughter, her mother didn’t consider it because she thought the child was under a “spiritual attack” and the father called the illness “a test of faith,” said the criminal complaint.

Madeline, who was called Kara by her parents, died on Easter Sunday in their rural home. Her parents were told her body would be taken the next day to Madison for an autopsy.

“They responded, `You won’t need to that. She will be alive by then,”’ the medical examiner wrote in a report.

The parents did not immediately return messages from the AP.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Muslims, Jews, atheists cite concerns about National Day of Prayer

(RNS) A Muslim advocacy group is partnering with a Jewish online organization that has called for “inclusive” observances of the National Day of Prayer on Thursday (May 1).

“Contact your governor and other elected representatives to ask them to make sure any National Prayer Day event they sponsor or attend is inclusive and representative of our nation’s religious diversity,” reads an “action alert” from the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Jews on First has questioned the application process for coordinators affiliated with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, headed by Shirley Dobson, wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

The Jewish group said the prayer day, signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1952, has been “hijacked” by the task force, which seeks coordinators who agree with a statement of faith declaring that the Bible is the “inerrant Word of the Living God.”

“We should carry out the original intent of the National Day of Prayer instituted by President Truman, to encourage Americans of all faiths to take part in spiritual events that bring our nation together,” said CAIR National Director Tahra Goraya.

Michael Calhoun, a spokesman for Dobson’s Task Force, declined to comment on the protests, but said the event was based on America’s constitutional rights of freedom of speech and religion.

“We just hope everybody across the country will unite together in prayer for our communities, our leaders and our nation,” he said.

_ Adelle M. Banks and Nicole Neroulias

Quote of the Week: Republican strategist Ed Rollins

(RNS) “I feel sorry for Obama. This guy Wright is like a piece of gum on the bottom of your shoe. You can’t get rid of it.”

_ Republican strategist Ed Rollins, quoted in USA Today talking about presidential candidate Barack Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

KRE/RB END RNS