c. 1996 Religion News Service
Pollster wonders who’s in the pews
(RNS)-Church attendance has fallen to its lowest level in a decade because baby boomers are dropping worship from their schedules, according to a survey by the Barna Research Group Ltd.
The Barna survey of 1,004 adults said that while 82 percent of Americans called themselves religious, just 37 percent reported attending a worship service within the week prior to being polled.”This is the first time the percentage of attenders has dipped below 40 percent and the lowest level since Barna Research began tracking religious involvement in 1986,”the polling firm said in a statement releasing the data. Barna claims church attendance has dropped most significantly among the baby-boom generation, those born between 1946 and 1964, the poll found.
According to the Barna survey, only 31 percent of the boomers had attended church in the past seven days. In 1991, the figure was 50 percent.
Among the so-called”baby-bust generation”-those between 18 and 30 years old-34 percent can be found at a worship service on a typical weekend.”Because boomers and busters together represent nearly two-thirds of the adult population, they still appear to be well-represented in the pews-even though only one-third of them are showing up on a typical Sunday morning,”George Barna, president of the polling firm said.
The poll said that the most steady group of church attenders are those over 50 years of age, with 50 percent of that age group regular attenders.
The poll also found that worship attendance in a given week among people of all ages is higher among women (46 percent) than men (28 percent).
The poll, conducted by telephone during January, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Church groups condemn Israel bombings, urge continuation of peace talks
(RNS)-Jerusalem church officials have added their voices to the chorus of condemnations that followed the most recent terrorist bombings in Israel. At the same time, they urged continuation of the peace process and Israeli restraint in its pursuit of the bombers.”We state unequivocally our belief that violence can never lead to peace,”said a statement released Wednesday (March 6) by the Patriarchs and Heads of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem. The group includes Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran and Syrian Catholic leaders.”We believe that both the Palestinian and Israeli authorities must cooperate together to create a new climate of peace in the area based on full respect of the human person,”the church leaders said.
The Rev. Wesley Ariarajah, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said in a separate statement that the recent bombings, which have claimed more than 60 lives,”are repugnant to every manifestation of Abrahamic faith-Christian, Jewish and Muslim alike-for they betray the God of love and mercy, and God’s laws and commandments.” He said the WCC-a Geneva-based fellowship of 330 church groups in more than 100 nations-hoped that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders would”not abandon their responsibilities”but instead continue with the peace process”to help construct a future free of bloodshed.” Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 14 American church groups and agencies, also extended its condolences. But the Washington-based organization added that it hoped terrorist acts conducted by the”few will not be cause for collective (Israeli) punishment of all Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza.”This (Middle East) conflict’s history has repeatedly shown that acts of violence and vengeance are circular and must be broken by a just peace that includes peaceful coexistence, mutual dignity and security for both parties,”Churches for Middle East Peace said in a statement.
Kuwaiti Muslim convert to Christianity on trial for apostasy
(RNS)-A Kuwaiti convert to Christianity went on trial Wednesday (March 6) for apostasy-publicly abandoning the Muslim faith.
If found guilty, the convert, Hussein Qamber Ali, 45, could be stripped of several of his civil rights, including the right to marry a Muslim, custody of Muslim children and inheritance rights.”… We will not permit Mr. Qamber Ali to harm the feelings of Muslims,”Mohammad al-Jadi, one of the lawyers who initiated the suit against Qamber Ali, told Reuters.”He provoked the feelings of Muslims, telling the newspapers about his conversion and distorting Islam’s image.” In Islam, a Muslim who renounces his religion and does not repent is considered an apostate and liable to lose a range of rights. In addition, Islam provides no penalty for any Muslim who kills the convert on the grounds of his apostasy.”We do not want him killed,”al-Jadi said.”This (Kuwait) is a state of law and that is why we have resorted to a court. Had this been in some other country, he could have been killed by someone. But this is moderate, Muslim Kuwait.” In an interview with Reuters, Qamber Ali said that he had received numerous death threats since his conversion and that he often changes his place of residence as a security precaution.
He also said the conversion contributed to the breakup of his marriage, that he has not seen his children for five months because of his family’s opposition to the conversion, and that he has been unable to work.
Qamber Ali appeared in court wearing a Western-style jacket and trousers. He carried a Bible and wore a cross around his neck.
Qamber Ali, representing himself, acknowledged he was a Christian but argued the three-judge panel had no jurisdiction in the case. He said the charges against him should be heard by Kuwait’s constitutional court because the constitution guarantees freedom of belief and personal liberty.
The court said it would rule April 17 whether it is empowered to hear further sessions of the case.
U.S. woman named to Vatican justice and peace council
(RNS)-Pope John Paul II has named Nancy Wisdo, director of the U.S. Catholic Conference’s office for domestic social development, to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
The council, initiated by Pope Paul VI in 1967, is the Vatican agency charged with promoting the social teaching of the Catholic Church around the world.
Wisdo has headed the domestic policy office of the Catholic bishops’ social action agency since 1991. In that position, she monitors public policy issues and assists bishops in responding to congressional issues in such areas as health, welfare, housing and civil rights.
Quote of the day: Bram Grandia, Council of Churches in the Netherlands
(RNS)-Anti-immigrant attitudes are on the rise in Europe, according to many Protestant and Roman Catholic Church officials. Bram Grandia, chairman of the Council of Churches of the Netherlands’ working group on refugees, provides one perspective:”Europe is getting tougher and much more restrictive on refugees. In theory, Christians agree on the principle of offering hospitality to strangers. In practice, however, church members are just as divided over the issue as the rest of society. We have to accept the fact that some Christians … vote for right-wing parties who would rather see all refugees go.”
MJP END RNS