c. 2007 Religion News Service
Episcopal Church Must Halt Gay Rights `For a Season,’ Top Bishop Says
(RNS) Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said the church should refrain from ordaining gay bishops and blessing same-sex unions “for a season,” so it can contribute to a covenant between the world’s 77 million Anglicans.
“If we want to be part of the writing of a covenant, we have some expectations before us,” Jefferts Schori said Feb. 28 during a live Web cast. She took questions from a studio audience, as well as by e-mail and telephone during the hour-long event.
A number of gay and lesbian Episcopalians questioned Jefferts Schori about how far the Episcopal Church must bend to the will of overseas Anglican bishops, who have demanded the U.S. church promise by Sept. 30 to stop ordaining gay bishops and authorizing liturgical rites for same-sex unions.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has proposed a covenant among the communion’s 38 regional churches. The convenant would outline areas of common agreement and could provide a means for settling disputes.
It’s unclear how long it would take to complete a working covenant. But under the Episcopal Church’s democratic government, it would need to be approved by a General Convention, the next of which is in 2009.
Jefferts Schori asked Episcopalians to be patient Monday and to “wait on God for clarity.” She compared the church’s situation to that of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, as he awaited execution.
“We must watch and wait in this hour,” she said.
_ Daniel Burke
Methodist Clergy Say SMU Trustees Shouldn’t Decide on Bush Library
(RNS) At least eight trustees of Southern Methodist University with close ties to President George W. Bush shouldn’t cast votes on whether to bring his presidential library to SMU’s campus.
That’s the argument of four United Methodist clergy, including three retired bishops, who have began calling for eight trustees to withdraw from board discussions on a proposed library and policy center. They suggested the trustees have conflicts of interest.
“We call upon these eight trustees to recuse themselves, along with any others who have had noteworthy personal, political, or financial dealings with George W. Bush,” said Bishops C. Joseph Sprague, Joseph H. Yeakel and Kenneth W. Hicks in a written statement. The Rev. Andrew Weaver, a Bush critic and SMU alumnus in New York City, also signed the call for recusal.
“The proposed Bush Complex will significantly affect SMU and the United Methodist Church that founded it. Such a decision requires objectivity unencumbered by personal considerations,” the clergy said.
Plans to bring a Bush library and policy center to SMU have sparked sharp debate in United Methodist circles since December, when the Bush administration declared SMU the sole finalist under consideration to host the facilities.
“These accusations are unfortunate,” said Brad Cheves, SMU vice president for development and external affairs. But the clerics’ concerns don’t “meet the standard of conflict of interest. There’s no personal benefit that’s coming to (the accused trustees) in any way.”
Supporters say the proposal shows the denomination tolerates political diversity and will examine the Bush legacy in the light of faith and scholarship. Opponents, concerned the policy center will be a mouthpiece for defending Bush doctrines, say Methodism shouldn’t be linked with an administration accused of practicing torture and preemptive warfare.
The clergymen named six SMU trustees who allegedly either contributed to a Bush campaign or pledged to raise at least $100,000 in campaign funds. The list includes such prominent Texas businessmen as Hunt Oil CEO Ray Hunt and former American Airlines CEO Donald Carty. Spokespersons for Hunt and Carty did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
_ G. Jeffrey MacDonald
Navy Chaplain Discharged After Court-related Delay
WASHINGTON (RNS) A military chaplain who publicly protested a Navy policy that urged “nonsectarian” prayers was discharged Thursday (March 1).
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt signed the final documents after an appeals court determined that his suit against the Navy did not demonstrate the “stringent standards required” to prevent the court from halting his discharge.
Klingenschmitt received orders stating he was to be dismissed by Jan. 31, but the appeals court postponed the discharge until it had reviewed his case. The Navy said Klingenschmitt was discharged after his request to renew his chaplain appointment with a different denomination was denied.
“The decision to disapprove his request was based upon a review of his credentials,” said Lt. Tommy Crosby, a spokesman for the Navy. He said that review included “his military record and performance.”
Klingenschmitt, who was a lieutenant, had argued against a Navy policy that urged chaplains to lead “nonsectarian” prayers outside traditional worship services.
The chaplain argued his faith compelled him to pray “in Jesus’ name” at all times, including at a protest outside the White House. A military jury determined last September that Klingenschmitt disobeyed orders by making that protest.
Late last year, Congress passed a bill that dropped the policy the chaplain opposed. Klingenschmitt said he was satisfied that the policy was dropped, despite the loss of his 16-year career.
“Other chaplains are free again to pray in Jesus’ name,” he said. “I would do it all over again and I praise God that my sacrifice purchased their freedom.”
Klingenschmitt said he was discharged “honorably,” but Navy officials would not confirm that, citing privacy law. The chaplain is now pursuing a theology degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., and plans to travel to speak about his experience.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Gay UCC Church Hopes to Raise $3.7 Million in One Day
(RNS) A predominantly gay United Church of Christ congregation in Dallas is hoping to win big this July _ but its members aren’t playing the lottery.
The Cathedral of Hope, the nation’s largest gay and lesbian church, plans to raise $3.7 million on July 29 for their 37th Anniversary Miracle Project _ the construction of the Interfaith Peace Chapel designed by the late architect Philip Johnson.
The chapel “will be a visible symbol of our inclusiveness, commitment to peace, commitment to justice and our commitment to interfaith dialogue,” said the Rev. Jo Hudson, the church’s senior pastor.
But rather than asking for donations throughout the year, the church is focusing its hopes on the July 29 collection.
Church leaders originally planned to start a traditional collection drive for the chapel in 2005. But after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, they decided to focus their attention on helping its victims.
So Hudson brought the anniversary fundraising challenge before her 3,500-member congregation on July 29, 2006, the church’s 36th anniversary.
She said church leaders hoped the fundraising day goal would generate excitement among congregation members, and provide them with a year to raise their own money.
Additionally, by collecting all of the funds on one day, the church may be able to pay cash for the new chapel rather than taking out a loan. Hudson said every dollar donated will save the church $2.50 in interest.
It’s not unusual for churches to designate a special day to raise funds for a project, said the Rev. Dan Hotchkiss, a consultant at the Alban Institute, an interfaith organization. But he said Hudson’s plan to solely rely upon funds raised that day is somewhat less common.
“Typically, a `miracle Sunday’ campaign would take place to raise a little extra (money) after doing a capital drive,” Hotchkiss said.
Hudson remains confident that her congregation can meet its goal.
“We think on July 29 we’ll have a phenomenal offering,” she said.
_ Katherine Boyle
Louisiana Priest, at 43, Becomes Nation’s Youngest Bishop
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) A Baton Rouge, La., priest became the youngest Catholic bishop in the country on Wednesday (Feb. 28) in a two-hour ordination ceremony in which the Rev. Shelton Fabre was given a share of the leadership of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Fabre, carrying a crozier, or shepherd’s staff, walked around the packed interior of St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter absorbing applause from family, scores of priests and about two dozen visiting bishops.
Among them was a cousin, Bishop John Ricard of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, who helped New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes and Baton Rouge Bishop Robert Muench ordain Fabre.
Fabre said that he, Hughes and Bishop Roger Morin have not yet decided how to divide the administrative duties of the archdiocese, which spans seven civil parishes surrounding New Orleans.
At 43, Fabre is the youngest Catholic bishop in the country and one of 10 active African-American bishops. There are a total of 275 bishops nationwide. _ Bruce Nolan
Pope Names New Archbishop for Embattled Warsaw Post
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI has named Kazimierz Nycz as the new archbishop of Warsaw, Poland, less than two months after the pope’s first choice resigned over revelations that he had collaborated with the country’s communist-era secret police.
The resignation of Stanislaw Wielgus on Jan. 7 provoked a scandal in Poland, where the Catholic Church was for many years the only major institution not under the control of the communist regime.
Nycz, 57, has been bishop of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg, a northern Polish city on the coast of the Baltic sea, since 2004. According to a recent book, “Priests and the Security Service,” secret police files show that Nycz resisted all attempts to recruit him, and eight years of surveillance failed to turn up any information that would have made him vulnerable to blackmail.
The new appointment is the latest step in the Vatican’s attempt to close a painful episode. On Feb. 12, Benedict wrote to Wielgus acknowledging the “exceptional circumstances” of his service under communism and commending his “profound sensitivity” in deciding to resign.
“I express the desire that you may resume your activity at the service of Christ, in whatever way proves possible,” Benedict wrote.
_ Francis X. Rocca
Haggard’s Colorado Church Cuts 44 Staff Positions
(RNS) The Colorado megachurch formerly headed by evangelical leader Ted Haggard has laid off 44 staffers, citing a 10 percent decline in revenue since Haggard resigned after a gay sex and drug scandal.
The cuts, which include a range of administrators, custodians and nursery workers, amount to about 12 percent of New Life Church’s paid staff, the Denver Post reported.
Ross Parsley, New Life’s interim senior pastor, said revenue declined after Haggard was fired over charges that he had bought methamphetamine and paid a Denver man for sex.
Haggard has since resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and he and his wife have moved out of the church’s vacinity.
“We were kind of living on the edge,” Parsley said at a question-and-answer session following an evening service on Sunday (March 4), according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. “That’s good for everybody until a rainy day comes, and now we’re in the rain. We certainly can’t keep using money we don’t have.”
Associate Pastor Rob Brendle added that the layoffs had been a “painful process.”
“The reality is, we ask our people to be faithful stewards of their money and (live) within their means. We have to do the same,” Brendle said, according to the Denver Post.
_ Melissa Stee
Catholics Report Largest Growth Among U.S. Churches in 2005
(RNS) The Roman Catholic Church grew to 69.1 million members in 2005, making it the fastest-growing church in the country, followed closely by the Assemblies of God and the Mormons.
Catholics grew 1.94 percent in 2005, Assemblies of God grew 1.86 percent and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grew 1.63 percent, according to the 2007 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, produced by the National Council of Churches.
The Yearbook, released Monday (March 5), is widely considered the most authoritative source on church membership statistics. The 2007 Yearbook contains data from 2005 that were reported in 2006.
Rankings of the top 10 largest U.S. churches did not change from last year. Catholics remain the largest group, followed by the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, Mormons and the Church of God in Christ.
Rounding out the top 10 are the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the National Baptist Convention of America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Assemblies of God.
Only three mainline Protestant denominations _ Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians _ are counted in the top 10 largest churches, and all three reported membership declines in 2005. The Presbyterian Church (USA) reported the largest decrease, at 2.84 percent.
Of the top 25 largest churches, another mainline denomination, the United Church of Christ, reported the greatest decrease, 3.28 percent.
Several historically black denominations _ including the Church of God in Christ and the two National Baptist Conventions in the top 10 _ have consistently reported the same numbers, with no increase or decrease, for several years.
The top 10 largest U.S. churches include:
_ The Roman Catholic Church _ 69,135,254
_ The Southern Baptist Convention _ 16,270,315
_ The United Methodist Church _ 8,075,010
_ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints _ 5,690,672
_ The Church of God in Christ _ 5,499,875
_ National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. _ 5,000,000
_ Evangelical Lutheran Church in America _ 4,850,776
_ National Baptist Convention of America _ 3,500,000
_ Presbyterian Church (USA) _ 3,098,842
_ Assemblies of God _ 2,830,861
_ Kevin Eckstrom
Vatican Reaffirms Ban on Membership in the Masons
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A high-ranking Vatican jurist has reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s ban on Catholics joining Masonic Lodges, stating that such membership disqualifies them from receiving the sacraments but stopping short of formal excommunication.
Bishop Gianfranco Girotti is the regent, or second-highest official, of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican tribunal with jurisdiction on matters relating to the forgiveness of sins, absolutions, dispensations and indulgences.
A Catholic who joins the Masons “is not excommunicated but finds himself in a state of grave sin, for which reason he may not receive the sacraments,” Girotti said, in remarks broadcast on Vatican radio.
Girotti cited a 1983 declaration to that effect by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the church’s highest doctrinal body. That declaration was signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI.
The Catholic Church has long condemned Freemasonry, as the international fraternal organization is formally known, as an anti-Catholic cult. Masons in Catholic countries in Europe and Latin America have often supported limiting the church’s role in education and public life. Last month in the Dominican Republic, local Masons asked the government to end its 53-year-old concordat with the Vatican, which provides the church with state funding and other privileges.
The Catholic Church’s relationship with Freemasonry was in the Italian news last month, when an 85-year-old Paulist priest, the Rev. Rosario Francesco Esposito, joined the organization at a public ceremony in Rome, calling the prohibition on membership “a thing of the past.”
Also last month, the Vatican’s highest court let stand a Nebraska bishop’s blanket excommunication of the Masons in his diocese. Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln declared in 1996 that Catholics in the Freemasons and others groups faced automatic excommunication from the church, since membership “is totally incompatible with the Catholic faith.”
_ Francis X. Rocca
Canadian Soccer Player Told She Can’t Wear Hijab
TORONTO (RNS) Muslim groups in Canada are angry after soccer’s international governing body backed a referee who said an 11-year-old Ottawa girl could not play while wearing a hijab, or head scarf.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the game’s ultimate decision-making body, said a Quebec referee was right to eject Asmahan Mansour from an indoor game in Laval, Quebec, for refusing to remove her hijab.
The referee, who is Muslim, said the hijab was a safety concern and not standard equipment.
Officials of IFAB, a branch of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) _ soccer’s world governing body _ concluded in Manchester, England, that existing rules for on-field equipment are adequate.
“It’s absolutely right to be sensitive to people’s thoughts and philosophies, but equally there has to be a set of laws that are adhered to, and we favor Law 4 (which outlines basic equipment),” said Brian Barwick, chief executive of the English Football Association, which is one of IFAB’s members.
Mansour’s team, the Nepean Hotspurs, quit the Canadian indoor championship in protest. The girl said she has worn the hijab during games played in Ontario, where they are permitted by the provincial soccer association.
A spokesman for the Quebec Soccer Federation told the Reuters news agency that the rule is based on a Canadian Soccer Association rule banning all jewelry and headgear. The spokesman said the Quebec federation would allow Muslim players to wear head scarves if the CSA clarified its position.
_ Ron Csillag
Quote of the Week: U2 Singer Bono
(RNS) “To those in the church who still sit in judgment on the AIDS emergency, let me climb into the pulpit for just one moment because whatever thoughts we have about God, who he is or even if God exists, most will agree that God has a special place for the poor.”
U2 lead singer and AIDS activist Bono, speaking after receiving the NAACP Image Awards Chairman’s Award on March 2.
DSB/LF END RNS
