White House Chief of Staff Emanuel lit the National Menorah and President Obama extended Hanukkah greetings to Jews: extra points for offering a Hebrew version.

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church urged “prayer and discernment” after the election of a lesbian as bishop in Los Angeles. An ELCA synod in Iowa has voted to continue to keep gays and lesbians from the pulpit, even though the churchwide ban has been lifted. The Lutheran church steeple that was toppled by a tornado as the ELCA debated its policies on gays last summer, and hence was seen as a sign of God’s disfavour, has been replaced.

An Oregon family charged with negligent homicide in the faith-healing death of their son is asking the judge to dismiss the charges because they followed a child welfare worker’s advice. Believers in North Carolina are trying to get rid of an atheist councilman. New Hampshire legislators are trying to decriminalize adultery.

About 70 churches in Southwest Pa. have benn bought or sold because of the economic recession (be interesting to see a national study of same).

After a week of heavy criticism from gay and lesbian advocates, the Archbishop of Canterbury called Uganda’s proposed anti-gay laws “of shocking severity.” He also said “couldn’t see how it could be supported by any Anglican…” Meanwhile, religious leaders in India, including the Catholic archbishop of Delhi, are lobbying the government to overturn a court ruling that decriminalized homosexuality.

Israel’s chief rabbi made a rare visit to the Palestinian territories to condemn the torching of a mosque. Israeli soldiers are caught between religious and secular leaders on enforcing a slowdown on construction on the West Bank. Pakistani schools are becoming magnets for disgruntled Muslims, including Westerners. Nearly 700 Muslims protested the minaret ban in Switzerland. Lawyers for the Catholic church in Malaysia are in court to overturn a ban on non-Muslims using the word “Allah.”

AP photo is of Emanuel lighting the National Menorah. No word on whether he tried to torch Lieberman as well.