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2002-013

News Briefs

Czech churches protest law they consider hostile to religion

     (ENI) Churches in the Czech Republic are challenging a controversial new law 
that they argue restricts religious activities, comparing it to controls placed 
on the practice of religion during communist rule.

     Under the law, government officials have jurisdiction over the opening of 
places of worship and the establishment of religious communities. The legislation 
also requires that churches use their income solely for religious activities, not 
civil or social purposes.

     "What we're seeing is a return to the communist era," said Nadeje Mandysova, 
secretary general of the Czech Ecumenical Council, a group of 11 Protestant and 
Orthodox churches. "We still don't fully understand why such a hostile campaign 
is being waged against us." The churches will ask a court to declare the law 
unconstitutional.

     The legislation is the latest example of an ongoing dispute between the 
government and the churches. Since the fall of communism, churches have demanded 
that the government return properties seized and also clarify the financial 
status of the churches in a nation where clergy salaries are paid by the state. 
"Unless we can salvage something, the future for Czech churches looks bleak," 
said Mandysova.

     "Although a communist dictatorship no longer exists here, many legislators 
still harbor the same political habits," said Lawrence Cada, press officer for 
the Conference of Czech Bishops. "The strongest politicians here distrust the 
churches and don't believe in freedom of association. They think all power should 
be in government hands and everyone else should just keep quiet."

Israeli decision to halt work on Nazareth mosque faces challenge

     (ENI) A recent decision by the Israeli government to halt construction of a 
mosque next to a major Christian holy site in Nazareth will be challenged by 
Muslim groups.

     In defiance of a court ruling, work began on the mosque near the Basilica of 
the Annunciation, the site where tradition says the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin 
Mary she would give birth to Jesus. The mosque is intended to mark the burial 
place of a nephew of Saladin, the 12th century military hero who defeated the 
Christian crusaders at Jerusalem. 

     The deputy mayor of Nazareth, Salman Abu Ahmed, said that the Israelis were 
guilty of the "miserable persecution of Muslims," charging that the decision 
amounted to a "declaration of war" on Muslims in Israel. "The government and 
church leaders will pay the consequences for what could happen," he said. "We 
know how to struggle. We've waited many years for this mosque and we are ready to 
wait many more, but we will never give up our right to build the mosque on this 
site."

     Abu Ahmed accused Christian leaders, including Pope John Paul II, of 
pressuring the Israelis to withdraw permission to build the mosque. "There are no 
problems between Christians and Muslims in Nazareth," he said in expressing 
surprise at the opposition.

     The Rev. Ray Lockhart, an Anglican vicar of Jerusalem's Christ Church and 
president of the United Christian Council in Israel, applauded the decision. But 
he also stressed the need for vigilance to prevent construction near the basilica 
from being renewed. Israeli government officials reportedly favor building a 
larger mosque on an alternate site.

     

Episcopal Church in Texas on list of Ten Sacred Places to Save

     (ENS) From its modest century-old wood frame building, St. Augustine of 
Hippo Episcopal Church in Galveston, Texas, reaches out to its neighborhood with 
a day care center, mentoring and drug awareness programs, despite storm damage 
that has not been repaired for lack of funds.

     Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) has named the congregation one of the Ten 
Sacred Places to Save, placing it on a national list of historic houses of 
worship that are serving their communities but need major capital repair. "In our 
nation's time of need, it should be clearer than ever what our churches, 
synagogues, mosques and temples mean to our communities. They are anchoring 
centers of community service and moral leadership," said the senator, a national 
leader of efforts to support faith-based community efforts.

     Congregations on the list are representative of both the community-serving 
work and the fragility of America's historic religious properties. Leaking roofs, 
decaying windows, and structural problems are common in many older sac red 
places. "Unless government, corporations and philanthropy can develop new sources 
of capital funding for those and other endangered sacred spaces, America will 
begin losing historic buildings as well as the vital social services they house," 
said A. Robert Jaeger, co-director of Partners for Sacred Places, an organization 
dedicated to monitoring the situation.

     

Lilly Endowment offering $25 million to support 'pastoral excellence'

     (ENS) The Lilly Endowment has announced that is offering "an open 
competitive grants program of up to $25 million for organizations concerned with 
the state of the Christian ministry in the United States."

     Organizations with public charity status that believe they are prepared to 
establish or enhance projects to provide Christian clergy with opportunities to 
sustain excellence in ministry are invited to apply, according to the 
announcement. Qualified organizations range from colleges to theological schools, 
denominational offices to church conference centers and ministry development 
centers--and from congregations to nonprofit organizations with an interest in 
the ministry. The grants will range from $250,000 to $2 million for use over a 
period of three to five years.

     "What experiences most help pastors sustain excellence in their ministries 
throughout a lifetime of faithful service?" asked Craig Dykstra, vice president 
for religion at the endowment. "What organizations are best positioned to support 
pastors well and to implement programs that will provide them with opportunities 
essential for maintaining healthy and vital ministries? These are the key 
questions to which this grants program seeks to find answers."

     For further information go to www.pastoralexcellence.org 
or call the endowment at 317-916-7351. Grant proposals must be postmarked no 
later than June 25, 2002 and awards will be announced October 1.

     

Roman Catholic Church moves to deal with sexual abuse by priests

     (ENI) The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has established a 
special child protection unit in response to a series of sexual abuse scandals 
involving its priests. The church has acknowledged that, in recent years, an 
average of four priests a year have been convicted of offenses against children.

     At the same time, the Vatican has issued new guidelines on handling such 
cases, centralized under the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. 
Critics of those guidelines charge that they neglect provisions for turning 
suspects over to civil authorities, "suggesting that the church intends to deal 
with the problem through secret internal procedures," according to the London 
Times. 

     In response, the Catholic Media Office in London said that "the church's 
policies state that any allegations of abuse must be referred to the proper 
statutory authorities," such as the police and social service agencies.

     According to Catholic News Service, an apostolic letter by Pope John Paul II 
published late last year announced "new norms" for dealing with the sexual abuse 
of minors, reportedly defining such abuse as one of several "graver offenses" 
against church law.

     

Episcopalian included among winners of First Freedom Awards

     (RNS) The Rev. Benjamin Campbell, founder of Richmond Hill, a retreat center 
in Richmond, Virginia, was among those honored with a First Freedom Award given 
to people who have championed religious freedom.

     Prof. Martin Marty, author and director of the Public Religion Project at 
the University of Chicago, was honored for his continuing work to encourage 
dialogue among religious groups in America. John Wallach, an author and 
journalist, was honored for his efforts as founder of Seeds of Peace, an 
internationally recognized conflict resolution program based in New York. 
Campbell was cited for his dedication to improving race relations and advancing 
spiritual renewal through Richmond Hill.

     "Our mission is, as it always has been, to help ensure the tradition of 
religious freedom in this country and promote it around the world by honoring 
those leaders who dedicate their lives every day to protects its principles," 
said Carol Negus, president and chief operating officer of the council.

     

New Interfaith Electronic Climate Change Network is launched

     (NCC) A web-based electronic advocacy network to support work among faith 
communities in protecting the environment has been launched.

     The new Interfaith Climate Change Network offers an extensive stock of 
information and practical, specific actions for the stewardship of creation at 
www.protectingcreation.org. Along with energy conservation ideas for households, 
congregations and communities, the network will facilitate advocacy supporting 
environment-friendly policies for mass transit, emission standards and 
development of clean and renewable energy.

     The network is co-sponsored by the Eco-Justice Working Group of the National 
Council of Churches (NCC) and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, made 
possible by funding from the Turner Foundation.

     People of faith bring a particular perspective to work in protecting the 
environment, said the Rev. Richard Killmer, the NCC's director of environmental 
justice. "All of creation is threatened by climate change. Global warming hurts 
God's creation and God's people. Poor people in developing nations are most 
severely impacted by changing weather and rising seas and have the least capacity 
to adapt. Unless global warming is reversed," he warned, "future generations will 
inherit an unstable climate, potentially catastrophic rises in sea level, 
migration of tropical diseases and disrupted agricultural production."

     

Interfaith Coalition launches AIDS prevention program in South Africa

     (ENS) The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice has announced the 
February 16 launch of a church-based HIV/AIDS initiative in South Africa in 
conjunction with local churches and Jewish groups. Anglican Archbishop 
Njongonkulu Ndungane, primate of the Church in the Province of Southern Africa, 
will speak at the launch. He has endorsed the initiative, saying that "discussing 
issues of faith and religion in relation to HIV/AIDS gives new hope."

     The coalition has established an office in Cape Town with a staff member who 
will coordinate the work of the project, assisted by a corps of volunteers. 
Modeled on the coalition's successful Black Church Initiative, the South African 
program will assist churches in reducing teenage pregnancy and AIDS infections 
among youth. It will also hold forums for clergy to introduce the initiative.

     Training workshops will be offered for "Keeping it Real!" the coalition's 
faith-based sexuality education curriculum. Plans are to expand the initiative beyond 
Cape Town to other major cities such as Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban
in the next two years.