wfn.org | Episcopalians: News Briefs

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April 1, 2003

2003-070

Episcopalians: News Briefs

Kenyan president drafts churches into anti-AIDS campaign

(ENI) Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has singled out the country's 
religious leaders for a special role in helping to alleviate 
AIDS, drafting their support in a new government campaign to 
fight the lethal disease. 

"From your vantage point and [as] an additional vehicle, you can 
assist the government to win this war," Kibaki told Christian 
and Muslim religious leaders gathered March 23 in the capital, 
Nairobi, where he announced the launch of the campaign. "It is 
crucial that those affected are not left to feel lonely or 
isolated, but [that] the whole country cares for them." About 
700 Kenyans die of AIDS every day. 

Since the launch of the campaign, called "Total War Against 
HIV/AIDS," leaders of Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist and 
Presbyterian churches and of the Muslim community have been 
meeting with the country's health minister, Charity Ngilu, to 
assist in designing a strategy for the campaign. The government 
has allocated US$1.06 million of a grant received from the 
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to 
faith-based groups to be used in caring for AIDS orphans, 
providing counseling, purchasing medications and engaging in 
advocacy work. Kenya has also received a US$50 million grant 
from the World Bank development agency for the fight against 
AIDS. 

Kenyan churches have long been at the forefront of anti-AIDS 
efforts, providing treatment in church-run hospitals and care 
for Kenya's 1.5 million AIDS, orphans as well as counseling and 
education programs. But the previous government, voted out in 
December 2002, viewed the churches as supporters of the 
political opposition, and had not backed their AIDS efforts. 
Kibaki's election ousted the Kenyan African National Union, 
which had been in power for 40 years. 

"If we are not infected we are affected," said Anglican 
Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi. "We are committed to eradicating the 
virus and reducing the suffering of those affected. As the body 
of Christ confronted by a disaster of this magnitude, we share 
the pain of those that suffer," he said. As part of the 
government campaign, the Anglican church plans to introduce a 
new curriculum on AIDS in its theological schools and colleges. 
Roman Catholic and Anglican churches have stressed abstinence 
and fidelity as effective ways to arrest the spread of the 
disease, and have opposed the mass distribution of condoms as a 
method of AIDS prevention. 

Churches welcome Kenyan government plan to help street kids 

(ENI) "Streetism"--the dire situation that leaves people 
scrambling to live without roofs over their heads--is an "ism" 
that afflicts African cities from Accra to Zanzibar, ignoring 
the ideologies and intentions of national rulers. In Kenya, the 
government is now stepping in to deal with the problem, and 
churches fighting the affliction are happy to get some 
assistance. 

Speaking from his official residence during a meeting with the 
Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund, President Mwai Kibaki 
appealed for support for rehabilitation of street families. The 
president acknowledged the contribution of churches, 
non-governmental organizations and international bodies like 
UNICEF, the UN agency dealing with children 

Government minister Karisa Maitha said an estimated 30,000 
street children were being targeted in the program throughout 
the country, but NGO's say there are probably more than double 
that number of street children in the Kenyan capital. Street 
children are often cast as truants but are more likely victims 
of family neglect, psychological impairment, peer pressure, or 
orphaned by AIDS. 

Retired Anglican Archbishop Manasses Kuria, who helped find 
private homes in Nairobi to look after 450 children, said the 
government had now decided to take care of at least 350 
children. "The government will be responsible for their 
nutrition, clothing, general living costs, including schooling 
costs," he said. "However, if things do not work out for any one 
of them, they are free to return to us." 

US diocese makes grant in solidarity with Canadian Anglicans

(ENS) The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan recently sent a 
check for $500 to the Diocese of Keewatin, Canada, its former 
companion diocese, as a small gift in solidarity with the 
Anglican Church of Canada, which is in the process of ratifying 
an agreement with the Canadian government over liability claims 
for abuses suffered by native peoples in the former national 
boarding school system.

"Your primate, Michael Peers, [has] pointed out that all 
Canadian dioceses, not just the eleven named in the residential 
schools lawsuits, share a 'common moral liability' and a 'common 
vocation to ministry and mission in our society,'" said Bishop 
Jim Kelsey in a letter to Bishop David Ashdown of Keewatin. "The 
Diocese of Northern Michigan acknowledges and embraces that 
common liability and vocation with the rest of the dioceses of 
your Province. The church in the United States carries its own 
culpability and imperfection in our own historic relationships 
with native people. We are inspired by your witness and your 
example." The grant was requested by the people of Grace Church 
in Ishpeming. 

>From 1820 to 1969, the Anglican Church of Canada was involved in 
running residential schools for aboriginal Canadians. More than 
20 years after they abandoned participation in the schools, 
former students began to come forward, alleging abuse at the 
hands of those in authority in the schools. There are some 
12,000 lawsuits facing the Canadian government, including 2,200 
against Anglican-run schools. The Anglican settlement with the 
government caps liability at $25 million (Canadian) for any 
proven abuses suffered by natives in the national residential 
school system. Some of the dioceses had no schools, and 
therefore no legal liability, but have stood in solidarity with 
the other dioceses in helping to pay the settlement.

As war begins, interfaith forum explores 'Resistance and 
Reconciliation'

(NCC)In a free society, all are responsible. That was among 
observations of four panelists--all religious leaders opposed to 
the war on Iraq--at a March 25 forum, "From Winning the War to 
Winning the Peace: An Interfaith Dialogue on Resistance and 
Reconciliation." More than 100 people filled the Great Choir of 
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City for the 
forum. Panelists offered reflections that spanned disciplines of 
the mystical, historical, political, theological, psychological 
and more. 

Muslim Sheikh Tosun Bayrak of the Jerrahi Order of America, a 
Muslim, called on a colleague to recite from the Koran, a 
recitation that echoed through the vast Cathedral nave. Then he 
translated and explored the beauty of the human being--body, 
mind, soul and will. "The soul ... manifests itself through 
speech, which can be as sweet as honey and destructive as the 
atom bomb. When the tongue babbles and says things like 'they 
underestimated me' it becomes a poisonous laxative," he said.

Bishop Mark Sisk of the Episcopal Diocese of New York told the 
gathering, "Because this is a democratic republic, we can't say 
of our government, 'that's them,' because in a democratic 
society it's me." Noting that Episcopalians are far from 
unanimous in their views of the war, he continued, "The 
structure of our society depends on speaking out and it is 
required if our culture and government are meant to be all they 
are meant to be." 

"In a free society," said Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom 
Center, "some are guilty, all are responsible." Affirming that 
Jewish tradition requires debate on war and peace, he observed, 
"Communities with a sense of power can turn power into an 
addiction and a willingness to destroy for what they see as 
holy." Now that there's war, Waskow said, "I think there is 
something new in the situation we face. Bush, Exxon, Mobil are 
all right--the planet is a single community. Bush thinks the 
right thing to do is to govern everyone else. We don't think 
that's safe or right."

"We have a responsibility to engage in the political process and 
raise up good elected officials who will make a difference. This 
is at least a 10-12 year process. Campaign finance reform is 
part of this," said Dr. Bob Edgar, a United Methodist and 
General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. "In the 
meantime, religious leaders have to take on a prophetic role. 
Some of us will lose our job for speaking out too strongly. As 
good patriotic Americans we have to help our country not do the 
wrong thing."

Audience member Dr. William F. Vendley, secretary general of the 
World Conference on Religion and Peace, warned against "sacred" 
violence, which is "violence that we don't recognize as 
violence. It looks like legitimate self-defense. It calls the 
other 'subhuman.' It legitimizes governments to feel as victims 
and strike back." 

2003 Wilbur Awards given to best religious programs in various 
media

(PCUSANews) The Boston Globe has been chosen the best major 
market newspaper by the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) in 
its annual Wilbur Awards competition. Religion reporter Michael 
Paulson receive the Wilbur for his stories about the clergy 
sexual abuse crisis of 2002. He was part of a team of eight 
Globe reporters that collaborated on an ongoing series, "Crisis 
in the Catholic Church," about the Roman Catholic Church's 
handling of sexually abusive priests. 

For the fifth year in a row, The Dallas Morning News has won the 
Wilbur for newspaper religion sections. Tracey O'Shaughnessy has 
won her second Wilbur for her "Sunday Reflections" column in The 
Republican-American newspaper of Waterbury, Connecticut. Other 
winners in the newspaper category include Diana Keough for her 
Cleveland Plain Dealer article, "United They Stand," and Matt 
Detrich for his photography, "A Child Shall Lead Them," in the 
Indianapolis Star. 

The television drama Wilbur, awarded to "The West Wing" in 2001 
and 2002, goes this year to another Warner Brothers Television 
and John Wells production, "Third Watch," for its episode titled 
"Unforgiven." Other television winners include Religion & Ethics 
Newsweekly for its series "Exploring Religious America"; WPBT 
Channel 2, North Miami, Florida, for its news feature "Faith: 
One Year After 9/11"; and the National Film Board of Canada for 
its documentary "The Pacifist Who Went to War." 

Other Wilbur winners are David Van Biema for his article "The 
Legacy of Abraham" in TIME magazine; Jef Mallett for his United 
Media comic strip Frazz; Rodale Press for its book "Taking Back 
Islam: American Muslims Reclaim Their Faith"; and WHYY-FM in 
Philadelphia for "Been There, Done That" with Marty Goldensohn. 

Anne Ryder, co-anchor of WHTR-TV news in Indianapolis and a 
former Wilbur Award winner, will host the awards ceremony April 
26 at the Artsgarden in Indianapolis in conjunction with the 
Religion Communicators Council's 2003 convention. Named for the 
Rev. Marvin C. Wilbur, a Presbyterian minister, the awards are 
presented each year by the RCC for excellence by secular media 
in featuring religious issues, themes and values. 

Bishop Walter Dennis dies after long illness

(ENS) One of the Episcopal Church's most prominent black 
bishops--a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement of the 
1960s--died March 30 at the age of 70 after a long illness. 
Bishop Walter Decoster Dennis, suffragan bishop of the Diocese 
of New York from 1979 to 1998, was living in retirement in 
Hampton, Virginia.

Ordained as a deacon in 1956 after graduating from the General 
Theological Seminary in New York, he started his ministry at the 
time of the landmark Supreme Court decision (Brown vs. Topeka 
Board of Education) that broke the back of legal segregation in 
the United States. As the first African-American to serve 
full-time at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, 
he worked with the national church to develop conferences on 
race relations.

While serving as vicar of St. Cyrpian's Church in Hampton, 
1960-65, he was also adjunct professor of constitutional law and 
American history at Hampton University. He opened the doors of 
the church and welcomed busloads of people headed south on the 
freedom rides in that turbulent era in American life. 

Returning to the cathedral in 1965 as a canon residentiary, he 
designed forums on the issues of the day, including 
homosexuality, as well as extremism and politics and 
homosexuality. For one conference he brought together southern 
rectors with Thurgood Marshall, who was at the time the attorney 
for Brown in the Supreme Court case. Even after Marshall became 
the first African-American member of the Supreme Court, he and 
Dennis remained friends. The bishop gave the eulogy at 
Marshall's funeral at the cathedral.

Among his other commitments, Dennis was a founding member of the 
Union of Black Episcopalians and also of the Guild of St. Ives, 
a group of ordained lawyers who worked as advocates for the 
poor, serving as a place where they could turn for legal advice.

A memorial service will be held at the cathedral on April 9 at 
10:30am.

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