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2001-72

News Briefs

Survey finds Americans believe that religion can improve society

     (ENS) A recent survey finds that most Americans believe that religion can 
improve contemporary society, although they are wary about any direct injection 
of religion into the nation's politics.

     The national survey of 1,507 included people from the general public, focus 
groups and consultations with experts on religion and public life. It was 
conducted by the New York-based, nonpartisan, nonprofit Public Agenda, supported 
by The Pew Charitable Trusts. It is called "For Goodness Sake: Why So Many Want 
Religion to Play a Greater Role in American Life."

     Respondents said that children benefit from religion. For example, 85 
percent said that parents would do a better job if they were more religious and 
69 percent said that "more religion is the best way to strengthen family values 
and moral behavior." But over half said that public schools should deal with the 
issue of prayer by having a moment of silence, not an expressly religious prayer. 
And over half feel that public schools often go overboard in taking the meaning 
out of holiday celebrations for most students by limiting the use of religious 
symbols.

     About 60 percent said that deeply religious elected officials should be 
willing to compromise with their colleagues who may hold different views. 
Evangelical Christians, however, are more likely to say that officials should 
vote based on their own religious views.

     (Details available at http://www.publicagenda.org)

     

Christian leaders in Holy Land call for new peace talks

     (ACNS) The leaders of 13 Christian churches in Jerusalem issued a pre-Easter 
appeal to the "Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, world leaders, as 
well as all men and women of good will" to work for an end to the escalating 
violence in the region.

     "We believe that the violence, which has intensified over these past months, 
will only end when both parties in the conflict make a determined effort to 
respect each other's rights, while affirming the dignity and worth of every human 
life," the leaders said in the March 28 joint message. They added that they "are 
convinced that peace-seeking negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians 
are the only assured way of providing for the well-being of all our peoples."

     The message also pleaded for assistance for those caught in the conflict who 
are "desperate for food, clothing, shelter and the like."

     The appeal was signed by Bishop Riah Abu Al-Assal of the Episcopal Church in 
Jerusalem and the Middle East and Bishop Mounib Younan of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church in Jerusalem and Jordan, joined by the leaders of Catholic and 
Orthodox churches.

     

Presbyterian Stated Clerk clarifies vote on same-sex union amendment

     (PCUSA News) Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick of the Presbyterian Church USA 
has issued an "advisory opinion" explaining the church's policy on blessing same-
sex unions, in the wake of a vote by presbyteries defeating a proposal that would 
have prohibited the church's role in such ceremonies. Because of the definition 
of marriage defined in the Book of Order as between a man and a woman, 
Kirkpatrick said that the church "may not utilize liturgies for Christian 
marriage or the recognition of civil marriage in ceremonies for same-sex 
couples."

     On the other hand, he cited a ruling by a church court that the church may 
provide pastoral care to same-sex couples in the form of worship services that 
"celebrate a loving, caring and committed relationship," while clearly advising 
the couple that "such a service does not constitute a marriage and may not be 
held out as such."

     Last year's General Assembly narrowly approved an amendment to the Book of 
Order that said "church property shall not be used for, and church officers shall 
not take part in conducting, any ceremony or event that pronounces blessing or 
gives approval of the church or invokes the blessing of God upon any relationship 
that is inconsistent with God's intention" that people should "live either in 
fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or in chastity 
in singleness."

     

Episcopal evangelist hopes to send wooden cross into outer space

     (ENS) A Florida evangelist is raising money in hopes of launching a small 
wooden cross into outer space in November. Arthur Blessitt, a parishioner at All 
Souls Episcopal Church in North Fort Myers, says that the four-inch cross and a 
miniature Bible--sealed inside a plastic and aluminum cube--will provide an 
important symbol. "For most people, the cross is the most revered symbol in the 
world," he said, and sending the cube into space is an opportunity to "lift them 
up and bring attention to Christ." 

     The orbiting cross would be an extension of Blessitt's own walk. He is 
listed in the Guinness Book of Records for the "longest walk," a 30-year trek of 
more than 34,000 miles and 280 nations, while carrying a 40-pound redwood cross.

     A Russian intercontinental ballistic missile will be used to send the cross 
into space, one of the missiles being destroyed as part of a treaty with the 
United States. The warhead will be removed from the rocket, now sitting in a silo 
in Kazakhstan, and replaced with the civilian payloads. "To think that the Bible 
will be sitting where bombs were just days before," Blessitt said. 

     Once in orbit the cross and Bible should stay there quite a while, varying 
between 75 years to 300 years. For details go to www.blessitt.com.   

--by Jim DeLa

     

Religious coalition hails legislation on campaign finance reform

     (ENS) On behalf of the 16 heads of religious denominations (including the 
Episcopal Church) that formed the coalition, Religious Leaders for Campaign 
Finance Reform, three church leaders issued a statement following Senate approval 
of the McCain-Feingold legislation banning the use of "soft money" in future 
campaigns. "This is a tremendous victory for the American people," said the 
statement signed by The Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council 
of Churches; Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of 
Reform Judaism; and Sister Kathy Thornton, national coordinator of Network, a 
Catholic Social Justice Lobby.

     "This is a powerful victory for those who seek to rid government  of the 
buying and selling of votes, the appearance (if not the reality) of bribery and 
corruption, the showing of favoritism and special access to the wealthy at the 
expense of the poor and those with only average means," the April 2 statement 
said.

     Calling the action "only the first and most immediate step in seeking to 
move from a democracy of dollars to a democracy of people," the statement argued 
that "new money must be provided to candidates to replace the ending of soft money 
and the many corrupting influences it brought." It called for efforts to provide "clean 
money" for campaigns through public financing and free television time.