Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Oral Roberts University President Resigns Under Fire
UPDATE: An AP story on Saturday chronicles the reactions of students and others in the ORU community to the resignation.
Friday, November 23, 2007
House of Lords Debates IVF For Lesbians Partly In Religious Terms
For example, Lord Elton said: "to rule out the male responsibility seems to go in the face of nature, religion and good sensible politics on the part of a government who are trying to stop overfilling the jails of this country." Lord Ahmed argued that "Muslims have a profound belief not just in the sanctity of human life from conception onwards but in the importance of knowing your antecedents: the root from which you spring." Baroness Paisley of St George's argued: "This proposal totally disregards the biblical law on mixing kinds or species as laid down in Holy Scripture, and would be an offence to the Creator Himself, who made man in His own image." Responding for the government, Under-Secretary of State for Health, Lord Darzi said: "the available research evidence suggests that it is the quality of parenting that is the factor of prime importance, not the gender of the parent per se."
Hindus In Malaysia Sue British for Failing To Protect Against Malaysian Oppression
Nigerian Politicos May Use Religion To Postpone Their Own Ouster
Miami Federal Prison Warden Encourages Aleph Institute
Indonesian Poll Backs Sharia Law In Districts That Have Adopted It
Thursday, November 22, 2007
President Marks Thanksgiving In Several Venues
Our country was founded by men and women who realized their dependence on God and were humbled by His providence and grace. The early explorers and settlers who arrived in this land gave thanks for God's protection and for the extraordinary natural abundance they found. Since the first National Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed by President George Washington, Americans have come together to offer thanks for our many blessings. We recall the great privilege it is to live in a land where freedom is the right of every person and where all can pursue their dreams. We express our deep appreciation for the sacrifices of the honorable men and women in uniform who defend liberty. As they work to advance the cause of freedom, our Nation keeps these brave individuals and their families in our thoughts, and we pray for their safe return.On Monday the President spoke (full text) at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia, which claims to be the site of the first Thanksgiving, predating that of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. As the President recounted:
In 1619, a band of 38 settlers departed Bristol, England for Berkeley aboard a ship like the one behind me. At the end of their long voyage, the men reviewed their orders from home. And here's what the orders said: "The day of our ship's arrival h shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God." (Applause.) Upon hearing those orders, the men fell to their knees in prayer. And with this humble act of faith, the settlers celebrated their first Thanksgiving in the New World.Finally, on Tuesday in remarks in the Rose Garden, The President issued the traditional pardon for this year's two White House turkeys, May and Flower, and sent them on to Disney World to serve as honorary Grand Marshalls in the Thanksgiving Day parade. However the White House staff has apparently found some replacements since the Thanksgiving Day menu for the President at Camp David includes Oven Roasted Turkey.
Indiana Senate Opens With Sectarian Invocation
China's Rules For Olympic Visitors Bars Falun Gong Materials or Activities
Opening In VA Episcopal Church Case Published; More Defections Loom
[T]he General Assembly enacted the division statute to ensure that a neutral principle, majority rule, would govern situations when a group of congregations divided from their former denomination and formed a new branch of the church. That happened in the 19th century and it continues to happen today. What is perhaps unique about this case is that the division has played out at the international level of the church as well, but it is no less a division within the meaning of the statute. Indeed, the international element of this dispute merely confirms the magnitude of the division...Meanwhile last Saturday, the Episcopal Diocese of Forth Worth, Texas became the fourth Episcopal diocese to begin the process of leaving the Episcopal Church USA in order to affiliate with a more conservative Anglican province. Tuesday's Christian Post reports that the first of two required votes were taken at the diocese's annual convention.
Scalia Will Have Two Orthodox Jewish Law Clerks In 2008
Most of "Flying Imams" Claims Survive Motion To Dismiss
Yesterday's Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on the decision, quoted Frederick Goetz, one of plaintiff's lawyers, who praised the decision: "This has always been a straightforward civil rights case. You had six individuals ... doing absolutely nothing wrong. They prayed in the airport and got arrested. That's unconstitutional, and they deserve redress."
British Groups Produce Model Governance Documents for Independent Churches
The full text of all the documents and accompanying guidelines are available from the Evangelical Alliance website.The documents set out the proper checks and balances required to allow paid church leaders to take appropriate leadership responsibilities as church charity trustees, manage any potential conflicts of interest, and offer churches a legal structure to help govern their charity....
A revised Model Trust Deed ... offers independent churches with a non-voting membership a legal structure to help govern their charity.
Also now available are a Model Constitution - designed for situations where the wider membership of the church is involved in its governance and decision-making processes - and a Model Memorandum and Articles of Association designed for situations where a corporate structure is considered important. Guideline documents are also accessible for further assistance.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Florida County School Board Members Favor Teaching Intelligent Design
Former FLDS Leader Sentenced To Prison
Establishment Challenge To Highway Patrol Memorial Crosses Dismissed
Just as the Christmas tree evolved into a secular symbol of celebration, the cross has evolved into a symbol capable of communicating a secular message of death and burial. While the cross retains its religious meaning when placed in religious contexts, it has transformed into a representation of death and burial when placed in pop culture settings and when used as a memorial. Like the Christmas tree, which took on secular symbolism as Americans used the tree without subscribing to a particular religious belief, the cross has attained a secular status as Americans have used it to honor the place where fallen soldiers and citizens lay buried, or had fatal accidents, regardless of their religious belief. And the progression of the cross from a religious to a secular symbol continues as crosses are increasingly used to symbolize death in advertising campaigns, films, television, and seasonal holiday decorations--frequently having nothing to do with religion or a particular religious belief. Consequently, the court finds a reasonable observer, aware of the history and context of the community would not view the memorial crosses as a government endorsement of religion.Yesterday's Deseret Morning News reports on the decision. (See prior related posting.)
UPDATE: Fox News reported on Wednesday that American Atheists plans to appeal the ruling.