European Commission Clears Italy's Census of Roma Over Discrimination Claims

The European Commission has approved Italy's census of Roma gypsies in Italian camps, including fingerprinting of minors who cannot be identified in any other way. The London Times reported yesterday that the EC concluded the Italian government was conducting the census as part of its drive against street crime and was not not seeking ''data based on ethnic origin or religion." In July, a European Parliament resolution (full text) expressed concern about Italy's actions.

Latest Mt. Soledad Decision To Be Appealed

Citizen Link reports that the ACLU has decided to appeal the latest decision rejecting a challenge to the Mt. Soledad Cross. It will appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals the July decision in Trunk v. City of San Diego (see prior posting) that rejected an Establishment Clause challenge to Congress' acquisition of the veterans' memorial and its preservation of the cross as part of it. Litigation over the memorial site has been going on for 18 years.

Orthodox Archbishop and McCain's Pastor Offer Prayer At Convention Thursday

On the last day of the Republican National Convention (full schedule) the invocation was offered by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. He is archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America and also delivered an invocation at the Democratic convention. (World Faith News.) The closing benediction was offered by Pastor Dan Yeary. KTAR News reports that Yeary is pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church which McCain and wife have attended for over than 15 years.

Challenge To Court Use for Bible Study Survives Motion To Dismiss

In Barlow v. Superior Court of California, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66668 (SD CA, Aug. 28, 2008), several court employees in San Diego sued to challenge the denial of their request to use an open jury room or court room for their weekly lunch-time Bible study meeting. They alleged that the denial amounted to discrimination based on the religious content or viewpoint of their speech. The court denied defendants' motion to dismiss, holding that it had insufficient evidence to determine whether the facilities had become a "designated public forum" for purposes of First Amendment analysis.

Private Prosecution Filed In London Over Offensive Jesus Statue

Ekklesia yesterday reported that in Britain, London resident Emily Mapfuwa, backed by the Christian Legal Centre, has filed a private prosecution against the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. The lawsuit alleges that the Centre committed an "act of a lewd and a disgusting nature and outraged public decency contrary to Common Law" by displaying artist Terence Koh's statue of Jesus with an erect penis. The statue is part of an exhibit titled "Gone, Yet Still", displaying art of Chinese-born artist Koh as well as works by Tracey Emin and Mark Titchner. The suit is being brought as a private prosecution because police concluded in May that there was no cause to prosecute. Civil rights activists say the suit is an attempt to bring back the abolished crime of blasphemy indirectly.

Court Says Bible Club Should Be Given Equal Access In California School

Yesterday's Orange County Register reports that a California federal court has issued a temporary injunction requiring the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District to permit five students at Esperanza High School to form a proposed Bible club. School officials said that only curriculum-related clubs are permitted, but the court found that the school had permitted two clubs that are not curriculum based, and therefore needs to give the Bible club equal access. The two non-curriculum clubs were the Red Cross club that teaches CPR and raises health awareness, and Students Making A Difference that provides community volunteer work.

Ghana Churches Call Week of Prayer and Fasting For Fair and Peaceful Elections

National elections are scheduled in Ghana for December 7. The country's president, John Agyekum Kufuor, has urged a National Week of Prayer and Fasting to strengthen relations and tolerance among different denominations, as well as to enhance the relationship between state and church. Ghana Home Page reported yesterday that Christian Churches of Ghana has declared Sept. 29 to Oct 4 as the first such week, designed to ask for the intervention of the Lord for a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election. Groups representing Christians, Catholics, Pentecostals and Charismatics have all agreed to take part in the week. Organizers are concerned about growing political party violence, vote buying, and suspicion of the Electoral Commission.

More On Convention Prayers

The invocation on Wednesday at the Republican National Convention (full schedule) was given by Jesuit Father Edward Reese. Catholic News Service reports that Reese is president of Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix, from which the McCains' two sons graduated. The benediction was given by Rev. Eva Rodriguez, president of National Hispanic Evangelical Women.

Meanwhile Terry Mattingly writing for the Scripps Howard News Service yesterday focused in detail on the benediction offered on the last evening of the Democratic National Convention by Orlando, Florida mega-church pastor Joel Hunter. (See prior posting.) Hunter ended the prayer by instructing the audience that each of them should "end this prayer, your prayer, the way you usually end prayer." Hunter participated at the microphone by ending with: "In Jesus' name." On his church's website, Hunter explained: "I did not ask people to pray to another god; I asked them to finish a prayer according to their faith tradition. This may be a small point linguistically, but it is a huge point theologically."

Florida High Court Orders 2 Amendments On Church-State Off November Ballot

Only hours after oral argument on Wednesday morning, the Florida Supreme Court issued an order in Ford v. Browning, (FL Sup. Ct., Sept. 3, 2008) enjoining state officials from placing two constitutional amendments on the ballot. Amendment 7 would have deleted Florida's ban on use of public funds to aid any religious institution and would have provided that no one could be barred from participating in any public program because of religion. Amendment 9 would have in effect reversed a Florida Supreme Court decision barring private school vouchers, and would also have required that at least 65% of funds received by school districts be used for classroom instruction. The Supreme Court's order said that an opinion explaining its order would follow and that no motion for rehearing will be entertained.

All briefs filed and orders issued in the case are available here. ADL which was involved in the case issued a release endorsing the decision, saying that it indicates the Court agreed with its argument that the state Taxation and Budget Reform Commission exceeded its constitutional authority in proposing Amendments 7 and 9. Americans United, likewise involved in the litigation, also issued a release praising the Court's action. (See prior related posting.)

In a second decision on Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court ordered off the ballot Amendment 5 which would have replaced school property taxes with other state funding. Florida Department of State v. Slough, (FL Sup. Ct., Sept. 3, 2008). [Thanks to Steve Sheinberg for the lead.]

Britain's Charity Commission Issues Draft on Humanist Charities

Under Britain's Charities Act 2006, to qualify as a charity, a group must have charitable purposes that are for the "public benefit". (Background). In February, the Charity Commission issued for comment a supplementary guidance document titled Public Benefit and the Advancement of Religion. Today the Charity Commission announced a parallel consultation on supplementary guidelines on Public Benefit and the Advancement of Moral or Ethical Belief Systems. The guidance will explain "how the principles of public benefit apply specifically to charities advancing a moral or ethical belief system, such as humanist and rationalist charities." (See prior related posting.)

Court Upholds School's Holiday Music Policy

In Stratechuk v. Board of Education, South Orange Maplewood School District, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66383 (D NJ, Aug. 29, 2008), a New Jersey federal district court upheld a school board's holiday music policy that barred inclusion of religious holiday music in school holiday concerts. The court rejected plaintiff's claim that the policy as interpreted by officials violates the Establishment Clause, holding that it "has a valid secular purpose, does not convey a message of disapproval of religion, and does not foster an excessive entanglement with religion." The court also rejected plaintiff's claim that the school policy as interpreted by officials violates his children's right to receive information and ideas, their right to learn, and their right to academic freedom. The court held that the school policy is directly related to pedagogical concerns. The court's decision in the long-running case came came after an earlier appeal and remand from the Third Circuit. (See prior posting.)

Webcasting of Sermons Increases IRS Scrutiny of Political Endorsements

Today's New York Times reports that the increasing presence of webcast sermons on church websites or on YouTube has made it easier for the IRS or watchdog groups to locate improper poltical endorsements by clergy. Several cases have come to the attention of the IRS this year after a sermon was webcast online. For example, Harlem minister James David Manning's sermon attacking Barack Obama spread from his church website to YouTube to right-wing talk shows, and gained the attention of the IRS after Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a complaint two weeks ago.

New Director Named For White House Faith-Based Office

Blog from the Capital reports that Jedd Medefind, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, will succeed outgoing director, Jay Hein, who recently resigned for personal family reasons. The new head of OFBCI earlier directed the faith-based office at the Department of Labor. (See prior related posting.)

Retired Military Offer Prayers At Tuesday's Republican Convention

The invocation and benediction at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday (full schedule) were both offered by retired military personnel. The invocation was by Rev. Dr. Robert G. Certain, Chaplain Col., U.S. Air Force (ret.). Rev. Certain (biography) is a former Vietnam POW and author of his autobiography, Unchained Eagle. The closing benediction was by Rabbi Ira M. Flax, Lt. Col. U.S. Air Force (ret.) Flax is an alternate delegate to the convention from Alabama. (Montgomery Advertiser). The benediction was introduced by Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan. Also on Tuesday night's program was music by Christian singer-songwriter Rachael Lampa.

Nigerian Coroner's Law Will Be Amended After Rising Muslim Opposition

In Nigeria, the Lagos State Executive Council yesterday sent the Coroner's Law back to the State House of Assembly for modifications after widespread protests that it prevents Muslims from promptly burying their dead as required by Islamic law. This Day reports that Governor Babatunde Fashola, bowing to increasing pressure over the law that was enacted last year, said that some people are exploiting concerns over the new law as a way of creating opposition to the government.

Catholics In Vietnam Demonstrate Over Land Rights

BBC News reports today on the two weeks of protests that have taken place in the Vietnam capital of Hanoi by Catholics who say the government took land belonging to the Thai Ha Parish and unlawfully gave it to a state-owned garment company that has now been privatized. Two weeks ago, hundreds of Catholics knocked down walls on the site to create a prayer site, and Catholics have been gathering there each evening in increasing numbers. The dispute is one of many over land rights in Vietnam, however the religious aspect of this dispute has created special problems for the government as police have clashed with demonstrators.

Italian Court Awards Damages To Woman Injured By Loud Church Bells

An Italian court has ordered the Madonna del Carmine parish near Genoa to pay a retired teacher damages of 60,000 Euros for the moral and physical damage caused to her over a 23-year period by the loud bells at the Church of Santo Stefano. M&C today reports that in the lawsuit, originally filed in 2003, the court also ordered the church to reduce the decibel level of its bells.

US, Europe Mount Opposition To Defamation of Religion Call At UN

Today's Washington Times reports that the U.S., European governments and religious rights organizations are making a new push to prevent the United Nations General Assembly this fall from adopting a renewal of the "Combating Defamation of Religion" resolution that is sponsored each year by the Organization of the Islamic Conference. In June, the European Centre for Law and Justice submitted an analysis of the Resolution to the U.N. The 16-page document (full text) criticizes the resolution, saying that it "replaces the existing objective criterion of limitations on speech where there is an intent to incite hatred or violence against religious believers with a subjective criterion that considers whether the religion or its believers feel offended by the speech." (See prior related posting.)

Buddhism Losing Out To Chistianity In South Korea

Today's Asia Sentinel says that protests by Buddhists in South Korea that the administration of President Lee Myung-bak is biased against them (see prior posting) are actually symptoms of deeper concerns about the rising influence of Christians in Korean society and government. The power and influence of the country's Buddhist community has been declining for 50 years, and there are internal splits over temple properties. Prof. Kim Yong Pyo of Dongkook Buddhist University in Seoul suggests that Koreans, especially younger ones, increasingly see Christianity as a superior progressive Western religion, while they see Buddhism as a tradition-bound folk religion.

Survey Says Majority Wants Churches Out Of Politics

Last week (Aug. 21), the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a new report titled More Americans Question Religion’s Role in Politics. It reports on the results of a survey conducted in early August. Here are some excerpts from the report's Overview:

A new survey finds a narrow majority of the public saying that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters and not express their views on day-to-day social and political matters. For a decade, majorities of Americans had voiced support for religious institutions speaking out on such issues.... [M]ost of the reconsideration of the desirability of religious involvement in politics has occurred among conservatives. Four years ago, just 30% of conservatives believed that churches and other houses of worship should stay out of politics. Today, 50% of conservatives express this view.