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• Atheists blast faith-based initiative | July 17 scheduled as day to flood Congress with complaints (The Washington Times)
• NAACP votes to fight Bush on faith-based initiative | Legislation seen as attempt "to divide the black clergy in this country" (The Washington Times)

Religion and politics:

• Bush courts Catholic vote | But re-election votes will depend on more than photo ops and meetings (Associated Press)
• Cross-walk evangelist says he led president to Christ | Arthur Blessitt tells of George W. Bush meeting to inspire personal evangelism (Charisma News Service)
• Earlier: A Presidential Hopeful's Progress | The spiritual journey of George W. Bush starts in hardscrabble west Texas. Will the White House be his next stop? (Christianity Today, Sept. 5, 2000)
• Emotions high at funeral of Zambia opposition figure | Church leaders condemned new culture of violence in traditionally calm country (Reuters)
• Libya's Gadhafi says U.S. subverting Muslim states | Nigeria, Chechnya, other conflicts result of intelligence agencies, says Libyan leader (Reuters)
• Also: Gaddafi blames religious crisis on United States (The Guardian, Lagos, Nigeria)
• Church of England bishops agree to cut voice in Lords | Bishop of Durham persuaded the synod to drop its insistence on maintaining 26 bishops in a reformed House of Lords. (The Sunday Times, London)
• Earlier: Bishops reject cuts to their Lords numbers (The Times, London)
• Zimbabwe cops make arrest attempt at church | Church members blocked effort to seize opposition officials (Associated Press)

Persecution:

• In southern Sudan, Christian charities dodge bullets to save lives | Relief workers lobby White House for action (Fox News)
• Sudanese refugees lose family while fleeing | Nowadays, the fortunes of war seem to be on the rebel side (Associated Press)
• Oil fuels fighting in Sudan | The conflict has long been seen as a battle between the Muslim government in the north and rebels in the largely Christian and Animist south. But now that oil production in southern Sudan is cranking out over 200,000 barrels a day — bringing in $500 million — it's also about money. (Fox News)
• Risking Christianity in China | A Covina pastor lives with the threat of arrest on visits to clandestinely train church leaders under communism. (Los Angeles Times)
• Secret seminary booms in China | Four months after launch, classes in caves need more space (UPI)
• More Korean Chinese Church members go on hunger strike | 100 protesting against the government's crackdown on and deportation of illegal Korean Chinese residents (Digital Chosun)
• Congressman blasts French sect law | "Harbinger of a wave of intolerance," says Rep. Chris Smith (Associated Press)
• Also: Congressman assails French law on sects (Reuters)
• Christians said arrested in Laos | Three of eight detainees now too weak to walk, churches forced to close (Associated Press)
• Indian-origin Pakistani Christians eligible for long-term visas | Change in policy seen as result of upcoming visit of Pakistani President (The Times of India)
• Conversions spark tension in Orissa | Government investigating 19 Hindu's conversions to Christianity (Hindustan Times)

Missions and ministry:

• Church of England 'is abandoning the poor' | Nearly half of its 43 dioceses will for the first time receive no support from the Church Commissioners because of its financial difficulties. (The Times, London)
• Church cannot afford rural work | Church of England may ask the government to pay it for its rural social work, or convert hundreds of rural churches into clubs, concert venues and post offices. (BBC)

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July (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45