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• Suit claims man fired over religious issue | Former air-traffic controller said he was fired because he refused to work on the Sabbath (The Denver Post)
• French 'sect lists' criticized in House hearing | "French law has been misinterpreted," says French official (The Washington Times)
• China's French connection | China's Communist leaders have finally found a Western human rights model they like: France's new anti-cult law making "mental manipulation" a crime. (Joseph A. Bosco, The Washington Post)
• Converts charged with violating Religion Act | 19 new Christians didn't notify district administration before converting (The Hindustan Times)
• U.S. won't block China's bid for Olympics | Victory for Beijing could encourage an improvement in its human rights behavior (The New York Times)
• Sin squad on patrol in Malaysia | Making busts in bars, bedrooms, the nation's religious cops aim to preserve Islamic values. (Los Angeles Times)

Faith-based initiative:

• The dwindling 'armies of compassion' | President Bush's faith-based initiative is in deep trouble because it lacks a constituency committed to its success, and because every move the administration makes to appease the idea's opponents weakens support from likely allies. (E.J. Dionne Jr., The Washington Post)
• Bad faith | That the president's strongest ally is suddenly disillusioned with the faith-based plan is a good indication of just how dismal its prospects are and just how broad the disaffection is among black clergy. (The American Prospect)
• Conflict resolution starts on faith-based plan | Search for Common Ground is more used to working in Rwanda and Macedonia than navigating Washington party politics (The Washington Post)
• Faith-based 'warm-up' passes House | Resolution urges corporate foundations to give more money to religious charities (UPI)

Church and State:

• Court flunks tolerance test | It is not the place for state pols or courts to tell the church which policies are kosher (Debra Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle)
• Greek Orthodox reject Israel's advice | Government accused of meddling after one-third of the candidates for the church's next top clergyman in the Holy Land are "disqualified" (Associated Press)
• 'The Navy has created a state church' | Evangelical chaplains' lawsuit continues (Associated Press)

Education:

• State panel rejects teaching Creation | Science standards endorse evolution (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Also: Pa. schools revise science standard (Associated Press)

Religion and politics:

• Ten Commandments' sponsor finds demons chasing him | Rep. Gary Condit is a strong pro-life, family values, Bible-quoting son of a Baptist minister who is rated highly by the Christian Coalition and flunks out with the ACLU (Robert Scheer, syndicated columnist)
• Idaho's Christian Coalition ends its operations | Organization's demise marks the second major religion-based political action group to fold in the past year. (Associated Press/Idaho Statesman)
• Also: Idaho Christian Coalition completes mission (Idaho Christian Coalition newsletter)

Sexual ethics:

• Coalition wants marriage amendment | Backers say declaration would prevent judges from setting family policies that lack public support (Associated Press)
• Also: Marriage-strengthening constitutional amendment proposed (Fox News)
• Bureau discounts big rise in number of same-sex couples | In 1990 the government had placed many of those homes in the married-couple category (Associated Press)
• Lesbian has brother's IVF baby | Woman wanted to have a child that had some "genetic likeness" to herself and her family. (The Times, London)

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July (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45