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Openly gay Methodist pastor won't be suspended
Mark Edward Williams, a gay Seattle United Methodist pastor at the center of the denomination's battle over homosexual clergy, won't be suspended during his disciplinary review. The United Methodist Church's Judicial Council overturned an earlier decision requiring bishops to suspend pastors during such review, and said it doesn't have the authority to make such requirements. Only the bishop can suspend a Methodist pastor, and Bishop Elias Galvan says he won't suspend Williams. The denomination continues to examine a formal complaint against Williams.

Michael W. Smith has friends forever in the GMA
The Dove Awards, Christian music's version of the Grammys, were held last night. No big surprise: Michael W. Smith was the big winner, taking home six awards, including artist of the year. The Gospel Music Association honored its longtime favorites like Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and recent favorites Third Day and Toby McKeehan. But the big financial successes in the Christian music industry were largely shut out. Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire, 2001's top-selling album in the Christian genre, lost in the instrumental category. P.O.D. received several nominations, but no awards. The O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, also listed as Christian, wasn't nominated.

Cal Thomas looks Robertson's horses in the mouth
Now that The New York Times has revealed Pat Robertson's racehorses, columnist Cal Thomas says the broadcaster's rationalizations don't hold up.

"I don't bet and I don't gamble," Robertson told the paper Monday. "I just enjoy watching horses running and performing. … I wish horse racing was not supported by gambling. … I like to look at them as performers and to study their bloodlines. That's what I find interesting."

That's ridiculous, says Thomas. "Using Robertson's rationalization, a visit to a bordello could be justified because he might testify to his appreciation of the piano's player's prowess or his desire to study the 'bloodlines' of the well-proportioned staff." Martin Marty made a similar point in the Times piece.

Barnard College historian (and Christianity Today editor at large) Randall Balmer also finds Robertson's rationale lacking. "What strikes me is that evangelicals, for most of the 20th century, were unequivocal in frowning on this sort of activity," he told the Times. For Robertson to flout that is really quite remarkable. I think he'll have a hard time explaining this to his followers. Many people look to him as a role model for moral guidance. This strikes me as beyond the pale on his part."

Persecution:

• Death penalty sought in Nigeria | Two men accused of converting from Islam to Christianity given three days to reconvert or die (Associated Press)
  
  
• Moluccan Muslims set fire to church | Separatist issues join religion as cause for violence (BBC)

Church & State in the U.K.:

• Carey defends Church link with State | Archbishop of Canterbury says severing links would lead to collapse of civilized society (The Times, London)
  
  
• Preacher fined for anti-gay sermon | A British preacher was found guilty of harassment yesterday, after a gay man complained that his street corner sermon was an incitement to attack homosexuals. (The Times, London)

Education:

• ACLU helps form school prayer legislation | American Atheists Inc. member says changes still make bill unconstitutional (Associated Press)
  
  
• Students may get religion | County schools could return to off-campus teaching (The Times-Journal, Fort Payne, Ala.)
  
  

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April (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46