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Unfortunately, neither the statement nor the CSI press release actually refutes the articles in question. Both Irish Times reporter Declan Walsh and The Washington Post's Karl Vick carefully noted that both Sudanese slavery is horrifically real and groups like CSI have legitimately freed countless numbers: However, based on eyewitness testimony (especially that of Roman Catholic priest Mario Riva), the papers reported that some of the redemption transactions were fake. Riva gives very specific details about a redemption conducted by CSI head John Eibner between the towns of Marial Bai and Nyamlell. Saying there are slaves and slave redemptions in Sudan doesn't answer that allegation.

Politics:

• Forces of faith enter fray over energy policy | National Religious Partnership for the Environment reminds lawmakers of the "moral obligations" involved in deciding energy policy initiatives (The Christian Science Monitor)
  
  
• Official: Churches can help | Clergy urged to be part of faith-based initiatives (The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, Louisiana)
  
  
• Christian group flees Day camp | Shifts its support to rival Harper in attempt to split social conservatives (The Globe and Mail, Toronto)
  
  
• Also: Stockwell Day rips into Harper over religion | Canadian Alliance battles over religious groups' endorsements (Canadian Press)
  
  

China:

• Ruins of an old Christian church on Lao-Tzu's turf | Find of oldest Chinese church, from seventh century, is "rather like the Hari Krishnas being allowed to build a temple on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral" (The New York Times)
  
  
• China's Christians called to prayer by mobile phone | Clandestine Christian worshippers are forced to go to extreme lengths to evade detection and persecution by the communist authorities (The Daily Telegraph)
  
  

Life ethics:

• Pro-life centers fight N.Y. state investigation | Two pregnancy centers are fighting subpoenas issued in a state investigation of possible false advertising and illegal medical practice—claims that critics are calling politically motivated (The Washington Times)
  
  
• Abortion row threatens UN funds | Population Research Institute has accused the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) of promoting forced abortions and the involuntary sterilisation of women. (BBC)
  
  

Sex & marriage:

• Uniting Church's gay divide | A bitter fight over the acceptance of homosexuals is making the Uniting Church look anything but united. It may also bring down one of the country's best known religious figures. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
  
  
• Gay debate leads to arson, vandalism in Missoula | Graffiti on Baptist church in response to fire is counterproductive, say gay activists (Associated Press)
  
  
• Setback fails to silence critics of Presbyterian policy on gays | Conservatives say battle will rage on (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
  
  
• Bush welfare plan would increase work requirements | Proposal offers new subsidies to states to encourage marriage, continues ban on immigrant payments (The Washington Post)
  
  

Pat Robertson:

• I can't stand Pat | Robertson had a point. That's why he should have kept his mouth shut. (Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal)
  
  
• Robertson's wrong | He is anxious to create a climate of misunderstanding between America and the Islamic world and for Israel to benefit from that misunderstanding (Editorial, The Gulf News, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  
  

Missions & ministry:

• Small relief agency takes big risks | Orthodox Christian group now focusing on Palestinian aid (The Baltimore Sun)
  
  

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February (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46