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Canada's Chosen People Ministries loses appeal
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal of a Federal Court ruling prohibiting Chosen People Ministries from using a stylized menorah as its "official mark" in the country.

The Canadian Jewish Congress had argued that the messianic Jewish organization cannot use any image of a menorah because it is a Christian group, and such use is "scandalous, offensive to Canadians, and deceptive."

"The Federal Court of Appeal's decision upholding the ruling of Justice Blais reinforces CJC's efforts to prevent so-called Hebrew-Christian groups from misappropriating hallowed symbols of the Jewish people for their own exclusive use," CJC national president Keith Landy said in a press release.

The court's oral decision doesn't seem to be on its website, and so far the only press coverage is from Jewish media who clearly side with the CJC. Chosen People Ministries isn't quoted in the stories and doesn't have a statement about the ruling on its website. (Unlike our other articles, Weblog doesn't include original reporting. If CPM posts a response, we'll link to it.)

Still, The Western Jewish Bulletin notes that CPM has applied for trademark status for its menorah symbol. The battle that apparently ended at the Federal Court of Appeal was over whether CPM could use its menorah as an "official mark," which offers more legal protection than a trademark. The CJC is opposing that move, too, so this fight still isn't over.

Pat Robertson's Regent University gets Saved by the Bell
Weblog doesn't usually highlight higher-education appointments and promotions very often, but this one is worth noting. Regent University, the Virginia Beach school launched by broadcaster Pat Robertson, has appointed a new dean for its School of Communication and the Arts: Peter Engel. If you don't know Engel, you probably know his work: His show Saved by the Bell is a television classic, syndicated in more than 85 countries, and launched the careers of Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue), Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls), and Dustin Diamond (um, he's pretty much only done Saved by the Bell, but everybody loves him as that show's character Samuel "Screech" Powers).

"I am most proud of the fact that we were able to touch so many children around the world with the morality tales of Saved by the Bell," Engel says in a Regent press release announcing his appointment.

Engel's final television project, a reality TV show called Last Comic Standing, is airing on NBC this summer. That network used to cram its Saturday mornings with Engel's creations, including California Dreams, City Guys, and Hang Time (which now airs on ABC Family).

The Regent press release doesn't mention any academic credentials for Engel, and Weblog is sure that some Christian media critics will be debating whether the delightfully cheesy Saved by the Bell should be a model for the future Christian television creators of America. But if he's half as good a dean as Mr. Belding was a principal at Bayside High School, he'll do just fine in his new job.

Education:

• Judgment reserved in UBC beliefs action | Cynthia Maughan is suing UBC for $18 million in damages (Vancouver Sun)
  
  
• Earlier: Christian student's lawsuit 'has no hope,' says lawyer | Cynthia Maughan opposed class scheduled on a Sunday (Canadian Press)
  
  
• Also: UBC lawsuit may have 'chilling' effect | Professors accused of discriminating against a student on religious grounds (Vancouver Sun)
  
  

• Schools must spark thinking | The Shawnee Mission School District should be commended for its handling of the Inherit the Wind controversy (Jay Sjerven, The Kansas City Star)
  
  

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June (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47