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• Blair acted like a 'white vigilante' by invading Iraq, says bishop | Tony Blair came under attack from two of the Church of England's most senior figures yesterday for acting "like a white vigilante" and for lacking humility in forging ahead with the war on Iraq (The Guardian, London)
  
  
• Bishops slam "vigilantes" Bush and Blair | Two church leaders have blasted Prime Minister Tony Blair for going to war in Iraq, with one bishop saying he and U.S. President George W. Bush acted like "a bunch of white vigilantes" (Reuters)
  
  
• Bishop attacks Israel's 'abuse' of Palestinians | The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Tom Wright, has criticized Israel for its treatment of Palestinians, saying that it was "asking for trouble" (The Daily Telegraph, London)
  
  
• Blair under fire from top clergy (BBC)
  
  

2004 presidential election:

• Putting God back in politics | As the Democratic candidates for president attend religious services for the holidays, their celebrations may be tempered by an uncomfortable fact: churchgoing Americans tend to vote Republican (Jim Wallis, The New York Times)
  
  
• Moving south on the sawdust trail | Dean's comments on religion sound about as clumsy, and about as convincing, to the born-again Christians who have thought about it as the governor's back-headed tribute to the Confederate battle flag sounded in the ears of the good ol' boys in their pickup trucks (Wesley Pruden, The Washington Times)
  
  

Christmas in Iraq:

• Iraq Christians alter plans for Christmas | For Baghdad's small Christian community, the major Mass will not be celebrated at midnight but in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve (The New York Times)
  
  
• In Baghdad, Christmas brings jolliness, jitters | The Christian minority experiences a 'completely different' winter holiday, with 'lots of new freedoms and … troubles' (Los Angeles Times)
  
  
• Tradition upheld amid war | The more than 100,000 U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq as well as Iraqi Christians tried to uphold their Christmas traditions despite a surge of violence that left at least four American soldiers and six Iraqis dead over the holiday (The Washington Times)
  
  
• Celebrations muted for Christians in Iraq | Rockets, grenades shake Baghdad (Chicago Tribune)
  
  

Christmas in Bethlehem:

• Protests mix with festivities in Bethlehem | The tortured politics of the Middle East seeped even into Christmas Eve festivities here on Wednesday, when schoolchildren banged their drums and blew bagpipes while leading clerics on a parade through Manger Square (The New York Times)
  
  
• Palestinians dispirited in birthplace of Christ | Despite its relative autonomy, Bethlehem seeks deliverance from occupation and intifada (Los Angeles Times)
  
  
• Barrier haunts holiday in Bethlehem | As Bethlehem put on its traditional holiday parade with whining bagpipe bands and twirling batons, ghosts of a Christmas future hemmed in by Israel's security barrier were haunting many of the Palestinians in this holy city (The Washington Times)
  
  
• Bethlehem's muted Christmas cheer | Israeli authorities eased travel restrictions in the area to allow Palestinian Christians to celebrate Christmas in the town. But the conflict has affected tourist numbers, with fewer visitors coming to Bethlehem this year than last (BBC, video)
  
  

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December (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47