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Left Behind lawsuit dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed Left Behind coauthor Tim LaHaye's lawsuit against Cloud Ten Pictures, which created film versions of the first two books in the popular series, the film company says in a press release.

"Obviously the Federal Court has vindicated Cloud Ten," says Cloud Ten president Edwin Ng. "We are extremely pleased with the result and continue to look forward to making future Left Behind films, television programming and films based on the Left Behind: The Kid's Series."

LaHaye sued Cloud Ten and Namesake Entertainment in July 1999, saying the companies breached their contract by making a film of lower quality than promised. According to Publishers Weekly, he had promised to drop the suit if Cloud Ten released the rights to the children's series. The company is currently developing Left Behind: The Series, which will air only in Canada.

Tim LaHaye has not posted a response either on his website or on the Left Behind site, nor have other media outlets picked up the story. If he responds, we'll note it in a later weblog.

Worldwide Church of God settles, will allow Armstrong books to be published
In another book-related lawsuit, the Worldwide Church of God has settled its legal battle with the Philadelphia Church of God over works written by the group's founder, Herbert W. Armstrong.

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) has repudiated Armstrong's teachings and has joined the National Association of Evangelicals, but splinter groups like the Philadelphia Church of God, which broke away when the WCG began becoming more orthodox, fought to keep the WCG from suppressing the works.

Joseph Tkach Jr., pastor general of the WCG, had said it was the church's "Christian duty [to keep the book out of print] because we believe Mr. Armstrong's doctrinal errors are better left out of circulation."

But WCG chief financial officer Bernard Schnippert told the Pasadena Star News today that it would be "financially imprudent" not to accept a $3 million settlement offer from the Philadelphia Church of God for control of the copyrights to 19 of Armstrong's books.

"We came to an end where we received a considerable sum of money and the other party received a number of works that are out of date and inaccurate according to most of the Christian world," he said. He had earlier told the Star News that the church's income dropped from $170 million before the split to $25 million this year.

Some are upset with the decision. "They're willing, in effect, to support what they condemn," said Reginald Killingley. "To permit the perpetuation and promotion of heresy for the sake of money."

The Worldwide Church of God's article on the copyright battle is available here. The Philadelphia Church of God's take is available here.

War with Iraq:

• Archbishop backs troops in Gulf | Rowan Williams has previously condemned attacking Iraq (BBC)
  
  
• Also: Onward Christian soldiers? | Rowan Williams is wrong to tone down his opposition to this war (Giles Fraser, The Guardian, London)
  
  
• Churches united in their condemnation of war | Conservative Anglicans, too (The Sydney Morning Herald)
  
  
• Catholic and Anglican primates join in condemnation and prayer | Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, described the war in Iraq as "wrong and evil" (The Guardian, London)
  
  
• Public supports war despite church leaders | Have these religious leaders forgotten how Milosevic was driven from power? (Bob Thomas, Daily Journal, Kankakee, Ill.)
  
  

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March (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47