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1. Nebraska considers bill barring underage Communion wine
Nebraska's current law allows for "the possession and dispensation of alcoholic liquor by an authorized representative of any religion on the premises of a place of worship, for the purpose of conducting any bona fide religious rite, ritual, or ceremony." A new bill, LB 261, would specifically strip that provision. It's not an oversight. That's the point of the bill—to strip that wording and thus ban houses of worship from dispensing alcohol, like Communion wine—to minors. Oddly enough, the sponsor of the bill, Lowen Kruse, is a retired minister in the United Methodist Church, and his website's home page lists churches in his district. Five other members of the Nebraska legislature signed on as cosponsors. One earlier cosponsor, Annette Dubas, has pulled her support. Now Kruse has, too. Or rather, he'll offer an amendment to his bill, allowing minors to consume up to two ounces of alcohol as part of a religious ceremony. Still, don't expect even such an amended bill to pass. It's shocking that it's under consideration at all.

2. British Airways allows employees' religious wear
Check-in worker Nadia Eweida can now wear her cross.

3. McCain drops support for lobbying reform bill
Recent news items:

"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances."
—Focus on the Family president James Dobson, speaking January 11 on Dallas radio station KCBI.

"McCain to make amends with Dobson"
—Associated Press headline, Jan. 16.

"McCain Does About-Face on Grassroots Reform Bill: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has told conservative activists that he will vote to strip a key provision on grassroots lobbying from the reform package he previously supported. … While grassroots groups on both sides of the political spectrum oppose the proposal, social conservative leaders such as Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, who broadcasts a radio program to hundreds of thousands of evangelical Christians, have been its most vehement critics."
—From The Hill, Thursday.

4. Brazilian Pentecostal leaders arrested in Miami
Ever hear of Sonia Moraes Hernandes and Estevam Hernades-Filho, or their Reborn in Christ Church? It's Brazil's second-largest neo-Pentecostal body (after the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God), according to The Miami Herald. The Herald's Casey Woods reports that they're under arrest, and that their followers are claiming religious persecution. But the charges aren't religious:

The couple was arrested at Miami International Airport last week on charges of currency smuggling and lying to customs officers after U.S. Immigration and Customs agents found they were carrying thousands of dollars more than the $10,000 they declared, investigators allege.

Agents found the first extra bundle of cash, $9,000, tucked into the cover of Sonia's Bible. They found other bundles of money squirreled away in various places, including inside a CD case, in a folded jacket packed in a suitcase and in the backpack of their young son, Gabriel, according to the arrest affidavit.

The grand total: $56,000.

The couple—already under investigation by Brazil's federal organized crime unit for charges including tax evasion and money laundering —preside over an empire of about 1,200 churches in Brazil, as well as television and radio stations.

5. Meet the new Christianity, same as the old Christianity
The discussion about how different Christianity is in the Global South may be overblown. Or perhaps not—perhaps Global South Christianity really is different and on the move, but its evangelistic thrust is overtaking local syncretistic sects. Or perhaps something different altogether. In any case, a report from the Associated Press yesterday is fascinating:

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January (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51