—The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) reached an agreement with the irs in March to preserve the ministry’s tax-exempt status. CBN spokesperson Patty Silverman says the ministry founded by Pat Robertson and the irs disagreed over the “tax significance of CBN activities.” However, CBN lost its tax-exempt status for 1986 and 1987 due to an irs ruling that three affiliate organizations were involved in political activities during those years. Silverman says “CBN made a significant payment to the irs to settle the dispute.”
—Paul Bubna, president of the Christian & Missionary Alliance for the past two years, died of a massive heart attack March 31 while playing tennis. He was 65. Bubna had served on the C&MA board of managers for 14 years and had been president of Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York, from 1991 to 1996.
—Suspended Roman Catholic priest Rudolph Kos, 52, was sentenced on April 1 to life in prison for sexually assaulting altar boys. Last year, a jury in a civil suit ordered the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas to pay a record $119.6 million in damages for sexual abuse caused by Kos (CT, Sept. 1, 1997, p. 95).
—Religious broadcaster John Hagee is suing the U.S. Postal Service, claiming it has “delayed, held, and even censored” his ministry’s mailings. Hagee, pastor of the 16,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, alleges that for ten months last year the Postal Service denied use of the nonprofit standard mail rate and charged higher rates.
—A bipartisan group of lawmakers has formed the Religious Prisoners Congressional Task Force, which will allow representatives to “adopt” foreigners imprisoned for their religious beliefs. Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-Pa.) says the task force urges legislators to act “as a voice for suffering religious believers.” Task force organizers are Rep. Tony Hall (D-Ohio), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.).
—Gospel Rescue Ministries of Washington, D.C., has had its membership status reinstated in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after complying with council standards (CT, Jan. 12, 1998, p. 57).
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