Was Weblog too hasty? Last week, Weblog noted changes in H.R. 7, also known as the Charitable Choice Act of 2001 and the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives bill. "It seems to Weblog that in large measure, the heart has been ripped out of President Bush's faith-based initiative," Weblog wrote. But since then, several e-mails and phone calls have come in from people connected to the faith-based initiative saying the amendments to the bill were nothing earth-shattering. Weblog had worried about regulations requiring that any program receiving federal funds to distinguish its social services from its religious components, and to allow service recipients the opportunity to "opt out" of the religious components.
But as has been pointed out to Weblog, that plan was pretty much what John DiIulio, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, told the National Association of Evangelicals: programs that regard evangelism as their central mission and method of changing lives would not be eligible for direct grants. For the record, Weblog did note the similarities between the bill and DiIulio's speech. But with everymajornewsorganization saying there were major changes to the bill and World's Marvin Olasky decrying the changes, Weblog apparently got caught up in the hype. On a second look, there really aren't that many differences between the proposed House legislation and what DiIulio has been preaching for the last several months. Weblog is happy to eat a little crow and to remind readers of CT's recent editorial, which said, "We have confidence that the White House Office for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will come up with a system that will neither co-opt nor excessively limit churches." We still have that confidence.
Meanwhile, Bush is trying to win others' confidence in the bill. Between tossing a football around in Philadelphia and watching fireworks on the Fourth of July back at the White House, he preached charitable choice on the steps of Independence Hall. "Those who hold positions of power should not be wary or hostile toward faith-based charities, or other community groups which perform important and good works," the president said. "We should welcome their conviction and contribution in all its diversity. So today I call on the United States Congress to pass laws promoting and encouraging faith-based and community groups in their important public work, and to never discriminate against them."
Catholics lose court appeal | Law requiring the church to provide contraception benefits to workers in secular jobs is upheld as constitutional. (Los Angeles Times)
U.S. clinic selects babies' sex to order | Sperm "sex-sorting" machine increases the likelihood of conceiving the desired sex to 92 per cent for girls and 72 per cent for boys (The Times, London)
When liberals get religion | Conservatives can only look with bewildered amusement at the contortions liberals are going through over Joe Lieberman's public religiosity. (Charles Krauthammer, The Washington Post)
Religious scholars: Conserve energy | Theologians point to Scripture for environmental concerns, but others question "trendiness" (Associated Press)
Church and State:
The Bible without religion | Educators learn to keep faith out of the mix as they prepare to teach the centuries-old books. (St. Petersburg Times)
Court case seeks to define a Catholic priest's family | A lawsuit by the relatives of an Illinois priest against Iran has brought up the legal question of who can be determined as the "family" of Catholic clergy. (The New York Times)
Persecution:
Battling oppression of Christians | Braving perils from shootings to land mines, contagious diseases and arrest, Christian Freedom International's relief workers conduct missions in territory more befitting paramilitary groups than nonprofit organizations. (The Washington Times)
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Churches targeted by vandals | Thieves are stealing chairs, tables, and even the corrugated iron roofs. (The Sowetan, Johannesburg)
Also: Report: Philippine hostages sighted | Missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and their captors seen by villagers in Basilan's mountainous heartland (Associated Press)
Whiz-bang revival adds 2 days | Organizers hope fireworks, new events and other attractions extend reach of Harvest Crusade. (Los Angeles Times)
Muslims visiting malls to explain their faith | Frustrated by media coverage they believe portrays Muslims as extremists, New Jersey Muslims are taking their faith directly to the people. (The Record, Bergen, New Jersey)
Baptists lead from the right | With huge mission networks and budgets, the denomination is called, with bare exaggeration, "the established church of the South," and the Southern Baptist Convention plays a major role in the call, training and doctrinal leanings of future clergy. (The Washington Times)
Two Mennonite groups approve merger | Some delegates upset that new Mennonite Church USA church won't recognize same-sex marriages (Associated Press)
Church life:
Protestants split over women in pulpit | Females make up just 10 percent of the clergy who lead the nation's congregations, but wield great influence in denominational structures, national assemblies and in many theological schools, where they make up a third to half of all students. (The Washington Times)
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The graying of black collars | The U.S. Catholic Church is on the cusp of a critical shortage of priests despite a priest-to-parishioner ratio that is the highest in the world. (The Washington Times)
Men still wear ties to church? | It may be just a matter of time before the pews will be filled with parishioners wearing pink tank tops and jogging shorts. (Phil Perrier, The Sun, Baltimore)
Vatican opposes church renovation | Proposed changes include moving the altar toward the middle of the sanctuary, replacing pews with moveable chairs and kneelers, making organ more prominent, and reducing number of confessionals (Associated Press)
Churches becoming more accepting of old stigmas | Churches are quietly embracing growing numbers of non-traditional families, including those who only a generation ago might have been ostracized (The Record, Bergen, New Jersey)
Anglican Church to intensify fight against AIDS in Africa | Initiative focuses on counseling, people living with Aids, care, the role of leadership, prevention, spiritual guidance, orphans, funding, and lobbying (The Sowetan, Johannesburg)
Lawmakers file suit over college play | 21 state legislators among 32 people fighting staging of 'Corpus Christi' at state university. (The Indianapolis Star)
NEA drops homosexuality resolution | Instead, task force will consider "supporting the struggles of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and staff" (Associated Press)
Earlier: Teachers' proposal on gays protested | About 400 people picket educators convention over a call to make campuses more hospitable toward homosexual students. (Los Angeles Times)
Church files suit against pastor | Five years after death, Southern Baptist Church of Avondale, Ohio, finds $1 million bank account (The Cincinnati Post)
Israeli Jews seeking donations from Christians | Yechiel Eckstein appointed by Jerusalem's mayor to head a commission aimed at "strengthening worldwide Christian ties" with city (The Washington Times)
Pat Robertson backs Israeli attacks | Chiding criticism, evangelist says, "Israel is not a ward of the United Nations and is not a ward of the United States, and its policies must reflect the best interests of Israel." (Associated Press)
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
As my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
NIL deals in college athletics present new challenges—and opportunities—for colleges and students.
