"Weblog: Bush, Blair Reportedly Banned From Church of the Nativity"

The dumped priest who wouldn’t go awayAccording to Qatar News Agency, President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have all been forever banned from the Church of the Nativity, which tradition holds is the site of Christ’s birth.

The ban is a protest against “the aggressive war these leaders have waged against Iraq,” a priest named Father Panaritus told the news agency. “They are war criminals and murderers of children. Therefore, the Church of Nativity decided to ban them access into the holy shrine forever.”

Don’t be quick to believe the story. For one thing, a Google search for Panaritus turns up absolutely nothing, suggesting that this priest isn’t someone with a lot of clout. (Islam Online spells it Banar Teyous, but that comes up empty, too.)

For another, the ban was initially reported as coming from Attallah Hanna, whom Islam Online calls “spokesman of the Orthodox Church in the Holy Lands.” Liars. The Greek Orthodox Church has long distanced itself from Hanna, who was famously quoted as supporting Palestinian suicide bombers. He still has supporters in the church, but he’s not the spokesman for anything but himself—but that won’t stop the Arabic press from calling him the spokesman for Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land.

Islam Online also has a report from Hanna calling for U.S.-led soldiers in Iraq to “defy the orders of their commanders, refrain from striking Iraqi buildings, lay down their weapons, and go home.” And he’s particularly upset with Congress’s call for a national day of humility, prayer and fasting. “The Senators and the Congressmen should better take the decision of pulling the barbaric and invading troops from the Iraqi territories,” he said. “No matter how long they pray, God will rebuff their prayers, because they are supporting mass killing and terrorism, particularly in Palestine and Iraq. One should first purify himself/herself from arrogance and haughtiness to make God accept his prayers.”

Episcopal bishop says Jesus was a sinner In an Easter message in the April issue of The Pennsylvania Episcopalian (pdf, see p. 2), the local bishop writes that Jesus was a sinner. “This is what causes fear – Jesus forgives sins,” Charles Bennison Jr. writes in “The Challenge of Easter.” “He claims the authority of God in doing so. His resurrection vindicates his claim. He acknowledges his own sin. He knows himself to be forgiven. His call is to preach repentance and forgiveness.”

For those who have forgotten, the Bible repeatedly teaches that Jesus “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.”

Conservative Anglican writer David Virtue responds to Bennison in his Virtuosity newsletter. He notes that the bishop isn’t orthodox on several points, but that this one is particularly egregious. “The bishop has written a Visigoth Rite of marriage for both heterosexuals and homosexuals; failed to affirm basic doctrines of the Christian Faith such as the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only way of obtaining salvation, the authority of Scripture and more. … The truth is there is no historic parallel in contemporary ecclesiastical history for the bishop’s latest outrage. While a number of bishops publicly repudiate the efficacy of the atonement, deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead, scoff at the Virgin Birth and much more, no bishop has publicly stepped forward and said that Jesus himself was a sinner.”

Religious response to Iraq war:

Prelate reassures Catholic soldiers | Service in Iraq war sanctioned (The Washington Post)
Area clergy cope with Iraq war | Though Crofton ministers are supporting U.S. troops in Iraq, they say the war has challenged them to reconcile devotion to country with their devotion to God (The Capital, Annapolis, Md.)
Clerics, laity disagree | Antiwar rhetoric rings from many U.S. pulpits, but the people in the pews support President Bush’s policy in Iraq. U.S. Christians back war with Iraq by about a 2-to-1 margin (The Washington Times)
Conscientious objector numbers are small but growing | Antiwar groups say that an increasing number of military personnel are calling antiwar hot lines to say they do not want to fight in Iraq for religious, moral or political reasons (The New York Times)

Iraq relief efforts:

Churches working to help refugees | A Fremont congregation raises $9,000, but getting supplies to Iraq is hard (Oakland [Calif.] Tribune)
Rev. Franklin Graham plans aid for Iraq | Opposition from Muslim groups continues (Associated Press)
‘Not going to make converts’ | Samaritan’s Purse charity deflects criticism (Edmonton Sun)
Mixing humanitarian aid with the gospel provokes debate among relief groups | Will proselytizing in Iraq offer comfort and hope to a nation that is 97 percent Muslim? (Newhouse News Service)

God and America:

Do God and country mix? | Some congregations embrace expressions of patriotism while others are more reserved (The Dallas Morning News)
In the eyes of the faithful, God is behind America | God is good and so are President George W Bush and America’s war on Iraq, the congregation at one of the nation’s biggest places of worship agreed at the weekend (The Daily Telegraph, London)
Religion a strong current in U.S. wars | The nation often has invoked faith in waging its conflicts. A subtext has been a belief that we have been uniquely blessed by God. (Los Angeles Times)
With God on his side | Throughout America’s history, there has been one ally presidents have invoked above all others (Garry Wills, The New York Times)
Asbury Theological Seminary removes flags from cafeteria | Wilmore leadership wants to avoid ‘sign of conquest’ (Lexington [Ky.] Herald-Leader)

End times speculation:

End games? | War in Iraq has some pointing to signs of apocalypse—but it’s a point that’s been made before (Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, Ga.)
Religion speaks on the Iraqi war | Some doomsayers predict world’s end (WJRT, Flint, Mich. | video)
Armageddon? Some say war means end is near | There hasn’t been the rush of interest that followed the terrorist attacks, but end-times Web sites are logging more hits (The Times, Gainesville, Ga.)
Mideast war ignites Armageddon theories | Some evangelical Christians believe Iraq figures prominently in the end times. Others think apocalyptic interest has waned because of failed predictions that the turn of the millennium signaled Armageddon (The Denver Post)
Some Christians say Iraqi war could mark the end of the world | Area church leaders have differences of opinion on issue (The Tennessean, Nashville)
‘End-times’ talk muddies the international waters | More than foolish, it is easy and cheap theology. It is much harder to try to reclaim the world from peril (William McKenzie, The Dallas Morning News)

Historical Iraqi sites:

Iraq using sacred sites to protect its military, Australia says | Ctesiphon, an important third century site, being used to shelter vehicles (AFP)
Troops stationed near ancient city of Ur | The fighting, which continues in the nearby southern Iraq city of Nasiriyah, has so far spared the remains of Ur and the two families guarding them, who have worked as guides there for generations (Associated Press)
Some say war could lead to more research at spiritual sites | While the war endangers many historic sites in Iraq, there’s also the possibility that if regimes change, archaeologists will be able to do new research there, archaeologists said (The Tennessean, Nashville)

Fears of religious backlash from war:

For Arab Christians, these are fearful days | Many Christians now fear they may be targeted as part of a backlash against the US-led war to topple Iraq’s Saddam Hussein (The Boston Globe)
Cardinal: War may pit religions | Head of Chicago archdiocese fears shattered alliances, persecution (The Denver Post)
Iraq: Christian community faces uncertain future in postwar era | “There is a risk that Iraq’s Christian community might become a scapegoat” (Radio Free Europe)
Soldier allegedly spoke of friendly fire | ‘Religious war’ allegedly upset Muslim soldier (The Boston Globe)
Assyrian Christians afraid for relatives still living in Iraq | About 80,000 Assyrian Christians live in the Chicago area, a large majority of whom fled Iraq because of political persecution, according to the Assyrian National Council of Illinois (The Daily Herald, Chicago suburbs)
War brings new surge of anxiety for followers of Islam | In ways large and small, many Muslim Americans say, the backlash they have felt since the attacks of Sept. 11 has intensified since the United States attacked Iraq (The New York Times)
War must not become ‘religious catastrophe,’ says Pope | “War must never be allowed to divide world religions,” he told visiting Roman Catholic bishops from Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country (Reuters)
Also: Pope fears religious hatred in Iraq war (Associated Press)

Other stories on war or Iraq:

Iraq’s place in the Bible | In a recent story in the Wall Street Journal, writer David Klinghoffer argued that the region we now know as Iraq has more claim on the title “Land of the Bible” than present-day Israel (The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.)
Identifying when race, faith are relevant | When Sgt. Hasan Akbar was accused of rolling grenades into the tents of his superiors in Kuwait, killing and wounding fellow Americans last month, one of the fragments sent hurtling into war coverage was this volatile question: When do you identify someone by race or faith? (Keith M. Woods, The Poynter Institute)
AWOL soldier seeks sanctuary in church | Fort Hood soldier Ralph Padula tried for months to obtain conscientious objector status (Austin American-Statesman)
A letter from the frontline | “We take action against our enemies and against the enemies of humanity. That leads to a momentary peace because true peace will not come until the return of Christ.” (CPL Bryce D. Mitchell, Benton [Ark.] Courier)
Iraqis detained in Mexico sent to San Diego to seek asylum | Chaldeans entered Mexico illegally (Associated Press)
Former missionaries to Iraq still hold a passion for the country | Larry and Evelyn Richards and their three children were kicked out of Iraq 34 years ago (The Herald, South Carolina)
Ohio peace activist booted from Iraq (Associated Press)

History and artifacts:

Lecture takes on religious finding | The authenticity of James’ ossuary will be the topic of a lecture by Hershel Shanks and Ben Witherington III, co-authors of “The Brother of Jesus, the Dramatic Story and Meaning of the First Archeological Link to Jesus and his Family,” tonight at Wheaton College (The Daily Herald, Chicago suburbs)
Vatican discovery proves to be apostle Peter’s burial ground | This version has been waiting for confirmation or refutation since 1952 (Pravda, Moscow)
Thousand-year-old relic given to Tremont church | Metropolitan Herman, leader of 750,000 Orthodox Christians in North America, brought the relic of St. Theodosius to the saint’s cathedral in Tremont, the oldest Orthodox parish in Ohio (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland)
Embattled monks cling to a treasure | They won’t sell 2 parts of Napoleon’s tent (International Herald Tribune)

Sexual ethics:

Gay couple won’t get Texas divorce | State law does not recognize same-sex unions, ruling says (Houston Chronicle)
Gay vicar in appeal to Williams after bishop blocks job | Christopher Wardale urged Dr Rowan Williams to introduce fair employment conditions for gay clergy after a clash with the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Michael Turnbull (The Daily Telegraph, London)
Bishops heading for clash on gay rights bill | Bishops could face prosecution if they refuse to ordain practicing homosexuals under new laws forbidding discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation (The Daily Telegraph, London)
B.C. Anglican diocese says Yukon bishop should be disciplined | Yukon Bishop Terrence Buckle last month offered his services as a “flying bishop” to eight parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster that are opposed to their bishop’s endorsement of blessing same-sex unions (Canadian Press)
Also: Yukon bishop faces B.C. reprimand call (CBC—North)
Also: Anglican bishop seeks reprimand (CBC—British Columbia)
Churches that welcome gays are growing | More than 2,000 now compared with 1,000 in 2001 (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
No gay things allowed? | Justice Scalia’s opinion will be interesting (William F. Buckley Jr., National Review Online)

Clergy sex abuse:

L.A. archdiocese seeks to withhold files in sex cases | Says the information is confidential under religious protections of the Constitution (Los Angeles Times)
Also: Los Angeles archdiocese tries to shield documents | The Archdiocese of Los Angeles went to court to avoid turning over internal church documents about priests being investigated for sexual abuse, prompting outrage (The New York Times)
Also: L.A. archdiocese fighting papers release (Associated Press)
A court first: diocese vs. diocese | San Bernardino bishop seeks to shift blame to Boston for a priest accused of molestation (Los Angeles Times)
Also: Diocese wants Boston to pay | San Bernardino church officials assert East Coast archdiocese is liable in sex abuse case (The Inland Valley Voice)
Church refuses group’s money | Voice of Faithful decries decision (The Boston Globe)

Life ethics:

Surprise, Mom: I’m antiabortion | Parents expecting young people to take the liberal view, as in the past, are learning otherwise. (The New York Times)
Time running out for sick boy caught in prolife protest | Husband and wife want to select a test tube baby of the correct tissue type (The Daily Telegraph, London)
Two sides: Refocusing abortion opposition | Abortion does more than kill unborn babies, these campaigns say: It hurts women emotionally and spiritually (Chicago Tribune)
Abortion protest bill passes House | People blocking the entrances to abortion clinics could get 30 days in the slammer under a proposal that narrowly cleared the Illinois House on Monday (Chicago Sun-Times)

Politics and law:

Activist challenges the use of churches as polling places | ”In order to vote, you basically had to bow before the cross,” Rob Meltzer said. ”I was sick for a week.” (The Boston Globe)
Christian Association of Nigeria urges Christians to vote | Urges against election boycott despite its Holy Saturday scheduling (This Day, Lagos, Nigeria)
Also: Christian Association of Nigeria accepts April 19 date for polls (Vanguard, Lagos, Nigeria)
Not an issue to be legislated | School prayer bill should be killed (Editorial, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Liberia bans street preaching | A justice ministry press release cited security reasons for the ban but gave no more details (BBC)
Specter seeks support from religious right | He faces a conservative challenger in his 2004 re-election campaign (Fox News)

Music:

Manson concert inspires Christian band frontman | Skillet’s live show is a mix of industrial rock concert and prayer meeting (Chillicothe [Oh.] Gazette)
Let sleeping Pope lie, McCartney warned | Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has been told to keep the volume down when he gets to Rome in May for fear of disturbing the ageing Pope (Reuters)
A case of Morder | Death-metal vocalist faces life for an alleged Christian hate crime (Orange County Weekly, link via Holy Weblog)

Pop culture:

Mel’s Jesus not everybody’s messiah | Moviemakers know that a dose of pre-release controversy can work wonders for their films at the box office. But even such modern marketing techniques don’t quite explain the flak Mel Gibson is drawing over the film he is making based on the final hours in the life of Jesus (Chris McGillion, The Sydney Morning Herald)
Some churches want schools to ban ‘Harry Potter’ | Activist Antonio Rivera did not specify which churches, but described them as “Reformed Protestant” (New Haven Register)
Vegetables dish up story of Jonah | Giving children the chance to enjoy stories from the Bible with the help of a bunch of animated edible plants is a prime goal of Big Idea Productions (The Washington Times)
Chapel jitters for Russell Crowe | Crowe has made the building a nondenominational place of worship, embracing many different beliefs from Christianity to Maori lore and the ancient Nordic religion represented by Odin’s cross (Sydney Morning Herald)