Christianity

Faith-Based Group Given State Grant

June 30, 2001

Source: The Ledger

On June 30, 2001, The Ledger reported that Lakeland's Community and Faith Based Coalition in Florida "has been awarded a grant under a state program that promotes faith-based solutions to community problems." The grant is intended for a Family Unification Project, "which is intended to help families in crisis through personal contact with volunteers recruited from local churches. The grant is one of 10" that has been awarded since "Gov. Jeb Bush signed a law that created a state Community and Faith-Based Organizations Initiative."

Dismissal of Charges of Promotion of Paganism Is Appealed

June 30, 2001

Source: The New York Times

On June 30, 2001, The New York Times reported that "the guardian of two children in the Bedford school district has asked the United States Supreme Court to overturn a ruling dismissing claims that the district promoted paganism, New Age thinking and the occult." The claims were made by "three Roman Catholic families in 1996 [who] asserted that a high school Earth Day ceremony with drum-playing and the offering of gifts crossed the line into worship of the planet."

Physician Teaches Role of Religion in Medicine to Future Doctors

June 30, 2001

Source: Newsday

On June 30, 2001, Newsday reported on Dr. Frederick Smith. "As associate chief of internal medicine at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset [New York], the...56-year-old physician has found that religious faith can help his patients, and he's trying to teach that to a generation of up-and-coming doctors. His 2-year-old course, Religion and Medicine, is part of a growing move to sensitize doctors to the role faith plays in their patients' lives."

Baptist Group Calls for Respect of Judaism

June 30, 2001

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 30, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "in a panel discussion with a an Orthodox rabbi, a prominent member of an organization of moderate Baptists suggested that the singling out of Jews [for evangelism by Baptists] be renounced." The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is "an association of 1,800 congregations, [that] started...as moderate Baptists began separating from the increasingly conservative...convention."

Vietnamese Baptists Gather for Conference in North Carolina

June 30, 2001

Source: News & Record

On June 30, 2001, News & Record reported that "more than 700 Vietnamese Baptists from around the nation are expected to meet in High Point [North Carolina]...for the Vietnamese National Baptist Fellowship...The national organization [is] part of the Southern Baptist Convention." The conference includes seminars on Vietnamese culture, cooking and business meetings.

Weddings in Many Faiths Share Similarities

June 30, 2001

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 30, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "June...is the time when brides and grooms fill churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and banquet halls with promises of love, fidelity and care. Traditions vary...But most couples taking a leap into married life begin by professing love and faithfulness until death parts them, if not for eternity. And even those who profess no religion often look beyond themselves on their wedding day to seal their commitment. 'People intuitively understand that [it] is something sacred...

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President of Dusquesne Pledges to Deepen Catholic Commitment

June 29, 2001

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On June 29, 2001, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that "in a meeting with international leaders of the religious order that founded the school, Duquesne University's president-elect promised to 'work to deepen our Catholic commitment.' Charles Dougherty...spoke to 50 Spiritans, or Holy Ghost Fathers, from 35 nations and four continents who have gathered at Duquesne...'I think that Catholic universities in general, and Duquesne in particular, have to be more reflective and intentional about our religious tradition,'" said...

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Amish Communities Use Pay Phones

June 29, 2001

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On June 29, 2001, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "use of the telephone would seem in conflict with the Amish community's...lifestyle. But [Indiana] area Old Order Amish families have had pay phones in their settlements for decades. 'They don't view the phone as evil,'" explains a professor of history at Goshen College. "'They view the phone as a tool that must be controlled, or it will control them.'...Amish families generally use community phone booths for three types of calls: to report a medical, fire or...

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Eastern and Western Traditions Come Together in Washington Church

June 29, 2001

Source: The Columbian

On June 29, 2001, The Columbian reported that "at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church [in Vancouver, Washington]...a certified Qigong instructor teaches the ancient practice of movement and meditation once a week." Qigong was created in China more than 4,000 years ago.

Prison Education Program Ruled Unconstitutional

June 29, 2001

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 29, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "an intensive Christian education program at the Tarrant County jail unconstitutionally promoted the religious views of the former sheriff, the Texas Supreme Court ruled...Inmates who volunteered for the program spent 120 days studying...'orthodox Christianity.'...Participants had to accept the Bible as infallible truth, believe in Jesus Christ as deity and be 'born again' to attain salvation." The sheriff and chaplain "would not allow instructors to discuss any other...

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Visitors Convene in Minneapolis to Discuss Religion's Role in Public Service

June 28, 2001

Source: Star Tribune

On June 28, 2001, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that "more than 3,000 visitors assemble in Minneapolis... for the National Conference on Community Volunteering and National Service...Much discussion during their conference will focus on the role of religion in the nonprofit sector." The topic has been much discussed since Bush introduced his faith-based initiative.

Religious Leaders Demand Educational Reform in Pennsylvania

June 28, 2001

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On June 28, 2001, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that "Protestant pastors and a Jewish rabbi gathered at the state Capitol...to demand change in a school funding system they view as unjust, immoral and outrageous. They promised to organize their congregations and communities into a grass-roots campaign to 'target' lawmakers in the next election...They lamented the disparity between rich and poor school districts."

Methodist Chooses Conversion to Judaism

June 28, 2001

Source: The Morning Call

On June 28, 2001, The Morning Call reported on Albert Poe, who "was born into a Methodist family 41 years ago but stopped going to church in his late teens...He began discussing religion with Jewish buddies, and something felt right to him about a faith that he saw as 'a way of life.'...To convert, [he] took six months of classes, learning basic Hebrew, a brief history of Judaism and the basis for Jewish holidays."

Women's Church Group Devoted to Service and Inclusion

June 28, 2001

Source: Dayton Daily News

On June 28, 2001, the Dayton Daily News reported that Ashton McDaniel is the newly elected president of Church Women United in Greater Dayton. "Church Women United is an ecumenical movement of Christian women who witness to their faith through worship, study, action, celebration and global relationships." It is open to all denominations.

Judiciary Committee to Vote on Faith-Based Initiative

June 28, 2001

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On June 28, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "legislation mirroring President Bush's faith-based initiative moves forward today after the White House and lawmakers reached an agreement on constitutional concerns. The full House Judiciary Committee will vote on whether to recommend" the bill. "The legislation...has been altered to strengthen the wall between church and state."

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