Civic

Jewish Initiative to Plant Trees in St. Louis, Missouri

April 10, 2000

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On April 10, 2000, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the St. Louis Environmental Initiative held a tree-planting ceremony on April 9th as 300 saplings were planted in the Kennedy Woods in St. Louis' Forest Park. About 50 people attended the Initiative's tree-planting, which is part of an overall project to plant 60,000 trees in the region, one for each of the Jews who live in the area. Rabbi Mordecai Miller of Congregation Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel spoke at the ceremony: "As others have planted for us - so let us...

Read more about Jewish Initiative to Plant Trees in St. Louis, Missouri

Lawsuit by Student-Teacher Against School Over Pentagram

March 31, 2000

Source: The Courier-Journal

On March 31, 2000, The Courier-Journal reported that Brandi Lehman, a senior at Elwood Community High School in Indiana, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Elwood Community School Corp. for forcing her to stop participating in a student-teaching program because she wore a pentagram. Jacquelyn Bowie, attorney for the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, is defending Lehman in her case. Bowie stated: "They [the school] can't ban it unless they show it's going to cause a disturbance, and they haven't done that."

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Demands Funds for Housing and Education

March 19, 2000

Source: The Boston Globe

On March 19, 2000, the Boston Globe reported on the growing clout of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). This group, who is being "recognized as the strongest grass-roots political force this area has seen since the 1970s," has a diverse membership and a twofold mission that transcends geographic divisions: funding for housing and funding for education. A petition drive that aims for 100,000 signatures suggests a strong voting presence to which politicians will pay attention. Recent community meetings with...

Read more about Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Demands Funds for Housing and Education

New Study on the Impact of Religion in America

March 18, 2000

Source: The Plain Dealer

A March 18, 2000, article in the Plain Dealer reports that results from a new study predict that "Islam will become a major new force on the American Religious scene, presenting new challenges to Christian and Jewish institutions." Kenneth Briggs, the study's author, says the " public square of the future has mosques and various kinds of temples along wtih its array of churches and synagogues." Overall, the influence of religious institutions may be declining as religion in the American context becomes more of an individual...

Read more about New Study on the Impact of Religion in America

Pagan Student Ordered to Cover Pentagram At School

March 15, 2000

Source: South Bend Tribune

On March 15, 2000 the South Bend Tribune reported that "freshman Irma Patton was sent home Friday from Clark High School [in Hammond, Indiana] for repeatedly refusing to remove or place tape over her pentagram ring and button. School officials insist that pentagrams are gang symbols... worn by members of Chicago's Latin Kings gang... Irma Patton insists she does not belong to a gang. She and her mother, Wanda Patton, are both followers of Wicca - a pagan nature religion... 'They're violating our rights for what we are,' Wanda...

Read more about Pagan Student Ordered to Cover Pentagram At School

Interfaith Efforts to Fight Racism in St. Louis, Missouri

March 4, 2000

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On March 4, 2000, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that representatives of 30 congregations in the St. Louis area are planning to meet regularly, possibly even monthly, to focus their efforts on combating racism in order to inform everyone in the region of the other's activities and to avoid duplicate efforts. The first meeting, sponsored by Rev. Martin Rafanan, who is the executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice in St. Louis, convened representatives from the Interfaith Partnership of St....

Read more about Interfaith Efforts to Fight Racism in St. Louis, Missouri

Muslim Chaplain Appointed to Police Department of Harvey, Illinois

February 25, 2000

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On February 25, 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Imam Darnell Karim, leader of the Harvey Islamic Center in Harvey, IL, has been added as chaplain for the Harvey Police Department. Harvey Mayor Nickolas Graves, along with Muslim American Society leader W. Deen Mohammed, presided over the swearing in ceremony on Thursday, February 24th: "We want to reach out to everyone, people of all faiths." Karim is the first Muslim chaplain in any suburban Chicago police department. Karim stated: "I hope to bring unity and to let...

Read more about Muslim Chaplain Appointed to Police Department of Harvey, Illinois

Interfaith Group Working for Affordable Housing

February 21, 2000

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On February 21, 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle published an article on the efforts of Peninsula Interfaith Action to see more affordable housing in the San Jose/Silicon Valley area of California. Peninsula Interfaith Action, a group of 20 member churches, will send about 1,000 members to a public meeting on the Silicon Valley housing crisis on Monday, February 28th. Pastor Scott Wagers of the First Christian Church in San Jose stated: "Churches have a role in raising awareness of a moral issue...With the amount of...

Read more about Interfaith Group Working for Affordable Housing

Kentucky Senate Passes Resolution to Post Ten Commandments

February 16, 2000

Source: The Courier-Journal

On February 16, 2000, The Courier-Journal reported that the Kentucky Senate passed a resolution to encourage schools to post the Ten Commandments and teach about religion's influence on America by a 37-1 margin. A great deal of debate ensued over the inclusion of the influence of the Jewish faith on American history. The original resolution only referred to the teaching of the Christian faith, but the Senate decide to include the entire Judeo-Christian faith's impact in the United States. Sen. Albert Robinson, who sponsored the...

Read more about Kentucky Senate Passes Resolution to Post Ten Commandments

Beliefnet.com

January 27, 2000

Source: The Boston Globe

On January 27, 2000, The Boston Globe published an article on Beliefnet, a new Web site dedicated to a multifaith approach to understanding all of the world's principal religions and belief systems. The site was launch this month by Steven Waldman, former editor of US News...

Read more about Beliefnet.com

"On Common Ground"

January 23, 2000

Source: Los Angeles Times

On January 23, 2000, the Los Angeles Times published an article entitled "On Common Ground, Los Angeles as a Microcosm of the World's Religions," about a photo exhibition of Los Angeles' growing religious diversity that is on display at USC's Lindhurst Gallery. Donald Miller, a USC religion professor, and Jerry Berndt, a freelance photojournalist, headed the project, concentrating on Los Angeles' first-generation immigrants and the role that religion plays in helping them adjust to life in the United States.

Minnesota Displays Pagan Billboards

January 22, 2000

Source: Star Tribune

On January 22, 2000, the Star Tribune reported that "the Goddess Committee, of Northern Dawn Council, Covenant of the Goddess (COG), Minneapolis, rented...three billboards to explain their faith to the public." The billboards are not meant to gain converts, but to raise awareness about religious freedom and the Pagan faith. "The three boards, two in St. Paul and one in Minneapolis, say 'The Goddess is Alive and Magic is Afoot,' 'The Goddess is Within,' or 'Embrace the Goddess.' They are not full side billboards but are displayed...

Read more about Minnesota Displays Pagan Billboards

Supreme Court Turns Down Church-State Case

January 19, 2000

Source: The Washington Post

On January 19, 2000, The Washington Post reported that the Supreme Court declined to hear a constitutional challenge to Maryland's law requiring public schools to close on Good Friday. The case of Koenick v. Felton was brought by Judith Koenick, a former Montgomery County teacher who is Jewish, arguing that the law "sends a message of inclusion to Christian schoolchildren and a message of exclusion to their Jewish, Muslim, and non-believing classmates." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit concluded last year that the...

Read more about Supreme Court Turns Down Church-State Case

End of Ramadan: Eid al-Fitr

January 6, 2000

Source: The Denver Post

On January 6, 2000, The Denver Post reported that Denver-area Muslims have given approximately $200,000 this Ramadan to a variety of causes. The money includes $150,000 for completing the Colorado Muslim Society mosque and $25,000 for Chechens fighting against Russia.

Pages