September 2008 Archives

civitas

1. the body of citizens who constitute a state, especially a city-state, commonwealth or the like

2. citizenship, especially as imparting shared responsibility, a common purpose and sense of community

Have you noticed that the Religious Right isn't the only faith-based view getting news coverage this election cycle? It seems the values conversation is broader this time around.

This fall, Byron Borger of Hearts & Minds bookstore in Dallastown is leading a nonpartisan course about faith and politics on Sunday mornings during the adult education hour (10 a.m.) at First Presbyterian Church of York.

Borger is taking the class through aspects of Christian citizenship, discussing how best to relate biblical world, social and political views. He's asking how best to serve your neighbor by working for good governance and public justice.

Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt of Greensburg will preach at the Red Mass noon Thursday at St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg.

The Red Mass is celebrated annually for lawyers, judges, lawmakers, students and government officials. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg will be the principal celebrant.

After the Mass, Msgr. Stuart Swetland of Mount S. Mary's University and Seminary direct a panel presentation on how Catholics can "properly form their consciences in accordance with the values of the Catholic faith before voting." The event sponsor is the St. Thomas More Society of Central Pennsylvania.

A United Methodist church in O'Fallon, Mo., is experimenting with texting during Sunday sermons, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports.

Congregants with cell phones can interact with the pastor, asking questions for him to answer in real time during his message.

One pastor said it makes him feel like he's got more of a teaching role.

Do you know any houses of worship that encourage texting?

The Rev. Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said Sunday he was disappointed with the World Council of Churches's decision to co-sponsor a dinner and dialogue last week with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Hanson, who also heads the 63.5 million-member Lutheran World Federation, was in York to preach at the 275th anniversary of Christ Lutheran Church and sat for a brief interview with the York Daily Record.

Hanson said he wasn't invited to the honorary event Sept. 25 in New York. The meeting drew criticism and protests from a few Catholic and Jewish groups.

People's stances on abortion are often nuanced, with many folks supporting or opposing abortion in some, but not all, circumstances.

As a writer, I think it's tricky to employ one or two adjectives and hope to capture someone's viewpoint in these cases. But as a reporter, I don't have the luxury of infinite column inches in the newspaper.

The Bible Belt Blogger brought up an interesting question about a recent New York Times article discussing Catholics in Scranton and how they think about abortion and the church's teachings on abortion. (More after the jump.)

A national leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America comes to York Sunday.

Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson (at right) plans to stop by Christ Lutheran in York to help celebrate the congregation's 275th birthday during a 10 a.m. worship service. The regional bishop, B. Penrose Hoover, and the Rev. Patrick Rooney will also participate.

Sunday's liturgy should bring out the smells and bells. The church has historically maintained a high-church emphasis, meaning a worship practice and style that reflect a Roman Catholic influence.

Pastor and theologian Bruce Epperly will speak and sign copies of his newest book, "Holy Adventure: Forty-one Days of Audacious Living," 4 p.m. Oct. 14 at Lancaster Theological Seminary's Dietz Refectory.

Epperly has described his book as a "progressive and mainstream Christian alternative" to Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life," which has sold 70 million copies.

Like "Purpose Driven," Epperly's book offers readers a 40-day personal, spiritual journey (actually, Epperly adds a day to make it 41), incorporating theological reflection, spiritual affirmations, imaginative prayers and social concern.

Here's news in the same vein of our story last week about women in the pulpit and women in politics.

The magazine Gospel Today was removed from more than 100 LifeWay Christian Bookstore racks because the cover pictured women pastors, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported recently.

That included the LifeWay store in Springettsbury Township (formerly a Christian Light Bookstore), which "just followed what our corporate office said to do," said store manager Steve Strobel.

A spokesman for Lifeway Resources, which runs the LifeWay stores for the Southern Baptist Convention, told the AJC that the magazine's cover/article "is contrary to what we believe."

Teresa Hairston, owner of Gospel Today, responded:

"It's really kind of sad when you have people like [Gov.] Sarah Palin and [Sen.] Hillary Clinton providing encouragement and being role models for women around the world that we have such a divergent opinion about women who are able to be leaders in the church," Hairston said. "I was pretty shocked."

The Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University is the keynote speaker at a "Muslims in America" forum Wednesday evening at the WITF Public Media Center in Harrisburg.

Billed as an "interfaith discussion of challenges facing Muslims in America," Imam Yahya Hendi will be joined by panelists Samia Malik of the Central PA Chapter of Council of American-Islamic Relations, Bishop Nathan Baxter of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, Homer C. Floyd of the state Human Relations Commission and Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, the director of religious studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College near Philadelphia.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and the event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Happy First Day of Fall!

Today (actually, a couple hours ago) marked the autumnal equinox -- the day in the northern hemisphere when the sun crosses the equator going south, and day and night everywhere are of equal length.

Also, a Happy Mabon to the pagans out there. In late summer, members of Earth-based religions, such as Wicca, move many rituals and practices outside to be closer to the nature they hold sacred.

Mabon Sabbat is the second and main Wiccan harvest festival -- a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth. The ritual usually recognizes the need to share these fruits to secure the blessings of the goddess and god during the winter.

Episcopal Bishop Nathan Baxter of Central Pennsylvania was among those who voted last week for the removal of Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh from all ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

The bishops' successful, 88-35 vote came as the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh prepares for an Oct. 4 vote to secede from the Episcopal Church and realign with the more conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America.

Duncan has helped lead Episcopalians who believe the U.S. branch of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion has lost its commitment to Christian beliefs regarding biblical authority, sexual ethics and Jesus' divinity and mission.

In a conference call with reporters after the conclusion of the House of Bishops' meeting on Sept. 19, Baxter said it was a challenging and difficult meeting, "particularly in the sense of decisions that we had to make regarding a colleague."

A new study released Thursday about U.S. religious beliefs found two in three Americans (67 percent) are "absolutely sure" heaven exists, and another 17 percent said it "probably" does.

A great majority (73 percent) also believe hell absolutely or probably exists.

About 55 percent of all adults -- including one in five of those who say they have no religion -- believe they have been protected from harm by a guardian angel.

The findings are part of the survey results and book ("What Americans Believe") unveiled Thursday by researchers from Baylor University during the annual meeting of the Religion Newswriters Association in Washington, D.C., where I'm camped out this week.

I am reading "God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question" by religious studies professor Bart D. Ehrman.

He explains how the Bible explains human suffering, why he finds the explanations unconvincing, and why he gave up on being a Christian. The book's central question is if there is an all-powerful and loving God in this world, why is there so much excruciating pain and unspeakable suffering?

I thought of this question this week while watching Hurricane Ike coverage. Hence, the Word of the Day. Theodicy is a branch of theology concerned with the "problem of evil."

Theodicy:

The defense of God's goodness, justice and omnipotence in the face of the existence of evil

Paradise Holtzschwamm Church in Paradise Township has joined the Chicago-based Evangelical Covenant Church after severing ties with the United Church of Christ two years ago.

"We didn't feel we fit anymore," the Rev. Thomas D. Bellis said.

Pictured is the Holtzschwamm delegation being introduced at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Green Lake, Wis., in June.

­A national leader of the Cleveland-based United Church of Christ will speak on "Piety and Politics on the Road to the White House" 5 p.m. Sept. 19 at Gettysburg College.

The Rev. John H. Thomas, president and general minister of the UCC since 1999, graduated from the college in 1972. His free lecture will be at the Joseph Theater in Breidenbaugh Hall on North Washington Street.

Thomas was in the area just two years ago to help Grace UCC in Hanover celebrate its 100th birthday.

Earlier this year, Thomas spoke out in support of the now-famous Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago to defend the congregation and its former pastor Jeremiah Wright from what they deemed unfair media reports. Read a Q&A with Thomas from Religion News Service here.

Religion News Service has a report about a Catholic in Franklin County who's taking credit for prompting a recent revision by the U.S. bishops to the Catholic catechism for adults.

What's a catechism, exactly?

Merriam-Webster says: "A manual for catechizing -- specifically, a summary of religious doctrine often in the form of questions and answers."

The national commander of the Salvation Army in the United States will speak at an advisory board meeting of the York Salvation Army 6 p.m. tonight at Heritage Hills Conference Center in York Township.

Commissioner Israel L. Gaither is the first African American to serve as the organization's executive.

Gaither, a native of New Castle, was previously chief of staff of the Salvation Army International Headquarters in London and territorial commander for the Southern Africa Territory.

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly are slated to star as Charles and Emma Darwin in upcoming biopic, rechristened "Creation," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The real-life husband-and-wife duo are scheduled to begin shooting at the end the month in England. The director is Jon Amiel, of TV's "The Tudors" and 1999's "Entrapment."

According to the Reporter: "Amiel's film portrays Darwin as a man torn between his love for his deeply religious wife and his own growing belief in a world where God has no place. The scientist finds himself caught in a struggle between faith and reason, love and truth."

In case you missed them, two other films about the clash between faith and science came out this year: "Expelled" and the upcoming "Religulous," in theaters Oct. 3.

York County, you might recall, is home to Dover Area School District -- party to 2005's infamous intelligent design trial "Of Pandas and People" fame.

Tony Campolo, a liberal evangelical author and commentator, plans to speak 10 a.m. Nov. 8 at a fundraiser for Bridge of Hope of York County, a new charity helping homeless women and children.

Campolo, a sociologist, teaches at Eastern University in St. David's -- an evangelical Christian school known for its emphasis on fighting poverty and promoting peace. Campolo is a member of the Democratic platform committee. His most recent book is "Red Letter Christians, A Citizen's Guide to Faith and Politics," published in February.

Campolo will speak at York Suburban High School in Spring Garden Township. Tickets are $20 general admission, $25 at the door or $35 for the reserved section. For details, 747-9675 or bohyorkcounty@yahoo.com.

YDR food writer Nicki Lefever came across Apocrypha while reading the missionary novel "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.

The Apocrypha (uh-PAHK-ruh-fuh) are Jewish writings that are included in the Old Testaments of Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians but excluded from most Protestant ones, according to ReligionStylebook.org.

The additional books, which are not part of the Hebrew Bible, come from the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament.

The Orthodox usually refer to them as the deuterocanonical books and regard them as occupying a lesser place than the rest of the Old Testament. The Orthodox also include several texts that are not part of the Catholic collection.

Surely you've heard of "Guitar Hero," the video game that let's you simulate playing music on a plastic "guitar."

Coming this month is "Guitar Praise" from the company Digital Praise.

The game let's you jam along with Christian rock bands. Songs include "Jesus Freak" by dcTalk, "I Need You" by Relient K and "Lifesong" by Casting Crowns.

Like "Guitar Hero," the game requires players to hit the correct notes as the songs play, but unlike the popular Xbox, Wii and PlayStation 2 and 3 game, "Guitar Praise" is strictly Mac or PC compatible.

Set for release on Sept. 25, "Guitar Praise will sell for $99.95.

"You'll soon be rockin' with the best while praising the Lord!" the Web site says.

A commercial airline pilot from Schuylkill Haven -- who alleges his job was threatened because his name was on a terrorist watch list -- is being allowed to resume flying, according to a letter his lawyers released Tuesday, the AP says.

A New Jersey native, Erich Scherfen, 37, has said he believes his name was placed on a watch list because he converted to Islam in 1994. He's a Gulf War combat veteran.

Last month, he filed a federal lawsuit in Harrisburg against the Homeland Security Department and various other federal agencies, alleging that the government's actions have violated his and his wife's constitutional rights.

Lutheran Bishop B. Penrose Hoover, who lives in Fairview Township, plans to speak at a workshop about alcoholism and substance abuse Oct. 11 in Harrisburg.

Hoover, who sought treatment for alcoholism last winter, is bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The session, called "A Personal Journey: Spiritual Perspectives," will also feature drug and alcohol counselor Louis Verna.

Hosting is Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. Cost is $5. Register by Oct. 3.

In what must be the biggest speech of her life, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will accept her nomination to the vice presidency Wednesday night at the Republican convention in Minneapolis.

In the last few days, many evangelicals have applauded McCain's pick in a running mate, but it's unclear whether Palin considers herself an evangelical.

Palin was baptized Catholic but grew up in a Pentecostal church; however, a spokeswoman told the AP that
she doesn't consider herself Pentecostal:

The 44-year-old mother of five, who led her high school chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was baptized as a teenager at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church, where she and her family were very active, according to her then-pastor, Paul Riley.

Now, she sometimes worships at the Juneau Christian Center, which is also part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, said Brad Kesler, business administrator of the denomination's Alaska District. But her home church is The Church on the Rock, an independent congregation, Riley said.