A recent Sightings column by religion scholar Martin Marty about what kind of religion news coverage is still out there amid the decline of beat coverage by print media. Read the column at the jump.
Youth in the regional Lutheran synod have spoken out about the recent change in the ELCA's gay clergy policy and the turmoil its causing in some congregations around the country.
The Lower Susquehanna Synod's Lutheran Youth Organization board drafted a letter, urging church unity in a time of disagreement.
"We understand that people have different opinions, and we as a board were very split in our opinions," Sarah Embley, synod LYO president, told the ELCA News Service. "We think it is more important to look past our differences and keep the unity of the church and keep God in main view."
The board donated to the synod a portion of funds it raised during synod LYO meetings and events.
"We aren't happy with the fact that some people are pulling away from the Lutheran Church because of the decisions made. We know that some churches are withholding their money from the synod and the Lutheran Church," Embley said. "We don't think that's right. ... We would like to step up and do what we can to help."
Update: Looks like the Darwin biopic "Creation" will be screened in the U.S. after all. Distributor Newmarket Films picked up the movie. Newmarket also handled the release Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
The film should hit theaters around Christmastime. Hollywood Reporter has more details.
The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is considering whether to reunite with its neighbor, the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania.
A resolution at the Pittsburgh diocesan convention later this month would call for a committee to study "the potential long-term impact of such reunion on the financial and administrative resources of the two dioceses," according to the Episcopal News Service:
What is now the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania was carved out of the Pittsburgh diocese in the early 20th century and called the Diocese of Erie. ... The Pittsburgh resolution's explanation notes (that) "In what was the Diocese of Erie (now the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania), there has been a significant decline of population. In the Diocese of Pittsburgh the Episcopal Church itself has experienced unprecedented change following the 'realignment' and departure from the Episcopal Church of many clergy and congregations."
Producers of the film, "Creation," which opens in Britain Sunday, cannot find a distributor in the United States, reports the UK press. It still may land a deal, however.
"Creation" stars Paul Bettany as Darwin and Jennifer Connelly as his deeply religious wife and explores the scientist's "battle between faith and reason" as he wrote "On The Origin of Species."
The UK Telegraph suggests that U.S. distributors passed on the movie because it would prove "hugely divisive in a country where, according to a Gallup poll (published) in February, only 39 percent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution." (For the record, the poll said a quarter of Americans don't believe in the theory, and another 36 percent don't have an opinion either way.)
While I was on jury duty last week, an interesting historical tidbit landed in my inbox from the Pennsylvania Nonbelievers, a group of atheists, agnostics and other doubters based in York.
The subject is Pennsylvania state legislator named Rogers who, in 1817, served on the House "vice and immorality committee" (when did that committee disappear?). He introduced a resolution urging the U.S. Congress to add references to God into the U.S. Constitution. Read the Nonbelievers' press release at the jump.
Later this week (Sept. 25-26), conservative Lutherans involved with the group CORE will meet in Indiana to discuss the possibility of creating a "free-standing synod" that would include members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, along with others that have left, or plan to leave, the denomination, according to RNS:
The leaders of Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform) are not encouraging fellow believers to bolt from the ELCA for a more conservative denomination, but neither do they want to remain part of one that has "fallen into heresy," they say. ...
"There are lots of congregations that are going to leave, lots of traditionalist congregations that are going to stay, and lots that have already left," said Ryan Schwarz of Washington, a member of CORE's steering committee. "We want to create a churchly structure that gathers all those categories."About 1,200 people have registered for CORE's summit in Indianapolis, according to organizers.
CORE is among those disappointed that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the country's largest Lutheran denomination, voted this summer to lift its ban on noncelibate gay clergy. The church also voted to allow congregations to recognize "publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships."
About 1,200 people have registered for CORE's meeting in Indianapolis, according to the organization. The ELCA has 4.8 million members.
After an August break, the Sightings column from the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School is back.
This week's focus is how Muslim immigrants are remaking western Europe -- a review of Christopher Caldwell's book, "Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West." Read the column at the jump.
Faith groups are beginning round-the-clock prayer vigils at the state Capitol in Harrisburg today, praying for an end to Pennsylvania's budget crisis, according to an announcement by the regional conference of United Methodist churches. Read it at the jump.
Laws banning religious clothing used to be fairly common, but today Pennsylvania is one of just three states that prohibit teachers from wearing religious clothing in classrooms.
Court rulings in both Oregon and a federal court in Pennsylvania have rejected challenges to these laws by teachers and pointed out conflicts with the Constitution: Teachers have a constitutional right to freedom of religion, but school districts must avoid supporting any religion, according to the AP.
In Oregon, critics have objected to the measure there.
Since the ELCA's decision last month to lift restrictions on gays and lesbians in the pulpit, some Lutherans have worried the move could prompt members or congregations to leave the country's largest Lutheran denomination.
After hearing from local Lutherans and reading reactions from others in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, it's unclear how things will shake out. However, predictions of schism seem premature.
Many Lutherans said the decision won't affect them much, if at all, and don't plan to go anywhere. Congregations won't be required to accept non-celibate gay pastors.
Others welcomed the change. One pastor told me about a gay man in his church who felt God calling him to ministry but wouldn't consider seminary because of his long-time partner. The pastor hoped the man would now reevaluate. Read more at the jump.
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg open its 184th academic year Wednesday with the traditional convocation at noon Wednesday, featuring a lecture by dean emeriti Norma Schweitzer Wood.
The seminary says it's the oldest institution of Lutheran higher education in the Americas.
Wood, who retired in 2003, taught in the area of pastoral counseling and specializes in the areas of marriage, family and group work in congregations. She is a licensed psychologist and certified as a pastoral counseling educator with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
