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The Newsletter of the Interfaith Working Group
October 1998
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Steve Sabin Loses Appeal
An appeals committee of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
has ruled against the Rev. Steve Sabin of
Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Ames, Iowa,
telling him to renounce his relationship with his
partner or be removed from the clergy rolls. The
congregation may decide to keep him as their pastor
anyway. Should they decide to keep him, it is not
yet clear what action the Bishop will take.
National Coalition for Abstinence Education
The Sexuality
Information and Education Council of the United
States (SIECUS) reports in its Summer 1998
Advocates Report on the formation of the
National Coalition for Abstinence Education (NCAE),
a group of 60 national and regional organizations
including the
Family Research Council,
Focus on the Family,
Traditional Values
Coalition
New Jersey Family Policy Council,
and Pennsylvania Family Institute
which issued report cards to state governors for the state-wide
abstinence-education programs funded by Welfare Reform. State
programs automatically received an F from NCAE for reasons
including promoting abstinence instead of abstinence-until-marriage,
referrals of youth to comprehensive health providers, and use
of such phrases as "fact-based," "non-judgemental," "respectful,"
"culturally relevant," or "not fear-based" in program descriptions.
Emergency Contraception Becomes Available
The National Right to Life Committee
has expressed approval of Emergency Contraception,
and the
American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists estimates
that 800,000 abortions could be prevented annually through its use,
according to the September 22 Kaiser Daily Reproductive
Health Report. Locally, the
Urban Family Council
disagreed, releasing a statement from William Devlin saying
"Let no American woman be fooled, this newly approved drug does
cause abortion and thus prevents a human life from developing."
Planned Parenthood
plans to make emergency contraception available over the phone
for women in some parts of the country who cannot come to a Planned
Parenthood clinic within the 72-hour limit for using the pills. They
will also provide counseling and education about the method and call in
the prescription to a local pharmacist. Planned Parenthood already
provides this service for established patients, but now will do so for
new ones as well.
Christian Coalition
During the
Christian Coalition's
annual Road to Victory conference last month,
People for the American Way
gave daily internet reports. The conference centered on the
president, abortion, and upcoming elections. Laura Montgomery Rutt
(Alliance for Tolerance
and Freedom) also reported on Pat Robertson's speech on germ warfare
and the need for America to get back to being a "Christian Nation."
Rutt also attended the Pennsylvania Caucus, focusing on distribution
of voter guides in churches, and workshops on preserving "traditional
marriage," and "defunding the arts" with Robert Knight
(Family Research Council). She
also received a free copy of "7 Ways to Recruit-Proof Your Child" wherein
author Scott Lively uses "homosexualist" for gay rights supporters
of all orientations.
Americans United for Separation of
Church and State formally requested the IRS to rule on the
CC's tax status, and sent a letter to churches reminding them that
the IRS has not ruled on the CC, the
Christian Broadcast Network
(another Robertson outfit), has lost its charitable status, and
churches distributing the CC voter guides could lose their tax
status. Meanwhile, Scientific American ran a humor piece
about Robertson's meteorological abilities and understanding of science,
characterizing him as a televangelist. They failed to note that as
head of the Christian Coalition, he actually has some influence over
what is taught in many public school districts.
Presbyterian Service at Bryn Mawr
On September 20,
Bryn Mawr Presbyterian's
chapel was packed for a service of hope and solidarity
sponsored by congregations opposed to the new section
of the Book of Order (Amendment B) which prevents
sexually-active gays and lesbians from being
ordained (elders or clergy). Sponsoring Congregations:
Bryn Mawr Presbyterian;
Central Presbyterian, Norristown;
First Presbyterian, Philadelphia;
Gladwyne Presbyterian;
Grace Church, Jenkintown;
Ivyland Presbyterian;
Norriton Presbyterian;
Old Pine Presbyterian;
Overbrook Presbyterian;
Reeve Memorial;
Summit Presbyterian;
Tabernacle United;
and Valley Forge Presbyterian.
Services and Conferences Around the Country
On September 19, Bishop Matthew Clark presided
at a Mass at
St. Mary's Church
in Rochester, NY,
for 600 delegates to a national conference on
gay ministries. The
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports
that between 65 and 70 Catholic protesters were
outside.
About 100 people attended a service of support for
same-gender marriage on September 15 at
First Unitarian Universalist Church
of San Francisco,
including 28 clergy from a dozen faiths. The organizers
want it to be an annual event, reports the
San Francisco Examiner.
Sally Lowe Whitehead, author of
The Truth Shall Set You Free: A Family's Passage
From Fundamentalism to a New Understanding of
Faith, Love, and Sexual Identity (Harper Collins,
1997) was featured at "Reclaiming Our Faith," sponsored
by the
Maine Council of Churches
and the
Maine SpeakOut Project,
reported the Religion News Service. The
Maine Civic League
responded, "It's
misleading and irresponsible...to suggest...that
Christianity affirms homosexuality."
Abortion Vote
The Senate fell three votes short of overturning a
veto of legislation opponents called sufficiently
vague to outlaw all surgical abortions, and supporters
called a first step toward outlawing them altogether.
After the vote the
Religious Coalition
for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) issued a statement
supporting the veto, quoting Rev. Meg Riley, director
of the
Unitarian Universalist Office for Faith in Action,
and Rev. Dr. Jay Lintner, director of the Washington
Office of the
United Church of Christ,
and noting that Mark J. Pevalin (Associate
Director,
Religious Action Center
of Reform Judaism) presented a letter to the
Senate signed by more than 700 rabbis, supporting
the veto.
Operation Rescue to Picket Churches?
On August 23,
Operation Rescue (ORN),
which used to blockade
women's clinics and has shifted to Disney, bookstores,
and public schools, held a press conference outside
Cathedral of Hope
in Dallas.
Their press release (on their web page) calls
Cathedral of Hope "The Gates of Hell" (also how
they describe public schools). In the press
release the UFMCC denomination is called a
"heretical sect." The release also says that
"Christianity and homosexuality do not go hand in
hand" and "any institution that claims to be a church
and yet proclaims that one can practice homosexuality
and Christianity at the same time must be confronted
with the truth."
A Truly Awful Letter
A letter from Anthony Falzarano of
PFOX
and
Transformation Ministries (an ex-gay group) warning
of an influx of gays and lesbians into Northern
Virginia appeared in the Alexandria (VA)
Journal. His language could apply to any
minority; he never lists specific things folks should
worry about, other than a possible trend toward domestic
partnership benefits and the repeal of sodomy laws.
He cites real estate listings and establishment of
houses of worship as evidence of a
"prolific assault" by a group "insidiously gaining
strongholds" partly through "books and newspapers...
subtly being placed on the shelves of our public
libraries." He says activists are "working like termites
beneath the floorboards" to overturn laws preventing
them from moving there. Unless the "invasion" is
stopped, you will be "living in the basement." And yet,
he adds, "they have every right to have a place to
live and work."
Colorado Report Attacked
Governor Romer's commission (headed by
Episcopal
Bishop William J. Winterrowd) asked that same-sex
couples be given the rights and responsibilities
of marriage, resulting in a 300-page response
from eight groups:
Colorado for Family Values,
Christian Coalition of Colorado,
American Family
Association of Colorado,
American Jewish Assembly of Colorado,
Colorado Eagle Forum,
Concerned Women for America of Colorado,
Family First
and
Exodus -- Where Grace Abounds
according to the Rocky Mountain News.
The groups said such legalization would be
"a declaration of war on the traditional family,"
and "The amoral--or immoral--position of the
commission is rejected by faithful Christians and Jews.
AIDS Torah Cover
A Plantation, FL woman is making a Torah cover for
Temple Beth Israel,
a Conservative congregation in Sunrise, FL, from
100 five-inch square patches clothing of AIDS victims,
according to the Miami Herald. The temple
will display the cover, then launch a program to
teach children and adults about the disease.
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