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The Newsletter of the Interfaith Working Group
April 2001
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Misusing and Abusing Surveys
On March 14, Reuters Health reported that data from
the National Opinion Research Center's General Social
Survey suggests that "positive media images of gay life"
are "helping spur an increase in gay sexual activities
among Americans." According to Reuters, the survey
found that men who "recently had gay sex" rose from 2
to 4% and for women from 0.2 to 3% from 1988 to
1998. Cathy Renna, news media director for the
Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, indicated to
Reuters that the study reflected more honesty in
responding to questions about sexual activity as much as
more sex. Unfortunately, that part of the interview was
omitted, and the quotes used appeared to reinforce the
assertion that sexual behavior between women rose
fourteen-hundred percent.
Efforts to accurately determine what percentage of
the population is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender
(GLBT) are complicated by a lack of consensus on
whether to measure same-gender attraction, same-gender
behavior, or self-identity; a lack of consensus on
definitions of sexual behavior and sexual attraction;
different legal, medical, and cultural definitions of
gender; and willingness to accept labels or answer
questions truthfully in a society that is often hostile to
sexual minorities. This has not stopped anti-GLBT
organizations from using the survey for political
purposes.
Focus on the Family
has used the 1998 National
Opinion Center results as a footnote to the statement
"homosexuals comprise only 2-3 percent of the
population," and
in their March 26 CitizenLink John
Paulk asserted: "Even the 4 percent figure that's cited
in this study is far below what gay activists put forth as
10 percent of the population is homosexual." He also
said that the study demonstrated that "homosexuality is
not genetic, but instead is behavior that is chosen"
(confusing attraction and behavior). The March 16
Traditional Values Coalition Message to Pastors and Lay
Leaders cited the Reuters article, saying: "TV shows like
'Will and Grace,' and 'Ellen,' are contributing to a rise in
the numbers of people getting involved in homosexual
sexual activities." The
Family Research Council (FRC)
continues to cite studies using earlier National Opinion
Center results; pro-discrimination documents on their
website consistently state that "homosexuals make up
less than two percent of the general population." When
Dr. Laura
was criticized for using FRC materials in her
column, on her website, and on her radio and television
shows, FRC's Robert Knight defended her by pointing
out that "Congress uses Family Research materials."
Congratulations to Collenbrook United Church
Collenbrook (Drexel Hill) is the second
More Light
congregation in the
Philadelphia Presbytery and the
fourth
Open and Affirming
congregation in the
Pennsylvania Southeast Conference
of the United Church of Christ.
Anglican Primates Meeting
The Anglican Primates took no action on disagreements over sexuality within
the Communion at their recent North Carolina meeting, but the
pastoral letter and call to prayer
released afterward includes the following:
"We have been reminded of alienated groups within the Church's
own life. Some of our number spoke of the difficulties of those who
are estranged from others because of changes in theology and practice--especially with regard to the acceptance of homosexual activity and the ordination of practicing homosexuals--that they believe
to be unfaithful to the gospel of Christ. We have committed ourselves to seek for ways to secure sustained pastoral care for all in
our Communion. We also resolved...to show responsibility toward
each other, and to seek to avoid actions that might damage the
credibility of our mission in the world."
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
On March 5, the San Antonio Express-News reported
on the meeting of the Conference of Bishops in a story
entitled "Lutheran Bishops see no change in teachings on
homosexuality." On March 9, the ELCA News Service
reported that the bishops "affirmed a decision
not to initiate a study on the ordination of non-celibate
gay and lesbian people and supported an action to decline to develop
a study process regarding exceptions to the
church's standards for ordained ministry." But on March
25, the Kansas City Star reported that
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church
had been subjected to censure and admonition by Bishop Charles Maahs,
but not derostering, despite having called the Rev. Donna Simon, a lesbian
pastor who refused to take an oath of celibacy. The Star
concluded their coverage with a quote from Bishop
Maahs: "The
ELCA encourages this dialogue. I know
the chief purpose of their calling and ordaining this pastor
is really to be in mission and ministering. The thing that is
important in all of this is that they have shown themselves
to be people of good faith."
Letterhead
We're still looking for the 100th name on the
letterhead. Call 215-235-3050 or send email to
iwg@iwgonline.org
(leave a phone number).
Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell
Congratulations to Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, who has
been named the new Regional Director of the
Pennsylvania Council
of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.
Emergency Action for Women's Lives
The National Organization for Women
has announced an Emergency Action for Women's Lives in Washington
DC on Sunday, April 22, 11 am, Constitution and Delaware Aves., NE.
Cosponsored by the
Feminist Majority,
Planned Parenthood Federation
of America,
the
National Abortion
and Reproductive Rights Action League,
the
National Black Women's Health Project,
Catholics for a
Free Choice,
the
National Asian Women's Health Organization,
the
American Medical Women's Association
and the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. Call
202-628-8669 (extension 0), or email
march@now.org.
United Methodist Church
A standing committee of the
United Methodist Church
General Council on Finance and Administration
has found that the November/December edition of
Christian Social Action did not violate the UMC prohibition
against funding promotion of the acceptance of homosexuality
[February, 2001].
Nebraska Bishop Rhymes Moncure announced February 25 that the Nebraska
Conference Committee on Investigation has decided not to try
the Rev. Mark Kemling for officiating at a ceremony for
two men at Omaha MCC
[June, 2000].
The
Parents Reconciling Network
is a new organization
of United Methodist parents of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender children. Contact Jamie B. Stroud,
PRN national coordinator,
jstroud@sprintmail.com.
Henderson, Kentucky
The Henderson, Kentucky, City Council voted 3-2 to
repeal an ordinance "protecting gays from discrimination
in housing, employment, and public accommodations."
At the hearing concerning the ordinance, the Rev. Jerry
Greenlee, director of the
Kentucky
Fairness Alliance Religious Organizing Project,
testified that council members
who opposed the ordinance "needed to be worried about
their eternal salvation for not being more tolerant,"
according to the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.
The Other Side
The May-June issue of
The Other Side
magazine will focus on transgender Christians.
The
Traditional Values Coalition
has already sent out a stern warning about this
issue to the 43,000 congregations they say support them.
Atlanta Baptists
According to the Baptist Press, the
Atlanta Baptist Association
voted to change its bylaws to say that "an affiliated church does not
include a church which knowingly takes, or has taken, any action to
affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior." However, they voted
once again not to expel gay-friendly
Oakhurst Baptist Church
and
Virginia Highland Baptist Church
[March, 2001].
Soulforce 2001 Direct Actions Announced
Soulforce
has announced plans for vigils, teach-ins,
and possible acts of non-violent civil disobedience at the
Southern Baptist Convention, to be held June 11-13 in
New Orleans; at the Evangelical Lutheran Church National Convention, to be
held August 10-12 in Indianapolis; at the Mormon Church National Convention
to be held in Salt Lake City, October 5-7; and at the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops, to be held November 12-15 in Washington DC.
Ronald Gay
The Roanoke Times
reported that they received a letter from Ronald Gay, accused of
killing one person and
wounding six others in a gay bar in Roanoke last year.
According to the Times,
Gay refers to himself in the letter as a "Christian Soldier" and explains
that he was humiliated by his last name, which three of his sons had
changed.
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Keeps Same-Gender Ceremonies
In the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Amendment O (which officially would have banned union ceremonies by
PCUSA clergy or in PCUSA churches) has been rejected
by a majority of the Presbyteries (67-92 as of March 20),
thus being effectively defeated.
Under current rulings, blessings of
same-sex couples may be performed if they conform to
certain terminology and liturgical restrictions.
The wording of the amendment could
have made it possible to use it to to ban
any pro-GLBT event.
More Light Presbyterians
co-moderator Mitzi Henderson
said:
"If the church is serious about the
importance of faith to family life, to wholeness of relationships,
it cannot continue to ignore the commitments of same
gender couples. The public blessing of love and fidelity,
before family and friends, has a profoundly spiritual significance."
The Presbyterian Lay Committee
response
said in part: "The loss of Amendment O has inflicted a deep
wound in the life of our church. Offended by 'same-sex
union ceremonies' in some of our churches and the failure of our highest
court to prohibit them, faithful Presbyterians who uphold the sanctity of
marriage are now questioning their continued membership in a denomination
that will not affirm the clear teaching of Scripture."
The official
Covenant Network
reaction
concluded: "These
same issues will be before the upcoming General Assembly, in the form of
over thirty overtures seeking to delete
or change G-6.0106b, the recent amendment that has
continued to be a source of divisive conflict. We are
hopeful that the Presbyterian Church (USA) will reaffirm,
as it has in its vote on Amendment 00-O, the historic role
of local governing bodies and church officers to discern
the will of God in guiding the life and ministry of our
congregations and presbyteries. Some have suggested
that the defeat of this amendment brings closer an inevitable split in
the Presbyterian Church. We strongly disagree. And we pledge
ourselves and our network to
work with renewed dedication for the common mission
we share with all our colleagues in ministry, whatever
our views on issues of sexuality. This is a time for
Presbyterians to recommit ourselves to the love, respect, and
mutual forbearance that characterize Christ's church."
Members of the Presbyterian Renewal Leaders Network issued a
statement
which concluded: "The issue addressed by Amendment O is far from over.
It will be before us again - notably at the General Assembly in June - in
efforts to remove fidelity and chastity requirements from our
denomination's ordination standards. Until and unless
God's people take a definitive stand against them, these
efforts will not cease until that union instituted by God
and blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ has been stripped of
all special honor and recognition. As leaders of renewal
organizations in the Presbyterian Church (USA), we declare that the
lordship of Jesus Christ and his requirement
that we obey the moral law are not negotiable. Church
leaders who openly defy Biblical faith and ethics are
pushing our denomination perilously toward schism. We
confess that we cannot - and we will not- compromise the
integrity of God's Word."
Marching in the Light 2001
Our fourth annual benefit concert will be held on Sunday, May 20, 4 pm at St. Luke and the Epiphany, 330 S.
13th Street, Philadelphia. Tickets will be $10. Advertising rates in the
program (based on a 6x8" page) are:
$20 (1/4 page), $40 (1/2 page) and $80 (full page).
Sponsorships available are: $25 (Friend), $50 (Contributor), $75 (Benefactor) $100 (Angel), and gifts over
$100 (Archangel). Starting at the $50 level, free tickets
are given to sponsors: 1 ticket at the $50 level, 2 at $75,
3 at $100 and 4 tickets to sponsors donating over $100.
Music directors, musicians and singers interested in
donating their time and talent should leave a message for
Barbara Purdom at 215-235-3050. We are particularly
interested this year in a capella pieces or works with
organ or your own portable instruments (such as guitar)
so that we could avoid moving a piano into the performance space.
Please mark the date on your calendars.
We look forward to seeing you all there.
501(c)(3) Status
We are pleased to announce that the IRS has informed us that our exempt
status under section 501(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described
in section 501(c)(3) is still in effect, and that they have
determined that we are an organization of the type described in section
509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi).
Jerry Falwell, Muslims, and Charitable Choice
The Faith-Based Initiatives proposal continues to generate controversy and
animosity. The Washington Post
reports that portions of the plan have been delayed. In an
interview on beliefnet.com,
Jerry Falwell expressed reservations
about federal money going to various religious
groups (particularly Muslim groups). In response to the
Falwell interview, the
Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism
released a statement from their director,
Rabbi David Saperstein, which said in part: "The religious bigotry and
divisiveness of Reverend Falwell's
statement should be a wake-up call to President Bush
that his program is dividing the nation along religious
lines. The idea of America's religious groups fighting
over the limited public money to be made available,
arguing over which religions are deserving of support and
which are not, takes us down the road towards the kind
of sectarian competition that has torn so many nations
apart, and which our tradition of separation of church
and state has spared us. That one prominent religious
leader says another religious group should be 'out the
door before they knock' (as Falwell said of Muslim
groups) is only the tip of the iceberg of sectarian strife
lurking below the surface of the President's initiative."
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