Worldscan

Lutheran, The, Sep 2005

* Christian and Muslim leaders in Britain joined in condemning the terrorist bombs that killed at least 50 people and injured about 700 in London in July. In its statement, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and the Muslim Council of Britain called the explosions a "criminal" attack. "The Scriptures and traditions of both the Muslim and Christian communities repudiate the use of such violence," the statement declares. "We continue to resist all attempts to associate our communities with the hateful acts of any minority who claim falsely to represent us."

* The biennial convention of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod met July 25-29 in New Ulm, Minn., to consider a "flat-line, balanced budget" in light of "serious revenue constraints," states a July 19 WELS press release. The church is recalling 11 global missionaries after three years of similar recalls. Despite an end to a 13-year membership decline, the denomination's two prep schools, a college and seminary are "threatened by high costs and limited funding," synod infrastructure "needs upgrading" and "traditional mission starts are at a standstill." WELS President Karl Gurgel said the church "can take credit for none of the blessings but must accept responsibility for our own failures and shortcomings. His grace sustained us in the past and will preserve us into the future."

* At its July 11 meeting in York, the Church of England's General Synod voted 367-127 to start a process for removing legal obstacles to female bishops and to reexamine the issue at next year's meeting. Opponents, who disagreed on biblical grounds, threatened to leave the church, saying a separate diocese would be needed for those who don't accept the change. Anglican counterparts in New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. have already appointed female bishops.

* Voices of the Faithful, a Roman Catholic lay reform group, called for a greater role for lay people in the church, including a voice in financial affairs, governance and women's roles. At the 30,000member group's national convention July 8-10, Paul Lakeland, a professor at Fairfield [Conn.] University, suggested financial boycotts as a way to influence church leaders. Thomas Doyle, a Dominican priest and retired Air Force chaplain, said legislative action may be necessary. Delegates passed resolutions calling for independent lay councils at all levels of the church, a process that allows parishioners and priests to have a say in the appointment of bishops, and a yearly "independent... audit report for all church-related entities" that would report both profits and losses.

* The U.N. must provide emergency food aid in Niger for almost three times as many people as initially estimated, partly because of donor countries' slow response to the crisis. Drought has left some 3.6 million people-roughly a quarter of Niger's population-hungry. Neighboring Mali also suffers food shortages in parts of the arid north, although the situation isn't as severe. While Sudan's Darfur region and other massive crises attract media such as the Live 8 campaign, aid workers say people suffering in areas such as Niger and Mali go unnoticed. Lutheran World Relief is addressing the crisis through long-term solutions such as irrigation practices but may soon include immediate aid.

* Sunday school classes have decreased in recent years, found a December 2004 Barna survey of Protestant pastors. Compared to 1997 data, programs for children aged 2 to 5 declined from 94 percent to 88 percent, while classes for high school students dropped from 86 percent to 80 percent. Vacation Bible school classes declined 15 percent, with 69 percent of pastors saying their churches offer the program. Others said they lacked teachers.

* The Anglican Consultative Council unanimously approved a resolution calling on its 38 international and regional churches to not invest in companies that support Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and Jewish settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The council approved initiatives to "encourage investment strategies that support the infrastructure of a future Palestinian state." It also called on member churches to examine investments in companies that might support Palestinian violence against innocent Israelis.

* Billy Graham, 86, preached what may be his last revival sermon June 24 at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in New York. He spoke for 23 minutes to 90,000 people before inviting listeners forward to publicly demonstrate their commitments to Jesus. Graham has no other crusades planned due to health concerns. He suffers from fluid on the brain, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease; his wife, Ruth, 85, has a degenerative back condition. Graham plans to continue his ministry through book-writing and other projects begun in recent years.

* As their country faces threats of anarchy and civil war, Bolivia's Protestant leaders issued a pastoral letter supporting the democratic process as the best way to resolve the political crisis. Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Pentecosal churches issued the letter June 9, two days after the resignation of President Carlos Mesa. Church leaders voiced support for naming a new constituent assembly while rejecting any radical changes that could prompt a civil war. Eduardo Rodriguez, head of Bolivia's Supreme Court, was named the new president of Bolivia and has promised to call for early elections and work toward reforms.