For the week of August 19, 2004
Louisiana vote
Even as national Baptist leaders urge persons to register to vote in the 2004
presidential election, some in Louisiana are reminding persons they have an
earlier election of significance. Louisiana voters are set to decide the fate
of a state constitutional amendment on marriage on Sept. 18. The amendment would
define marriage as only between a man and a woman. Louisiana already has a law
that defines marriage in that way. However, supporters of the amendment say
it is necessary to prevent state courts from reinterpreting that law and allowing
same-sex marriages, as recently occurred in Massachusetts. To be eligible to
vote in the Sept. 18 election, Louisiana residents are reminded that they must
be registered to vote by Aug. 18.
Political charges
Two prominent Southern Baptist pastors are standing firm against charges they
violated their churches tax-exempt status, saying that the charges are
nothing more than an attempt to frighten churches into silence. Americans United
for Separation of Church and State recently sent a complaint to the Internal
Revenue Service about Virginia pastor Jerry Falwell and Arkansas pastor Ronnie
Floyd. Falwell wrote in a July 1 e-mail newsletter that for “conservative
people of faith, voting for principle this year means voting for the re-election
of George W. Bush.” As pastor at First Baptist Church of Springdale, Ark.,
Floyd preached a sermon July 4 in which he compared the stances of President
Bush and Sen. John Kerry on key moral issues but did not endorse either candidate.
An Americans United spokesperson said the two men threatened their churches
tax-exempt status. Falwell and Floyd disagree. Floyds church issued a
statement asserting that the pastor stayed within the guidelines in his sermon.
It said the charges are “nothing more than a threat to pastors and our
churches” to “intimidate” them “into silence.” The
statement also said the accusation “is nothing more than an attack on our
First Amendment right of free speech.” Falwell dismissed the accusations
as a scare tactic in a close presidential election year. He urged other pastors
not to be intimidated by the actions.
Stance on homosexuality
The American Psychological Associations recently adopted resolutions
in favor of same-sex marriage and child custody rights for homosexuals. The
psychological association adopted the stances during its recent annual meeting.
“Prohibiting civil marriage for same-sex couples is discriminatory and
unfairly denies such couples, their children and other members of their families
the legal, financial and social advantages of civil marriage,” an association
resolution notes. The association also adopted a statement opposing discrimination
against lesbian or gay parents adoption, child custody and visitation, foster
care and reproductive health services. Pro-family leaders decried the action
but said it is not unexpected. They note the psychological association is the
same one that took homosexuality off the list of psychological disorders decades
ago.
GuideStone update
Assets under management of GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist
Convention (formerly the SBC Annuity Board) totaled $7.5 billion as of June
30, an increase of $900 million (13.6 percent) from the same time last year.
The growth has resulted from increased participants contributions –
up 11.2 percent overall – and market growth in both equities and fixed
income, a GuideStone official recently reported to agency trustees. The official
also noted that a majority of GuideStone investment funds continue to outperform
their relative benchmarks. On another front, GuideStone leaders reported a slight
decrease in medical claims. They credited this to the implementation of higher
deductible options, wider utilization of networks, deeper network discounts
and participants becoming more involved in wellness. Leaders also reported on
implementation of a strategy to extend GuideStone products and services to other
evangelical ministry organizations. They pledged to move slowly. “While
we are excited to extend our products and services to a broader client base,
we are determined to maintain our focus in serving our existing SBC participants,”
a GuideStone spokesperson said.
Denying Communion
Catholic politicians who support abortion rights in three Southeastern states
will be barred from Communion until they publicly recant and receive the consent
of their bishop, three dioceses said recently. In an unprecedented show of solidarity,
the bishops of Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., and Charleston, S.C., said unrepentant
politicians who support pro-abortion legislation are not to be admitted to Holy
Communion in any Catholic church within their jurisdictions. The directive marks
the first time a group of bishops has worked together to sanction politicians.
It also is one of the most restrictive, essentially giving a bishop veto power
by requiring his “knowledge and consent” in order for politicians
to return to the flock. Lay Catholics who are not engaged in public life were
admonished to only seek Communion “free from mortal sin,” but politicians
will be held to a higher standard because of the “influence” they
hold, the bishops said. The edict comes during an election year in which Democratic
presidential candidate John Kerry has drawn scorn from some church leaders over
his support of abortion rights. In June, the nations bishops agreed that
politicians who support abortion risk should be denied public honors by the
church. But they declined to issue a blanket statement denying them Communion.
Iraqi casualty
Members at Suburban Heights Baptist Church in Klamath Falls, Ore., mourned
recently at the news that one of their members – Lance Cpl. Bryan P. Kelly
– had died from wounds sustained by an explosion in Iraqs Al Anbar
Province. The 21-year-old Marine was the son of Patrick and Joanie Kelly. Patrick
Kelly is the worship leader and a deacon at the Klamath Falls church. Bryan
Kelly also was a member at the church and was remembered for his faithfulness
and love of worship. Kelly had six weeks remaining on his second tour of duty
in Iraq as a combat engineer. Working near Baghdad, he and fellow Marines routinely
patrolled the roads and detonated hidden ordnance caches. Kelly had planned
to marry his fiancé this November. The Defense Department did not release
any details about Kellys death, only that it stemmed from enemy action.
Nine members of the Suburban Heights church have been part of the military campaign
in Iraq. Seven have arrived home safely and one is still overseas – Nathan
Gushwa, son of High Desert Baptist Association director of missions Aaren Gushwa.
Ruling against prayers
A federal appeals court has ruled that a South Carolina town council violated
the Constitution by opening meetings with Christian prayers. The court ruled
the practice of the Great Falls, S.C., town council to say prayers specific
to the Christian faith violated the First Amendments Establishment Clause.
That clause prohibits government from establishing an official religion. “Public
officials brief invocations of the Almighty before engaging in public
business have always … been part of our nations history,” the court
wrote. “This opportunity does not, however, provide the town council, or
any other legislative body, license to advance its own religious views in preference
to all others, as the town council did here.”