The 3 - December 15, 2013

On this edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", an update on the efforts being made by the wife of an Iranian-American pastor, who is currently being held in prison in Iran, to set him free.   Also, a judge has ruled that a long-standing veteran's memorial in California that features a large cross must be taken down. And, the top story involves the ongoing confusion over the proper, constitutional expressions of Christmas in public schools.

3 - Imprisoned Iranian-American pastor's wife testifies before Congress

As Christmas approaches, believers continue to be reminded about the plight of Saeed Abedini, a pastor and an American citizen who was born in Iran and returned there to do ministry over a year ago.   He was arrested and has been placed in notorious prisons in the nation, including Evin prison and now the Rajai Shahr prison, where his plight is said to be worsening.

His wife, Naghmeh, testified before a House subcommittee on foreign affairs on Thursday. According to a story on the ReligionToday.com website, quoting Charisma News, she said that, "Each day that [Saeed Abedini] remains in that dreadful place could mean a death sentence; any day could be execution day."

Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) joined Abedini before Congress. He related that, "The Obama Administration and the U.S. State Department had a historic opportunity to demand Pastor Saeed’s release, along with that of all wrongly detained Americans in Iran, as a precondition to the nuclear negotiations...As Dr. Katrins Lantos Sweet, Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, testified, this would have been an easy ask. Yet, the Obama Administration intentionally chose not to even ask for his release as a precondition to the negotiations, leaving Pastor Saeed behind – malnourished, in increasing pain, and without medication.”

Naghmeh is quoted as saying that, “As Christmas quickly approaches, it is just another painful reminder of life without Saeed for our family. When I ask my children what they want for Christmas, their answer is simple. It’s the same thing they wanted for their birthdays this year. It’s the same thing they want every day. They just want Daddy. They want Daddy home..."
At the website, BeHeardProject.com, which you can access by typing in SaveSaeed.com, you can add your name to an online petition calling for his release.  Over 161,000 people have done that thus far.  The section of the website dealing with Pastor Saeed mentions the nuclear "deal" with Iran, so you might assume that this number has been acquired since that deal, because, previously, over 610,000 signatures were reported to have been collected.  Also, over 193,000 people have written to the President of Iran asking him to release Pastor Saeed.

2 - Mount Soledad cross ordered to be removed

Since 1954, a large cross has stood on Mount Soledad, overlooking the city of San Diego, as a memorial to the sacrifices of veterans.  It is surrounded by 3,000 plaques to memorialize America’s war heroes from the Revolutionary War forward.

CitizenLink reports that a Federal judge has ruled that the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross must be removed from the San Diego site.  Liberty Institute vows to appeal the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — if necessary.

Hiram Sasser, Director of Litigation for Liberty Institute says that, “The judge reluctantly agreed with a previous ruling by 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that this hallowed veterans memorial must be removed." The appeals court had ruled in 2011 that the cross was unconstitutional.

Sasser said he’s confident that the memorial will win on appeal.

The legal proceedings started in 1989 when the ACLU and other groups filed suit saying the 43-foot-tall cross violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.  Since then many attempts have been made to save the cross.  Congress passed a law in 2004 making the city-owned display a national memorial.

Bruce Bailey, president of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association, told Fox News: “It is unfortunate that the 9th Circuit left the judge no choice but to order the tearing down of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross."  He added that he’s grateful the judge chose to allow the memorial to remain in place while the court challenge continues.

1 -  Christmas clashes occur throughout America

The top story of the week is actually an amalgamation of a number of different stories, all centered around the same issue - the rights of students to have freedom of expression as it pertains to the celebration of Christmas.   We have seen instances throughout the years of school districts who have placed restrictions on the acknowledgement and celebration of this holiday, which is a Federal holiday, and the state of Texas earlier this year attempted to codify the rights of students regarding Christmas by passing the "Merry Christmas" Bill, which was introduced by Texas State Rep. Dwayne Bohac, who says he just wants to inject a little common sense back into the holiday season, according to the website, YourHoustonNews.com.

The bill amended the education code to allow Texas public school administrators, teachers, students and parents to discuss, use traditional greetings of and display symbols and scenes of “traditional winter celebrations,” generally Christmas and Hannukkah, without proselytizing.

Bohac held a press conference this week in an attempt to remind school districts about this legislation.  In a release announcing the conference, Bohac uses an example given by Rep. Pat Fallon, who said that before Thanksgiving a PTA email distributed through Frisco ISD outlined a list of “winter party rules” that included no references to any religious holiday, no use of red and green colors, and no Christmas trees would be allowed. Fallon contacted the PTA and informed it of the new law.

Bohac said, “With Christmas around the corner, our goal is to educate the public on this new law so that our teachers and students are able to celebrate the upcoming holiday season without fear of retribution or punishment...We also hope by raising awareness this legislation will become a model for others states around the country.”   Religion Today also reports that Missouri overrode a governor's veto to pass a similar law.

CitizenLink ran a story this week on 3 Montana high schools, who faced threats from the ACLU and the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF), demanding that choir students not participate in a community Christmas festival at a local church. These schools represented students from 2 districts, who both agreed the show should go on as scheduled.

Student choirs are allowed to voluntarily participate in Christmas events.

The Alliance Defending Freedom wrote to the district superintendents, saying, “We write to commend you for rejecting the ACLU’s and FFRF’s unfounded demands that school choirs be excluded from the community Christmas festival. Such participation fully complies with applicable law...Your school districts were also right to be concerned that only disallowing choir students from singing at community events sponsored by churches would violate the First Amendment.”

Religion Today reported on a recent Rasmussen poll, showing that 75% of American adults believe Christmas should be celebrated in public schools. The pollsters note, “Despite school administrators’ concerns nationwide, Americans strongly believe that Christmas should be a part of public schools. They feel just as strongly that religious symbols should be allowed on public property.”

Widespread public support, however, has not squelched threatened litigation and school policy fights.

Periodically at Faith Radio, we receive calls or e-mails from listeners who relate to us instances where they feel that students' rights of religious expression are being inhibited.  Sometimes, people ask us to whom they could turn to find legal relief.   Earlier in this story, I had mentioned the Alliance Defending Freedom.  They have published a Christmas Memo, outlining the legal ways in which Christmas can be commemorated in a public school setting.   They also have a Fact Sheet about this issue.

Recently, ADF wrote a letter to over 13,000 school districts across the nation about the constitutional celebration of Christmas on school grounds.   This letter was intended, according to ADF, "to explain constitutional protections for religious Christmas carols that some districts have censored due to misinterpretations of the First Amendment. The letter also backs up the legitimacy of schools participating in community service projects sponsored by religious organizations and offers free legal assistance to districts that need help."

Other legal advocacy organizations that are involved in defending the religious rights of students include Liberty Institute (www.libertyinstitute.org), which defended to so-called "Candy Cane Case", out of Plano, TX, where a student had been prohibited from handing out candy cane pens to his classmates because there was a message attached regarding the legend of the candy cane, which points to Jesus.   That case is still being litigated, apparently.

Liberty Counsel (www.lc.org) is another organization that has actively defended students whose religious expression rights have been limited.   The American Center for Law and Justice (www.aclj.org) is also involved in defending students' rights.

The 3 - December 8, 2013

It's time for another edition of my weekly listing of top stories impacting the Christian community, including information, links, and commentary.  I call it "The 3", including 3 stories of relevance.   This week, one item involves action before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding health care - the justices decided not to hear an appeal in a case involving Liberty University and the employer mandate in the health care law, along with other issues.   Another story involves two high-profile pastors and their large-scale book releases this week. And, the top story spotlights opportunities for charities, including ministry organizations, to shine and to raise funding.

3 - Supreme Court rejects Liberty University challenge to Affordable Care Act

The day that President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law - March 23, 2010 - a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Liberty University and two private individuals. They are represented by Liberty Counsel, which stated that the case challenged (1) the entire employer mandate, (2) the forced funding of abortion drugs and devices under the law and as implemented by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) the forced funding of abortion by individuals under the individual mandate.

The Liberty University case first reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011, and the issue raised by the case, the Anti-Injunction Act, became the subject of the first day of the three-day oral argument in 2012.  In November 2012, the High Court ordered the federal court of appeals to rehear the remaining unresolved issues, including the employer mandate. After the three-judge panel (two of whom were appointed by President Obama) upheld the law, the case again went back to the Supreme Court.  This week, the high court decided not to hear Liberty's appeal in the case.

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, said, “The High Court has decided to take up the HHS contraception and abortion drug mandate, but it is not ready yet to tackle the entire employer mandate. That challenge will wait for another day...The Liberty University case would make strong arguments that the employer mandate could not be upheld as a tax because the penalties are exorbitantly high and punitive. Deciding the case would have highlighted the absurdity of the Supreme Court’s convoluted decision upholding the individual mandate as a tax. Apparently the Court was not willing right now to venture back into that morass.”

2 - Major pastors Jeremiah, Warren announce new releases

This past week marked the release of 2 major works by 2 of America's highest-profile pastors. The Christian Post reports that in New York City's Madison Square Garden, an crowd packed the 5,500-seat venue to celebrate the release of Dr. David Jeremiah's new Jeremiah Study Bible.

The 72-year-old pastor told his family, friends and ministry supporters, "Tonight, we are celebrating the completion and publication of the Jeremiah Study Bible. This is the culmination of a lifetime of teaching and studying the Word of God...Over these many years I have watched this book and the savior it presents permanently change the lives of people. And it is my prayer that the study Bible introduced on this night, will encourage you to make the study of God's Word a priority in your life." [sic]

The Jeremiah Study Bible: What It Says. What It Means. What It Means for You is in the New King James Version and includes over 8,000 study notes, hundreds of sidebars and more than 60 articles on "Essentials of the Christian Faith."  Dr. Jeremiah is speaker on Turning Point radio and television and Senior Pastor of the Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, had a number of musical guests on hand to mark the release of the Bible: Marshall Hall, Gordon Mote, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers, Kari Jobe, and MercyMe.

Also, this week, the Senior Pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, California, Rick Warren, took to the airwaves to discuss his new book, The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, co-written with Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hymen.  Media appearances included Piers Morgan Live and CBS This Morning.

According to a story on The Christian Post website, Pastor Warren and members of the church have undergone life-changing weight-loss experiences after collectively realizing three years ago that many of them needed to lose weight. About half of the church reportedly participated in the challenge, resulting in a collective weight loss of more than 250,000 pounds after the first year. Now, Warren aims to go beyond his own congregation and spread the word about living healthy with his new book.

Warren, in an interview with Parade Magazine, said that, "There's a verse in the Bible that says Jesus went into every village preaching, teaching, and healing. I say that preaching is evangelism; teaching is education; and healing is health care."  He added, "Jesus didn't only care about getting people into heaven. He cared about spirit, mind, and body. To me, health care isn't simply helping the sick get well, but helping the well not get sick."

Warren stated that, "People say they want to work on their marriages, their careers, or get their finances in shape. If you can get your energy level up by living healthier, then you can say, 'now I can start working on my marriage, then I can work on my finances or my career or my parenting.' We're really starting at a base level."  He says the Daniel Plan is about spiritual motivation.  There are 5 components: faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends.

1 - Churches, charities use Giving Tuesday to motivate

This past Tuesday marked the second annual Giving Tuesday event, involving thousands of non-profit organizations, including a variety of ministry-related groups.  The Nonprofit Quarterly website reports that according to online donation company Blackbaud, they processed donations worth $19.2 million, an increase of 90 percent over last year. (On Giving Tuesday 2012, the company processed $10.1 million in donations.)

This year there was a dramatic increase both in promotion of the event and in the numbers of nonprofits taking part. Not only were there more social media and email campaigns, there was also much more coverage in print and television.

According to Crain’s New York Business, 10,000 nonprofits participated this year, as compared to 2,500 in 2012.

There was much more infrastructure this year. On the #GivingTuesday webpage, there is a playbook for kickstarting a Giving Tuesday campaign and an article on measuring success.

A new word/hashtag combination was coined: “#unselfies.” An unselfie is a picture of someone marking the act of giving back.

A Christian denomination became involved in the #GivingTuesday concept this year.  According to a report on the Newsday website, the United Methodist church General Board of Global Ministries announced that the first-ever UMC #GivingTuesday generated a record $6.5 million online on December 3.  Nearly 11,000 donors in 34 countries gave more than 16,300 gifts through The Advance to mission and ministries they believe in. Global Ministries matched the first $500,000 received.

The Advance is The United Methodist Church’s giving channel which ensures that 100 percent of each gift supports the project designated by the donor; it is a link that connects the church in mission. The Advance encompasses more than 850 Methodist-related projects and more than 300 missionaries, all of them reviewed and monitored by Global Ministries staff.

In the wake of #Giving Tuesday, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability released some financial giving statistics.  Christianity Today reports that the ECFA revealed that charitable giving to more than 1,600 of its accredited organizations increased 6.4 percent last year. Donations reached $11 billion in 2012, compared to $10.3 billion in 2011.

The organization reports that giving to evangelical churches and ministries outpaced giving to secular charities in 2012. The Chronicle of Philanthropy's recently released giving data for the largest 400 charities in America reflected a giving increase of 4 percent for 2012, compared with 2011. This data most closely correlates with giving to ECFA members with $25 million or more in revenue, which showed a 7.5 percent increase.

The 3 - December 1, 2013

This week's edition of "The 3", which is my week-in-review feature, begins with a story about a court ruling from the previous Friday which has been producing responses since then, as news spread last week.   Also, a major announcement this past week came from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the mandate forcing employers to provide contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans.  And, the top story - giving thanks!

3 - Ministers, Christian organizations ponder ramifications of court decision on housing allowance

A ruling issued on Friday, November 22nd has brought response from a number of Christian organizations. According to Religion News Service, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that an Internal Revenue Service exemption that allows a clergy housing exemption, in order to reduce their Federal tax burden, is unconstitutional.

The exemption applies to an estimated 44,000 ministers, priests, rabbis, imams and others.  If the ruling stands, some clergy members could experience an estimated 5 to 10 percent cut in take-home pay.

The suit was filed by the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation on grounds that the housing allowance violates the separation of church and state and the constitutional guarantee of equal protection. The group’s founders have said that if tax-exempt religious groups are allowed a housing subsidy, other tax-exempt groups, such as FFRF, should get one, too.

CitizenLink quotes Dan Busby, President of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, as saying that, “We find the Freedom from Religion Foundation’s argument to be disingenuous...They indicate that they are harmed by the inability to claim the clergy housing exclusion for their leaders, when they actually never attempted to claim this exclusion.”  ECFA says on its website that, "The district court’s decision on the clergy housing exclusion may be appealed to the Seventh Circuit. Since the case was filed over two years ago, attorneys for the federal government have defended the constitutionality of the clergy housing exclusion and have argued that FFRF lacked legal standing to bring the challenge in the first place."

According to RNS, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Southern Baptist-affiliated GuideStone Financial Resources plan to fight for the exemption.

ERLC President Russell Moore says, “The clergy housing allowance isn’t a government establishment of religion, but just the reverse...The allowance is neutral to all religions. Without it, clergy in small congregations of all sorts would be penalized and harmed.”

2 - U.S. Supreme Court to consider HHS contraception mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it would hear Hobby Lobby's challenge to the government mandate requiring potential abortion-inducing drugs in employee health plans.  The arts-and-crafts chain, owned by evangelical Christians, filed suit against the Obama administration last year.

CitizenLink reports that in July, a federal court granted Hobby Lobby temporary relief from the mandate. This followed an appeals court order favoring such a reprieve. The administration then asked the high court to hear the case.

Also, the high court will take a case involving a Mennonite-owned business in Lancaster County, PA, Conestoga Wood Specialties, owned by the Hahn family. The lower courts ruled against the family.

The Obama administration required for-profit businesses to comply with the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate by August 2012.  Nonprofits - many of which are faith-based - have a so-called safe harbor until January.

More than 80 suits are in play.  According to CitizenLink, as of last Tuesday, courts have granted 32 injunctions, halting the mandate for for-profit businesses; six of these requests have been denied.

1 - Christians celebrate Thanksgiving, ministries demonstrate love of Christ

This past Thursday, people from a variety of faith backgrounds, even those without a faith perspective, participated in the celebration of Thanksgiving.   And, for a believer in Jesus Christ, we have plenty for which to be thankful, and Christians have a large opportunity to show our appreciation for what God has done in our lives by putting His love on display.

A report earlier last week highlighted the work of rescue missions across America, partnering with people in their local communities to reach out to those less fortunate.  A release from the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM), the oldest and largest network of independent, faith-based crisis shelters and rehabilitation centers, estimated that its member-ministries served about 50 million meals annually, with the year-end holidays being one of the busiest times.

John Ashmen, president of AGRM, is quoted in a press release from the Association, posted on the Christian Newswire website: "All are saying the same thing: Volunteers and donations are consistent with that of past years, but the number of people in need seems to have increased substantially."

He also said that, "On behalf of every one of the rescue missions out there, I am extremely thankful for all of the volunteered hours and donated dollars...These gift are making the holidays -- starting with Thanksgiving -- meaningful to so many. But we all must remember that hunger and homelessness are not reserved for November and December. The problem is year-round."

And, in Houston, a number of area churches turned Black Friday into "Bless Friday".  According to its website, since 2010, Houston area churches have provided an alternative to frenzied Christmas shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.  Continuing this tradition, an assortment of churches scheduled community service projects on Friday, November 29. These churches ask families and individuals to celebrate Bless Friday as an alternative to Black Friday.

Chuck Fox, founder of Bless Friday, states, “People get our message that when we focus too much on buying things, we lose sight of the real reason for Christmas – remembering and honoring Christ. We want to begin our Christmas celebration by serving others just as Jesus did.”

Also, best-selling author Karen Kingsbury teamed up with the large Christian retail chain Family Christian Stores to help provide relief for children in Haiti.  According to a Christianity Today piece, Kingsbury, who has adopted three of her five sons from Haiti, said in a recent FCS press release, "Haiti is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that ravaged the already-destitute nation. As in any crisis, many of those most gravely affected were the most vulnerable—infants and children...This Thanksgiving weekend, Family Christian and its customers will be telling these children that they are not forgotten, they are not abandoned and they are not without hope."

The chain said that it would donate 100 percent of its profits from customer purchases over the three-day holiday weekend to build a neonatal orphanage in Haiti.  Furthermore, it would match any donations made during the period.

And, the Christian Defense Coalition was asking Americans to leave an empty place at their Thanksgiving dinners as a sign of solidarity with Pastor Saeed Abedini and the persecuted church worldwide, according to ChristianToday.com.

Pastor Abedini, an Iranian and US citizen, has been imprisoned in Iran for over a year as a result of his Christian faith. He is serving an eight-year sentence in one of the most notorious prisons in the world, Tehran's Evin prison.

The 3 - November 24, 2013

In this week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, I want to take a look at tragedy adversely affecting the campus of Liberty University in Virginia, which would not doubt have a devastating impact on students.  Also, a pro-life initiative in Albuquerque went down to defeat, but was still heartening to supporters.  And, it was a week of commemorations - including the 50th anniversary of the deaths of John F. Kennedy and C.S. Lewis, and the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

3 - Shooting at Christian university causes alarm, concern

Liberty University, the school founded by the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, and whose main campus is in Lynchburg, Virginia, was hit by a series of tragedies this past week.  According to The Christian Post,
early Tuesday morning, 19-year-old student Joshua Hathaway was shot and killed by a school security guard.  As the school's community was learning the details of incident, Jerry Falwell Jr., the current chancellor of Liberty, informed students that the twin brother of a current Liberty student was killed in a car crash.  A day after Hathaway was shot, a current student attempted suicide.

Grant Leasure, a senior at the school and its newspaper's editor-in-chief told the Post that, "People are in shock about all of the serious things that have happened involving Liberty."

A day after Hathaway's death, Colby Tallafuss, a resident assistant (RA) in the building where the slain student had lived, described the campus mood as "somber" and "introspective" and said that the incident had shaken his collegiate "aura of invincibility."

A search warrant was sought this past week by city police Detective Collin Byrne and filed in Lynchburg Circuit Court, stating that Hathaway allegedly violently turned on a security officer after informing the officer that he had been robbed of his vehicle.

"The security officer then began to investigate Hathaway's complaint but Hathaway then pulled out a hammer from his clothing and assaulted the officer," it stated.

WORLD reports that Falwell thanked the support Liberty has had from Lynchburg police, as well as from Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and presidents of other colleges, who offered prayers and services. He said that counselors had been made available to students.

Falwell stated, “It’s events like this where we feel like it’s our duty as a Christian university to pull together and to support everybody as much as possible."

Liberty is the largest evangelical nonprofit university in the nation.

2 - Albuquerque voters defeat proposed ordinance banning late-term abortion

This past week, voters in Albuquerque, New Mexico went to the polls to consider a ban on abortions after 20 weeks gestation, a point at which research has shown that an unborn child can feel pain.  According to LifeNews.com, voters in the city defeated the nation’s first city-wide ban on late-term abortions. The reported final tallies are around 55-45% against the ban.

This comes at the conclusion of a monumental battle that saw national pro-life groups and abortion supporters engage in a furious fight in the state. Some pro-life advocates are asserting the results are something of a moral victory because Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates were forced to spend $1 million or more on defending late-term abortions, though pro-life groups also spent considerable sums of more meager resources.

The loss came at the same time the Texas law to limit abortions — which has already closed or halted abortions at numerous abortion clinics — won a victory at the Supreme Court, as it refused to hear the appeal of a Federal appeals court decision not to halt the Texas law banning abortion at 20 weeks from going into effect. 

LifeNews speculates that the results may go to show that focusing on electing pro-life candidates and passing pro-life laws in Congress and state legislatures, rather than ballot measures, are the more successful route to stopping abortions.

1 - Significant anniversaries explore faith connections (Gettysburg, Kennedy, Lewis)

This week brought the commemoration of several notable events from history - on Tuesday, the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was observed, and on Friday, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was noted in a number of ways, from a ceremony in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, where the tragic event took place, to an online replay of the CBS broadcast of the President's death.

And, somewhat overshadowed was the observance of an event that has some enhanced meaning for Christians, the 50th anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis, who authored The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, and The Screwtape Letters.  WORLD reports that Westminster Abbey in London remembered Lewis by adding a memorial to him in Poets' Corner, the burial place of Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, and numerous other famous British writers.

The memorial stone in Poets' Corner lies in tribute to Lewis’ life, faith, and work, bearing one of the author’s most quotable lines: “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen. Not only because I can see it but because by it I can see everything else.”

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, a great fan of Lewis, gave the main address at the ceremony to unveil the stone before 1,000 guests.

The weight of the Gettysburg Address was underscored by historian Ken Burns' Learn the Address Initiative encouraging people to memorize Lincoln's speech delivered at the National Cemetery that day.   Burns enlisted the assistance of former Presidents, the current President, and celebrities.   The inclusion of the words, "under God" in the speech became a topic of discussion after those words were omitted by Mr. Obama in his recording.  Burns' website and the White House say that the President was quoting from an earlier draft of the speech which did not include the words.

The Daily Caller points out that the draft most often taught to American school children — and listed on Ken Burns’ website as the preferred draft for the video project — is the Bliss Copy, which says:

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (emphasis mine)

Historians do believe that Lincoln honed the address in later drafts after he delivered it, but there is little disagreement about whether Lincoln uttered the words “under God” when he spoke at Gettysburg.

“Every stenographic report, good, bad and indifferent, says ‘that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom,’” wrote historian William E. Barton.  “There was no common source from which all the reporters could have obtained those words but from Lincoln’s own lips at the time of delivery.”


And, while the commemoration of Kennedy's death did not generate a great deal of coverage or emotion in the Christian media that I follow, we still cannot ignore the impact of that day in Dallas some 50 years ago on the trajectory of our nation of that day in Dallas.  There were some faith components that intersected the work and life of Kennedy.  Kennedy's Catholic faith had been an issue in the 1960 campaign in which he was elected, and an issue in which he was deeply involved - the civil rights cause - was heavily influenced by faith leaders.

Kennedy had met and talked with Billy Graham on occasion, although accounts seem to indicate that Graham may not have been as close to Kennedy as some of the other Presidents to which he ministered, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times, which recounts that in 1963, “Sometime toward the end of the second week in November, I unaccountably felt such a burden about the presidential visit to Dallas that I decided to phone our mutual friend, Senator Smathers, to tell him I really wanted to talk to the President...all I wanted to tell him and the President was one thing: ‘Don’t go to Texas!’ I had an inner foreboding that something terrible was going to happen.”

The 3 - November 17, 2013

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes news out of China that some might find encouraging on first glance, but it is really just a small tweak to a policy that many pro-life individuals and groups find objectionable.   Also, the state of Hawaii is the latest to legalize gay marriage.  And, the top story involves Christian organizations responding to the devastation in the Philippines due to Typhoon Haiyan.

3 - China relaxes one-child policy

This week, the news agency Xinhua proclaimed, with this headline, “China to Ease One-Child Policy.” While this may sound encouraging upon first glance, if you look just a little deeper, the truth of the matter is that China will now lift the ban on a second child, if either parent is an only child.

Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, writing for LifeNews.com, says,

All the reasons for this adjustment are economic or demographic: China’s dwindling labor force, the country’s growing elderly population, and the severe gender imbalance. Completely absent from the discussion is the issue of human rights violations. China has not promised to end forced abortion, forced sterilization or forced contraception. The coercive enforcement of China’s One Child Policy is its core.

She goes on to make the point that, while we are glad for the second children who will be allowed to be born, the problem with the One Child Policy is not the number of children “allowed.”   She writes that, "Rather, it is the fact that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is telling women how many children they can have and then enforcing that limit through forced abortion, forced sterilization and infanticide. Even if all couples were allowed two children, there is no guarantee that the CCP will cease their appalling methods of enforcement."

Pro-life individuals and groups continue to speak out against China's one-child policy, and this narrow exemption may save some lives, but the reality of the threat of forced abortion remains for a large number of families in that nation.

2 - Hawaii legalizes same-sex marriage

With the vote of the Hawaii Senate and the signature of Governor Neil Abercrombie this week, the state is now the 15th to legalize same-sex marriage.

CitizenLink quotes Jim Hochberg, president of Hawaii Family Advocates, said the law will do more than create same-sex marriage. It will also infringe on religious freedom.

He said Christian business owners — including wedding photographers, cake makers and florists — will lose the freedom to turn down same-sex ceremonies.  He stated that also, “...churches are only protected from being forced to participate in solemnization or celebration of marriages, but not other things related to marriage..."  For instance, marriage counseling would not be protected.

If a church opens its facilities to any outside group, it will be forced to allow its property to be used by anyone, even those who do not support what the church believes.

The legislation would also create special divorce rights for same-sex couples.

The report says that Hawaiians have not been silent regarding their support for marriage. On Oct. 28, the first day of the special legislative session, about 10,000 people rallied for marriage at the state capital.

In addition, an unprecedented 5,000 people signed up to testify. Eighty-seven percent were in opposition to redefining the institution, according to the House Minority Office, responsible for registering those who testify.

CitizenLink's Stuart Shepard discussed the Hawaii gay marriage law on a recent edition of The Meeting House.   Commentary on the law is found beginning at 23:11.

1 - Christian organizations respond to typhoon in Philippines

The death toll continues to increase in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which roared through the island- based nation, leaving a death toll of over 3600 people confirmed as of Sunday afternoon and others feared to be dead.   And, as we see so often, Christian and ministry-based organizations are stepping in to help provide relief for the thousands who are in need, having lost homes and property and facing an uncertain future.


According to a report on The Christian Post website, over 1.8 million are estimated to have been displaced, with over 9 million having been affected in some way.  The Post quotes a statement from Indiana-based Church World Service (CWS), which says:  "Tragic stories of loss are emerging every day – mothers searching for their children, families torn apart...The people of the Philippines and other regions damaged by the storm desperately need our prayers and financial support."

CWS is working in the central Philippine city of Tacloban, the capital of Leyte province, where Haiyan destroyed about 80 percent of structures in its path.

There are estimates of sustained winds of up to 195 miles per hour and gusts of up to 235 in some parts of the nation.

Philippines' President Benigno Aquino is being criticized for lack of preparation on the part of his government for the storm, as well as the slowness of aid delivery.

The Post reports that about 18,000 people are involved in the rescue and relief effort, according to BBC, which also reports that the flow of aid to the affected area has increased dramatically over the last two days thanks to international aircraft, ships and personnel, including a U.S. aircraft carrier group.

Christian relief agencies World Vision, Convoy of Hope, and Samaritan's Purse are all on the ground.  Also, there is a consortium of agencies called the Integral Alliance, which, according to another recent Christian Post story, is an international network of 19 Christian relief organizations and an affiliate of the World Evangelical Alliance.  It has launched a joint disaster response with 18 of its members, working either directly on-ground in the Philippines or through fundraising efforts in other parts of the world. Fiona Boshoff, International Director of Integral Alliance, told The Christian Post that right now the most immediate needs of Typhoon Haiyan victims are "water, food, medicine and shelter."

She said, "Our members are responding to the needs they have found, and co-ordinating with the government and other agencies, as well as with local NGOs and church and ministry networks wherever possible to bring a holistic response to those in need..."   The road back will be long for these displaced victims and others adversely affected by the storm, but faith-based organizations provide not only needed supplies, but that incredible intangible element - hope.

The 3 - November 10, 2013

This edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", includes a key Supreme Court case regarding prayer before governmental meetings, in which arguments were conducted this week.   Also, for the past week or so, churches and individual Christians have been challenged to pray for persecuted believers around the world.   Plus, the top story includes not on the 95th birthday of a spiritual pioneer, but an evangelistic effort in which thousands of churches are participating.

3 - High court examines prayer before government meetings

This past Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments in a case involving a city in New York state that had routinely had area clergy come in and deliver an opening prayer before its council meetings.   Because of the demographic makeup of the city of Greece, New York, Christian clergy were the ones delivering the prayers, which apparently "offended" 2 ladies, who filed suit against the city.   The town had even gone to the extent of soliciting representatives of other religions, including Wicca, to say the opening prayers.   A lower court had sided with the town; however, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found in favor of the plaintiffs and the case ended up at the high court.

Brett Harvey of the Alliance Defending Freedom offered some analysis of the proceedings in the courtroom on Wednesday in the case Town of Greece v. Galloway.  He writes that:

The core questions are whether the Constitution permits meetings to open with an invocation for Divine guidance; if so, do individuals retain the liberty to choose for themselves how to pray; or must the government censor prayers, or exclude the devout whose faith calls for specific types of prayers?

Harvey relates that attorneys arguing on behalf of the town's policy, including a representative of the Solicitor General of the United States, made their presentation first:

Allied Attorney Tom Hungar... stepped up first to defend the town. The Justices peppered Tom with questions about where the prayers were taking place and the whether the constitutional line depends on the type of government meetings taking place or the manner in which people pray. Next, a representative of the Solicitor’s General office made it clear to the court that the U.S. government believes that prayer givers must be given the freedom to determine how they pray.

Harvey goes on to say that University of Virginia Professor Doug Laycock, representing the challengers, faced questions from several justices, including Justice Alito, who requested an example of a prayer that would be acceptable to people of all faiths, which he did not answer.  In response to a question from Chief Justice Roberts, the challengers admitted that a governmental official should tell clergy how to pray, according to Harvey, who also stated that, "Justice Kennedy repeatedly expressed concern over government officials censoring prayers."

You can hear a conversation with ADF Vice-President for Religious Liberty Kevin Theriot here.

Harvey says that a ruling in the six-year battle is expected from the high court in the spring.


2 - Churches reflect, pray about persecuted church

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is historically observed during November each year, and interestingly enough, this year, there are some organizations that have chosen the traditional date, the second Sunday of November, as well others who have commemorated the day on the first Sunday of the month.   The IDOP.org website designates November 10th as the day, and it states that:

IDOP is a time set apart for us to remember thousands of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who suffer persecution, simply because they confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Also, on the site, it reminds us that:

Believers in countries such as Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Vietnam face violence, imprisonment and even death because of their faith in Jesus Christ. There are other places in the world such as North Korea where acts of persecution take place, but we don’t see or hear of it. Brother Andrew of Open Doors once said: 'Our heroes are not with us simply because they are in prison.'

Godfrey Yogarajah, Executive Director of the Religious Liberty Commission of World Evangelical Alliance, writes:

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) gives us the privilege of joining together with over half a million churches in 150 countries to pray for the suffering church. It plays a vital role in encouraging and strengthening the persecuted church and also awakening churches in places where there is no persecution.

Let us unite in prayer for the persecuted church, in the spirit of oneness that Christ commanded: 'For, if one suffers, we all suffer.'

Open Doors, which is an advocacy organization on behalf of persecuted Christians worldwide, encouraged people through its OneWithThem.com website to observe the Day of Prayer on November 3rd.   No matter when churches and ministries chose to observe the day, it underscores the importance of remembering and standing with fellow believers who are experiencing persecution around the world - and that should not be limited to one day a year, for certain.

1 - Billy Graham celebrates 95th Birthday, "My Hope" initiative spreads nationwide

The stories are beginning to come in to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association about its latest evangelistic initiative, "My Hope America with Billy Graham", which rolled out last week.   And, a massive "My Hope" event in Asheville, North Carolina, close to where Dr. Graham resides, featured some 800 people who gathered to celebrate his 95th birthday on Thursday, November 7.   "My Hope" events commonly have a host, also known as a "Matthew" who invites people into homes or churches, and on this occasion, the "Matthew" was Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham and President and CEO of the BGEA.   And, just like the smaller events that are being sponsored by some 25,000 churches nationwide, the video featuring Dr. Graham, "The Cross", was shown.

According to BillyGraham.org:

And on a day where all eyes were on his 95th birthday and his new message was airing in primetime on FOX News, Mr. Graham wanted his celebration focused on one thing: 

The cross.

“He’s the most humble man you’ll ever know,” North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said. "He knows it’s not about him. It’s about the cross.”

The website reports that the evening program wrapped up with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sharing about her mother making a decision to follow Jesus through a televised Billy Graham Crusade, which impacted her entire family for Christ.

Gov. Palin is quoted as saying that, “Billy Graham has been able to articulate this message more than anyone else...He reminds us that Jesus is the only answer.”

Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae and lead singer of the Christian rock band Flyleaf, Lacey Sturm, who shared a portion of their stories on "The Cross" video, were present and were invited to be part of a "Happy Birthday" group singing, along with Michael W. Smith, Kathie Lee Gifford, and Ricky Skaggs.

Mr. Graham addressed the crowd twice at the end of the program. First, to thank his ministry partner and dear friend, Cliff Barrows, “for all that you have meant to me through all these years.” The second, to recognize his grandson, Edward Graham, an Army Major. “We’re so proud of you,” he said.

Even though some media reports characterize the message, "The Cross", as perhaps Billy Graham's last message, we can be reminded of the incredible longevity of this man of God and the tremendous determination he has to be used of the Lord.  God's definitely not finished with Billy Graham, and when he leaves this world, his ministry will certainly be far from finished - he has left a strong impact that the BGEA is devoted to carrying on and expanding upon - in fact, the "My Hope" initiative is described as the largest yet for the organization.  

The 3 - November 3, 2013

This week's edition of  "The 3" includes news of a massive prayer movement in the nation of Indonesia. Also, the Texas pro-life bill passed this summer was set to go into effect this week, and some last-minute court action threatened to prevent two provisions from moving forward, but a higher court allowed those to be implemented, as well, albeit temporarily.  And, churches across America and around the world celebrated Orphan Sunday this weekend.

3 - Prayer movement gains traction in Indonesia

An estimated five million Christians in Indonesia are participating in a non-stop effort of intercessory prayer encompassing some 500 cities.  Indonesia is home to 13 percent of the world's Muslim population and only 15 percent of the people in the island nation identify as Christians.  According to The Christian Post, organizers hope that the initiative will result in improved relations between Islam and Protestant believers.

Jeffrey Petrus, an organizer of the movement, according to NoticiaCristiana.com, said that, "24 hours a day, we are praying for the churches in Indonesia, all pastors and leaders. No single hour or day passes without prayers for our country."

Prayer organizers have commissioned multistory buildings throughout the country for the multi-denominational initiative where several bunks have been set in place for intercessors. At the prayer sites, participants are able to take on four-hour shifts at a time with the option to rest then recharge for prayer again.

The World Prayer Assembly reports that the spiritual awakening effort has been taking place since 2009.  In 2012 alone, 100,000 Christians, including 20,000 trained child intercessors and 20,000 youth, gathered at the national stadium of the nation's capital city, Jakarta, for a large-scale prayer meeting that was televised live in 200 cities throughout the country.

Leslie Keegel, from the World Prayer Assembly, has said, according to the organization's website, "The nation of Indonesia in particular is the Asian nation God has chosen to be the epicenter for the world impacting global revival He is planning on sending on the nations. God has heard the cries of the Indonesian Church, seen the tears and the blood of her saints poured out like a river."

The Post report indicates that Christians still feel threatened by the Indonesian government even though they can exercise their right of religious freedom. Contributing factors for their concerns include the difficulty to register their churches versus the less challenging process for mosques. In addition, Muslims who convert to Christianity often times leave Islam as their religion on their identification cards in order to not be ostracized.

2 - Texas pro-life law goes into effect; 2 parts initially struck down, then upheld by appeals court

Last summer, the Texas Legislature, after an unprecedented blocking move by pro-abortion advocates toward the end of its regular sessions, passed a pro-life bill which not only banned abortion at 20 weeks gestation, which is the point in an unborn child's development at which he or she feels pain, but also enacted new restrictions for abortion clinics.

On Monday, the day before the entire law was scheduled to go into effect, a Federal district court struck down the provisions that abortionist have admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles of their clinics and that they follow FDA procedures on the administering of abortion-inducing drugs.

On Thursday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the two provisions that had been previously blocked could be implemented as the case against those portions of the law, filed by Planned Parenthood, moves forward.   According to CitizenLink, the 5th Circuit said the state demonstrated “strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits of that part of the law concerning admitting privileges.”   Fox News reports that the panel's decision means as least 12 clinics in the state would not be able to perform the procedure due to the admitting privileges provision.

The CitizenLink piece quotes Americans United for Life Action (AULA) President Charmaine Yoest as saying that, “Asking abortionists to follow the laws created for out-patient medical facilities is a low bar for an invasive medical procedure that can have life-threatening complications.”   AULA reports also that more than 2,200 have faced complications from chemical abortion drugs. Eight of these women died from severe bacterial infections that would not otherwise place healthy women in danger.   

1 - Churches celebrate Orphan Sunday

This weekend, thousands of churches across the country are observing Orphan Sunday.   According to the initiative's website, the purpose of the day is for churches across America and beyond to celebrate the love of the God who “places the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6) and calls us to do the same.  Ultimately, Orphan Sunday seeks to make the Gospel visible as Christians explore and respond to God’s heart for the orphan in adoption, foster care, and global orphan ministry. 

 

According to CBN.com, the campaign is getting a public boost from Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman. He and his wife, Mary Beth, adopted three little girls from China and lost one in a tragic accident.

The Chapman family has a ministry, Show Hope, that offers guidance to people considering adoption and to help them face the unexpected challenges.

CBN quotes Jodi Jackson Tucker, the international director of Orphan Sunday, who said adoption is one way Christians can care for needy children. Tucker has adopted five children.

"When you adopt a child, under the biblical view that is a covenant relationship that can never be broken," Tucker told the Associated Press.

To that end, she said it's important to make sure Christians adopt orphans for the right reason. And that reason is to offer them a committed, loving family.

On the website of the originators of Orphan Sunday, the Christian Alliance for Orphans, Jedd Medefind reported on some of the plans for the celebration.

For example, he relates that a number of churches will be celebrating Orphan Sunday for the first time in Nigeria this year. For instance, a gathering in the city of Jos included eleven pastors of churches in the region, who met to discuss, among other things, the major cultural and practical barriers to local adoptions and how to create a culture of adoption in churches.

In Nepal, Orphan Sunday will be celebrated there for the first time also.  A group had planned to print and distribute some 5000 posters, as well as requesting churches to pray and do something for orphans.

The blog reports on other churches that are involved in celebrating Orphan Sunday, some for the first time.

These and so many efforts are continuing to spread the awareness of the Biblical admonition to take care of widows and orphans and to, as Isaiah 1 says, "defend the cause of the fatherless".

The 3 - October 27, 2013

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, focuses on a high-profile religious ceremony involving the royal baby that could remind people to focus on the importance of dedicating children to the Lord and raising them in Christian teaching.  Also, violence in Egypt continues to be of concern to Coptic Christians there, and a wedding attack is an instance in which individual people, instead of church buildings, were targeted.  And, the top story involves 4 key words at the end of an Air Force Academy oath that have been made, or declared to be, optional.

3 - Archbishop of Canterbury christens royal baby, Prince George

A traditional religious ceremony made world news this week as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the head of the Anglican church worldwide, baptized the 3-month-old royal baby, who was christened and ritually welcomed into the Church of England as Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, in a private ceremony for close family and friends.  The website, ReligionToday.com had this report.

The ceremony took place in the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace as a small scarlet-and-gold-clad choir sang hymns.

The ceremony was short, less than 45 minutes, and took place in private, as is typical for royal christenings. Not typical was the venue: Most royal babies, including William, Charles and the queen, were christened in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace. The last royal baby to be christened in the Chapel Royal was Princess Beatrice, William’s cousin, in 1988.

For the service, the duke and duchess chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems, the palace said. The hymns were Breathe on Me, Breath of God and Be Thou My Vision.  The lessons were from the Gospels of Luke and John and were read by Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry.

According to the report, baptism is especially important to British royals: Since the monarch is the head of the Church of England, eventually Prince George will take on that role, so it’s critical that he be raised as an Anglican.

The Archbishop had said in public remarks several days before the ceremony that he planned to baptize the baby with a few drops of water, rather than the immersion custom of some Protestant faiths. Welby also said he hoped Prince George’s christening and the attention it attracted would be good for the Anglican church and inspire other parents to do the same with their newborns.   Even for those who do not embrace the concept of infant baptism, we can admit that this does create a sacred moment and can illustrate the importance of dedicating children to the Lord and pledging to raise them in the teachings of the Scriptures.

2 - Wedding attack in Egypt highlights dangers to church in the nation

There is still concern in Egypt over the safety of Christians there, and Christianity Today reports on an attack on a wedding in the industrial neighborhood of Cairo known as Wassaq this past Sunday. The wedding party stood outside the church, eagerly awaiting the ceremonious arrival of the bride. But instead, drive-by shooters killed four people, including two children and the groom's mother. 18 were injured.

The piece points out that the attack was significant for being one of the first to target Egypt's Christians specifically, versus the now-common attacks on their church buildings.

Mina Magdy, general coordinator for the Maspero Youth Union, a mostly Coptic revolutionary group formed in response to church burnings in 2011 after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, said that, "Since the revolution, this is the first instance Coptic people were targeted randomly in a church, with weapons."

Since then, sectarian incidents have escalated, most severely in the period following the violent dispersal of pro-Morsi sit-ins after the military responded to massive demonstrations to remove the Islamist president from power.  Human Rights Watch documented 42 attacks on churches and numerous assaults on shops and homes.
And, as CT points out, Coptic Christians are conflicted.   The government is being challenged for failing to protect the church, but the Copts have been supportive of the military government, so any sign of protest against it would be interpreted by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood as a decline in support for the Brotherhood's opponents.  Magdy explains: "We called for a demonstration against the government, but many pro-Brotherhood sites on social media interpreted this as our protest against the so-called coup, saying Christians also are against it.

"So we told people not to come, and held only a symbolic demonstration instead."

Michael Nabil, a Coptic accountant explains it succinctly, saying, "We should push the government to give us our rights. But we should have protested earlier because the attacked churches have not been rebuilt, despite promises.

"Most Copts are accepting the rule of the military so as to avoid the rule of the Brotherhood."

We continue to be reminded of the plight of believers in Egypt and in other tumultuous areas around the world, where Christians are endangered because of their faith practices.  And, in some cases, such as Egypt and Nigeria, the government is being challenged to provide Christians with the level of protection they need - that's not to say that officials are not committed, but there are a number of mitigating factors that prevent the level of security that some Christians would desire or feel they deserve.

1 - Air Force Academy makes "So Help Me, God" optional at end of oath

It was expected that this week the Air Force Academy would change its policy toward the 4 words, "So Help Me, God", at the end of the cadets' oath.  According to the Air Force Times, the Superintendent of the Academy, Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, in announcing that it will now be optional for cadets to recite “So Help Me, God” at the end of its honor oath, said, “Here at the academy, we work to build a culture of dignity and respect, and that respect includes the ability of our cadets, airmen and civilian airmen to freely practice and exercise their religious preference — or not. So, in the spirit of respect, cadets may or may not choose to finish the honor oath with ‘so help me God.’ ”

This was apparently in response to a protest by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, headed by Mikey Wienstein, himself an Academy graduate. He said the academy’s decision isn’t enough.

“The Air Force Academy took the cowardly route,” Weinstein said after the announcement. “From our perspective, it still creates a tremendous amount of unconstitutional turmoil ... for anyone who is a religious objector.”

Weinstein pledged earlier in the week to bring a lawsuit against the academy if the religious language is not dropped entirely from the oath.

The phrase appears in several oaths sworn by military service members and federal government employees, such as Navy midshipmen, newly commissioned Army officers, civilian federal employees, justices and judges, senators and congressmen, and presidents.

The Christian Post reports that the American Center for Law and Justice wrote a letter to the Academy this week, stating the AFA did not discriminate against students who did not believe in God and also did not deny commission to students who currently did not include "so help me God" in their oaths.  It warned that appeasing the MRFF might cause the school to "become unwitting pawns in Mr. Weinstein's strategy to eviscerate religious freedom in the Armed Forces" and suggested that he was receiving a disproportionate amount of attention as an alumnus of the school.  

The 3 - October 20, 2013

This week's edition of "The 3" turns our attention to the Christmas season and again to the ways that students are allowed to incorporate the religious traditions of the season into their performances.   Also, stellar performances and numerous honors were part of the Dove Awards show this past Tuesday in Nashville. And, the top story involves concerns by Christian and pro-family leaders about the deal to end the partial government shutdown, raise the debt ceiling, and...to continue to fund the Affordable Care Act.

3 - Major volley in "war on Christmas" yields concessions

I want to say that I do not care for the term, "war on Christmas", and on an annual basis, it seems that I think that perhaps I can come up with a better phrase to use to describe the religious freedom issues the occur during the latter part of the year.   And, this year, over 2 months before Christmas, a controversy arose in Wausau, Wisconsin about the content of a Christmas program.

According to a report by The Christian Post, Phillip Buch, director of Wausau West High School's choral programs since 1981, told the Wausau Daily Herald that local school district administrators had given him three restricting options for Christmas music: include five secular, nonreligious songs for every faith-based carol; hold a concert without any Christmas music; or postpone concerts in December.

Since his elite choir, the 20-member Master Singers, is invited to sing at "nearly a dozen holiday concerts each year," Buch called these demands unacceptable. Due to the new restrictions, he disbanded the group on Oct. 4.  The director is quoted as saying that, "We sing for nursing homes, grade schools and businesses. To do that without Christmas music doesn't make sense."

In an Oct. 7 statement, Kathleen Williams, Wausau superintendent of schools, argued that "district legal counsel" suggested alternatives to ensure that Master Singers concerts adhered to the law.   She later disputed that a ratio had been established.

The Alliance Defending Freedom became involved and assured the school board that the Constitution does not prohibit the singing of Christmas carols by public school groups. They sent a letter that stated, "We write to explain that every federal court to examine the issue has determined that including Christmas carols and other religious music in school choir programs fully complies with the First Amendment."

ADF's Rory Gray told The Christian Post that after the suspension of the Master Singers, "the school board is facing a public outcry of massive proportions," He added that the rule seemed confusing because the school district said they had received no complaints. "I can't think of another case where a school district decided on its own that there's a problem with holiday concerts," Gray said.

At a well-attended meeting of the school board, the body voted unanimously to begin a performance review of Superintendent Williams, according to the Daily Herald. Pat McKee, a member of the board, suggested that it waive a clause in Williams' contract that would require her to pay $6,000 if she were to resign without giving the board 90 days notice.   The Master Singers resumed practice last Tuesday.

This is yet another in an ongoing series of incidents that have been precipitated by a misunderstanding of what is called the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.   Officials who are often intimidated and think they may be violating the Constitution by including religious material end up denying free expression of time-honored religious traditions, which are incorporated into the celebration of holidays.

2 - Dove Awards spotlight best in Christian music 

The 44th Annual Gospel Music Association Dove Awards were handed out this past Tuesday night at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville in celebration of what is called "Gospel and Christian music’s biggest night."   Here is the press release from the Gospel Music Association's website.

The top winner was Matt Redman, who won Song of the Year for "10,000 Reasons", which was also tapped in several other categories.   Redman won 6 awards, followed by TobyMac and Jason Crabb with 4. Tasha Cobbs and producer Wayne Haun scored 3 each. Chris Tomlin, Tamela Mann and Lecrae won 2 Doves.

TobyMac was named as Artist of the Year and his album, "Eye On It" won Pop/Contemporary Album. Jason Crabb won for Inspirational Album of the Year for "Love is Stronger".

The Male and Female Vocalist and Group of the Year award were eliminated this year, and Performancen awards were added in the categories of Contemporary Christian, Southern Gospel, and Gospel.    Christian music newcomer Tasha Cobbs won for Gospel Performance for "Break Every Chain", Jason Crabb won Southern Gospel Performance for “What The Blood is For," and Matt Redman won in the Contemporary Christian category for "10,000 Reasons".

For King and Country took the New Artist of the Year Dove Award.

UP, formerly the Gospel Music Channel, or GMC, surprised Mandisa by honoring her with their “Uplift Someone”. The ‘Uplift Someone’ award embodies the organization’s core values of uplifting and inspiring others and recognizes an artist who through the message of their music and acts of positivity and kindness, has encouraged people across the nation and truly changed lives.

Highlights of the evening included a variety of different live performances.  Tributes to Billy Graham were given by Michael W. Smith and the Newsboys.   Vocalists Karen Peck, Daily & Vincent, Signature Sound and the Isaacs honored Bill Gaither and his music in a collaboration of “He Touched Me.”

The entire pre-show and behind-the-scenes footage were seen live on HearItFirst.com. The broadcast is set to air Monday, October 21st at 7:00pm on UP.  For more information, visit DoveAwards.com.


1 - Government shutdown, debt ceiling deal reached - pro-life leaders call for protections

As Congressional negotiations were underway to try to end the government shutdown and deal with the debt ceiling, pro-life leaders continued to express their concern over provisions in the Affordable Care Act, which was the linchpin issue driving the process which led to the government shutdown.  According to CitizenLink, representatives of over 40 groups had sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, asking him to protect people from being forced pay for abortions — specifically, in any deals he would make with the White House regarding funding the government. They urged Boehner to include provisions of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (HCCRA), which had been introduced in March.  Without the provisions in H.R. 940, the letter states, millions of Americans will be “unknowingly enrolled in health care plans that include elective abortion coverage”; these plans with charge enrollees an “abortion surcharge” of at least $1 a month.

The letter continues: “Regulations further contain a ‘secrecy clause’ to conceal the existence of the ‘abortion surcharge’ until the moment of enrollment...This surcharge is only disclosed in the fine print, without itemization in the monthly premium, and is never disclosed again.”  These advocates also mentioned the dangers of the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate, which requires most businesses and nonprofits to offer potential abortion-inducing drugs in their employee health plans.

Well, on Wednesday, after the deal to reopen the portion of the government that had been shut down and to raise the debt ceiling, pro-life, pro-family advocates spoke out again in a letter to the Speaker, saying, according to another piece on the CitizenLink website, that Americans deserve better than another “Washington deal” and “political gamesmanship”:

The latest deal offers no meaningful relief from Obamacare. No defunding of the law, no delay of the law or even the individual mandate, no protection of conscience or an end to abortion subsidies. No elimination of the unlawful exchange subsidies for members of Congress and their staffs. So while Washington is taking care of politically connected special interests, Americans around the country will continue to be exposed to the harmful effects of Obamacare. Make no mistake, a vote for a deal like this is a vote to move forward with Obamacare.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, is quoted by CitizenLink as saying that, “While the ACA’s bad medicine is already evident in rising healthcare premiums and faulty exchanges, the most far-reaching and irreversible damage to America’s First Freedom, the freedom to live according to the dictates of your faith, has yet to be realized in its totality...We will continue to fight for the freedoms of Americans, rather than protect the Washington establishment as Congress takes up future spending bills.”

Pro-family and Christian leaders are calling for conscience protections under the health care law, which are important to people of faith.  By forcing people to pay for abortions with their tax dollars, the Act is violating the deeply-held religious beliefs of a significant number of Americans.  Even though lawmakers had originally agreed to fund the entire government with the exception of the implementation of Obamacare and survey data confirms the majority of Americans are opposed to the law, the health care law because a side issue rather than a central focus during the days that parts of the government were shut down.   And, with the faulty rollout of the health care exchanges, Obamacare opponents had a golden opportunity to continue to point out to the American people their concerns about the law.  Their voices became less prominent as the focus shifted, but that doesn't negate the valid points that pro-life, pro-family leaders make about this law, which many find objectionable.

The 3 - October 13, 2013

This week's edition of my week-in-review feature includes news about a series of gatherings across the nation involving students going to their local football stadiums to be inspired.   Also, U.S. officials, including military leaders began to deal with the shortage of Catholic chaplains available to perform Mass and other rituals due to the government shutdown. And, the top story involves a gathering in Washington that featured a number of high-profile leaders, including a number of current and former governmental officials who are Christians.

3 - "Fields of Faith" attracts students to football fields nationwide

Across America this past week, thousands of students were scheduled to gather at football fields to celebrate the annual event known as "Fields of Faith", sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, encouraging students to engage with the Bible and follow Jesus Christ.

FCA National Director of Communications Mickey Seward told The Christian Post on Thursday that 439 Fields of Faith gatherings across 37 states had been registered, though not all of them took place Wednesday.  By Sunday, that number was closing in on 450 in 38 states.  The events are designed to bring young people together at local athletic fields or gymnasiums for a time of worship, Bible reading and testimony sharing.  Montgomery was one of the locations for an FCA Fields of Faith event on Wednesday night, and Dothan will host an event on the 23rd of this month.

The Post reports that Fields of Faith began in 2002 when Jeff Martin, the Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes area director, asked God what he should do with his frustration over the spiritual battles facing the young "spectator generation," according to the event's website. Martin found his answer in the biblical story of King Josiah, a young king of Judah who led a spiritual shift in his nation when he gathered his people, read the scriptures to them and had them pledge to keep God's commands.

More than 6,000 students across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas gathered for the first Fields of Faith in 2002. In 2012, more than 170,000 people in 37 states participated in the event nationwide.   Participants were being asked to share their photos via social media and to use the hashtag #fieldsoffaith on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.  The Fields of Faith website is www.fieldsoffaith.com.

2 - Budget shutdown hits Catholics' ability to participate in Mass, rituals

Recent guest on The Meeting House, former Congressman Bob Beauprez, Editor-in-Chief of the website, A Line of Sight, writes:

...Catholic priests denied the opportunity to celebrate Mass, even as volunteers, leaves me speechless. Read below from the general counsel of the Archdiocese for Military Services as he explains priests that defy the governments orders may even face arrest.

(Hear Beauprez's commentary as part of this interview.)

According to Catholic News Service, some civilian Catholic chaplains, unable to perform religious duties at U.S. military bases during the first weekend of the federal government shutdown, were getting back on the job as the shutdown continued into its second week.

"We're now being told priests can return to work," John Schlageter, general counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, said Oct. 9.

However, only general services priests, because they work for the military, are returning.  Contract priests whose contracts were not appropriated prior to the Oct. 1 shutdown were unable to perform their ministry at that time.

Schlageter, in an Oct. 7 telephone interview with Catholic News Service, said he did not know whether the return of some priests to work was a result of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's declaration Oct. 6 that far more civilian Defense Department employees would be considered "essential" and return to their jobs -- or the reaction to Schlageter's own Oct. 3 op-ed article about the shutdown adversely affecting the ability of civilian chaplains to minister at military bases with no resident Catholic chaplain.

He said the op-ed piece had gotten coverage or publication by The Washington Post, CNN.com, and the Fox News Channel.

The House passed a concurrent resolution to authorize the return of civilian Catholic chaplains to their military ministry. "I think the House resolution -- (with a vote of) 400 to 1 -- speaks for itself," Schlageter said.   Family Research Council reports that after a week of pressure from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), other Senate Republicans, and the grassroots, Senate Democrats joined the House in calling on the Secretary of Defense to allow contracted chaplains to minister to men and women in uniform. FRC states, "it is even more important that DOD recognize the role religious support staff play in supporting the 'morale and well-being' of our members of the Armed Forces and their families."

The military archdiocese estimated that about 50 civilian chaplains were unable to conduct services on bases the weekend of Oct. 5-6 because of the shutdown. "Almost all GS (general services) priests and most contract priests were unable to work Sunday," Schlageter said. "We do have situations of door-lock, signs that said, 'No Catholic services this weekend.'"

Schlageter is quoted as saying that, "We're starting to get news from overseas bases where there was not (chaplain) coverage...It seems in many of the situations, private resolutions were found."  He added some priests celebrated Mass off base and invited the military congregants to attend.

1 - Values Voter Summit attracts Christians, conservatives to educate and motivate on issues

Friday morning, the Values Voter Summit, got off to a blazing start with some high-profile speakers who are in the mix in the national discussion over the 2016 elections.  The lead sponsor and organizer of the event is the Family Research Council.  According to a report at FRCAction.org:

A still partially shutdown government couldn't stop the enthusiasm of conservatives from across America as over 2,000 registered attendees gathered here at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.  Senator Lee reminded the audience that the government's biggest ally is found in the family. "To be truly pro-growth, we must be pro-family," he said.  Senator Cruz implored President Obama hear the people on ObamaCare, noting, "The fundamental problem in Washington is that Washington is not listening to the American people." Senator Paul took on the global persecution of Christians saying, "American tax dollars should never be spent to prop up a war on Christianity. But that's what's happening now across the globe. As Christians, we should take a stand and fight against any of your tax dollars funding any persecution of Christians."

Senator Rubio cautioned the audience that, "We can't stop talking about the importance of our values and our culture. We can't stop talking about them because the moral well-being of our people is directly linked to their economic well-being." Senator Scott challenged us that in order to restore America, "we must first get back to fiscal sanity." Mark Levin urged us to "embrace the Constitution, embrace our history [...] listen to George Mason, and Madison, and Franklin, and the others, and take our country back." Dr Ben Carson capped off the morning by exhorting attendees that " it's time - it's really time for the people - we, the people of America, to stop being afraid of the government and to put it in its place."

Other speakers included former Vice-Presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan, former Presidential candidate and former Senator Rick Santorum, former Arkansas governor and former Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Rep. Michele Bachmann, Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint, and more.

The Christian Post reported on the results of a straw poll taken Saturday afternoon, in which Texas Senator Ted Cruz took first place, while neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson took the top vice presidential spot, and religious freedom was considered the most important political issue.   Cruz took 42% of the vote in the Presidential poll, with Carson and Santorum essentially tied for second with about 13% each.  Carson won 21% in the VP straw poll, with Cruz at 17%.

FRC President Tony Perkins said, "Values voters are looking for those who will refuse to be bound by the 'can't mentality' of the establishment and will challenge the status quo...In short, values voters, many of whom did not fully engage in the last election, are looking for a leader that will inspire them by challenging President Obama and speak clearly and directly to the challenges facing America."


On the question of the most important issue for Values Voters, responders ranked "Religious Freedom" as number one. Perkins called it an "umbrella issue for other issues such as marriage, parental rights, and 'Obamacare.'" The pro-life cause ranked number two, followed closely by opposition to Obama's health care law.

The 3 - October 6, 2013

This week on "The 3", my week-in-review feature, more awareness of the plight of a well-known sportscaster who apparently lost his job after it was "discovered" that he made comments in support of traditional marriage during a political campaign.  Also, a pastor who was a pioneer in worship style and worship music, passed away this week.  And, the top story involves a tragedy on the highway involving a group of senior citizens who were celebrating a happy occasion - now one-third of their group and two other people are dead in a fiery interstate crash.


3 - Christian sportscaster sues for religious discrimination

The controversy has been growing since the termination of a former SMU and NFL football star who served for years as a commentator in ABC television's college football studio show.  In early September, after just one week on the air, Craig James was fired from a stint on Fox Sports Southwest.  According to legal advocacy group Liberty Institute, which is representing James in a lawsuit to get his job back, a former supervisor of James is quoted by the Dallas Morning News as saying, “We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.”

What things?  Well, not anything that he said on the air during his incredibly brief time with Fox.   No, it was apparently for comments made during a debate in the campaign for U.S. Senate, a seat for which James ran, along with the eventual winner Ted Cruz.  James was asked – as all political candidates usually are – about his views on same-sex marriage and homosexuality. As a Christian, James expressed his deeply held religious beliefs concerning marriage.

Religion Today quotes Jeff Mateer of Liberty as saying that the lawsuit is not just about Craig James and Fox Sports. "It's really about an attitude in corporate America and whether corporate America can somehow impose, in their view, some sort of political correctness," Mateer said. "But really what it comes down to is: Can people of faith act on and believe a certain thing? Can they express a biblical belief about marriage?" Liberty Institute sent a letter demanding that James be rehired, but it was ignored. Consequently, a lawsuit was filed in Collin County, northeast of Dallas. A hearing will be held early next month.

This past week, in an exclusive interview with Breitbart.com, James is quoted as saying, “This isn’t about me individually. People might not care for me as a broadcaster. This is about what has happened to a religious individual in America. It’s given me a sense of responsibility for others who may be in my same position who may not be in a position to stand up and fight.” He told Ben Shapiro, writing for the website, that he would not stop fighting until he got answers from Fox Sports about their alleged discrimination. The Blaze website also picked up on the story.

So, this past week may have marked a turning point in the amount of visibility of the case, as James and Liberty Institute are continuing to highlight this series of events as an instance of religious discrimination.   A number of Christian organizations have rallied to Mr. James' side in his quest to either get his job back or at least to receive some honest answers.   Right now, Fox Sports has issued some contradictory statements, and their current position is that "he wasn't a good fit", even though he was spoken of in glowing terms after he was hired.   And, unlike Chris Broussard of ESPN, who made comments about homosexuality on-air but was not fired, James' comments were made off-the-air.  Furthermore, his comments and personal opinions are consistent with the mainstream views of evangelical Christianity.

2 - Legendary Chuck Smith dies of cancer at age 86

On Thursday, according to The Christian Post, a posting on the Calvary Chapel website read, "Our beloved Pastor Chuck went home to be with the Lord around 3:00 o'clock this morning. He passed into eternity peacefully in his sleep. We rejoice that he has moved out of his worn out tent and into his heavenly body. On behalf of the family, his children, and Kay, they are so appreciative of all your love, prayers and support."

Pastor Chuck Smith, who founded Calvary Chapel, which expanded to encompass a number of affiliate churches all across America, was 86 years old and had been suffering from lung cancer.  The church stated that its services Sunday morning "will center on his homecoming." The family is planning a private memorial service, along with a larger public service to be announced in the days ahead.

Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family, was impacted by Pastor Chuck, and wrote for The Christian Post: 

In 1965, years before we met, Chuck was the pastor of a small church in Newport Beach. He and his wife, Kay, would drive around the streets of Newport and Laguna Beach and watch the passing parade of young people, many of whom were on drugs and, quite literally and figuratively, lost. At first, Chuck became mad at the sight of them, lamenting what a waste of human potential they represented. But Kay's reaction was much different, and it convicted her young husband.

"You know, they are so desperately in need of Jesus," she said to him one day.

Chuck and Kay began to witness to some of the very hippies stumbling by and before long, his church was filled with them. Calvary Chapel quickly outgrew their space and decided to build a new facility.

Out of Calvary Chapel grew the so-called "Jesus movement", which included the foundations of Maranatha! Music, the early purveyors of what is now referred to as "Praise and Worship" music.  Brad Christerson, a Biola University sociologist, is quoted at the Christianity Today website, "His impact can be seen in every church service that has electric guitar-driven worship, hip casually-dressed pastors, and 40-minute sermons consisting of verse-by-verse Bible expositions peppered with pop-culture references and counterculture slang."

According to Wikipedia, quoting a CCM Magazine article, Calvary Chapel was home to more than 15 musical groups that were representative of the Jesus people movement. Some of the early Maranatha! recording artists were the Sweet Comfort Band, Love Song, Chuck Girard, Children of the Day, The Way, Debby Kerner, Mustard Seed Faith, and Daniel Amos. The label's first release was a various artists compilation entitled The Everlastin' Living Jesus Music Concert, in 1971.   The label released 20 albums in the Praise! series, and a variety of other releases.   The music aspect of Calvary Chapel, led by Chuck Smith, has had a profound impact on the church.   And, his radio broadcast, "The Word for Today" is one of the early pioneers in daily radio broadcasting, dating all the way back to the 70's.

1 - Church bus crash with 18-wheeler results in the loss of 8 lives

A bus carrying 18 members of the "Young at Heart" seniors group from Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, North Carolina apparently lost its front left tire as the group was returning from a gospel jubilee in Gatlinburg this past Wednesday.  According to a story in the Charlotte Observer, the bus appeared to lose its tire as it traveled near Mile Marker 423 on Interstate 40 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, sending it skidding across a 10-yard-wide grass median and through a four-cabled restraining device and into oncoming traffic.  Investigators have found gouge marks from the rim of the bus wheel in the left lane of I-40 leading into the median, said Sgt. Bill Miller of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.   6 people on the bus lost their lives, including the driver of the bus, as well as the driver of a tractor-trailer and a Chevrolet Tahoe with which the bus collided.   The oldest victim was 95 years old!

The 12 survivors of the crash were taken to a hospital in Knoxville, and soon thereafter, the pastor and youth pastor of the church made the journey from Statesville, which is about 30 miles north of Charlotte, to the hospital in Knoxville.  Pastor Tim Stutts set out for Knoxville to minister to his flock after receiving word of the crash.  He described them as a tight-knit group of seniors who enjoyed traveling together. They were known for taking part in the church’s various missions and for visiting nursing homes and other churches to share the gospel with a zeal that belied their years, he said.

He told the Observer that he talked to each of the survivors, including those in critical condition.  He said they were devastated, and one of their first questions was about the others of the bus.  Stutts said the church grieves for their loss but celebrates their arrival in heaven.

The pastor relates that since the accident, condolences have poured into the Statesville church by the hundreds, from as far away as Asia.

Because of the government shutdown, the National Transportation Safety Board did not send anyone to investigate the accident.

This is an incident that I am sure certainly hits home for churches who frequently utilize bus transportation for seniors groups or youth groups.   And, while we celebrate the ability to travel, it's a reminder to make sure that we are taking as many precautions as we can.