Religious references OK on flag certificates. Americans who ask for a flag to be flown over the U.S. Capitol now will be able to include religious references on the accompanying certificate under new guidelines. Some House members were angry after an Ohio Eagle Scout requested a flag be flown in honor of his grandfather's “dedication and love of God, country, and family.” The accompanying certificate left out the word “God.” Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers, who supervises the flag program, said guidelines from 2003 would be revised to allow whatever messages a member of Congress deems appropriate. After an internal review, Ayers determined the existing policies had been “inconsistently applied.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after initialing downplaying the dispute, later said Ayers' office should not “be in the role of censoring what members want to say.” Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, who received the flag request that sparked the policy change, said he would pursue legislation that permanently allow flag certificates to acknowledge God.
Publisher offers environmentally friendly Scriptures. If the “What Would Jesus Drive?” campaign aimed to get Jesus into a fuel-efficient hybrid, now there's an answer to “What Would Jesus Read?” Publishing giant Thomas Nelson Inc. has released the first-ever “green” Bible. The Charles Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible uses paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and includes an FSC logo on its packaging that indicates it met the council's standards in every stage of production, from the forest to the paper mill to the printer. The new Bible comes as part of a larger effort at Thomas Nelson to practice stewardship and implement environmentally friendly practices. “We are committed to trying to learn more about how we can reduce our carbon footprint as a company,” said Lindsey Nobles, director of corporate communications at Thomas Nelson.
ORU president faces charges. Oral Roberts University, which made headlines 20 years ago when its namesake founder said God would “call him home” unless he raised $8 million, finds itself embroiled in controversy again. A lawsuit filed by three former professors at the charismatic Christian university in Tulsa alleges illegal political activity and lavish, unchecked spending by President Richard Roberts and his wife, Lindsay, for personal purposes, including using the school's jet for their daughter's senior trip to the Bahamas. Tim Brooker, who coordinated the university's government program, alleges the university president pressured him to use ORU resources and students to campaign for a Tulsa mayoral candidate, despite laws prohibiting such activities by tax-exempt organizations. At a recent chapel service at the 5,300-student university, Roberts said God told him: “We live in a litigious society. Anyone can get mad and file a lawsuit against another person, whether they have a legitimate case or not. This lawsuit … is about intimidation, blackmail and extortion.” Oral Roberts' board of regents voted unanimously to hire an independent outside auditor to review the claims and the university's financial statements. Roberts announced Oct. 17 he would take a temporary leave of absence.
NCC nominates new leader. The National Council of Churches has nominated a veteran educator and ecumenist to be its next general secretary. If affirmed next month by the council's governing board and general assembly, Michael Kinnamon will assume the helm of the New York-based ecumenical agency in January. Kinnamon, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister and professor of ecumenical studies at Eden Theological School in St. Louis, serves on the NCC's governing board and chairs its justice and advocacy commission.
Conservative Episcopalians explore alternative church. Some Episcopal bishops and more than 200 Episcopal congregations have taken a first step toward forming a new alternative to the Episcopal Church that will unite conservatives irked by the church's liberal drift. Meeting in Pittsburgh, the Common Cause Council of Bishops brought together nine North American splinter groups to lay the groundwork for a conservative counterpart to the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. Conservative Episcopalians, a minority in the American church, have decried the church's stance on gay rights, especially the 2003 election of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.
Mormons launch PR campaign. Prompted by interest generated by Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is mounting its own campaign to help journalists better understand what it means to be Mormon. This month, two spokespeople for the Salt Lake City-based church hosted an online news conference with religion reporters. Church leaders are planning meetings with editorial boards and may schedule additional online news conferences.
Brits OK teaching creationism; just don't call it ‘science.' The British government has given teachers the go-ahead to discuss creationism with their pupils—but only if they stress the controversial theory has “no underpinning scientific principles.” The Department of Children, Schools and Families issued the guidelines after several teaching unions and civic groups said science teachers were unsure how to tackle the issue of creationism in their classrooms. Under the government's guidelines, teachers are expected to contrast the belief that God created the world in six days with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which teaches life on earth evolved over millions of millennia.
Ecumenical body rejects military force in Iran. The World Council of Churches has cautioned the United States and its allies that the dispute over Iran's nuclear programs must be settled through negotiations and not military force. In a statement on Iran and the Middle East regional crisis, the council's executive committee said, “Threats to begin another war in the Middle East defy the lessons of both history and ethics,” referring to the “belligerent stance” of the United States toward Iran and of Iranian threats against the United States and Israel. The group also called for withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq and urged the implementation of “alternative Iraqi and multilateral political, economic and security programs.”