Less than three days after Pope Benedict XVI finished his visit to Mexico, the country’s Senate approved a constitutional reform guaranteeing the right to public religious events, provided they don’t involve electoral politics.

CT reported earlier that Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies had approved the amendment in December. Critics allege the measure could open the door to religion in public affairs and public schools; supporters argue it brings Mexico’s constitution into closer alignment with international treaties the government has signed.

The amendment had the support of both the governing National Action Party and the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party. It passed 72-35 in the Senate. Approval is still needed from at least 16 of Mexico’s 31 state legislatures for the amendment to take effect.

Update (Mar. 1): According to a Radio Free Asia report confirmed by ChinaAid, family members of imprisoned Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng once again were allowed to visit him in January at Shaya Prison, where he still is being held for "defending those oppressed by China’s atheistic government." This most recent visit confirms that Gao is still alive.

Since the family's first visit last year, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) have begun a bipartisan effort to support Zhisheng's release and U.S. congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) personally wrote to Zhisheng in support.
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Even as membership remains relatively stable in U.S. churches, the effects of the recession have caused contributions to drop by $1.2 billion.

According to the 2012 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, the almost $29 billion contributed by church members represented a 2.2 percent decrease in terms of per capita giving.

The $1.2 billion decline in 2010 was nearly three times as large as the $431 million in losses reported in 2009, and "provides clear evidence of the impact of the deepening crises in the reporting period," the Yearbook's editor, the Rev. Eileen Lindner, wrote.

The Yearbook is produced annually by the National Council of Churches and is considered one of the most authoritative sources of church membership. The 2010 figures, released Tuesday (March 20), were collected from 228 U.S. denominations in 2011.

The Roman Catholic Church (No. 1) and the Southern Baptist Convention (No. 2) continued as the nation's largest churches in 2010, and both posted a decrease of less than 1 percent, the fourth year in a row of declining membership for Southern Baptists.

Overall, total membership in the top 25 largest churches declined 1.15 percent, to 145.7 million.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, though still in the top 10, reported the sharpest decline in membership, dropping 5.9 percent to 4.3 million members.

Four Pentecostal churches out of the top 25 showed a continuing increase in membership, with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. jumping up 20 percent, the highest out of all reporting churches.

Only six out of the top 25 increased in membership, according to the Yearbook. Some of those growing denominations include Jehovah's Witnesses (up 1.85 percent), Seventh-day Adventist Church (up 1.61 percent) and the National Baptist Convention, USA (up 3.95 percent).

The 10 largest U.S. Christian bodies reported in the 2012 yearbook are:

1. The Catholic Church: 68.2 million, down 0.44 percent.
2. Southern Baptist Convention: 16.1 million, down 0.15 percent.
3. The United Methodist Church: 7.7 million, down 1.22 percent.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 6.2 million, up 1.62 percent.
5. The Church of God in Christ: 5.5 million, no membership updates reported.
6. National Baptist Convention, USA: 5.2 million, up 3.95 percent.
7. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 4.3 million, down 5.9 percent.
8. National Baptist Convention of America, 3.5 million, no membership updates reported.
9. Assemblies of God: 3.03 million, up 3.99 percent.
10. Presbyterian Church (USA): 2.7 million, down 3.42 percent.

The Denver Broncos will pick up quarterback Peyton Manning and trade Tim Tebow, ESPN reports.

On March 7, the Indianapolis Colts released Manning after the quarterback had sat out a season due to neck injuries. He is expected to sign a $95 million contract with the Broncos, essentially pushing out Tebow, an outspoken Christian athlete who has attracted scrutiny for his faith and football.

Tebow began starting as the Broncos' quarterback last season, pulling off late-game wins that made him one of the most talked-about athletes. Denver went 2-4 in 2011 before Tebow started and went 9-5 after he took the helm. Tebow's visible expression of faith became the internet meme "Tebowing," to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.

CT interviewed Tebow last year about faith, football and fame. Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner suggested that Tebow might consider toning his faith talk down. And Ted Kluck warned fans not to hold Tebow up on a pedestal. CT's April issue looks at several Christian athletes under the recent spotlight, including Tebow, NBA player Jeremy Lin, and MLB player Albert Pujols.

Update on 3/21:
Tebow was traded to the New York Jets, Jay Glazer is reporting. ESPN's Rich Cimini argues that the trade could set off a controversy for the Jets, who gave Sanchez a three-year, $40.5 million contract extension. Last season, Tebow completed just 46.5 percent of his throws, but Sanchez also struggled, fueling speculation about his future, Cimini writes.

There's also some thought that Tebow and his clean-cut image could help polish the negative perception of the locker room, torn by discord last season. But others close to the team said that was no factor whatsoever in the decision.

But there could be potential backlash for the Jets. Tebow's enormous popularity could turn into a distraction, especially for Sanchez. If Sanchez struggles, the fan base ostensibly could turn on him and start clamoring for Tebow.

In other NFL news today, league announced penalties on the Saints' management for its bounty programs, under the table payments for big hits and plays. Saints head coach Sean Payton will be suspended for a year, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely from the NFL, and the team will be fined $500,000, among other penalties.

Update 2:30 p.m.:
Adam Schefter is reporting the trade could be nullified: "Denver and Jets have encountered hangup in language in Tim Tebow's contract that could nullify trade.
(2) If the Tebow trade to Jets falls apart, St. Louis could wind up getting back into play. Sides sorting through details.
Tim Tebow has $5 million worth of recapture language, meaning Jets would have to pay back money to Denver. Jets might be unwilling. Complex."

Update 2/22: ESPN reports that Tebow will be traded to the Jets after a few hangups.

Pat Robertson weighed in on the trade, suggesting that "it would serve [the Broncos] right" if Manning's injury came back.

“I think the Denver Broncos treated [Tebow] shabbily," he said. "He won seven games, he brought them into the playoffs, for heaven sakes. I mean, they were a nothing team. He rallied them together with spectacular last-minute passes and, you know, when they beat Buffalo—I mean, Pittsburgh, excuse me—it was a tremendous victory.”

Robertson then referred to Manning's neck injury that took him out of the past season.

“And you just ask yourself, okay, so Peyton Manning was a tremendous MVP quarterback, but he’s been injured. If that injury comes back, Denver will find itself without a quarterback. And in my opinion, it would serve them right.”

Update 2/23: Without naming names, Focus on the Family president Jim Daly appears to call out Robertson for his remarks.

Is it ever right to wish ill upon someone?

I don’t think so.

The Denver Broncos newly minted quarterback, Peyton Manning, doesn’t need me to come to his defense. But his arrival in Denver has spawned something of a backlash in a few select places, with some actually suggesting that it would suit the Broncos and Manning well if he were to reinjure his neck this coming season.

A thirst for vengeance is an ugly human emotion.

Egyptian Christians are mourning the passing of 88-year-old Coptic Orthodox Pope and Patriarch Shenouda III (August 3, 1923—March 17, 2012). He died in Cairo today after a lengthy illness. He had both back and kidney problems, according to local news reports.

Pope Shenouda was extremely popular among millions of everyday Christians. A charismatic reformer and an advocate of Christian rights and interests in a predominantly Muslim country, many considered him to be just like a father.

Egyptian Muslims liked him for his critical stance towards Israel, but both Christian and Muslim intellectuals were critical of his mixing politics with religion. No doubt he was the most influential Christian leader in twentieth-century Egypt. He was co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Sunday School Magazine in 1947, was consecrated as monk in 1954, became Bishop of Education in 1962, and Pope in 1971.

This is an article preview. The rest of this article appears in full on CT's main site.

Image: Chuck Kennedy, White House photo

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said today he will step down at the end of 2012, setting the stage for the unique process of government officials appointing the new leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Williams' surprise announcement stunned the religious world, even as the short list of prospective successors swiftly began to circulate. Williams, 61, has led Church of England and the world's 77 million Anglicans since 2002.

Traditionally, the new leader is chosen by a church committee of Anglican clergy and laity, who then draft a short list of candidates to submit to Prime Minister David Cameron.

While Queen Elizabeth II is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and formally appoints the archbishop of Canterbury, the decision is based on the final determination of the Prime Minister.

Update: Chicago-area churches are threatening to cancel free public programs—and that has city mayer Rahm Emmanuel listening. After nearly a year of butting heads with religious leaders over a program that removed a water-use fee exemption for religious institutions, the mayor will "take into account a recent letter to the city's 50 aldermen cautioning that the ... program poses a dire threat to churches and the social programs they offer in their communities."

Postal workers in Ramat Gan have refused to deliver thousands of copies of Hebrew-language Christian materials, including copies of the New Testament. They asserted that distributing the materials would violate Jewish law because it would be proselytizing. Israeli law does not prevent the dissemination of written materials.

It was not clear who mailed the materials. The Israel Postal Company said that as a government entity, it had no right to control what it can or cannot distribute and would therefore ensure that the materials were distributed.

Chinese religious groups that want to perform charity work must now do so without the help of foreign donations.

The State Administration for Religious Affairs recently endorsed new regulations restricting charitable religious groups not associated with the government. The regulations state that “charitable operations under religious bodies should stick to the principle of self-reliance, and be free from the influence of external forces.”

Sources involved in charitable work in China told Asia News that the regulations are largely aimed at Tibetan and Islamic groups, which have political aspects that make the government wary, particularly after the Arab Spring revolutions.

In 2010, Christianity Today reported that the United Methodist Church (UMC) had unexpectedly removed Evangelical Seminary from its list of schools approved to educate Methodist ministers. Last week, the denomination's University Senate voted to re-approve the seminary.

UMC originally removed the Pennsylvania seminary from its list because of the "lack of ethnic inclusiveness of faculty and staff, and the absence of full-time United Methodist faculty," according to a senate letter. At the time, 26 percent of Evangelical's nearly 200 students were Methodist.

In a press release, Evangelical president Tony Blair noted that the school is looking at creating a Center for Methodist Studies. "We appreciate the challenges facing United Methodist seminaries and wish to collaborate with them in serving the United Methodist denomination," he said.

The other seminary removed from the UMC's approved list in 2010, Palmer Theological Seminary, also in Pennsylvania, was reinstated last February (Editor's note: In the same item, CT reported that Evangelical was also re-approved last spring; however, it was only a temporary extension.) Both seminaries now appear on the UMC's approved list.

Complete press release from Evangelical Seminary is after the jump....

The record number of church foreclosures keeps climbing. Almost 140 American churches were sold by banks in 2011 after defaulting on their loans, Reuters reported. Almost 300 churches have defaulted since 2010 as banks have become more reluctant to refinance.

For the Church at South Las Vegas, which sparked debate when it stopped paying its mortgage last May and filed for Chapter 11 protection in July, a financial benefactor has stepped in and prevented the congregation from facing foreclosure.

The Las Vegas church, which owed nearly $8 million on property now worth only $2.4 million, had enough money to make its monthly mortgage payments but believed it was bad stewardship to have tithes keep going into a "black hole" of debt instead of toward its mission. The unusual move sparked debate over Christian ethics.

But last month, Canadian businessman and philanthropist Ron Fehr, a friend of church board member Jude Fouquier, pledged to provide $3 million to help the church, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The church contributed $1 million from its own funds to complete the package and pay off its mortgage lender. (Court documents did not disclose exactly how much the bank accepted as payment for the money owed.)

Founder and pastor Benny Perez told CT that the church was discharged from its Chapter 11 status on March 6. Despite its financial difficulties, the congregation is growing and plans on expanding its facilities, he said, adding, “Our church has flourished in the midst of all things.”

Update (Apr. 3, 2013): The Obama administration is now offering a $5 million bounty on Joseph Kony, though a joint manhunt for the warlord has been stopped because of the rebel takeover of his suspected hiding place: the Central African Republic.

CT examined Kony in a 2006 cover story on why Ugandan children were killing each other in the name of the Lord, and reported how churches responded to an amnesty offer. CT also ran reactions to Invisible Children's advocacy on Kony 2012, including how the Golden Rule should apply.

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A viral video has captured widespread attention across social media outlets over an effort to arrest Joseph Kony, head of the Lord's Resistance Army that abducts and forces children to become soldiers.

A 30-minute video from the nonprofit Invisible Children has more than 15 million hits on YouTube and Vimeo since it was posted on March 5. The KONY 2012 campaign targets 20 celebrities (including megachurch pastor Rick Warren and outspoken Christian NFL quarterback Tim Tebow) and a dozen policymakers to spread the word.

Bloggers like Matthew Paul Turner and Rachel Held Evans shared the video, but the two have since pulled back. In response to some challenges from others over Invisible Children's role, Evans pulled her post and Turner updated his to note the responses.

The campaign raises questions about advocacy, media attention, and how money should best be spent to fight injustice.

On a widely circulated Tumblr page, Acadia University (Canada) student Grant Oyston rounded up criticisms of the KONY 2012 campaign, saying that Invisible Children supports the Ugandan army, which is accused of raping and looting those in their own country. Oyston also questions whether money should go to support an organization focused on advocacy and film making.

An Invisible Children employee addressed the criticisms in an interview with the Washington Post, emphasizing the awareness the video created. “There is only so much policymakers and foundations can do,” he said. “The film has reached a place in the global consciousness where people know who Kony is, they know his crimes." The video includes clips of the narrator talking to his young son in an attempt to explain the Lord’s Resistance Army and Kony to a global audience.

Last year, Foreign Affairs challenged strategies nonprofits like Invisible Children use to raise awareness, suggesting groups have manipulated facts. Charity Navigator gives Invisible Children three out of four stars overall, four stars financially, and two stars for accountability and transparency.

Washington Post columnist Mike Gerson has lauded the Obama administration's previous efforts to get Kony. At the time, Rush Limbaugh said Obama was planning “to wipe out Christians in Sudan, Uganda." Michele Bachmann warned against “unnecessary foreign entanglements,” but also said, “I do not know enough about it to comment on it.”

Christianity Today profiled Kony in 2006, noting how he twists religious texts.

Kony, 41, envisions an Acholiland ruled by a warped interpretation of the Ten Commandments. He uses passages from the Pentateuch to justify mutilation and murder. He promotes a demonic spirituality crafted from an eclectic mix of Christianity, Islam, and African witchcraft.

Any resemblance to these religions is superficial: While the army observes rituals such as praying the rosary and bowing toward Mecca, there is no prescribed theology in the conventional sense.

A Wheaton College professor noted for his work on the spiritual formation of children was arrested Thursday for allegedly possessing child pornography.

Donald Ratcliff, the Price-Lebar Professor of Christian Education at Wheaton, was charged after an investigation that tracked Web users trading child porn. Investigators say they found pornographic images of preteen children on at least six computers seized from Ratcliff’s home.

Police also seized two guns and 1,600 rounds of ammunition from his home. Ratcliff did not have a firearm owner’s identification card and faces charges for possession of the munitions. Ratcliff’s attorney told The Daily Herald the guns are “family heirlooms,” but added no further comment on the case.

Judge Elizabeth Sexton set Ratcliff’s bail at $750,000 Friday morning. Sexton also ordered that should he post bond, Ratcliff cannot have contact with anyone under 18 or use a computer or the Internet until his March 8 hearing. Ratcliff would have to post 10 percent of the bail to be released.

Ratcliff has studied and been an expert on children’s spiritual formation for more than three decades. Before arriving at Wheaton in 2006, Ratcliff taught at Biola University, Vanguard University, and Toccoa Falls College. He also served as an adjunct at Talbot School of Theology. On a webpage promoting his most recent book ChildFaith, Ratcliff described the importance of children and families in the church, writing, “Children are not the church of the future; they are very much the church today!” Christianity Today interviewed Ratcliff about his work in 2010.

In a brief statement Thursday, Wheaton said Ratcliff has been placed on administrative leave.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is laying off 10 percent of its staff as it shifts resources to make online evangelism a priority.

Some 50 people on the 500-member staff will lose their jobs between mid-March and this summer, said Brent Rinehart, a BGEA spokesman, on Thursday.

About 20 of the affected staffers work at the association headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. Others have worked as field staff across the globe or at The Cove, the BGEA's training center in Asheville, N.C.

"It's definitely not a reflection of the financial health of the organization," Rinehart said. "It's really more redeploying resources to focus on those areas of great impact."