The Pentagon has issued a memo allowing military chaplains to perform same-sex marriages if it is allowed by the law and the chaplain's beliefs.

Last week, the military ended its "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, raising questions about the ability military chaplains will have to express their views on homosexuality.

"A military chaplain may participate in or officiate any private ceremony, whether on or off a military installation, provided that the ceremony is not prohibited by applicable state and local law," a memo released Friday says. "Further a chaplain is not required to participate in or officiate a private ceremony if doing so would be in variance with the tenets of his or her religion."

In May, the Navy initially said it would same-sex marriages and then reversed its decision on marriages on military bases.

Under Secretary of Defense Clifford Stanley said in the new memo that "a military chaplain's participation in a private ceremony does not constitute an endorsement of the ceremony by [the Department of Defense]."

The Pentagon says Defense Department property may be used for private functions as long as it is in line with the Federal Defense of Marriage Act and local laws. Five states recognize same-sex marriage: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 30, 2011 10:16AM | Comments (18)

Two presidential contenders took up Liberty University’s standing offer to all 2012 candidates to address students at the school’s thrice-weekly convocations. Michele Bachmann spoke yesterday in Liberty’s 10,000-seat Vines Center, following an appearance by Rick Perry on September 14.   

Bachmann’s closest aide is reportedly Brett O’Donnell, the former coach of Liberty’s championship debate team, a fact that may have helped her to outshine her contender between the appearances.

Perry seemed less at home than Bachmann in speaking before a college audience, admitting that he had to look up the word “convocation” before coming, and a pun he made on the word fell flat.

Bachmann was introduced by Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., as a “constitutional conservative” committed to “bold reforms” in fighting the “evils of big government,” as well as a “defender of the unborn” and a “deeply committed Christian.” Falwell also noted her role as the first woman elected to Congress in Minnesota.

Not many presidential candidates can claim that behind their success stands a supportive man, but Bachmann’s husband accompanied her to her talk at Liberty. Seated on the stage, his quiet presence offered a different angle on the gender issue raised at a presidential debate this summer when a reporter asked Bachmann if she would submit to her husband if elected.

Bachmann, who won a straw poll at Liberty last April, presented the simple message, “Don’t Settle” and tailored it to the student audience whom she identified as “in the decade when the fundamental decisions of life are made.” She told the students, “You stand to be the first generation in in America’s 235 years that may not do better economically than the previous generation.”

Although she briefly criticized President Obama’s national health care plan, Bachmann’s talk was more spiritual than political. She described, despite growing up in the church, not recognizing her need for a personal relationship with Christ until age 16 when she was prompted “by the power of the Holy Spirit” to come forward at church to receive Christ. She went home that night, she said, knowing “something had changed inside me.”

Narrating events from early American and Old Testament history, she pointed to the benefits for succeeding generations brought by those before who didn’t “settle” and concluded her 30-minute speech by urging the students, “Don’t settle for anything less than what this great and almighty God has planned for you.”  About half of the crowd offered a standing ovation.

While both Perry and Bachman spoke to standing-room-only crowds swelled by visitors from the local community including local grade school students and senior citizens, Perry’s significantly higher standing in the national polls brought him a noticeably larger turnout, hundreds standing around the periphery of the 10,000 seat sports arena to hear him speak.

Perry’s address was even less overtly political than Bachmann’s and garnered attention as one of the first times he’s shared his faith testimony since declaring his candidacy. He described a spiritual journey that began in a childhood spent within a farming family of humble means and that reached its crisis following completion of his duties as an officer in the U. S. Air Force.

The loudest cheers for Perry came in Falwell’s introduction where he praised the Texas governor’s positive rating by the National Rifle Association, and then later when Perry admonished students, “Don’t leave it to a bunch of Washington politicians to tell you how to live your life.”

Falwell, Jr., has not made a personal endorsement of any of the presidential candidates, but invitations have been given to all of them to come to Liberty to speak. He denied the report of one news outlet that Liberty University is the “headquarters of the Christian right,” saying that “politics is not first” at the school.

Karen Swallow Prior is English department chair and associate professor of English at Liberty University. She writes regularly for Her.meneutics, the Christianity Today blog for women. 

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 29, 2011 10:45AM | Comments (7)

A heckler interrupted President Obama's fundraising event in Los Angeles Monday night with calls that Obama was "an anti-Christ."  The heckler, identified as David Serrano, stood just feet in front of the president. The Secret Service quickly removed him. The episode, however, gave Obama one more opportunity to restate his Christian beliefs.

Serrano interrupted Obama's introductory remarks at the fundraiser. "Jesus Christ is the one and only true and living God, the creator of the heavens and the universe," Serrano said. "Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is God. You are [the] anti-Christ." 

Obama did respond immediately to Serrano, who chanted "Jesus Christ is God" while the Secret Service escorted him out of the crowd.

“First of all, I agree that Jesus Christ is the Lord. I believe in that,” Obama said. He then pointed out that the man may have left his jacket. Whether this was a concern for security or an attempt to "give him his cloak also," Obama insisted the man take his coat with him. That is, until a woman said it was her jacket.
The president then returned to his speech.  "All right, where was I? It is good to be back in L.A," Obama said.

Tony Bell, spokesman for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, told the New York Daily News that Serrano is not new to local political events. He frequently interrupts public meetings with similar statements.

"He yells out his statements, which are very mistaken, odd interpretations of scriptures. He's been pretty close to being thrown out of our meetings," Bell said. “He's not a pleasant guy. He talks about Jews in his diatribes and seems very anti-Semitic. I don't have the impression he's dangerous, but he has issues that could use some help.”

Serrano's heckles did not come cheap. The 1,000 attendees paid $250 to $10,000 to hear Obama give a campaign speech at the L.A. House of Blues. Serrano has been released by the Secret Services without charges.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 28, 2011 11:37AM | Comments (24)

From media mavens to grassroots activists, conservative Christian leaders are heaping praise on presidential candidate Rick Perry, an early but important show of support from a vital GOP constituency.

Initially unimpressed with the 2012 presidential field, some of these evangelicals now herald Perry's late entry as the second coming of Ronald Reagan.

Like Reagan, they say, Perry is a big-state governor, a staunch conservative and, significantly, a fellow Christian.

Perry, in turn, has suffused his campaign with religion, building on strategies honed for years in Texas politics.

He has huddled with social conservatives at a Texas retreat, hosted a high-profile Christian prayer rally in Houston and recited his prodigal-son spiritual testimony at the late Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.

On Tuesday (Sept. 20), Perry said his Christian faith includes a "clear directive" to support Israel, a view shared by many evangelicals, who believe God gave the land to the Jewish people.

Early returns suggest the Texas governor's efforts are paying off, particularly among elder evangelical statesmen:

-- Donald E. Wildmon, founder and former head of the American Family Association, is endorsing Perry. The Mississippi-based AFA organized and spent $600,000 to finance Perry's prayer rally, called "The Response," and later directed its 30,000 participants to a new Christian
voter-registration campaign.

"I think the overwhelming majority of what's often called the `religious right' will support the governor," said Wildmon, whose organization boasts a mailing list of 60,000 pastors and operates 180 radio stations. "I'm going to do whatever I can to help the man get
elected."

-- Former Focus on the Family head James Dobson has gushed over Perry on his new radio show, calling him a "deeply committed Christian" and a courageous leader. Dobson was a co-organizer of The Response and will reportedly appear with Perry at an event in Orlando next month.

-- Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. has mused that Perry could be another Reagan and called him "one of the most pro-life governors in American history." Falwell also said he admires the governor's "guts" for suggesting that Texas could secede from the union.

-- Evangelical historian and activist David Barton, a longtime Perry ally, has circulated a 14-point defense of the governor's record on economic, social and immigration issues.

-- Southern Baptist leader Richard Land has penned an op-ed that portrays Perry as shrewd, deeply conservative and a lifelong evangelical of "genuine" faith. (Perry's account differs slightly. He says spiritually lost as young man before turning to God at age 27.)

-- Grassroots activist David Lane, who organized "pastor policy briefings" featuring Perry during his 2006 campaign for governor, is reportedly planning similar events in battleground states, including one in Florida next month. Lane was finance chairman of "The Response."

"I'd be very surprised if the emergence of David Lane's projects in several states was about anything other than supporting Gov. Perry," said Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, a watchdog group that has monitored Perry's ties to conservatives for years.

-- Florida Prayer Network founder and veteran GOP activist Pam Olsen will co-chair Perry's strategy at Florida's debate and straw poll this weekend (Sept. 24-25).

In addition, Perry has been invited to appear with Dobson and Barton at a Nov. 12 event called "One Nation Under God" that aims to teach Christians to see "history and current events in light of God's Word, and how to take action that aligns with his truth."

Conservative evangelical leaders desperately want to deny President Obama a second term, said Doug Wead, a veteran GOP strategist and senior adviser to Ron Paul's presidential campaign. "And they decided early that Perry is their best shot," he said.

The conservative Christian movement is less top-down than many in the media suspect, said John C. Green, an expert on religion and politics at the University of Akron in Ohio. But grassroots activists take note when evangelical eminences like Dobson praise a particular
candidate.

"Lots of conservative Christians still take cues from these individuals," Green said. If they unite behind a candidate, evangelicals can have a huge electoral impact, especially in key states like Iowa and South Carolina, where they constitute nearly half of all GOP voters, said Green.

Perry's very public "I once was lost, but now I'm found" spiritual speech at Liberty University last week got the media's attention, but it was his confab at a secluded Texas ranch in August that impressed the religious right heavyweights, said Land.

More than 200 social conservatives were there -- from black Pentecostals to conservative Catholics to Latino evangelicals, according to Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

"The general feeling people came away with is that this guy is the real deal," said Land, who attended. "I don't see how the meeting could have gone any better for Perry."

Mark DeMoss, who heads a Christian public relations agency and advises Mitt Romney's rival campaign, said he is not surprised that many evangelical leaders back Perry.

"A significant number of evangelicals have always wanted above anything else in their candidate, someone who shares their Christian faith and theology, and apparently Gov. Perry does," DeMoss said.

However, DeMoss added, it is too early in the campaign to declare Perry the GOP's Chosen One.

"Gov. Perry is only just beginning to be vetted on the national stage," DeMoss said. "The dynamics are changing almost weekly."

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 22, 2011 4:15PM | Comments (31)

The execution of Troy Davis last night in Georgia has reinvigorated public debate over the death penalty. Davis was convicted in the 1989 murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail. The execution made headlines because there were questions raised about the evidence in the case, including recantations by seven of the nine witnesses against Davis.

The execution was condemned by Pope Benedict XVI, former president Jimmy Carter, and governments around the globe. In the U.S., most Christians support the use of the death penalty to punish murders. Unlike Catholics and mainline Protestants, evangelicals support for capital punishment remains high even among those who say their views are shaped most by their religious beliefs.

Public opinion on the death penalty has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades. According to polls by Gallup, support for the death penalty was highest in the late 1980's and early 1990's. At that time, 80 percent of Americans said they favored executing murderers. Since then, support has dropped to 64 percent.

A 2010 poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found support for the death penalty was very high among white evangelicals. Much of these differences were due to race or ethnicity. Three-quarters of evangelicals favor the use of capital punishment. White Mainline Protestants had a similar level of support. Only 60 percent of Catholics approve of the death penalty, but this lower level of support is due to Hispanic Catholics. (only 43 percent support). Black Protestants are the most opposed to the death penalty, with only a third approving of the death penalty.

Many Americans say their views on the death penalty are shaped by their religious beliefs. Pew asked what was the most influential on people's thinking on this issue. Catholics were the most likely to say their beliefs were the most important (34 percent). Around one-quarter of evangelicals and Black Protestants also said their beliefs were most important. Mainline Protestants were the least likely to cite their beliefs.

There is almost no difference between evangelicals who say they are influenced by their beliefs and those who do not. Around 70 percent of both kinds of evangelicals support the death penalty. Evangelicals who cite religious beliefs are most influential to them are the same as those who say their views are shaped most by personal experience, education, the median, family, friends, or anything else. For other Protestants and Catholics, religious beliefs make them more opposed to the death penalty. Catholics who say they are most influenced by their beliefs oppose the death penalty. Only a third of these Catholics support the death penalty. Support for the death penalty doubles if a Catholic does not cite religion as most influential on their thinking. Similarly, one-quarter of Mainline Protestants who are influenced by religious beliefs support the death penalty. The vast majority of other Mainline Protestants favor capital punishment. For both groups, those who see their beliefs as influencing their views are much less likely to support the death penalty.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 22, 2011 2:13PM | Comments (14)

The independent and bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom could be forced to shut its doors if the Senate does not vote by week's end to reauthorize the panel.

The commission appears to be in legislative limbo after the House voted Sept. 15 to extend the panel for an additional two years. The commission is authorized through Sept. 30, but both houses of Congress are scheduled to be in recess starting Monday (Sept. 26).

Before the House vote, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., urged fellow members to support the watchdog panel that monitors the persecution of religious minorities across the globe. But he worried that the Senate might not act in time.

"Quite frankly, I believe that some over there and this very administration would not mind seeing this commission shut its doors," said Wolf, who authored the original 1998 legislation that created the commission.

The House voted 391-21 in favor of reauthorization; a spokeswoman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kalinda Stephenson, the Republican staff director of the congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said advocates for reauthorization had hoped it would occur earlier this year.

"With all the budget cuts, people don't see religious freedom as a priority," she said.

Stephenson said it would technically be possible to resurrect the panel if it was forced to shut down, but hopes that won't be necessary.

"It's a lot harder to revive a commission like that once it sunsets than to try really hard to make sure that it doesn't close in the first place," she said.

Wolf's reauthorization bill cuts the number of unpaid commissioners from nine to five, and reduces the commission's budget from about $4.3 million to 3 million. It also calls for a Government Accountability Office investigation to assess the commission's effectiveness.

Commissioner Richard Land said he has long been concerned about whether the commission would continue past Sept. 30, as well as whether its 15-member staff would retain their jobs.

"Given the budget crunch that we're in and everybody being asked to sacrifice, I would rather see it reauthorized at five commissioners and a $3 million budget than to see it cease to exist," said Land, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Commissioner Don Argue, a former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said he hoped the Senate would consider the "human factor" of the commission's work and reauthorize it.

"Our commission is not even a drop in the bucket when you consider the entire budget," he said.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 21, 2011 4:00PM | Comments (3)

A new study by Baylor University finds that belief that God has a plan for your life leads to less support for government programs. The Baylor Religion Survey found that nearly three-quarters of Americans agree that “God has a plan for all of us.” Those who agreed more strongly were more likely to see financial success as the result of hard work and ability. As a result, they were also least supportive of government programs that help those out of work.

The Baylor survey found that 41 percent of Americans strongly agreed that God has a plan for everyone; another 32 percent merely agreed. Holding the belief appears to shape views of poverty and government. Those who strongly agree that God has a plan for everyone were much more likely to “some are meant to be rich and some are meant to be poor.” This is still a minority view: only 15 percent of those that strongly agree believe in poverty being fated. Still, this was three times greater than for those who did not strongly agree that God has a plan.

Those who believe God has a plan for everyone apparently see this plan including the rewarding of hard work and ability. Those who strongly believe in God's plan were twice as likely to also believe success is achieved by ability rather than luck (39 percent vs. 17 percent).

As belief in a divine plan grows, so does belief in a major part of the American dream. The survey asked if Americans agreed that “anything is possible for those who work hard.” A majority who strongly agreed in God's plan also agreed with this statement about hard work. Support was lowest among those who did not believe in a divine plan. Those who do not believe in God's plan were half as likely to agree that anything is possible with hard work.

If people strongly believe that God has a plan for their lives, then they are more likely to see government as doing too much. Those with strong beliefs in God's plan were the most likely to see government overreach (53 percent). Views of government playing a large role diminishes as belief in God's plan wanes. Only a third of those who do not believe in God's plan say government is doing too much, compared to one-in-five of those who strongly disbelieve say the same thing.

A majority of those who strongly believe in God's plan also believe that “able-bodied people who are out of work shouldn't receive unemployment checks.” As a belief in God's plan grows weaker, so does agreement that those out of work should be helped by government. Three-quarters of those who do not believe in God's plan believe that government should provide unemployment aid to those out of work.

Holding a belief in a divine plan does not result in greater material success in life. Of those who strongly disagreed, 30 percent made over $100,000 a year in family income. For those who strongly agreed, only 17 percent made this much money. Those who agreed were also less likely to finish college than those who disagreed.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 20, 2011 11:23AM | Comments (6)

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that poverty is continuing to rise in the United States. The poverty rate—the percentage of Americans living below the poverty line—reached 15.1 percent, up from 14.3 percent in 2009. There are now more than 46 million people in poverty and nearly 50 million without health insurance coverage. Poverty is now the worst it has been since 1993.

The situation is even worse for children: One in four children under six years of age now live in poverty. This is nearly twice the rate of poverty for adults, and the situation for children is made worse if they live in a single-parent household. Only 6.2 percent of families led by married parents are below the poverty line. If a wife is absent, the chances of living in poverty jump to 15.8 percent. Without a husband, a family does even worse. Nearly one in three families headed by single mothers lives below the poverty line.

Poverty continues to be worse for other vulnerable people in society. There are stark contrasts between key demographic groups in America. Compared to where they were in 2009, those with disabilities were hit hardest by the economy. They have a poverty rate twice that of those who are not disabled. African-Americans and Latinos also continue to have a poverty rate twice that of Whites (not Hispanic) or Asian-Americans. Citizens are more economically secure than those living in the U.S. who are not citizens.

Sojourners president Jim Wallis said that the new figures raises the importance of poverty as both a religious and political issue.

“These new poverty numbers should be the number one religious issue for the 2012 presidential election,” Wallis said. “If a candidate for president claims to follow Jesus, then their concern should be for the poor. If they profess faith in God, they should faithfully observe God’s concern for the oppressed. It’s up to voters to evaluate how the candidates respond to these numbers and it’s up to the media to hold leaders accountable to their professed beliefs.”

One key to getting of poverty is employment. Obviously, a job helps people stay of out poverty, but the effect of working full-time is significant. Those working full-time have a poverty rate of only 2.6 percent. Working part-time (but for the whole year) increases the chances of being in poverty by over 500 percent. Those who are unemployed for as little as one week have an 800 percent greater likelihood of living below the poverty line. And unlike race, disability, or citizenship, employment is something that can change if the economic conditions improve.

Bread for the World president David Beckmann said that the figures should also serve as a warning to the so-called Super Committee. This bipartisan commission is considering how to reduce the federal deficit. Bread for the World is part of the ecumenical Circle of Protection, a coalition  that includes the National Association of Evangelicals, Catholic Charities, and the National Council of Churches. The Circle is actively lobbying Congress and the White House for the continuation of federal anti-poverty programs.

“Low-income working families did not create the economic situation that our nation is in, but they tend to be the first hurt and the last to recover during a recession,” said Beckmann. “These new poverty figures indicate that many Americans are still suffering.”

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 14, 2011 11:35AM | Comments (10)

The State Department on Tuesday designated eight nations as the most serious violators of religious freedom, naming the same countries as the Bush administration.

The list of "Countries of Particular Concern" includes Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan; all but Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan also received sanctions.

While Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has issued previous reports on religious freedom, Tuesday's report represented the first time the Obama administration has published its list of the world's worst violators.

The mid-year report focused mostly on problems and progress during the second half of 2010. But it also included more recent developments, including the assassinations of prominent critics of Pakistan's blasphemy law and the bombing of a church in Egypt that killed 22 people and injured about 100 more.

"It is our core conviction that religious tolerance is one of the essential elements not only of a sustainable democracy but of a peaceful society that respects the rights and dignity of each individual," Clinton told reporters at a press briefing.

The independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom hailed the department's CPC designations while reiterating its longtime calls to consider expanding the list.

"Repeating the current list continues glaring omissions, such as Pakistan and Vietnam," said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair.

Last April, the bipartisan watchdog panel called for six additional countries to be added: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.

Asked about USCIRF's concerns, Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner said the list is "subject to constant review."

"We've also identified some other countries where we have concerns and we're going to work with governments but they're not on the list as of yet," he said.

The Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook, the administration's new ambassador at large for religious freedom, said her upcoming trips will include visits to two countries on the CPC list -- China and Saudi Arabia. She also plans to gather international and interfaith leaders to work on implementing a U.N. resolution that calls for countering religious intolerance with education, interfaith dialogue and public debate.

"Everyone must have the right to believe," she said, "as well as the right to manifest their belief."

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 13, 2011 4:02PM | Comments (2)

Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry squared off over their jobs records at the Republican presidential debate Wednesday night. The two frontrunners for the nomination took center stage at the GOP debate that kept most of its focus on economy.

The debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California was also Perry’s debate debut. Perry, who announced his candidacy last month, has edged ahead of Romney this week in nationwide polls. Most questions at the debate, even though posed to the other six candidates, focused on Romney’s and Perry’s positions.

Perry reaffirmed previous statements he’s made on the campaign trail regarding climate change, capital punishment and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Although Perry said last month that his decision to issue an executive order mandating a vaccine against the sexually transmitted HPV was a “mistake,” at the debate he stood by his reasons for the decision. “At the end of the day, I will always err on the side of saving lives,” Perry said, adding that he “probably” should have let the Texas state government legislate the decision rather than ordering it as governor.

Perry said he felt like "a pinata at the party" after receiving criticism for his decision from Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

When asked about Texas’ death penalty, referring to the 234 executions during Perry’s three terms as governor of the state, Perry paused for applause from the audience. "I think Americans understand justice," Perry said. “In the state of Texas, if you come into our state and you kill one of our children, you kill a police officer, you're involved with another crime and you kill one of our citizens, you will face the ultimate justice in the state of Texas, and that is, you will be executed."

Perry, a strong believer in states’ rights to legislate most laws on a state-by-state basis, said other states did not have to implement a death penalty. He defended Texas’ “thoughtful” process which he said he trusted prevented the justice system from sentencing anyone innocent.”I’ve never struggled with [sleeping at night] at all,” he said in response to the question posed to him.

Perry also made headlines last month when he indicated he has doubts that climate change is partially manmade. “The science is not settled,” Perry said. "As I recall, Galileo got out-voted for a spell.”

Romney, who gave a speech laying out his plan to create jobs growth earlier this week, pushed back on Perry’s ability to take credit for job creation and a lower unemployment rate in Texas.

Romney also criticized Perry for suggesting that Social Security is a flawed institution, or as Perry put it, “a Ponzi scheme” that steals from young Americans without giving much back. Romney said a Republican candidate needs to be committed to “saving” Social Security, not abolishing it. Herman Cain addressed the federal tax rate, saying, “If 10% is good enough for God, it ought to be good enough for the federal government."

President Obama will deliver a speech before a joint session of Congress on Thursday evening, where he plans to suggest both tax cuts and federal spending programs that will stimulate job growth. Economic issues have so far overshadowed much of the primary debate questions, with the August jobs report indicating that no new jobs have been created in the past month and the nation still faces a 9.1 percent unemployment rating.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 7, 2011 10:26PM | Comments (8)

Two high-profile memorial services for September 11 have drawn protests from faith leaders and religious organizations who have objected that an event plans de-emphasize the role that Christians played in the aftermath of the attacks.

President Obama will attend an event at the Washington National Cathedral on the evening of September 11 where he will deliver remarks at what appears to be a more secular service but is expected to include some form of benediction.

A 9/11 interfaith prayer vigil at the Cathedral earlier in the day will include Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane, Rabbi Bruce Lustig, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche of Tibet, Buddhist nun and incarnate lama, Dr. D.C. Rao, a representative of the Hindu and Jain faiths and Imam Mohamed Magid.

A representative of the Southern Baptist Convention pointed out that the list of prayer participants does not include any evangelicals. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, protested that for a church service, the line-up seemed better suited for a meeting of the United Nations.

According to Richard Weinberg, the National Cathedral’s director of communications, the choice of participants emphasized diversity in order to “appeal to as many in the country as possible.”

“The Cathedral itself is an Episcopal church and it stands to reason that our own clergy serve as Christian representatives,” he told Fox News Radio.

In comparison, on Sept. 14, 2001, evangelist Billy Graham spoke at the National Cathedral, speaking explicitly of Jesus on the cross as the comfort in a time of great need.

New York City’s 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero, which both Obama and former President George W. Bush plan to attend, does not include any members of the clergy. Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) wrote to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to request that prayer be included in the event.

"On September 11, 2001, our nation prayed," wrote Forbes, who is co-chair of the Congressional Prayer Caucus. "And on September 11, 2011, our nation will pray once again."

Bloomberg’s office suggested that it wanted to avoid disagreements.
"It has been widely supported for the past 10 years and rather than have disagreements over which religious leaders participate we would like to keep the focus of our commemoration ceremony on the family members of those who died,” said Evelyn Erskine, a spokeswoman for Bloomberg, in an e-mail to CNN.
Smaller ceremonies including one hosted by the New York Police Department will include prayers by the NYPD chief of chaplains for and the Archbishop emeritus of New York.

The nation’s response to September 11 included plenty of prayer in 2001, though not without controversy. Media mogul Oprah led the nation in an interfaith rally that included Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu clerics televised from Yankee Stadium just days after the attacks. Following the event, Lutheran pastor David Benke was suspended by his denomination after suggestions that he mixed religion for adding his prayer on stage.
This year’s commemorative events mostly steer clear of overt religious themes. Sarah McLahlan and a wreath ceremony are featured at the dedication of the new National United 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 10, which both Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will attend.

The Obama administration has also promoted 9/11 as a “Day of Service and Remembrance,” urging Americans to perform acts of service in tribute. And members of Congress will participate in a moment of remembrance and a Congressional Remembrance Ceremony on the steps outside the Capitol on September 12, where members of Congress gathered to sing a spontaneous rendition of “God Bless America” in 2001.

The approach of the tenth anniversary has prompted a variety of ceremonies that seek to remember the event—and highlight the fact that 10 years after the fact, Americans remember the terrorist attacks in very different ways.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 7, 2011 12:58PM | Comments (20)

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys went before the California Supreme Court Tuesday to argue that they should be allowed to continue to appeal an earlier ruling. The ruling overturned Proposition 8, the state constitutional amendment authored by ProtectMarriage.com and passed by the voters in 2008. Tuesday’s hearing addressed a much more narrow question, one that could stop the appeal from proceeding.

At issue is whether or not ProtectMarriage.com has “standing.” In federal courts, people cannot sue someone simply because they believe a law is unconstitutional. The party bringing the lawsuit must be able to show that they are actually impacted by the law. For example, when Proposition 8 passed, same-sex couples sued the state of California who were able to claim that the proposition kept them from marrying. The lawsuit could not be brought by a heterosexual couple who wanted to argue against the amendment.

When the Proposition 8 case went to the federal courts, the state of California refused to defend the amendment. Then attorney general (now governor) Jerry Brown said he agreed with the plaintiffs' claim that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The court allowed ProtectMarriage.com to stand in and provide a defense of the proposition. But when Chief US District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the proposition was unconstitutional, he also warned that the ProtectMarriage.com may not have standing to file an appeal because they had failed to show how they were personally harmed by same-sex marriage.

The key point is that the original suit was not brought against ProtectMarriage.com. They were allowed to intervene and offer a defense of Proposition 8, but they were not being sued. By appealing, they are the ones bringing suit. To do that, ProtectMarriage.com must have standing.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is not convinced that ProtectMarriage.com has standing. The Court asked the California State Supreme Court:

Whether under Article II, Section 8 of the California Constitution, or otherwise under California law, the official proponents of an initiative measure possess either a particularized interest in the initiative’s validity or the authority to assert the State’s interest in the initiative’s validity, which would enable them to defend the constitutionality of the initiative upon its adoption or appeal a judgment invalidating the initiative, when the public officials charged with that duty refuse to do so.

Or, stated in 60 fewer words: Does state law gives groups like ProtectMarriage.com standing when the state refuses to defend a proposition?

ADF attorney Austin Nimocks said that if proponents of a proposition cannot defend it in court, then the state officials could effectively veto propositions.

“Voters should not be left without any defense just because their officials refused to defend them,” Nimocks said. “Ultimately, this hearing concerns whether the people of California who voted for Proposition 8 will be defended at all.”

Members of the California Supreme Court seemed sympathetic to the ADF's argument. Justice Joyce Kennard said that allowing state officials to effectively veto propositions by not defending them would eliminate the right of the people to propose and pass propositions. Justice Carol Corrigan said that it would also hurt the separation of powers because it would effectively give executive officials the power to decide the constitutionality of a proposition.

Once the California Supreme Court makes a decision, the case will return to the Ninth Circuit to make its own determination on whether to return to the actual appeal. Regardless of what the Ninth Circuit decides, the case will most likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 7, 2011 9:48AM | Comments (3)

Evangelical political activists attended a two-day retreat with Texas Governor Rick Perry last weekend, the L.A. Times reports.

The GOP presidential candidate met with social conservative leaders who grilled Perry on his faith and his politics at a remote ranch west of Austin, Texas. According to the L.A. Times sources, Perry convinced his guests that he was one of them.

The retreat, named “Call to Action,” featured representatives from prominent evangelical and socially conservative political organizations. Participants included Family Research Council (FRC) president Tony Perkins, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission president Richard Land, and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

Participants were asked not to take pictures, record the event, or disclose details of what was said. Sources for the L.A. Times said Perry gave his testimony, which included a recommitment to his faith following his stint in the Air Force. He also promised to stand firm in opposing same-sex marriage and abortion.

Speaking to campaign contributors in July, Perry said, “Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That's New York, and that's their business, and that's fine with me. That is their call. If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business."

The remark did not go over well with social conservatives. One week later, he told FRC's Tony Perkins that he supports a Constitutional amendment on marriage that would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. For some participants at the retreat, the report states, his comments were not sufficient, but Perry reiterated his support for the federal marriage amendment. Several days after the retreat, Perry signed the National Organization for Marriage's pledge to support a Constitutional amendment on marriage. The amendment would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Perry also promised “Call to Action” guests that he would select a pro-life vice presidential running mate. In 2008, Perry endorsed former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani who is pro-choice. Some social conservatives were concerned that Perry's endorsement meant that he would not be a strong opponent of abortion.

Perry currently leads in most polls of Republican voters with 25 to 30 percent support. Over the past month, he has gained 10 to 15 percentage points. This growth has come at the expense of Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann, both of whom have dropped in the polls.

Image: Via Rick Perry.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at September 2, 2011 11:36AM | Comments (7)