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Friday, March 31, 2006

 

A Seder for Darfur: Pillar event of LA Passover Festival

This year, when Los Angeles Jews cry "Let my people go," they'll have the people of Darfur, not just themselves, in mind. Area activists, along with musicians, actors, and artists from across the country are teaming up to stage a Passover seder to address the human rights crisis in Darfur. Sunday, April 9th, at 3:00 PM, Ed Asner, Danny Glover, Forest Whittaker, Mare Winningham, the Reverend Cecil "Chip" Murray, Rabbi Harold Schulweis, Jewish music superstar Debbie Friedman and a host of others will share in song, story and spirit at A Seder for Darfur to be held at the Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA, 574 Hilgard Avenue in Los Angeles. All proceeds benefit Jewish World Watch, a coalition of Los Angeles Synagogues fighting the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

The extraordinary group of people coming together for this unique event will re-tell the traditional story of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt in light of the current and pressing refugee situation across the ocean. The program will feature a number of powerful musical performances, poetry readings, dance pieces and spoken word designed to teach the significance of both the traditional Passover holiday, and the added relevance that it takes on today.

A Seder for Darfur is one of the four pillar events of Let My People Sing, a 9-day citywide festival of song, art, dance and spirit. "As a Jew, I couldn't ignore this," explained Festival producer Craig Taubman. "Raising funds for Jewish World Watch is as much a reason for this entire festival, and particularly the Seder for Darfur, as the fun and holiday celebration.

The Festival also includes an interfaith concert, a citywide basketball competition, and an all-day outdoor music and art event. A Seder for Darfur is clearly an event close to Taubman's heart as well as the hearts of all those involved. "The willingness with which everyone signed on for this event has been truly inspiring," says Taubman. "What's going to make this Seder different is that we are going to take action and we intend to make a difference."

Jewish World Watch President, Janice Kamenir-Reznik agreed. "Jews know too well the consequence of silence in the face of genocide," she said. "We actually have the opportunity to save lives."

For more information about A Seder for Darfur or Let My People Sing visit www.letmypeoplesing.com. For more information about the situation in Darfur visit www.jewishworldwatch.com.

CONTACT: MichaelCrowley
818-760-1077
michael@craignco.com

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

Thursday, March 30, 2006

 

India: Home to the World's Largest Religious Gathering; DVD Club Presents Film on Kumbh Mela

Contact: Arielle Ford
858-454-3314
af@fordsisters.com

(Los Angeles, CA) – Filmmaker Nadeem J. Uddin joined more than 70 million pilgrims in January 2001 for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India. It was the largest gathering of humanity in recorded history. Uddin captured this sacred coming together of holy men, saints, and guru’s for his highly acclaimed documentary, KUMBH MELA: SONGS OF THE RIVER.

The Spiritual Cinema Circle, America’s fastest growing DVD club specializing in uplifting and inspiring films, presents KUMBH MELA: SONGS OF THE RIVER to subscribers in its April collection along with a feature film and two short films. Acquired from film festivals around the world, subscribers pay $21 each month and receive four films (or more) on DVD that are theirs to keep.

KUMBH MELA: SONGS OF THE RIVER follows the Nagas, or holy men, as they come down from their mountain isolation to bathe in the holy waters that flow where India’s most sacred rivers meet. Religious discussions, devotional singing, and demonstrations of spiritual powers are part of the program. Featured holy men and women include the Dalai Lama, Pilot Baba, Kali Baba, and Yogamata Keiko Aikawa.

Making a movie isn’t easy in the best of circumstances. Filming at the Kumbh Mela, a temporary city for millions, had its own challenges.

According to Director/Producer/Editor, Nadeem J. Uddin, “Every guru had loudspeakers broadcasting chants and speeches. The noise was ear-splitting and never stopped until the power went out. Then it was a sudden, silent blackout. Somebody would get the generators going, and it would all start up again.”

National Geographic reports that the Kumbh Mela is “a sea of humanity. The largest gathering of people in one place on a single day anywhere in the world.” To see KUMBH MELA: SONGS OF THE RIVER for FREE (you pay just $3.95 shipping & handling) please visit http://www.spiritualcinemacircle.com/km

The Spiritual Cinema Circle, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cinema Circle, Inc., is the pioneer in subscription based home entertainment distribution for the niche market of Spiritual Cinema, with an audience waiting to see spiritually themed films that until now have gone virtually unappreciated and unseen.

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Religion & Ethics Newsweekly Program Listings for March 31, 2006


** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY **

This week’s edition of the PBS newsmagazine program RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY (distributed Friday, March 31 at 5 p.m., check local listings) will feature the following reports:

* Cover Story: “Down Syndrome” — Bob Faw looks at the ethical issues raised by new medical screening methods that help detect Down Syndrome in the early stages of fetal development.

* News Feature: “Religious Response to U.S. Immigration Reform” — Lucky Severson reports on the religious response, particularly by the Catholic Church, to the proposed broad revision of immigration laws being considered by the U.S. Senate.

* Feature: "African-American Mormons" — Deborah Potter explores efforts by the Mormons to reach out to black communities and build African-American membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

To request a transcript of any of these reports, send an e-mail to schultzm@religionethics.org or go to the program Web site at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics where the transcript and streaming video of each story will be available after 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

For information, contact:
Mary Schultz
Director of Communications
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly
202-216-2394
schultzm@religionethics.org

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Russell D. Moore named a Senior Editor of Touchstone

One of the leading young theologians in the Southern Baptist Convention, Russell D. Moore, has been named to the editorial board of the national magazine Touchstone, a magazine described by Wilfred McClay as “required reading for thoughtful Christians who yearn to recover the unity of the church.”

Moore is academic dean and senior vice president at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he serves as executive director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement. His widely praised The Kingdom of Christ: The New Evangelical Perspective appeared in 2004. He had been a contributing editor of Touchstone.

When asked about his appointment, Moore said, “Touchstone is a whirling dervish of provocative conviction and ‘caffeinated Christianity.’ It allows real differences among the writers, encourages real thought among the readers, and prophetically calls for real change in the culture. I am blessed to be on the team of my favorite magazine.”

Describing itself as “a journal of mere Christianity," the monthly magazine published in Chicago is concerned to bring the common Christian heritage to bear on contemporary culture and to advancing Christian unity by engaging divided Christians in a common mission.

Moore's colleagues on the editorial board include Robert George, McCormick Professor at Princeton University; constitutional historian James Hitchcock; Orthodox archpriest Patrick Henry Reardon; and historian Wilfred McClay, a member of the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Touchstone announces 4 new Contributing Editors
Touchstone is also pleased to announce four new contributing editors. They are:

D. G. Hart, who has taught church history at Westminster Seminary in California, and is currently Director of Partnered Programs at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. He is the author of A Student’s Guide to Religious Studies. Dr. Hart is an elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Gilbert Meilaender, a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics, and a professor at Valparaiso University. He has written many books, including Bioethics: A Primer and The Taste for the Other (on C. S. Lewis). Prof. Meilaender is a Lutheran.

William Saunders, Senior Fellow and the Human Rights Counsel at the Family Research Council. Mr. Saunders is Catholic, and serves as a member of the board of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.

R. V. Young, professor of English at North Carolina State University and the author of At War with the Word and a scholarly work on seventeenth-century English poetry. Prof. Young is Catholic.

Among the magazine's other contributing editors are Reformed theologian Peter Leithart, family scholar Allan Carlson of the Howard Center, historian Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Phillip E. Johnson, author of Darwin on Trial, cultural critic Frederica Mathewes-Green, and Anthony Esolen, translator of Dante for the Modern Library.

The magazine’s website address is www.touchstonemag.com.

For more information, please contact:
* the editor, David Mills, at 412.741.8843 or davidmills@touchstonemag.com, or
* the business director, Geoff Battersby, at 773.481.1090 or battersby@touchstonemag.com

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Grant program to break new ground- $1.3 million in research grants to explore the intersection between Science and Transcendence

Grant Applications Taken Through June 15, 2006

(Berkeley, CA, March 25, 2006) – The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS), based in Berkeley, CA has announced an advanced research grant series for inter-disciplinary research partnered with a series of conferences to explore the creative interface between science and transcendence. The “STARS – Science and Transcendence Advanced Research Series” consists of two parts. First, as a series of conferences and secondly as a grant program designed to sponsor small teams of scientists and humanities scholars to explore more deeply the interface between the latest scientific discoveries and theories, and their implications for ultimate reality. The program builds on the recently successful CTNS “Science and the Spiritual Quest” program (www.ctns.org/ssq)., and has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org)

“This grant program is designed to break new ground and move scientific and humanities research beyond the more familiar and traditional questions of science and religion and instead spawn new and innovative research in the area of science and ultimate reality,” said Dennis Hair, program director for STARS. “We hope to provide scientists who demonstrate outstanding potential with the ability to conduct research on the ways science, in light of philosophical and theological reflection, points towards the nature, character, and meaning of transcendence.”

There will be 150 applicants selected to attend one of three advanced conferences to take place in the Mexican Rivera next January. Led by many of the top scientists and theologians of our time, topics for these conferences include; Cosmology, Physics and the Possibility of Life; Evolution, ET and the Significance of Life in the Universe; and Complexity Theory, Emergence and the Influence of Life on Matter. After those initial 150 grants, twenty prominent research teams will be awarded $20,000 grants to complete research projects. These will then be followed by five grants for $100,000 and two grants for $200,000 in a competitive environment to further science and transcendence research. Conference applications are due by June 15, 2006 and may be downloaded online at www.ctns.org/stars or will be mailed by calling (510) 848-2350. Planning Grants and Research Grant applications will be available April 15th online at www.ctns.org/stars.

About STARS
STARS is a program administered by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, www.ctns.org, in Berkeley, California and intends to further explore the role of scientific discovery and its role in ultimate reality. The program builds upon the twenty-five year track record of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, and the Science and the Spiritual Quest program where over 120 distinguished scientists from the major world religions lectured in public conferences from Boston to Bangalore, describing the many ways in which science serves for them as a path to spirituality, exploring the many connections between their scientific pursuits and their spiritual practices. More information can be found at www.ctns.org/stars.

About the John Templeton Foundation
In pursuing research at the boundary between science and religion, the Foundation seeks to unite credible and rigorous science with the exploration of humanity's basic spiritual and religious quests.

Working closely with scientists, theologians, medical professional, philosophers and other scholars, the Foundation encourages substantive dialogue in order to stimulate research and reflection in the relationship between science and religion. The Foundation especially seeks to stimulate rigorous scholarly/scientific advances that increase understanding of the ultimate aspects of human purpose, and of the vast potential for creativity and progress, which can be inspired by the collaboration of science and religion.

Media Contact: Silas Deane
Logic Media Group
(615) 244-8035
Silas@logicmediagroup.com

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

 

Kevin Eckstrom Named Editor of Religion News Service; Mark O’Keefe to Join the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Contacts:

Linda Fibich, Bureau Chief, Newhouse News Service, 202-383-7850
Claudia Sans, Business Manager, Religion News Service, 202-383-7870
Kevin Eckstrom, 202-383-7864

March 27, 2006—Washington, D.C.—Kevin R.E. Eckstrom has been promoted to the position of editor for Religion News Service (RNS), effective May 1, 2006. He succeeds Mark O’Keefe, who will join the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life as Associate Director, Editorial.

Eckstrom spent the last year serving as associate editor for RNS; prior to that, he was RNS’ National Correspondent, and has focused on the Catholic and mainline Protestant beats, and on enterprise reporting. He led Religion News Service’s coverage last year of the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

O’Keefe has served as editor of RNS for nearly two years. Before that, he was a national correspondent covering values and philanthropy for Newhouse News Service, the owner of Religion News Service. He has worked for the Newhouse organization, including The (Portland) Oregonian, for nearly 12 years.

“Mark made an immediate and positive impact on RNS as its editor,” said Linda Fibich, Newhouse News Service Bureau Chief. “He sharpened the focus of the service, rebuilt and refreshed its team of correspondents and stringers, and helped build the service not only in reputation, but in terms of subscribers. He has also mentored Kevin to serve as editor, which allows the service to undergo a seamless transition, as Mark pursues a new and exciting opportunity with the Pew Forum—an RNS subscriber.”

Kevin Eckstrom joined the RNS staff in February, 2000. Previously, he worked as religion editor at the Stuart/Port St. Lucie News in Florida. He was the winner of the 2000 Cassels Award for small newspapers from the Religion Newswriters Association, and placed third for the 2002 Templeton Religion Reporter of the Year prize. Since 2000, he won 12 Awards of Excellence and six Awards of Merit from the Associated Church Press. Eckstrom holds a M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. from The George Washington University.

Eckstrom is vice president of the board of trustees for the Religion Newswriters Association and his work was featured in the book, “Changing Boundaries: The Best Religion News Writing of 2003.”

Religion News Service is the only secular wire service focused exclusively on religion, ethics, spirituality and moral issues. A large worldwide network of correspondents, stringers and columnists delivers syndicated news and opinion daily to more than 100 major daily newspapers, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times and USA Today. In addition to such media organizations as Time magazine, Newsweek, and PBS, hundreds of award-winning magazines, broadcasters, religious publications and Web sites subscribe to the service.

For more than 70 years, Religion News Service—whose content now reaches more than 20 million readers worldwide—has covered such important stories as the civil rights movement, the persecution of the Jews during World War II, the rise of the evangelical movement, the Vietnam antiwar movement and the founding of Israel.

RNS also provides a photo service with thousands of current and stock photos and graphics. Newhouse News Service is owned by Advance Publications Inc.

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

Friday, March 24, 2006

 

MADDALENA: A Renaissance Love Story

POPES, CARDINALS, AND WOMEN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Victor Gulotta, 617-630-9286, victor@booktours.com

What did Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, the protagonist in the historical novel Maddalena, have in common with his grandfather Pope Paul III, besides being the greatest art patron of his time? A lust for women.

When Alessandro was twenty-four-years old, his miniaturist Giulio Clovio provided Titian with a sketch of his mistress, the courtesan Angela, whose lovely face was immortalized in the Venetian master’s reclining nude, kept in the cardinal’s private quarters for most of his life. To satisfy a code of propriety, the Venetian master transformed the sensuous nude in Alessandro’s painting into the mythological Danaë being raped by Zeus, the wanton god symbolized by a shower of gold.

How sensuous? The papal nuncio, Giovanni Della Casa, reported that Titian’s masterpiece would have excited even the principal Censor of the Church, and the future head of the Roman Inquisition, the severe Dominican Tommaso Badia. Although the Pope was furious by his grandson’s lack of prudence, if not virtue, he was too busy having his bedroom decorated with the frescoes of Cupid and Psyche. And Cardinal Farnese, protected by his grandfather, and unlimited wealth, could not only buy many courtesans’ favors, but stop the wagging fingers over breaking every code of honor imposed on him as the second-in-command after the Pope.

A family aberration? Surely not.

Paul III ascended to the papal throne with four legitimized children, and great dynastic plans for his grandchildren. His grandson Alessandro, made Cardinal at fourteen, and life-time Vice-Chancellor at fifteen, resented his ecclesiastical career, dreaming of being a prince. Papabile three times, he didn’t take his major vows for thirty years. Unlike Paul III, the immensely rich Alessandro was not rich enough to bribe his way to the coveted papal chair.

Maddalena, Book One of The Golden Tripolis Trilogy, is about Alessandro Farnese’s love for a Jewish flower woman who converts to Catholicism. Taking the biblical name Magdalen, Alessandro’s mistress eventually suffers at the hands of the Roman Inquisition. The crippled, blinded woman who survives the ordeal at the stake becomes a healer in the service of God and the people.

Maddalena’s character deepens with her conversion. Philip F. O’Connor, the 1994 Pulitzer Prize Chair for Letters, commented: “From the beginning of their relationship, when we see the incredibly powerful member of the Curia distracted by the beauty of a young Jewish woman, we are captivated. As she becomes more involved with the aging cardinal, she becomes more pious, more saintly. As the man of God falls to his love for her, he at first becomes more helpless and worldly, as vulnerable, as human, as Christian, as seems possible for him.”

The moral climate in the Eternal City is so severe that one can be burned at the stake for the smallest transgression from church dogma. Yet, the Vatican’s most powerful Cardinal has a mistress, an illegitimate son and a daughter, and a sexual relationship with his ward. Prudence, temperance, courage, and justice may be the cardinal virtues; the Cardinal clearly possesses none of them. That His Most Reverend Excellency, Cardinal Farnese, actually lived, adds a deeper dimension to what is already a stunningly rich tapestry of everyday life in Michelangelo’s Rome.

A sensual, compelling story of wealth, power, and piety based on historical characters, Maddalena concludes in St. Peter's square on Easter Sunday in 1575, the stage of a miraculous ascension. Inspired by Titian’s nude Penitent Magdalen, which once belonged to Alessandro’s historical brother-in law, the plot is replete with religious issues: the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant revolt in the Low Countries, St. Bartholomaeus night's massacre of the Huguenots in Paris, and the huge Christian naval victory over the Moslems at Lepanto. Ms. Siroka, an art historian with a doctorate from Princeton University, has a wonderful talent for weaving known facts into rich tapestries full of emotional power and a plea for religious tolerance, in which Catholic converts like Maddalena become nascent saints.

An engrossing love story and sensual tour of ecclesiastic and artistic Rome, Maddalena features nearly two dozen color plates of Ms. Siroka’s stunning watercolor illustrations, and the painting of the Magdalen that graces the cover of the book. A professional artist with works in private and public collections in North America and Europe, Ms. Siroka has equal gifts for storytelling, painting, and scholarship, which come marvelously together to make Maddalena a delightful experience. It would be a sin to miss it.

See www.mymaddalena.com for a two-minute multimedia bookpresenter, with various links, including the author’s website and book reviews.

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Evangelical Theologian Makes Biblical Case for Gay Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2006

For additional information contact:
Gavin Stephens, gstephens@wjkbooks.com, (502) 569-5713

Louisville, Kentucky—Taking on the most divisive issue in the church today the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Jack Rogers, argues unequivocally for the ordination and marriage of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) in Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church.

A life-long evangelical and a respected theologian, Rogers argues that fidelity to the Bible demands equal rights in the church and society for people who are LGBT. Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality describes Rogers’s own change of mind and heart on the issue; charts the church’s well-documented history of using biblical passages to oppress marginalized groups; argues for a Christ-centered reading of Scripture; and debunks oft-repeated stereotypes about gays and lesbians.

“The best methods of interpretation, from the Reformation on down through today, call upon us to interpret the Scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ’s life and ministry. Using this method we see clearly that Jesus and the Bible, properly understood, do not condemn people who are homosexual,” Rogers writes in a stirring conclusion that is sure to provoke debate.

Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality was released this March by Westminster John Knox Press to widespread attention and acclaim. Yesterday, Rogers was the featured guest on KQED San Francisco’s “Forum,” which skyrocketed sales on Amazon.com. And next week, Rogers will begin a national book tour with more than twenty speaking engagements confirmed.

The book has also received glowing reviews from some of America’s foremost religious leaders:

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Oakseed Ministries International Launches New Blogsite for Youth Featuring Leading Experts on Child Hunger



Blogsite connected to international youth essay contest on child hunger

Contact: Edward Bradley, (703) 876-9020 – day
(703) 470-4618 – evening

For Immediate Release
March 24, 2006

VIENNA, Va. – Oakseed Ministries International, www.oakseed.org, today announced a new blogsite for youth that is designed to help young people to think critically about the issue of international child hunger. The blogsite will feature insights from experts on the issue of child hunger, and is connected to an international essay contest for youth sponsored by Oakseed that is entitled: Compassion and the Starving Child.

The new Oakseed blogsite address is: www.essayblog.oakseed.org

The first featured interview on the new blogsite is an interview with Rev. Jim McDonald, vice president for policy and programs for Bread for the World, www.bread.org.

“We are pleased to offer this new blogsite to engage young people on the issue of starving children worldwide. We are particularly enthused to feature interviews with experts from organizations such as Bread for the World, World Vision and others.” said Ed Bradley, president of Oakseed Ministries International. “This blogsite is connected to Oakseed’s essay contest: Compassion and the Starving Child. Oakseed Ministries hopes to empower children here in the U.S. and abroad to think critically about the worldwide epidemic of child hunger and starvation. We value the wisdom of children regarding the needs of the poor and disenfranchised in our world.”

The blogsite and essay contest are a part of a yearlong effort to raise awareness of the plight of starving children that will culminate in the Annual Day of Prayer for Children at Risk on June 4, 2006. There is still time for young people to submit essays to this international essay contest.

Essay Contest: Compassion and the Starving Child
Sponsor: Oakseed Ministries International, www.oakseed.org
Age Categories: ages 12 and under, ages 13 – 17 and ages 18 – 22
Deadline: April 16, 2006
Prizes: (In each category) First place - $1,000, Second place - $500, Honorable mention - $250.
Guidelines: Detailed guidelines available at www.oakseed.org or by request by emailing essay@oakseed.org or calling (toll free) 877-876-9020.

###

Oakseed Ministries International is a faith-based non-profit organization that seeks to respond to God’s heart by defending the cause of the poor, the fatherless and society’s castoffs in the megacities of the developing world. Oakseed assists local ministries that serve abandoned children and the poor.

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

 

Scientific Study Finds that Religious Revival Services Increase Family Harmony and Quality of Life, and Improve School Behavior and Reduce Drug Abuse

In the most recent issue of Education and Urban Society, William Jeynes, a professor at California State University in Long Beach, conducted a study using three groups of randomly selected students to study the effects of attending religious revival services at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida. According to the New York Times, the Brownsville Revival is the most significant event of its kind in the last half-century, with about 4 million attending since 1995. Jeynes randomly selected a total of 150 individuals, 50 who had attended the revival services (the Revival Group), 50 who were waiting in line to attend the revival services (the pre-Revival Group), and 50 individuals from across the country (General Control Group) matched by zip code with the individuals who attended the revival services.

Those who attended the revival services were much more likely than the General Control Group to report an increase in the quality of their lives and the quality of their family life. They were also more likely to report improvements in school behavior and a reduction in their use of illegal drugs and alcohol. Attending the revival services had no discernable influence on a students' grade point average. Students in the pre-Revival Group, who like those in the Revival Group, were all Christians also were more likely to report improvements in their family life and a reduction in their consumption of illegal drugs and alcohol than the General Control Group. However, the differences between the pre-Revival and the General Control Group were not as great as between the Revival Group and the General Control Group.

The results of the study indicate students attending revival services had profound effects.

Dr. Jeynes is one of the nation's leading researchers on the influence of religiosity and attending religious schools. He has conducted the only meta-analysis ever undertaken examining these issues in a series of journal articles and in his book, Religion, Education, and Academic Success. He has also written dozens of academic journal articles, which have divulged among other things that when African American and Latino students are religious and from intact families, the achievement gap with white students disappears.

William Jeynes (whjharvard@post.harvard.edu) is also the Chair of the Religion and Education group of the American Education Research Association.

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Calvin Announces New Institute for the Study of World Christianity

Calvin College provost Joel Carpenter, slated to step away from that post this summer, is the first director of the new Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity at Calvin.

The Institute was established at Calvin for reflection, research and communication regarding Christianity in the global south and east.

Carpenter says the Nagel Institute will encourage scholars in the north to reorient their scholarly work to the global south and east, and will examine the role of the diaspora Christian communities: northern diaspora faith communities such as African American churches, U.S. Latino evangélicos and Catholic renewal movements, Caribbean congregations in Canada, African Christians in Europe, and Asian American churches.

This week the Nagel Institute announced a project it will fund which will examine primal religions as the substructure for Christianity.

"The investigators plan to look at primal religions, sometimes called traditional religions," Carpenter says, "and look at how those religions interact with the Christian faith. During all periods of Christian history the majority of those peoples who have embraced the Christian faith were previously adherents of religious traditions that are now called primal. So the Nagel Institute will convene scholars from around the world to examine this topic and then convene a seminar on campus next summer."

Carpenter notes that Christianity has experienced a seismic shift in its place among the people and religions of the world. In 1900, even after a century of missionary mobilization and pioneering, Christianity was still overwhelmingly represented among the people of Europe and North America, where 80% of all professing Christians resided.

Today, the situation is vastly different. Only 40% of the world's Christians now live in the North Atlantic quadrant, and the faith is declining numerically in that region. About 60% of the world's Christians reside elsewhere, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.

Carpenter says that these developments, which have been happening beneath the radar for over three decades, have led to a critical moment for institutions such as Calvin College.

"We seem to be at a moment that cries out for a renewal of Christian scholarship," he says. "Christian inquiry is a strategic response to the 'now what?' question for post-Western world Christianity, as churches now face the broader and longer-term issues of cultural discipleship, the teaching of nations."

Contact Carpenter at 616-526-6102 or jcarpent@calvin.edu

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Thursday, March 23, 2006

 

Cathedral's Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation Mounts an Inter Religious Campaign to Battle Malaria in Mozambique









For immediate release
March 23, 2006

Contact: Elizabeth Mullen
202-537-6248, office
emullen@cathedral.org

Religious, diplomatic, governmental and private sector leaders gathered at Washington National Cathedral on March 16 to launch a unified effort against malaria in Mozambique.

In a meeting convened by the Cathedral College’s Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation, participants agreed to pledge necessary resources to fortify existing anti-malaria campaigns in the country. Malaria is the leading cause of death in Mozambique.

Working with religious leaders in Mozambique to identify areas of need, the group is scheduled to present an action plan when it meets again on April 19 in Maputo, a week before Africa Malaria Day. Jean Duff, managing director for the Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation, is leading the group.

His Excellency Armando Panguene, ambassador of Mozambique to the United States, attended the meeting. The Right Rev. Dinis Sengulane, Anglican bishop of Lebombo; the Right Rev. Joao Machado, bishop of the United Methodist Church of Mozambique; and Mr. Hassan Makda, chairman of the Islamic Council of Mozambique joined the session by conference call.

Members of the working group include: Janette O’Neill, director, Africa Programs, and Susan Lassen, director of North East Operations, Episcopal Relief and Development; Cherian Thomas, executive secretary, Health and Relief, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church; Allan Handysides, director of health ministries, and Ray Dabrowski, director of communications, Seventh Day Adventist Church; Rabia Mathai, senior vice president, Global Program Policy and Planning, Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB); John Peterson, director, and Jean Duff, managing director, Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation, Cathedral College, Washington National Cathedral; Wendell Belew, representing Islamic relief organizations, Friends of Charities Association; Sonny Fox, president, Sonny Fox Communications; Catherine Hand of Hand & Associates; Bill Ryerson, president, Population Media Center; and a representative from Lutheran World Relief.

Advisory board members include: Chris Thomas, public affairs advisor, and Elizabeth Fox, deputy director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Varian Brandon, Division of Health Information Dissemination, and Scott Santibanez, sector lead, Faith-based and Community Organization, Division of Partnership Strategic Alliance Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Michael Madnick and Cameron Dubes, consultants, UN Foundation; Julia Royall; and a representative from the World Bank.

For more information and a picture of the working group, please visit http://www.cathedralcollege.org/pages/cgjr/programAreas.shtml

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FaithJam '06 Connects Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Music and Comedy

CONTACT: Laura Kaufman 818-501-8880 lkpr1@aol.com

Let My People Sing, a 9-day Passover celebration throughout Greater Los Angeles, will kick-off with Faith Jam ’06, a multi-religious prayer service followed by comedic and musical performances. This ground-breaking endeavor will take place at the Islamic Center of Southern California -- the first time that such a major Los Angeles Jewish community event will be hosted by a Muslim community.

"Los Angeles is the most diverse and creative city in the world," said Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, FaithJam's honorary chair. "FaithJam brings together these two great strengths in one celebration, using music and culture to build unity and understanding in our city."

The program will open with two religious rituals performed fully and authentically in order to share the beauty of the Muslim and Jewish traditions. First, the Muslim evening prayer Isha will be led by a highly-accomplished musalleeh (prayer leader). Then, Rabbi Naomi Levy, festival producer Craig Taubman, internationally renowned environmental educator Gabe Goldman, will lead Havdalah, the Jewish ceremony that ends the Sabbath and begins the week.

The concert will offer more than just musicians and comedians performing. Their stage performances will be interspersed with multi religious and cultural musical dialogue. “What better way to show these diverse people the beauty of other faiths than through music and laughter,” commented Taubman.

CONFIRMED PERFORMERS INCLUDE:

Beth Lapides – founder of Uncabaret
Maz Jobrani (comedian)
Yuval Ron Ensemble (winners of Moondance , Telluride and other Film Festival awards)
Tunisian artist MC Rai
Praise Team from Christ Our Redeemer Church
Ani Zonneveld (Grammy-certified songwriter & vocalist)

“Because there is so much media coverage on the current extremist separation between members of all these religions, people tend to believe that there is no dialogue going on, that there is no hope for peaceful coexistence," said FaithJam organizer Shawn Landres. "And they certainly don’t believe that there is any pleasure or fun involved between these religious groups. FaithJam’06 is designed to show the reality of the way most of these people feel – and maybe just by our small event here in L.A. this kind of shared celebration can stretch to other areas and other groups.”

For additional information about Faith Jam and Let My People Sing, go to www.letmypeoplesing.com. For a listing of all Let My People Sing events, click here.

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Religion & Ethics Newsweekly Program Listings for March 24, 2006

** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY **

This week’s edition of the PBS newsmagazine program RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY (distributed Friday, March 24 at 5 p.m., check local listings) will feature the following reports:

* Cover Story: "Iraq: Just War Revisited" — Kim Lawton talks with theologians and ethicists about whether the U.S, was morally justified in invading Iraq, whether American conduct there has met ethical standards, and what ethical principles should be considered in deciding when to leave Iraq.

* Feature: "Altruism" — Lucky Severson profiles people doing good deeds—inspired not only by religious teachings but also by a personal desire to help those less fortunate.

To request a transcript of the first two reports, send an e-mail to schultzm@religionethics.org or go to the program Web site at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics where both the transcript and streaming video of each story will be available after 8:30 p.m. on Friday. To access the “Belief and Practice” segment online, use the Web link listed above.

For information, contact:
Mary Schultz
Director of Communications
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly
202-216-2394
schultzm@religionethics.org

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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

 

"Religion & Ethics Newsweekly" Honored with Silver Hugo and Angel Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C., March 22, 2006 - RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, the Thirteen/WNET New York-produced PBS news magazine program hosted by Bob Abernethy, has been recognized for broadcast excellence in industry awards competitions sponsored by Cinema/Chicago and Excellence in Media.

RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY received a Silver Hugo Award in the 2006 Chicago International Television Competition for programs submitted in the "TV News Magazine Series" category. Presented by Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival, the Hugo Awards recognize the best in television from around the world with winners demonstrating "unparalleled creativity, technical virtuosity and strong production values."

RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY was also honored with six Silver Angel Awards for the following reports: "Impossible Choices," "Sister Mary Andrew Matesich" and "Faith and Family in America, Part Two: Religion and Parenting" produced by Susan Grandis Goldstein and reported by Betty Rollin; "Buddhist Tiger Temple" and "Gerard Straub" produced by Trent Harris and featuring correspondent Lucky Severson; and "Right to Live" produced by Nicole See with correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro. Since 1977, Excellence in Media has recognized outstanding achievements in various fields of communications that have moral, spiritual or social impact through the Silver Angel Awards.

In addition to these recent industry honors, the program has received three previous Hugo Awards and 17 Silver Angel Awards. The show has also been the recipient of more than 75 additional industry awards including the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award, three Gracie Allen Awards(r), seven CINE Golden Eagle Awards, nine New York Festival Awards, three Chicago TV Fest and three Clarion Awards.

RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY is a one-of-a-kind television newsmagazine program offering insightful coverage and analysis of the news, people, events and trends behind the headlines and exploring how religion shapes both national and international events. Major funding is provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc. with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Mutual of America Life Insurance Company. Executive producer is Arnie Labaton; Thirteen/WNET executive-in-charge is Stephen Segaller.

###

For more information, contact:
Mary Schultz
Director of Communications
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly
schultzm@religionethics.org
202-216-2394

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Doctor of Ministry Degree to Focus on Ministry in a Multifaith Context

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2006

New York Theological Seminary is partnering with Auburn Theological Seminary to launch a new Multifaith Doctor of Ministry in the fall of 2006 for professionals who serve across religious boundaries

The time to think beyond the traditional categories of seminary education has come, says Dr. Dale T. Irvin, Acting President and Professor of World Christianity at New York Theological Seminary. We do a great job in training ministers to work in their home communities, but we need more options for training them for public leadership. This requires a sensitivity and knowledge of religious differences, especially at a time when the boundaries between church and state are being fiercely debated.

The director of Auburn’s Center for Multifaith Education, Rabbi Daniel S. Brenner has been envisioning such a program for several years. Hospital, college, prison, and military chaplains are seeing America’s new religious diversity first hand. It is time for a professional degree for all those who serve social and spiritual needs across boundaries.

Joining the program as a senior advisor will be Paul Knitter, Professor Emeritus of Theology at Xavier University. Author of Theologies of Religions, One Earth - Many Religions: Multifaith Dialogue and Global Responsibility, and numerous articles, Knitter is a world-renowned expert in inter-religious relations

New York Theological Seminary, founded in 1901, and Auburn Theological Seminary, founded in 1818, both have long histories as pioneering institutions. New York Theological Seminary was a pioneer in urban and multicultural ministry while Auburn was one of the first seminaries to specialize in continuing education for clergy. In the fall of 2006, these two neighboring seminaries will forge a new path together as they open their doors to clergy who serve across religious boundaries.

The program is open to ministers and rabbis with degrees from accredited seminaries as well as leaders and educators of other religious traditions who have completed 72 graduate credits in professional religious studies. The diverse group of students will come together in an environment that according to Knitter will promote a dialogue in which all sides are able to hear and be challenged by the others and at the same time to speak and challenge in return.

For more information contact multifaithdmin@nyts.edu, or visit www.auburnsem.org or www.nyts.edu.

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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

 

A Fresh New Look, Added Features and a Brand New Name - At Relationships.com(tm) Christian Singles Find More Ways To Connect



BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 21, 2006 - Starting today, Christian singles can take advantage of a better online personals experience. Formerly known as ChristianMingle(r).com, the new Relationships.com (www.relationships.com) offers a unique online community created for Christian singles looking to make new friends or find life-long partners who share similar values, traditions and beliefs.

Already the fastest growing online community for Christian singles, the new Relationships.com brand better represents today's Christian single. By utilizing the many interactive features, including email, chat rooms, message boards and instant messaging, Christian singles can become part of an active and growing online community of like-minded individuals.

In addition, the new Relationships.com launches with added features, including:

- 100 new uplifting and spiritual messages eCards to communicate;
- Searchable scriptures to help spread God's word;
- A new Photo Shuffle tool that showcases a varied array of user-uploaded photos in an easy-to-view gallery, giving members an easier way to find matches and helping profiles get noticed more often.

"Relationships.com gives Christian singles the tools they need to interact and have a voice within their community," stated David Siminoff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spark Networks plc, owner and operator of Relationships.com. "Finally, Christian singles are empowered to find their soul mates."

About Spark Networks(r) plc:

Spark Networks is a leading provider of online personals services. The company's American Depositary Shares trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "LOV" and its Global Depositary Shares trade on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "MHJG." In addition to Relationships.com, the Spark Networks portfolio of consumer websites includes, among others, JDate(r).com (www.jdate.com), AmericanSingles(r).com (www.americansingles.com), BlackSinglesConnection(tm).com (www.blacksinglesconnection.com) and PrimeSingles(tm).net (www.primesingles.net).

For More Information

Gail Laguna
+ 1 323 836 3000
glaguna@spark.net

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Monday, March 20, 2006

 

Leader of a New Reformation Challenges Postmodern Christianity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Warwick Associates
707-939-9212, sws@vom.com
www.warwickassociates.net

Oakland, CA (March 10, 2006) –– One of most outspoken leaders of the progressive Christianity movement, Matthew Fox confronts religious fundamentalism in an electrifying new book. In A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity, he likens today’s intolerant “father” ideologies to the religious environment that existed 500 years ago when Martin Luther launched a break from the Roman Catholic Church, the renewal called the Reformation. Fox calls for a repudiation of the authoritarian, punitive tendencies that prevail in modern churches.

Fox said, “I see our time as an historical moment of shift, as reflected in the current backlash against corruption in the Roman Catholic church and against the spiritual sloth characterizing present-day Protestantism, which is being mowed over by anti-intellectual fundamentalism.”

In a dramatic action of protest, in 2005, Fox reenacted Luther’s nailing of 95 theses to the door of Castle Church in Germany. These “95 Theses or Articles of Faith for a Christianity for the Third Millennium” are laid out in A New Reformation, along with proactive solutions to the ennui of mainline Christianity, what he calls a “sleeping giant” eager to be awakened to the true teachings of Jesus about justice and compassion.

For thirty-four years an ordained priest, and never shy of controversy, Fox hit the headlines when he was silenced, then expelled from the Dominican Order by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) for founding the Creation Spirituality movement. A nationally known theologian and now an Episcopal minister, Fox speaks and teaches throughout North America. His 26 books have sold more than a million copies.

As Luther did in his Reformation, Fox calls for new forms of worship. With this in mind he created the Cosmic Mass, a kind of art-, music- and movement-filled form of worship that has been participated in by thousands of people across North America.

The founder of Wisdom University in Oakland, California, Fox is the recipient of many honors, including the same "Courage of Conscience" award as bestowed on the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa and Rosa Parks.

About his latest book, A New Reformation (published by Inner Traditions) Fox said, “Holding up a mirror to what’s passing for religion, we leave museum-like Christianity as we would a burning building––seizing what is most valuable and letting go of the rest.”

# # # #

Title: A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity
Author: Matthew Fox ISBN: 1-59477-123-5
Publisher: Inner Traditions Publication Date: May 1, 2006
Quality Paperback: 5.38 x 8.25, 128 pages List Price: $12.95
Distributors/Wholesalers: Ingram, New Leaf, Baker & Taylor,
Ten Speed Press/Canada, Book Wholesalers, Bookazine, Nutri-Books,
Partners West, Quality Books, Unique Books

Order Now: (800) 246-8648 Information: www.InnerTraditions.com
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The Lodge is 'Garden of Eden' for Weary Pastors from Across U.S.; Almost Half Sent by Thoughtful Church Member

NOTE TO EDITORS/REPORTERS:

1. Editors and reporters, along with spouses, are invited to be complimentary guests at The Lodge. See contact information below.
2. Pastors from all over the U.S. have visited The Lodge. Interviews with those in your area arranged on request.
3. Photos and graphics available on request.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pete Pappas: 800-321-1538/ext. 2064 or ppappas@lifeaction.org

BUCHANAN, Mich. - Is it possible in today's modern world for a church to send its pastor to a veritable "Garden of Eden?" Or to help that pastor experience the words Jesus spoke in John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you...?"

The answer is "yes." And The Lodge, a 1928 French-country estate and private retreat center in Buchanan, Mich., offers something as close to that as possible. Hidden away on 82 acres of solitude on the St. Joseph River less than 90 miles from Chicago, "The Lodge is an oasis displaying the greatness of God," said Byron Paulus, executive director of Life Action Ministries.

Serving as a retreat center for pastors from all over the country, The Lodge is an outreach of Life Action (www.lifeaction.org). It has eight guest suites and also is an ideal setting for staff, leadership, marriage or prayer retreats.

"Even if a pastor doesn't take the initiative to do it for himself, wouldn't it be a loving gift for a congregation to give a stay at The Lodge to its leader?" said Paulus. He said almost 50 percent of the pastors who come to The Lodge do so courtesy of a thoughtful church member.

Statistics show that 1,500 pastors leave their churches every month because of conflict, burnout or moral failure. Eighty percent of pastors report their ministry has negatively affected their families. Surveys reveal other facts that cry out for the need for pastors to have some place to go to rekindle their love for Christ and His church.

"The Lodge provides a peaceful setting for pastors and their wives to gain new perspective in a world clamoring for their attention. It is a sanctuary for sanity in a relentless world," said Paulus.

Group sessions at the Lodge are led by a "pastor's pastor," a seasoned veteran of full-time Christian service who fully understands the pastors' struggles. Each retreat includes devotionals, prayer and a lot of time for rest and personal reflection.

"The retreats work miracles, even though pastors at first say they can't get away, they can't afford it or they fear the reaction of their congregations," he said.

Pastor Kelly Reynolds of Berrien, Mich., said, "This week has been what I call 'a holy moment' in my life.' God has met me at my point of question and reaffirmed my calling to ministry and to the church I serve. I came hoping to receive a release from ministry as a vocation. I'm leaving joyful to be a minister, with a conviction that I've been called."

"The retreat has helped me refocus on God's love for me, even in the midst of troubling times," said Pastor Glenn Johnson of Duluth, Minn. "My calling has been affirmed. I am ready to return, even though the conflict in our church may not have changed, or even may have worsened."

Missy Benfield, a pastor's wife in Concord, N.C., said, "God found both of us drained - physically, emotionally and spiritually. This has been a time of getting back to our first love - Jesus!"

A virtual tour is available at www.retreatatthelodge.org. Information also is available at 800-321-1538.


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Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

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Amor Ministries Recognized as Best Christian Place to Work

March 20, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Alon Banks, Director of Development, alonb@amor.org, 619.247.4828

Seattle, WA - March 16, 2006 - Amor Ministries has taken top honors in the Best Christian Places to Work in the United States survey.

Amor Ministries, founded in 1980 by Scott and Gayla Congdon, is a non-profit organization that works in the border cities of Mexico. Amor strives to provide education and mission experiences that change people, eradicate spiritual and physical poverty, and impact the future of the church. This happens through a number of different programs, which support the families in Mexico, including house building, a back-to-school program, house sponsorship opportunities, and a food bank.

The survey, administered by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI), involved more than 10,600 employees in 93 organizations across the United States to identify great workplaces with a Christian mission and/or values. The top 40 survey finalists are published in the April issue of Christianity Today magazine. The 4th annual award ceremony was held on March 15 at the Christian Management Associations convention in Denver, Colorado. High employee response rates are required to ensure the survey results are statistically significant.

Based on the survey, the Best Christian Places to Work in the United States are experiencing strong growth, low employee turnover and high levels of trust between employees and management. "Our research indicates leaders in these organizations demonstrate high levels character, competence and compassion, while employees show high levels of commitment" said Al Lopus, president of the Best Christian Workplaces Institute. "We have come to see this survey is a leading indicator of future success for these finalists because of the high levels of organizational health and effectiveness," says Lopus.

The Best Christian Workplaces Institute has surveyed more than 40,000 employees across North America in three years. BCWI is a research based organizational and human resources consulting firm based in Mercer Island, Washington.

"It is a thrill and an honor to have Amor Ministries recognized as one of the top Christian places to work! We strive to empower our employees to be highly successful, and I am incredibly proud of each individual that works to make Amor an exciting, dedicated, and fun place to serve," shares co-founder and CEO, Scott Congdon.

The survey poses questions to employees around six major categories: attraction and retention, motivation and commitment, empowerment and relationships, rewards and benefits, growth and development, and Christian values. An independent panel of judges weighted the employee scores, the employee survey participation rates and profiles in order to select the finalists.

Amor Ministries Website: http://www.amor.org/

Christianity Today website: http://ChristianityToday.com/ctmag/

For more information about the survey log on to http://www.bcwinstitute.com or contact Al Lopus, (206) 230-8111 or alopus@bcwinstitute.com.

# # #

Best Christian Workplaces Institute's purpose is to serve faith-based organizations by creating processes of discovery, facilitating organizational and leadership alignment, and encouraging practices that build healthy, effective workplaces.

To schedule an interview on this press release, contact Alon Banks at (619) 247.4828.



About Religion Press Release Services
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The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

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Thursday, March 16, 2006

 

Religion & Ethics Newsweekly Program Listings for March 17, 2006


** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY ** MEDIA ADVISORY **

This week’s edition of the PBS newsmagazine program RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY (distributed Friday, March 17 at 5 p.m., check local listings) will feature the following reports:

* Cover Story: "Refusal to Treat" — Lucky Severson explores the growing controversy over the push to expand states’ “conscience clauses” to include pharmacists who oppose dispensing medication or providing services they find morally objectionable. (Rebroadcast from June 3, 2005)

Web link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week840/cover.html

* Feature: "The Bone Hunters" — Saul Gonzalez reports on how the investigative search by forensic anthropologists for victims in Guatemala’s one-time killing fields is helping the city confront the human costs of the country’s 36-year-long civil war. (Rebroadcast from July 22, 2005)

Web link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week847/cover.html

* Belief and Practice: “Roadside Crosses” — Professor Bob Bednar from Southwestern University discusses the religious significance and symbolism of roadside crosses as sacred sites commemorating the dead. (Rebroadcast from February 25, 2005)

Web link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week847/cover.html

To request a transcript of any of these reports, send an e-mail to schultzm@religionethics.org or use the Web links listed above to access the transcripts and streaming video of each segment.

For information, contact:
Mary Schultz
Director of Communications
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly
202-216-2394
schultzm@religionethics.org

###

About Religion Press Release Services

Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us

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Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

 

New Book Celebrates Courage of World War II Dutch Rescuers Against Impossible Odds


Contact: Aimée Jannsohn
The Pilgrim Press
216.736.3761 phone, 216.736.2207 fax
ajannsohn@thepilgrimpress.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Powerful stories” —Publishers Weekly

“Poignant stories” —Booklist

“No one knows what this 21st century will bring, hope or horror. The brave people Klempner profiles in this gripping book show us there can be hope, even amid horror.” – Pete Seeger, legendary folk singer and political activist

“An invaluable book for anyone who seeks to learn—or relearn—the art of compassionate resistance. With America tempted to empire as never before, Klempner's account of those who could have been players in the game of 'Aryan supremacy' but chose instead to subvert it comes at a crucial time.” – Garret Keizer, author of Help: The Original Human Dilemma

“Like no other work I have read, Mark Klempner’s deeply moving book puts a human face on the Holocaust rescuers.” – Christopher R. Browning, author of The Origins of the Final Solution

“A book to restore one’s faith in the possibility of human goodness.” – Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

“Powerful stories that can inspire us in our current time. They remind us that even in the most difficult circumstances we still can make choices that matter.” – Paul Loeb, author of Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time

“I read Klempner's book with great interest, and with gratitude that he collected these accounts from a generation of remarkable people who are now leaving us. It is so important that we hear their stories and tell their stories to young people again and again.” – Lois Lowry, Newbery Award winning author of Number the Stars and The Giver

“We need to know that there are transformed people, even in the midst of a world that seems to avoid renewal, resurrection, and transformation. Hope becomes personal, concrete, and believable in these marvelous stories.”– Richard Rohr, OFM, Center for Action and Contemplation, author of Radical Grace

“A work of both agonizing history and hopeful prophecy. . . . Klempner’s beautifully intimate portraits illuminate the sanctuary of the loving heart, the place from which the Dutch rescuers performed their courageous deeds in quietness and strength.” – Reverend Mark I. Wallace, Swarthmore College, author of Fragments of the Spirit

“In these pages you will meet profound, uplifting people whose iron devotion to human caring compelled them to risk everything to shelter, hid, and save the vulnerable. You will not stop thinking about them after you finish reading, for Mark Klempner gracefully, hauntingly, invites the most intimate reflection on the moral struggles echoing from the Holocaust into the troubled present.” – David K. Shipler, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land

Generations of readers have been captivated by Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl since its release more than fifty years ago. They’ve been particularly fascinated by Dutch heroes such as Miep Gies, who risked her life to hide the Franks from the Nazi regime. Books about such heroism during World War II have continued to pour in over the years, but there remains the need for a book that conveys the hard-earned wisdom of the rescuers and how this wisdom relates to contemporary issues. The Heart Has Reasons is such a book.

The author has assembled a collection of poignant narratives told by Dutch rescuers, all of whom helped hide Jewish children during the Nazi occupation of Holland. His book features amazing stories of fearlessness. For example, after being thrown into prison for transporting Jewish children to safe places, Hetty Voûte successfully assisted some British paratroopers in the cell above hers to escape. For that, she was sentenced to work at a labor camp, where she further defied the Nazis by secretly ruining the gas masks she made in an assembly line there. Rut Matthijsen worked tirelessly behind the scenes, forging identity cards and other vital papers, and printing illegal books and posters, the sale of which supported hundreds of children in hiding. Pieter Meerburg, who co-founded a rescue network at only 21 years of age, orchestrated the stealthy removal of hundreds of Jewish children from the “Creche,” a building in Amsterdam where Jewish children were detained before being sent to concentration camps. The rescuers’ stories and personalities vary widely, but the thread that connects them all is their unwavering courage and compassion during one of the darkest periods in history.

As told to Mark Klempner, whose own father narrowly escaped the Nazi scourge, the stories act as both a window to the past and a vision for the future. Framed by Klempner’s quest for spirituality in his life, the book asks questions about how people of faith and conscience can navigate ethically in an increasingly complex world. If the rescuers could remain committed to acting with love and generosity, even while under the boot of the Nazi regime, they surely have something to teach us today—about being courageous in addressing injustices, about maintaining an open heart, and about not giving in or giving up. Their critiques of modern society can be as startling as their memories of the Nazi years, yet most have retained an unshakable optimism, anchored in their time-tested conviction that each individual can make a difference.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mark Klempner is a folklorist, and oral historian. His articles have appeared in both mainstream and academic publications, and he has been featured as an NPR commentator. He lives in Costa Rica with his wife and son. Visit his website at
www.hearthasreasons.com.

# # #

The Heart Has Reasons: Holocaust Rescuers and Their Stories of Courage
Mark Klempner
Foreword by Christopher R. Browning
272 pp - 6" x 9" / ISBN 0-8298-1699-2 / $24.00 USA/$29.00 CAN
March 2006 publication - World Rights - Published by The Pilgrim Press
Holocaust Studies/Inspiration
35 photos / 1 map


The Pilgrim Press • 700 Prospect Avenue • Cleveland, OH 44115

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

 

The Hallelujah Diet Ranks #1 on Amazon.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2005

Shelby, NC: The Hallelujah Diet, a new book by Hallelujah Acres, Inc. founder, Rev. George Malkmus, is ranked # 1 on Amazon.com just after its release on March 1, 2006. Known for his inspiring and dynamic How to Eliminate Sickness Seminar presented monthly in Shelby, NC, Rev. Malkmus brings the message home in this invigorating and informative book.

For those seeking to achieve optimal health and wellness, The Hallelujah Diet is a comprehensive "how to" guide, coupled with Rev. Malkmus' enlightening and inspiring personal message.

In 1976, Rev. Malkmus was diagnosed with colon cancer. He did not want to use conventional treatment programs. Instead, sought an alternative and found his answer in God's original diet. Rev. Malkmus states, “I rejected the world's way and went God's way. I turned to the Bible, adopted God's original diet as found in Genesis 1:29 and every physical problem simply went away, including the cancer."

After his remarkable recovery, Rev. Malkmus shared his experience with other Christians in his popular book, Why Christians Get Sick and through his ongoing How to Eliminate Sickness Seminars.

Raves for The Hallelujah Diet continue to pour in:

"George Malkmus has done it again, this time in print. He has put forth the message of nutrition and health in a practical, easy-to-understand motivating way."
- Dr. Joel R. Robbins, Health and Wellness Clinic, Tulsa, OK.

"Anyone who has an interest in regaining or maintaining better health will benefit from buying and, even more importantly, reading The Hallelujah Diet."
- Dr. Gary R. Price, Church of the Trinity, Concord, NC.

"Rev. Malkmus is a true champion of nutritional healing. He has chosen the difficult path of motivating people to overcome convenience and comfort in favor of health and longevity. As a cancer specialist of 22 years, I can tell you that more than 50 percent of all cancers can be prevented or reversed just by applying the principles outlined by Rev. Malkmus. Make an investment in your family's health - read this book."
- Dr. Francisco Contreras, Chairman, President, and Chief Oncologist, Oasis of Hope Hospital, Tijuana, Mexico.

Thousands of people have adopted the Hallelujah Diet and lifestyle and achieved great success with their health problems. Some, simply, want to attain a healthier way of life and have more vitality and energy. Others face serious illness. Whatever the reason, lives are being changed one person at a time with the Hallelujah Diet.

For more information about Hallelujah Acres and available programs, call 704-481-1700 or go to our website at
www.hacres.com.


For more information, please contact Linda Hill, Senior Public Relations Specialist
704-481-1700 ext.727

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others. The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

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