8 December 2010
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Presbyterians Week Headlines
[5] U.S. Military Chaplains Told “Embrace Homosexual Military or Get Kicked Out”
[6] Further Information About the Recent Protest Against Mackenzie Presbyterian University
[9] Purported Relics of Christ’s Crucifixion Stolen from Roman Catholic Church in India
[10] December 2010 Reformation Voice Available for Download
[12] Late-Term Abortionist LeRoy Carhart Opens Abortuary in Germantown, Maryland
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A 5 December 2010 article by Martyn McLaughlin in The Scotsman titled “Rewrite to Mark 400 years of Bible” reports that the Scottish Bible Society (SBS) in 2011will be marking the 400th anniversary of the start of the creation of the King James Bible (KJV) by means of a road show to busy public places in Scotland, England, and Wales where it is expected that more than 16,000 individuals will be asked to rewrite two verses each of the approx. 33,000 verses in the KJV, with the results to be published on the Internet.
SBS Director of National Ministries, Fiona McDonald, commented: “”The germ of the idea for the Authorised Edition was formed in Scotland and when it was published, it changed parts of the world. The anniversary is a way to encourage people to look at the Bible in a fresh way.
“The roadshow is something that hasn’t been done before, and we’re going to be setting up wherever people hang out, from streets to shopping centres and car parks. We don’t want to be hiding in church buildings.”
The KJV was first proposed in 1601 by then-King of Scots James VI who proposed a new English Bible version to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. In 1603, King of Scots James VI became King James I of Scotland, England, and Ireland. The KJV was first published in 1611.
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+ The Scotsman, Barclay House, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AS, Scotland, 131-620-8620
+ Scottish Bible Society, 7 Hampton Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5XU, Scotland, 44- 0-31-337-9701, Fax: 44-0-131-337-0641, info@scottishbiblesociety.org
+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722
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A 29 November 2010 article by Juliet Eilperin in The Washington Post titled “Cancun Talks Start with a Call to the Gods” reports that on 29 November 2010 in Cancun, Mexico, at the beginning of a two-week meeting at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres began the meeting with an appeal to the Mayan goddess of the moon, reason, creativity, and reason, named “Ixchel.”
Ms. Eilperin addressed the delegates from 193 countries, saying: “Excellencies, the goddess Ixchel would probably tell you that a tapestry is the result of the skilful interlacing of many threads. I am convinced that twenty years from now, we will admire the policy tapestry that you have woven together and think back fondly to Cancun and the inspiration of Ixchel.”
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+ The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20071, 202-334-6000, Contact Form
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A 28 November 2010 BBC article titled “Climate Change Failure is Moral Outrage: Faith Leaders” reports that Church of Scotland Moderator the Rt. Rev. John Christie joined with counterparts in the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and a senior figure in Scotland’s Islamic community in sending a letter to United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister David Cameron, which urged the UK government to do all it could to ensure progress was made at the United Nations climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico.
The letter states: “”Millions of people in developing countries are already being affected by increasingly severe storms, droughts and changing weather patterns, despite having done little to cause the problem….This is why it is vital that the UK government does everything it can to ensure agreeing a fair, ambitious and legally-binding global agreement on climate change is at the forefront of negotiations in Cancun. The final agreement must also include vastly improved greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the wealthiest nations and greater financing for poor countries to help them cope with the challenges brought on by climate change….It is a moral outrage that as yet developed countries appear unwilling to find the money so urgently needed to deal with this issue.”
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+ BBC, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS, England, Fax: 020-8008-2398
+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722
+ The Vatican, Città del Vaticano, Rome, Italy, 39-6-69-88-35-11, Fax: 39-6-69-88-54-47, Contact Page
+ Scottish Episcopal Church, 21 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 5EE, Scotland, 0131-225-6357, Fax: 0131-346-7247, Contact Page
+ United Nations, 327 East 48th Street, New York, New York 10017, 212-963-7162, Fax: 212-963-7055, Contact Page
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A 3 December 2010 article in The Scotsman titled “Backing for ‘Big Society’” reports that that Church of Scotland Moderator the Rt. Rev. John Christie, in a speech before Members of the British Parliament (MP’s) called for churches, charities, and government to join together in creating a “Big Society,” focused on poverty and homelessness.
Mr. Christie commented: “The Christian Church has been working to create a Big Society for 2000 years…. It is my belief that the [proposed] coalition allows a unique opportunity to explore the possibilities of doing things differently.”
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+ The Scotsman, Barclay House, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AS, Scotland, 131-620-8620
+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722
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[5] U.S. Military Chaplains Told “Embrace Homosexual Military or Get Kicked Out”
A 2 December 2010 press release by former U.S. Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt of Pray In Jesus Name Ministries titled “Chaplains Told ‘Embrace Homosexual Military or Get Kicked Out’” reports on U.S. Senate hearings on and the implications to U.S. military chaplains if the current policy toward homosexual military members known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) is repealed.
Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Chaplain Douglas Lee (Presbyterian Church in America) is quoted as saying that if DADT is repealed: “There’s a strong possibility that a chaplain wouldn’t be allowed to proclaim what their own faith believes, and not give people the information they need to be a good Christian or a good Muslim or what have you. If there’s no protection for the chaplain to be able to speak according to his faith group, that might affect the number of chaplains we recruit or our ability to do our duty for the troops.”
Alliance Defense Fund attorney Dan Blomberg, who represents a group of chaplains who have already been illegally silenced and pressured to embrace homosexuality in violation of their faith, when asked if active chaplains can be accused of insubordination if they publicly oppose changes to DADT, said the chaplains have been informed by their chain of command that “they should not be commenting on this at this time.”
Mr. Blomberg continued: “One chaplain stood up in a high-level meeting created precisely for the purpose of getting service members’ thoughts on the repeal of the [DADT] policy. And he asked ‘What should chaplains do? What should people of faith do if this policy changes and we have problems of conscience with how it’s going to affect us?’ That [chaplain] was told by a high-ranking member of the panel that they should just get out of the military.”
The press release quoted a Washington Times article reporting that U.S. Army Lt. General Thomas Bostick is demanding that Christian soldiers be fired as bigots if they oppose repeal of DODT and quotes the general as saying:
“Unfortunately, we have a minority of service members who are still racists and bigoted and you will never be able to get rid of all of them. But these people opposing this new policy will need to get with the program, and if they can’t, they need to get out. No matter how much training and education of those in opposition, you’re always going to have those that oppose this on moral and religious grounds just like you still have racists today.”
Former U.S. Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt of Pray In Jesus Name Ministries in 2007 was court-martialed and honorably discharged for praying “in Jesus name” while in uniform.
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+ Pray In Jesus Name Ministries, Post Office Box 77077, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80970, 719-360-5132, chaplaingate@yahoo.com
+ U.S. Navy, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, 2000 Navy Pentagon, Washington DC 20350, Contact Page
+ United States Senate, Washington DC 20510, 202-224-3121, ahazen@aoc.gov
+ U.S. Army, 1400 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301, 703-697-0050
+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org
+ Alliance Defense Fund, 15100 North 90th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, 800-835-5233, Fax: 480-444-0025
+ The Washington Times, 3600 New York Avenue Northeast, Washington DC 20002, 202-636-3205
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[6] Further Information About the Recent Protest Against Mackenzie Presbyterian University
The following press release has been issued by Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo, Brazil:
A group of activists organized a demonstration in front of the Mackenzie university, around 6 p.m. on November 24, 2010. Their purpose was to protest the pronouncement of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPB) against the PL 122/2006 bill (known as the “anti-homophobia law”) that has been posted on the Mackenzie Presbyterian University site since 2007. Over 3,000 participants were expected, but only about 400 showed up in front of the gates of the institution on Itambé Street. From there, the group went on to Paulista Avenue with a significantly reduced number, as reported by various agencies such as Globo News [TV], Folha de São Paulo [newspaper], CET [the traffic control agency], the UOL site [server/news] and dozens of other informational sites. Classes in the university functioned normally.
The opposition of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil to this bill is based not only on common sense and on specialized legal analyses (that consider the bill “unconstitutional”), but above all on the Christian principles that direct both the denomination and Mackenzie. There is nothing new happening here: when the students enroll in the institution, they sign an educational services contract in which there is a clause explaining its confessional character. This does not mean persecution for those who do not subscribe to these Christian foundations. On the contrary! There is no record in the university’s history of discrimination of any kind, be it against homosexuals, be it against students that profess other religions (or none). All of these have access to the same benefits (including scholarships).
Nevertheless, ever since the IPB text was “discovered” on the Mackenzie site by the activists this year, the university and the person of the Chancellor have been harshly attacked and accused of “homophobia.” Filmed on video, the protestors demanded the firing of the Chancellor, whose photos have been plastered on various homosexual sites, accompanied by words of hate. The virulence that characterizes these expressions of indignation, even before the bill is approved, confirms that it is dangerous when society finds itself hostage to a militant minority that seeks to impose its points of view by means of pressure and slander, not allowing Christian persons, churches or organizations to simply affirm that homosexual conduct is sinful.
To better explain their biblical posture (based on love and not on separatism, and that preaches respect for all), Christians, who share the same vision about homosexuality, united to prepare a manifesto called “Mackenzie University: In Defense of Religious Expression.” The text was reproduced on about 8,000 Christian and conservative sites, receiving more than 36,000 citations on the Internet. It was translated into languages like German, Spanish, French, Dutch and English and posted on sites in various foreign countries such as the USA, France, Germany and Portugal. Hundreds of manifestations of solidarity to Mackenzie were received in various ways, including in the well-known blog by Reinaldo Azevedo (contributor to VEJA magazine), one of the country’s most read and respected political commentators. By responding to the accusations of “homophobia” with solid and biblical arguments, Christians believe that their posture contributed to the fact that the protest against the IPB document received so little public support.
We, as Christians, are pleased and thankful for all the support received and for the prayers that God’s people offered on behalf of the Mackenzie Presbyterian University and its Chancellor, Rev. Augustus Nicodemus Gomes Lopes. We plead with God’s people to unite in supplication and intercession so that God Almighty may pour out His Holy Spirit upon the evangelical church in this country. We urgently need revival, so that Christ crucified may be exalted, believers sanctified, the Holy Scriptures freely preached, sinners converted and our country transformed, to the glory of our triune and gracious God.
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+ Instituto Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Rua da Consolação, 930, Cep 01302-907, Consolação, São Paulo, SP/Brasil, Brasil, 11-2114-8000, centralatendimento@mackenzie.br
+ Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil, São Paulo, SP/Brasil, Brasil, portalipb@ipb.org
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A 2 December 2010 article by McCarton Ackerman in the Greenpoint Gazette titled “Support for LGBTQ Youth at the Reformed Church” reports that Pastor Ann Kansfield of the Greenpoint Reformed Church (Reformed Church in America (RCA)) in Brooklyn, New York, recently formed a youth group called “Somewhere,” described by the church as “a queer-friendly, God-centered, sanctuary for youth,” for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) adolescents and supporters of the same in response to what is described as “the recent rash of gay youth being bullied.”
Pastor Kansfield and her partner, co-pastor Jennifer Aull, were “married” by Ms. Kansfield’s RCA minister father, who was in June 2005 suspended from the ministry indefinitely for presiding over Ms. Kansfield’s and Ms. Aull’s “marriage ceremony.”
Pastor Kansfield commented: “Churches do not necessarily have the reputation of being welcoming to anybody that’s different. It’s ironic since Jesus was a victim of bullying because he was different. He was the complete archetype of a bullied person….It hurts to have your church tell you that being gay is a sin and that God doesn’t love you. Being gay is not a sin. I just want one kid to hear the message that God loves them and that they don’t have to change.”
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+ Greenpoint Gazette, 597 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11222, 718-389-6067, jeff@greenpointnews.com
+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org
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A 6 December 2010 article by Connie Hair in Human Events titled “Muslim Brotherhood Front Group Trains Airport Screeners” reports that the terrorist-linked Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) announced 24 November 2010 that 2,200 U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Safety Officers, the week of 15 November 2010, completed a two-month training course taught by MPAC that instructed the airport screeners on such procedures as how to properly inspect a Koran and how to properly screen Muslim passengers, e.g. if a woman wears hijab and needs a secondary screening she should be screened in a private area by a female TSA safety officer.
MPAC was formed in 1986 as a political action arm of the Wahhabi mosque, the Islamic Center for Southern California. An investigative report from the Investigative Project on Terrorism titled “Behind the Façade: The Muslim Public Affairs Council” reports that MPAC “routinely speaks in defense of designated terrorist organizations, as well as individuals and charities that are supporters of terrorism; opposes U.S. counterterrorism measures as part of a consistent knee-jerk reaction claiming bias and discrimination behind law enforcement efforts; and reflects a blatant and conspiratorial anti-Semitism.” The report is available at http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/358.pdf.
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+ Human Events, One Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20001, 202-216-0600, Editors@HumanEventsOnline.com
+ Muslim Public Affairs Council, 110 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Suite 210, Washington DC 20002, 202-547-7701, Fax: 202-547-7704, contact@mpac.org
+ U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington DC 20528, 202-282-8000, Contact Form
+ Investigative Project on Terrorism, 5505 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, No. 341, Washington DC 20015, 202-966-5191, 202-966-5191, stopterror@aol.com
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[9] Purported Relics of Christ’s Crucifixion Stolen from Roman Catholic Church in India
A 2 December 2010 article in CathNews India titled “Relics Stolen from Kerala Church” reports that three relics purported to be from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were stolen sometime before 30 November 2010 from the Holy Cross Church (Roman Catholic) in Matilikam, Thrissur District, Kerala State, India.
The relics are purported to be part of the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified, a blood stain of Christ’s, and a piece of towel with which Veronica had wiped her face during the journey of the Passion. The relics were donated to the 10th century church by Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIII (b. 1810, d. 1903), and thousands of Roman Catholic pilgrims come to the church each year to venerate the relics.
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+ CathNews India, POST: 25/79-82 Moo 6, Soi Chinnaket 1/45, Nganwongwan Road, Thungsonghong Laksi, Bangkok, 10210 Thailand, 66-2954-9311, Fax: 66-2954-9316, Contact Page
+ The Vatican, Città del Vaticano, Rome, Italy, 39-6-69-88-35-11, Fax: 39-6-69-88-54-47, Contact Page
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[10] December 2010 Reformation Voice Available for Download
The December 2010 Reformation Voice is available for download at the Heidelberg Reformation Association website.
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+ Heidelberg Reformation Association, Rev. Howard Sloan, Secretary, 5543 Business 220, Bedford, Pennsylvania 15522
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A 7 December 2010 article in the Stornoway Gazette titled “APC Congregations Merge” reports that the Associated Presbyterian Churches (APC) congregations of Harris in Seilebost, Isle of Harris, Scotland, and Skye in Portree and Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, Scotland, have agreed to a merger on the condition that the Rev. Dr. Wayne Pearce, currently pastor of the APC congregations of Lairg, Scotland, and Rogart, Scotland, becomes the pastor of the merged congregation.
The Associated Presbyterian Churches are a group of approx. twenty Reformed and evangelistic churches that formed in 1989 from Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (FPCS) congregations that perceived the FPCS did not put into practice Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 20: “Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience” and Chapter 26: “Of Communion of Saints.”
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+ Stornoway Gazette, 10 Francis Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS12XE, Scotland, 01851-702-687, newsdesk@stornowaygazette.co.uk
+ Associated Presbyterian Churches, c/o Rev. A.N. McPhail, MA. MTh., APC Manse, Polvinister Road, Oban, PA34 5TN Scotland, 01631-567076, archibald.mcphail@virgin.net
+ Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, c/o Rev. Donald A. Ross, Free Presbyterian Manse, Laide, Ross-shire IV22 2NB, Scotland, daross@donaldalexander.freeserve.co.uk
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[12] Late-Term Abortionist LeRoy Carhart Opens Abortuary in Germantown, Maryland
Among the approx. 300 protesters on the first day of business, 6 December 2010, for the newest abortuary of late-term abortionist Dr. LeRoy Carhart in Germantown, Maryland, was Reformed Presbyterian minister the Rev. Pat Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition.
Pat Mahoney stated: “We are gathering on Monday to be a loud and prophetic witness for the dignity of life and human rights. We want to make it abundantly clear that we will prayerfully work to ensure that Maryland does become the late-term abortion capital of America.
“We also want to send a clear message to LeRoy Carhart that we will never be silent while women are being brutalized and innocent viable children are being killed. We will pray, march, rally and be a prophetic voice until the violence stops.
“To the other tenants in the business park we simply say; we will be a constant public presence and witness for life as we embrace justice for all. LeRoy Carhart’s business home has now become our home.”
On 26 November 2010, LifeNews.com published an article by Steve Ertelt titled “United States Sees 53 Million Abortions Since Roe in 1973,” which cited a National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) report showing that as of 1 November 2010, there have been 53 million abortions performed in the United States. The NRLC report relied on data from the Guttmacher Institute, the former research arm of Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions in the U.S.
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+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com
+ National Right to Life Committee, 512 10th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20004, 202-626-8800, NRLC@nrlc.org
+ Guttmacher Institute, 1301 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Suite 700, Washington DC 20036, 202-296-4012, Fax: 202-223-5756, Contact Page
+ Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 434 West 33rd Street, New York, New York 10001, 212-541-7800, Fax: 212-245-1845
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