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A world of woes But church and community have solutions, Ufford-Chase tells peacemakers
	The church should take a more active role in addressing the needs of the world, General Assembly Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase told 400 participants in a Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference at Ghost Ranch this week “You have the challenge of a world that has lied to us, a country that would like us to believe – our leaders that would like for us to believe – that it is possible for us as people of privilege and comfort and wealth to receive all the benefits of the global economy while taking no responsibility for the global community,” he said. He said our society has a spiritual problem, a “gratitude problem,” an inadequate understanding of community, an addiction to violence, and a fixation on fear.

Truth telling South African Presbyterian says Americans must stop believing leaders’ lies
	A South African theologian who thanks Americans for saving his life and giving him a seminary education says the United States — of which he also is a citizen — should stop accepting lies from its leaders. The Rev. Maake Masango, a professor of practical theology at the University of Pretoria, told participants in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference this week that the United States needs to behonest with itself about its global behavior. Healso said that Americans need to do a better job of raising their children and should be more responsible with their plentiful resources. He praised the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly for its vote last year to initiate limited divestment from companies profiting from the violence in Israel/Palestine — but criticized the invasion and occupation of Iraq and other U.S. responses to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “Is it possible to see Jesus in your enemy?” he asked. “ What type of prayers did you say for your children when they went to Iraq? ‘Help them to destroy the terrorists? And help us recover the oil?’”

Associated Press on New Wineskins Initiative By Richard N. Ostling
	"...85 conservative congregations sent delegates to a recent convocation in Edina, Minn. "There, representatives endorsed platforms that laid out essential doctrines and "ethical imperatives," including the Bible as infallible, salvation through Jesus Christ alone, the necessity of world evangelism and rejection of gay sex and abortion. "The congregations, known as the New Wineskins Initiative, also proposed a radically reorganized, mission-minded denomination to halt decades of decline in the Presbyterian church... "Though leaders of New Wineskins emphasize unity around the group's bold vision, there's a hint of schism... "New Wineskins isn't schismatic, Henderson told Edina delegates, "because the schism has already happened," meaning liberals and conservatives are thoroughly divided..."

Theological Task Force to receive draft proposals By John H. Adams / The Layman
	The Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity will meet in Dallas on July18-21 to consider draft proposals in preparation for its final report to the 2006 General Assembly. The task force is scheduled meet again in August to collate the revised drafts and prepare a report to the denomination's 173 presbyteries for their review before the final recommendations go to the General Assembly. The deadline for the report to be ready for the presbyteries is Sept. 15.

Toward A Sure Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Dilemma of Biblical Criticism – Book review by Jeff McDonald / The Layman
	"...As the Presbyterian Church (USA) continues to decline numerically and experience theological confusion, it should revisit Machen's ideas for help. In 1936, the Presbyterian Church (USA) suspended Machen in order to lessen the influence of his views. To not consider Machen's ideas today would be intellectually irresponsible..." "[Terry] Chrisope should be commended for providing such an extensive analysis of Machen's scholarship. This book is a fine historical study that deserves serious attention by scholars and those seeking to reform the Presbyterian Church (USA).

‘I just breathe and go’ – by Alexa Smith / PNS Presbyterian peacemaker helps Iraqi families with war-related problems
	At first, 59-year-old Anita David didn’t want to go to Baghdad at all. But she went for six weeks last summer, and now she’s back for a second stint. David, a Chicago Presbyterian, is one of four members of a Baghdad- based Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT), a U.S. and Canadian group that uses non-violent tactics to reduce aggression in conflict zones. CPT has teams stationed in several war zones around the globe, including the Colombian jungle, Hebron on the West Bank, and Baghdad.

Scripture lessons for today from the lectionary Today in the Yearbook for Mission and Study: Germany and Croatia
	Sadegh Sepehri serves as a pastor with the Iranian Presbyterian Fellowship in Europe, located in Berlin. Sadegh teaches, preaches, and provides pastoral care among the Iranian Presbyterians in Berlin and does evangelism and social work with Iranian refugees throughout Europe... I had some interesting results from an exercise in disability and caregiver awareness I did recently as part of a course I teach at the Evangelical Theological College in Osijek [Croatia]” writes Brett McMichael...


News of all churches, in the USA and worldwide, and their interaction with the world around them. Included: opinions, resources Voices from the entire spectrum

Activists say India making false AIDS claims – Church workers object to government claim that HIV rate is declining By Anto Akkara / PNS
	Church activists have joined protests against an Indian government claim that the HIV/AIDS infection rate is declining, contrary to international agencies that project the world’s second-most-populous nation has more than 5 million people affected by the disease. “This does not help the fight against AIDS. It gives a wrong message to all involved in the fight,” commented Dr Vijay Aruldas, general secretary of the Christian Medical Association of India.

Macedonia: Archbishop to be jailed for 18 months By Branko Bjelajac / Forum 18 News Service
	A Serbian Orthodox Archbishop, Jovan (Vranisskovski) of Ohrid, has had an 18 month jail sentence confirmed by a Macedonian appeal court, in the latest development in a long-running government campaign against the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in support of the rival Macedonian Orthodox Church.

Liberia: Camps begin to close but many still worried about getting home
	Perry Town Camp, which lies less than 20 km from the capital, Monrovia, is one of four sites that is being shut down as more and more internally displaced people (IDPs) trek back to their war-battered towns and villages and try to rebuild their lives. UN officials estimate that almost two years after Liberia’s civil war ended and eight months after resettlement kicked off, some 160,000 displaced people have returned home, leaving around 140,000 in camps.

In Latin America, Catholics down, church's credibility up, poll says By Barbara J. Fraser / Catholic News Service
	A survey said that 71 percent of South Americans consider themselves Catholic, down from 80 percent in 1995, while the percentage who consider themselves evangelical or Protestant rose from 3 percent to 13 percent in the same period. In a region buffeted by corruption scandals, economic crises and social unrest, many people view presidents, legislatures and political parties with distrust. The church, however, enjoys the confidence of 73 percent of Latin Americans. Although nearly three-quarters of the region's people consider themselves Catholic, only 40 percent said they practice their faith. In contrast, 70 percent of Latin Americans who belong to other Christian churches said that they practice their faith.

Strong reactions in US to Anglican council's call for discipline Presiding Bishop piqued by rejection of Episcopal Church News Analysis by David W. Virtue
	Miffed at being tossed off of two significant committees of the Anglican Consultative Council, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold lashed out at the decision saying that the vote was only lost because of the missing six votes of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, adding that it revealed a divide within the membership of the ACC. Then in an effort to redeem the face slap he said, "I very much hope that the listening process now mandated by the ACC will be one step in healing this divide. I also hope that the report submitted by the Episcopal Church to the members of the ACC, "To Set Our Hope on Christ," will be a useful contribution to that process."

Orthodox Church in America to discuss leaving WCC, NCC (pdf)
	"...for the most part the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) participates in ecumenical organizations which represent a minority of Christians. Furthermore, the ecumenical organizations in which we participate, in their theological and social views, are oriented towards policies which are not in harmony with Orthodox views. Thus our participation and the participation of other Orthodox Churches lend credibility and legitimacy to ecumenical organizations which, in the public perception, are espousing beliefs often antithetical to the Orthodox convictions. "The most advisable course for the Orthodox Church in America would be eventually to withdraw from the NCC and the WCC..." The proposal will be presented at the OCA's 14th All-American Council in Toronto, Ontario, July 17-22.

Virtual 'town meeting' of faiths, nations An unlikely group of "neighbors" is coming together on Sunday, June 26. By Holly Lebowitz Rossi / RNS
	Linked by the Internet, an unlikely group of "neighbors" will come together June 26 for a demonstration of their commitment to Middle East peace. The gathering, which organizers are calling a "transnational town meeting," will be based at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, but it will bring together Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders from 40 U.S. cities plus Jerusalem, Egypt and Jordan. The participants will communicate by videoconference and via the Internet, and they will discuss how to capitalize on the fragile "window of opportunity" for peace that they observe between Israelis and Palestinians.

Bill would make White House Faith-Based Office and Initiative permanent – by Heather Horiuchi / Religion News Service
	"The Tools for Community Initiatives Act" (H.R. 1054) would make permanent the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in 10 federal agencies that Bush created to pursue equal treatment of faith-based groups. The offices were created to promote government partnerships with faith-based and community organizations in providing publicly funded social services. Bush argued faith-based groups had been discriminated against by federal grant programs.

Some politics etched in the genes? By Benedict Carey / The New York Times
	"...a team of political scientists is arguing that people's gut-level reaction to issues like the death penalty, taxes and abortion is strongly influenced by genetic inheritance. The new research builds on a series of studies that indicate that people's general approach to social issues – more conservative or more progressive – is influenced by genes... "A mismatch between an inherited social orientation and a given party may also explain why some people defect from a party. Many people who are genetically conservative may be brought up as Democrats, and some who are genetically more progressive may be raised as Republicans, the researchers say... "The researchers are not optimistic about the future of bipartisan cooperation or national unity. Because men and women tend to seek mates with a similar ideology, they say, the two gene pools are becoming, if anything, more concentrated, not less. Related: • Ted Olsen commentary: "...Boy, imagine the fun that this will bring... What right will we have to challenge beliefs determined by genetic makeup?... Will newspaper editorials and op-ed columns on political topics be banned by hate-crime laws?... what if all political arguments become seen as gauche or innately intolerant?..." • The 16-page study (pdf) in The American Political Science Review.

Worship as higher politics – A Christianity Today editorial Political priorities for citizens of the kingdom.
	"George W. Bush is not Lord. The Declaration of Independence is not an infallible guide to Christian faith and practice. Nor is the U.S. Constitution, nor the U.N. Universal Declaration on Human Rights. "Original intent" of America's founders is not the hermeneutical key that will guarantee national righteousness. The American flag is not the Cross. The Pledge of Allegiance is not the Creed. "God Bless America" is not the Doxology... "Sometimes one needs to state the obvious – especially at times when it's less and less obvious... "The not-so-subtle equation of America's founding with biblical Christianity has been shown time and again to be historically inaccurate. The founding was a unique combination of biblical teaching and Enlightenment rationalism... "In the heat of partisan politics... we are tempted to forget that the most potent political act – the one act that deeply manifests and really empowers a "kind and noble society" – is the worship of Jesus Christ..."

Wrap-up: Southern Baptists focus on evangelism, end Disney boycott / BP
	Under the banner of "Everyone Can," Southern Baptists June 22 launched an ambitious effort to baptize one million people in a year, capping an annual meeting that also saw an end to the Disney boycott, a special recognition of Billy Graham and an address via satellite from President Bush. Messengers passed a resolution ending an eight-year boycott of The Disney Company. The boycott began in 1997. The resolution, passed nearly unanimously, said the boycott has been effective in expressing Southern Baptists' disagreement with Disney "products and policies that violate moral righteousness and traditional family values." Messengers passed a resolution urging parents and churches to examine textbooks and programs in "community schools" and to "hold accountable" the institutions involved.

Film Forum – by Jeffrey Overstreet Batman Begins: The best superhero film ever?
	More Christian critics review Batman Begins. Plus, reviews of Herbie: Fully Loaded, The Perfect Man, and more perspectives on Howl's Moving Castle, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D.


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