Thursday, December 30, 2010

Colleagues List, December 31st, 2010

Vol. VI. No. 17

*****

Wayne A. Holst, Editor

Colleagues List Blog:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/

************

CHRISTMAS WEEK 
END-OF-THE-YEAR
EDITION

************

In this Issue -

"Why I am Committed to 
 Colleagues List"

---

Annual Summary of Articles
Appearing in Colleagues List

___

Colleague Contributions:

Ed and Marie Schroeder - Digital Nativity
Pauline Miller - Seaway Mall Celebration
Angelina Waldon - Evolutionary Christianity
Philip Jenkins - Liberation Theology Survives
Jim Taylor - "Gifts of Life" Christmas column
Lorna Dueck - "Greatest Christmas Gift" 
              Jerry Bowler Interview
___

Net Notes:

Blue Christmas Services
Saskatoon Does Christmas Best
My Name is Peter and I'm a Believer
Anne Rice's Christmas Eve Confession
On Palin's Reading List - C.S. Lewis
Iraqi Christians Exercise Christmas Caution
Christmas Tree Becomes New Korean Flashpoint
In 500 Billion Words a New Window on Culture
Catholic Hospital is Suspended after Abortion
Hindu Radicals Spread Christmas Fear in Orissa
What if It's Not Men that Men are Looking For?
Canada Gives Sanctuary to Iraqi Christian Victims
History of Evangelicals in United Church of Canada
Christ's Endangered Language Gets New Oxford Boost
Pope: Church Must Assess What's Wrong with Message 
Beneath Dead Sea Scientists Dig for Natural History
Winchester: System Discriminates Against Christians
___

Global Faith Potpourri

5 stories from Ecumenical News International
___

Quotes of the Week:

Augustine of Hippo
St. Therese of Lisieux
William Booth
Hildegard of Bingen
Mother Theresa
___

On This Day (Dec. 21st - Dec. 29th)

Dec. 21, 1988 - Pan Am plane explodes over 
Lockerbie, Scotland

Dec. 22, 1864 - Sherman tells Lincoln "I beg to 
present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah"

Dec. 23, 1986 - experimental airplane Voyager, 
completes first non-stop, around-the-world flight 
without refueling 


Dec. 25, 1991 - Soviet President Gorbachev announces 
his resignation

Dec. 26, 1941 - Winston Churchill becomes first 
British prime minister to address a joint meeting 
of the US Congress


Dec. 28, 1981 - Elizabeth Jordan Carr, first 
American test-tube baby, born in Norfolk, Va.

Dec. 29, 1940 - Germany begins dropping 
incendiary bombs on London

___

Closing Thought - 


Christmas Trees, by Robert Frost (1920)

(end)

***************

Dear Friends:

Welcome to the final Colleagues List issue of 2010!
This edition represents the first full year of
publication on my Colleagues List blog site:

http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/

To recognize this occasion I write a brief 
reflection on five reasons why I produce this blog 
- for free - and for more than 600 readers around 
the world - on a regular basis. I call the article:

"Why I am Committed to Colleagues List"

---

As usual, I review the past 12 months and provide 
you with:


"A Summary of Articles Appearing in Colleagues List."

This year, I authored 31 book and movie reviews/
notices; 14 personal reflections on various themes; 
and 1 book chapter which is scheduled to appear in 
a forthcoming publication. 

If you missed a piece you would like to read, just 
go to the main page of my Colleagues List blog, 
check the left side-bar for the month and date of 
its appearance, and find the article in the issue 
that turns up on your screen.

___

Colleague Contributions:

Here are six items that I have discovered from 
fellow-colleagues. These came to me a few days 
prior, and subsequent to Christmas.

Ed and Marie Schroeder - provide a digital nativity 
scene from Youtube which they hope we can still enjoy.

Pauline Miller - offers "Seaway Mall Celebration" 
with her own introduction. Again, a Youtube 
presentation.

Angelina Waldon - shares a special site entitled:
"Evolutionary Christianity" for those looking for 
good lectures on the relationship between science 
and faith (evolutionarychristianity.com)

Philip Jenkins - writes his regular column and 
offers a perspective on how liberation theology 
is surviving and creatively mutating in a number 
of Latin American countries like Brazil and 
Bolivia (Christian Century)

Jim Taylor - "Gifts of Life" is Jim's Christmas 
column from his personal website 
(personal correspondence)

Lorna Dueck - "The Greatest Christmas Gift" here 
is an interview Lorna undertakes with a Christmas 
"specialist" living in Winnipeg - Dr. Jerry Bowler 
(ListenUp TV)

___

End-of-Year Specials:

Looking Back on 2010 - National Public Radio 
provides a summary of news stories from an American 
perspective.

Ten Top News Stories - Christianity Today offers 
its take on religious news in 2010 from an American 
evangelical Protestant perspective.

Christmas in the Middle East - The Guardian (UK) 
offers a slide show on how minority Christians are 
celebrating this year.

The Twelve Books of Christmas - from the Telegraph 
(UK) here is a surprizing list of Christmas books 
appearing in the secular/popular press.

The Best Spiritual Books of 2010  - Spirituality 
and Practice (one of our favourite resource sites) 
offers its take on "the best books" of the past 
twelve months.

___


Net Notes:

"Blue Christmas Services" - an interesting article on
a Christmas season service that is gaining attention
in many places - it focuses on those who are unhappy 
in the midst of so much festivity 
(National Public Radio)

"Saskatoon Does Christmas Best" - Kids seem to get 
the best Canadian Christmas experience in Saskatoon!
(Toronto Sun)

"My Name is Peter and I'm a Believer" - the personal
Christian testimony of a writer in the British press
(The Independent, UK)

"Anne Rice's Christmas Eve Confession" - apparently,
the popular author is still a Christian believer,
though not a church member (Wall Street Journal)

"On Palin's Reading List - C.S. Lewis" - the 
would-be Republican presidential candidate has
a favourite author (Wall Street Journal)

"Iraqi Christans Exercise Christmas Caution" -
It's a difficult time to openly practice the
Christian faith in Iraq right now, as we have
already discovered (New York Times)

"Christmas Tree Becomes New Korean Flashpoint" -
tensions between North and South Korea are
apparent in how each side approaches symbols
of the Christmas season (ABC News)

"In 500 Billion Words a New Window on Culture" -
an interesting article on the amazing changes
taking place in media today (New York Times)

"Catholic Hospital is Suspended after Abortion" -
Phoenix hospital is dumped by the local bishop
for performing an abortion to save a mother's life
(The Guardian, UK)

"Hindu Radicals Spread Christmas Fear in Orissa" -
Another difficult place to be a Christian at this
time of year is in the Indian state of Orissa
(Cathnews Asia)

"What if It's Not Men that Men are Looking For?" -
A woman pastor takes exception to the argument 
that men stay away from church today because of 
the growing prominence of female clergy and 
worship leaders (Christian Century)

"Canada Offers Sanctuary to Iraqi Christian 
Victims" - Canadians are not unaware of
persecution presently taking place in Iraq 
and are trying to do something about it 
(ChristianWeek.org)

"History of Evangelicals in United Church of 
Canada" - Here is an interesting study produced 
by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada on the 
long-standing evangelical presence in the United 
Church of Canada (Faith/Culture Trends, 
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)

"Christ's Endangered Language Gets New Lease 
at Oxford" - The language spoken by Jesus, 
Aramaic, is being studied in new ways at a 
famous British university these days
(The Guardian, UK)

"Pope: Church Must Assess What's Wrong with 
its Message" - Benedict seems growingly aware 
that there is a disconnect between what his 
church claims to stand for, and what it 
conveys to the general public 
(The Telegraph, UK) 


"Beneath Dead Sea Scientists Drilling for 
Natural History" - this ancient body of water 
in the Holy Land is becoming a hotbed of 
scientific study (New York Times)

"Winchester: Legal System Discriminates Against 
Christians" - the bishop of Winchester is on 
record as stating that when it comes to human 
rights in the UK, some religious groups are more 
equal than others - and that does not include 
Christians (The Telegraph, UK)

___


Global Faith Potpourri

5 stories are provided this week from Ecumenical 
News International, Geneva. Come the new year,
ENI is being reorganized and a new central news 
team is being formed.

___

Quotes of the Week:

The following insights come via Sojourners Online
and are issued by -

Augustine of Hippo, St. Therese of Lisieux,
William Booth, Hildegard of Bingen and 
Mother Theresa

___

On This Day (Dec. 21st - Dec. 29th)

Significant events in human history are provided 
from the archives of the New York Times:

Pan Am plane explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland (1988)

Sherman tells Lincoln "I beg to present you as a 
Christmas gift the city of Savannah" (1864)

Experimental airplane Voyager, completes first non-
stop, around-the-world flight without refueling (1986)
 
Soviet President Gorbachev announces his resignation 
(1991)

Winston Churchill becomes first British prime 
minister to address a joint meeting of the US 
Congress (1941)

Elizabeth Jordan Carr, first American test-tube 
baby, born in Norfolk, Va. (1981)

Dec. 29, 1940 - Germany begins dropping incendiary 
bombs on London (1940)

___

Closing Thought -

The poet is one of our favourites and his poem
"Christmas Trees" (Robert Frost, 1920) is
timely and beautiful.

___

Christmas and New Year blessings to all!

Wayne


************

SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS

Contact us at: asdm@sduc.ca (or) admin@sduc.ca
St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/

Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services -
http://sduc.ca/services.htm

___


ST DAVID'S ACTS WEB PAGE

Created and maintained by Colleague Jock McTavish
http://stdavidscalgary.net/

__

INTRODUCING OUR ST.DAVID'S WINTER STUDY FOR 2011

Books Considered:

"An Altar in the World" by Barbara Brown Taylor (and)

"I Shall Not Hate - A Gaza Doctor's Journey"
 by Izzeldin Abuelaish

Books on sale since Sunday, December 12th, 2010
More study and website particulars will be posted
as they become available

*****

INTRODUCING MY UNIVERSITY WINTER COURSE FOR 2011

GOD, ATHEISM, AND MORALITY

We continue our investigation of the New Atheists and
consider the question: "Can we be good without God?"

Text for the course will be Sam Harris' new book:

"The Moral Landscape:
 How Science Can Determine Human Values"
 (Free Press, October, 2010)

Course description and registration information:

http://tinyurl.com/2fc7xr4

*****

REMINDER:

ST. DAVID'S 50th ANNIVERSARY
TOUR OF CELTIC LANDS - 2011

We plan a 15-day tour of special Celtic sites
in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England -
April 26th - May 10th, 2011.

A highlight of the tour will be a visit to
St. David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. Choir
members from our group will sing at various
informal cathedral events through the day
and at Evensong, on Saturday, May 7th!

We have 26 choristers signed up as part of the
tour group. This special choir begins rehearsals
in early January - led by our congregation's
music director, Brent Tucker.

Details are presently being finalized with
the St. David's cathedral dean, Fr. Jonathan Lean.

We are also planning to sing while visiting Iona,
Scotland and the Church of Mary Immaculate in
Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland. Fr. Ned Carolan, host.

ALL 38 PLACES ON THE TOUR ARE NOW SOLD OUT

We continue to gather a waiting list for this trip,
as they may be some drop-outs as we near deadlines.
We have started an interest list for future tours!

Let me know if you are interested in knowing more
about exciting, spiritual tourism!

*****

SUMMARY OF OUR AUTUMN MONDAY NIGHT STUDY

We are introducing live videos of our sessions,
edited by Jock McTavish:

Review Our Fall Program at St. David's by clicking:
http://www.1journey.net/stdavids/SD/BookStudy/25/25.htm

New material will continue to be added to this page
as it becomes available.

*****

STUDY ARCHIVES

A collection of twenty-five+ studies conducted 
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
http://bookstudies.stdavidscalgary.net/

This collection of study resources represents
a decade of Monday Night Studies at St. David's, 
plus extra courses too!

You are welcome to use our course outlines, 
class notes and resource pages in your personal 
and group reflections.

*****************************************************

SPECIAL ITEM

WHY I AM COMMITTED TO COLLEAGUES LIST
A Short, Personal, Year-end Reflection

I have now completed a full complement of Colleagues 
List web log mailings during the year 2010. That 
amounts to 41 issues provided for readers of my blog 
this year. I usually write more infrequently during 
the months of June, July and August; and sometimes 
when my schedule is too crowded to produce a quality 
edition.

This is a good time to carefully assess why I do, 
in fact, produce this blog. It involves a 
significant part of my week, and I need to be
mindful of my life priorities.

Here then are five reasons why I am committed to 
creating Colleagues List on a regular basis for 
you my readers:

Colleages List -

1. Exposes me to a wide range of faith/culture 
   developments -

Every week, I peruse hundreds of online and 
hardcopy articles. I need to be discriminating 
about what is truly helpful to my awareness and 
growth. What you read is a culling from a much 
broader information base which I hope is helpful
to you also.

2. Regularly disciplines me to form/consolidate 
   my thinking -

I need constantly to be exposed to many new 
discoveries if I hope to grow and mature as a 
person. Often this causes me to 'stretch' in ways 
I might not always prefer. I try to refine my 
thoughts with you from a 'big tent' of ideas.

3. Keeps me connected globally to many people and 
   places -

I have continued to keep in touch with friends from 
every stage of my life since childhood. This 
involves people from around the world, as well 
as closer to my home base in Canada. I try to
offer you a universal tapestry from a Canadian 
perspective. Wherever feasible, I seek to include
input from you my readers. Don't hesitate to submit 
your thoughts. They may get published!

4. Helps me to live with a greater awareness of 
   real life -

Working extensively in the field of 'religion and 
culture' means that I am constantly exposed to ideas 
and situations that challenge and sometimes upset 
me. I penetrate areas of living with which I am 
often quite unfamiliar. That should make things 
interesting for all of us since you are a very 
'diverse' group of readers and writers.

5.Gives me an opportunity to share my gifts and 
discoveries 


At a more difficult time, I promised God that - 
if given the opportunity - I would share my life 
generously with others since I was learning that 
generosity is what gave meaning to my continued 
existence. At base, that is my reason for creating 
each free issue of Colleagues List.

Thanks for reading and contributing!

*****

ANNUAL SUMMARY OF ARTICLES
APPEARING IN COLLEAGUES LIST

All items can be retrieved from my Colleagues List 
Blog Archives, links to which are found on the left 
sidebar of the blogsite. Go to "month" and "date" as 
shown to locate your desired selection.

Book Notices and Reviews:

1. Beyond Words: Daily Readings in the ABC's of 
   Faith (Bueckner) - January 9/2010

2. A Case for the Divinity of Jesus: Examining the 
   Earliest Evidence (Overman) - January 23/10

3. Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to 
   Engage Our Multicultural World (Livermore) 
   - January 30/10


4. Thieves in the Temple: The Christian Church
   and the Selling of the American Soul 
  (MacDonald) - February 13/10

5. The Grasshopper (Lothian) - March 6/10

6. Common Ground: Islam, Christianity and Religious 
   Pluralism (Heck) - March 13/10

7. Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens and 
   Two Emperors Decided What Christians Should 
   Believe for the Next 1,500 Years (Jenkins) 
   - March 13/10

8. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ 
   (Pulman) - April 10/10

9. Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church 
   is Good News for Mainline Congregations 
   (Snider and Bowen) - April 17/10

10. The Emerging Church: A Model for Change and a 
    Map for Renewal (Sanguin) - April 24/10

11. Compassion: Loving Our Neighbour in an Age of 
    Globalization (O'Connell) - May 1/10

12. Letters from India: 1932-1945 (Puxley and Titus) 
    - May 8/10

13. The Language God Talks: On Science and Religion 
    (Wouk) - May 15/10

14. The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian 
    Nationalism in Canada (McDonald) - May 29/10

15. And Babies Make Seven (Self-Published) (Koning) 
    - July 10/10

16. Putting Away Childish Things: A Tale of Modern 
    Faith (Borg) July 31/10

17. Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness 
    from the Modern Myth of the Self (Robinson)
    - August 14/10

18. More Everyday Parables: Simple Stories for 
    Spiritual Reflection (Taylor) - October 2/10


19. The Masque of Africa: Glimpses of African 
    Belief (Naipaul) - October 9/10

20. The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine 
    Human Values (Harris) - October 16/10

21. Going Missional: Conversations with 13 Canadian 
    Churches Who Have Embraced Missional Life 
    (Stiller and Metzger) - October 23/10

22. Nelson Mandela: Conversations With Myself 
    (Mandela, with a Preface by Barak Obama) 
     - October 23/10

23. A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions 
    that are Transforming the Faith (McLaren) 
    - October 30/10

24. Pastoral Prayers to Share - Year A; Prayers 
    of the People for Each Sunday of the Church Year 
    (Sparks) - November 6/20

25. The Great Emergence: How Christianity is 
    Changing and Why (Tickle) November 13th, 2010

26. My Search for My Great-Grandfather: 
    The Venerable Oommen Mamen, Archdeacon of 
    Mavelikara of the CMS Anglican Church of India 
    (1830-1904) (Zachariah) - November 20/10

27. Christmas - Festival of Incarnation (Heinz)
    - November 27/10

28. Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic
    Spirituality (Newell) - December 4/10

29. The Celtic Way - New Edition (Bradley)
    - December 4/10

30. What Good Is God? In Search of a Faith that
    Matters (Yancey) - December 11/20

---

Movie Review:

1. The Most Dangerous Man in America -
   Daniel Ellsberg Documentary and Academy Award 
   Nominee - March 6/10

---

Lecture Notes and Personal Thoughts:

1. A Reflection on the Changing Seasons:
   Walking the Banff Fenland Trail
   - January 23/10

2. Background Reflection on Thomas Aquinas -
   "Jesus as True Human" (Wawrykow) - 
   February 6/10

3. Spiritual Leaders Who Changed the World 
   (Part 1) Joseph Campbell, Thomas Berry, 
    Huston Smith - February 20/10

4. Spiritual Leaders Who Changed the Word 
   (Part 2) Simon Weil, Dorothy Day, Albert 
   Schweitzer - February 27/10

5. Notes on "Cross-Pressured Authenticity: 
   Charles Taylor on Religious Identity in 
   a Secular Age" (Kuipers) - March 20/10

6. Notes on "God is Dead and I Don't Feel 
   So Well Myself - A Reflection on Charles 
   Taylor's book, A Secular Age" (Kuipers) 
   - March 20/10

7. Notes on "Jahid of the West: Alienation, 
   Integration and Identity (Tariq Ramadan) 
   - March 20/10

8. When Pentecostals Visited a United Church: 
   Learning to Encounter Each Other Openly 
   (Johnson, Ryland and Webster) 
   - March 27/10

9. Claiming the Passion and Hope of Holy Week 
   and Easter in My Own Life - A Personal 
   Reflection on My Cancer - April 3/10

10. Notes on "Christian Nationalism and 
    Business Propaganda: Do They Threaten 
    Democracy?" (McDonald and Gutstein) 
    - May 22/10

11. "Against My Will: 
    Like Clay in the Potter's Hands"
    (a sermon on my cancer experience preached 
    at St. David's United Church, Calgary) 
    - September 5/10
   
12. "Roots and Wings: A Reflection on Summer 
    Travels in BC and Ontario" 
    - September 18/10

13. Holst Family Christmas Letter  
    - December 18/10

13. "Why I Am Committed to Colleagues List" -
    A summary reflection on the first year 
    of the Colleagues List Blog, 2010 
    - December 31/10

---

Book Chapter:

1. "The Mill Experience: Five Vignettes from 
   Impressionabl Years" produced for Jane Snider Epp
   who is writing a history of the Snider Flour and 
   Feed Mill, St. Jacobs, ON. - June 12/10

---

I composed a total of 46 presentations during 2010.
  

*****

COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS

ED AND MARIE SCHROEDER
St. Louis, MO.

A DIGITAL NATIVITY (Youtube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA

_____


PAULINE MILLER
St. Jacobs, ON.

A friend sent "Seaway Mall" to me.  It is absolutely 
amazing. I will not attempt to forward his message.  
You can find it easily by going on the Internet.

Pauline

Seaway Mall - Christmas Food Court Flash Mob Hallelujah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE

*****

ANGELINA WALDON
Calgary, AB

Wayne:  

While I was reading your newsletter it occurred 
to me that you could be interested in this series.  
Just in case you did not get the link earlier in 
December I forward it to you as it is so easy to 
register and listen to it.  It's a fantastic idea, 
so many good speakers (writers) coming all together.  
I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and 
the Best in the New Year.  

Angelina

EVOLUTIONARY CHRISTIANITY WEBSITE:

http://evolutionarychristianity.com/ 

*****

PHILIP JENKINS
University Park, PA

NOTES FROM THE GLOBAL CHURCH - 
A SECOND SPRING

The Christian Century
December 20th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/27ogn3s

*****

JIM TAYLOR
Okanagan, BC

GIFTS OF LIFE

Earlier this week I sat at my computer wondering 
what I could write about Christmas that might be 
new and insightful. Far too often, the Christmas 
message feels just like dusting off ornaments 
exhumed once a year.

In desperation, I thumbed through some Decembers 
of the journal I’ve kept -- more or less regularly 
-- since 1964...

Read Jim's entire column: 
http://edges.canadahomepage.net/2010/12/22/945/

*****

LORNA DUECK
Burlington, ON

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT
With Winnipeg Author Jerry Bowler
Listen Up TV
Dec. 23rd, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-ZTwDrgYuo

********************

END-OF-YEAR SPECIALS

LOOKING BACK ON 2010
From an American Perspective

Religion and Ethics - 
National Public Radio
December 23rd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/25xcqph

*****

THE TEN TOP NEWS STORIES FROM 
CHRISTIANITY TODAY

December 28th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/232zgsz

*****

CHRISTMAS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
A Slide Show of Christian Life

The Guardian, UK
Dec. 23rd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2bd4a4b

*****

THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS
The Telegraph, UK
December 22nd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2eycc7n

*****

THE BEST SPIRITUAL BOOKS OF 2010

Compiled by the producers of 
Spirituality and Practice 
December 2010:

http://tinyurl.com/2eaghxx

***************

NET NOTES

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICES

NPR Religion and Ethics
December 17th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2elf928

*****

SASKATOON DOES CHRISTMAS BEST
FOR KIDS - SURVEY

Toronto Sun
December 25th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/29g8z3v

*****

MY NAME IS PETER 
AND I'M A BELIEVER

The Independent
December 21st, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/28k879h

*****

ANNE RICE'S CHRISTMAS CONFESSION
Vampire Author Declares Her Faith -
Dropped Out of Church but Still a Believer

Wall Street Journal
December 24th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2fee4pd

*****

ON PALIN'S READING LIST -
C.S. LEWIS

Wall Street Journal
December 21st, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2vgsn8r

*****

IRAQI CHRISTIANS EXERCISE 
CAUTION AT CHRISTMAS

New York Times
December 25th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/24qdchd

*****

CHRISTMAS TREE BECOMES 
NEW KOREAN FLASHPOINT

ABC News
Dec. 21st, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2843778

*****

IN 500 BILLION WORDS
A NEW WINDOW ON CULTURE

The New York Times,
Dec. 17th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2aa6b5r

*****

CATHOLIC HOSPITAL TIES CUT AFTER
ABORTION THAT SAVED MOTHER'S LIFE

The Guardian, UK
Dec. 23rd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/29erj6a

*****

HINDU RADICALS SPREAD 
CHRISTMAS FEAR IN ORISSA

Cathnews Asia
Dec. 22nd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2bu78dx

*****

WHAT IF IT'S NOT MEN
THAT MEN ARE LOOKING FOR?
Perspectives on Worship Leadership

The Christian Century Blog
December 14th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2g7l2nw

*****

CANADA OFFERS SANCTUARY TO VICTIMS
OF ETHNIC CLEANSING IN IRAQ

ChristianWeek.org
January 1st, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/34cwmzs

*****

A HISTORY OF EVANGELICALS
IN THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

Faith and Culture Trends - 
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
December, 2010

"The Loyal Opposition"

http://tinyurl.com/2cbooux

*****

CHRIST'S ENDANGERED LANGUAGE GETS
NEW LEASE ON LIFE AT OXFORD

The Guardian UK
Dec. 23rd, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/29hjxl3

*****

POPE SAYS CHURCH MUST REFLECT
ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH ITS MESSAGE

The Telegraph UK
December 21st, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2wbpy6q

*****

BENEATH DEAD SEA SCIENTISTS 
ARE DRILLING FOR NATURAL HISTORY

The New York Times
December 18th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2fe26ww

*****

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER: LEGAL SYSTEM
DISCRIMINATES AGAINST CHRISTIANS

The Telegraph, UK
December 27th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/2vvdx55

*****

GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI

Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
20 December 2010

Bethlehem 'centre of Christian spirituality' 
despite conflict

Bethlehem, West Bank (ENI news). Despite political 
conflict involving Israelis and Palestinians in the 
West Bank and Gaza, Bethlehem remains the centre of 
Christian spirituality, especially at Christmas, 
says the Palestinian minister of tourism Khouloud 
Deibes. "Christmas is a source of joy and pride 
for us Palestinians because here it happened," 
Deibes, a Christian resident of Bethlehem, said 
during a press briefing on 14 December. She noted 
that Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem include 
those of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and 
Armenian Christians. "Here we have the time also 
to celebrate our churches; they are living 
monuments, not museums."  Deibes added, "We are 
still under occupation, people are still suffering. 
Christmas is a good occasion to show how the 
political situation is negatively impacting the 
Christian presence in the Holy Land." 

_____

Dublin archbishop apologises as former priest 
jailed for sexual abuse

Dublin (ENI news). The Roman Catholic archbishop
of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has apologised 
"unreservedly" to the people of Ballyfermot, a 
parish in Ireland's capital city, after a former 
priest who had ministered there was sentenced to 
16 years in prison for child abuse. The 57-year-
old former priest, Tony Walsh, was sentenced in 
Dublin on 8 December to jail terms ranging from 
four to 16 years on 12 counts of  indecent assault 
and homosexual assault on three boys, aged between 
seven and their early teens, between 1978 and 1985. 
In a 12 December homily at the Church of the 
Assumption in Ballyfermot, Archbishop Martin said, 
"I came here this morning to renew my apologies to 
the people of this parish for the facts that this 
week have emerged one step more clearly about the 
abuse of children in Ballyfermot by the former 
priest Tony Walsh and about the way this abuse was 
hushed-up by people with responsibility in the 
parish and in the diocese." 

_____

Islam's 'special demands' a 21st century test, 
says UK secular chief

Canterbury, England (ENI news). Accommodating 
Islam's special demands on Britain will be one of 
the greatest governmental challenges of the 21st 
century, says the president of the UK's National 
Secular Society. In an interview with ENI news, 
Terry Sanderson warned that if the British 
government continues to "bury its head in the sand" 
and pretend that Islamic fundamentalists are not
running some faith schools there could be "two 
societies" and "two cultures" in Britain.
 
"Naturally, I see secularism as a major factor 
in permitting us all to live together without any 
religion being able to take temporal power and then 
preceding to persecute the others - which is the 
usual path in theocracies."

*****

21 December 2010

Latvian Lutheran church wrestles with ecumenism, 
female clergy

Riga (ENI news). Archbishop Janis Vanags, widely 
known for his strong stand against the ordination 
of women and opposition to homosexuality, is to 
remain as the leader of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church of Latvia. Vanags, a dissident activist when 
the Baltic country was under Soviet rule, was chosen 
to lead the Lutheran church in his country after his 
predecessor died in a car accident in 1992. Seventy 
percent of the synod cast votes of confidence in 
Vanags, who told ENI news that he called the 
election because of his concern over the difficult 
situation in the church. 

_____

After 100 years, Japanese Protestant-run schools 
face pressures

Tokyo (ENI news). The Association of Christian 
Schools in Japan, a nationwide grouping of 
Protestant-run schools in the country, has 
marked its centennial anniversary amid 
decreasing enrollment. The Christian schools'
association was founded in Kyoto in 1910 by 
about 10 men's schools "to take actions together" 
against the government's 1899 order to ban 
religious education in the country. Many of the 
member schools were founded with the help of 
Western missions. "Our problems today include 
'internal pressures' instead of external 
pressures [from the government], such as the 
decrease of candidates for the entrance 
examinations, competitions with other schools, 
and secularisation," said the Rev. Masanobu 
Fukamachi, who chaired the association's board 
of directors from 1999 to 2003. 

*****

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Provided by Sojourners Online:

December 20th, 2010

"The way to Christ is first through humility, 
second through humility, third through humility."

- Augustine of Hippo

_____

December 21st, 2010

"My vocation is love! In the heart of the Church, 
who is my Mother, I will be love. So I shall be 
everything and so my dreams will be fulfilled -- 
to make Love loved."

- Saint Therese of Lisieu

_____

December 22nd, 2010

"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; 
while children go hungry, as they do now, I'll 
fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in 
and out, as they do, I'll fight; while there 
is one drunkard left, while there is a poor 
girl upon the streets, while there remains 
one dark soul without the light of God, 
I'll fight -- I'll fight to the very end!"

- William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army)

_____

December 23rd, 2010

"We shall awaken from our dullness and rise 
vigorously toward justice. If we fall in love 
with creation deeper and deeper, we will respond 
to its endangerment with passion."

- Hildegard of Bingen

_____

December 24th, 2010

"We are all called to be contemplatives in the 
heart of the world -- by seeking the face of God 
in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, 
and [God's] hand in every happening; seeing and 
adoring the presence of Jesus, especially in the 
lowly appearance of bread, and in the distressing 
disguise of the poor."

- Mother Teresa


*****

ON THIS DAY

Provided by the New York Times

Dec. 21, 1988 - a terrorist bomb exploded aboard 
a Pan Am Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland, 
killing 270 people.

http://tinyurl.com/2wtmvh2

---

Dec. 22, 1864 - during the Civil War, Union Gen. 
William T. Sherman sent a message to President 
Lincoln from Georgia, saying, "I beg to present 
you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.

http://tinyurl.com/28kj4jv

---

Dec. 23, 1986 - the experimental airplane 
Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, 
completed the first non-stop, around-the-world 
flight without refueling as it landed safely at 
Edwards Air Force Base in California.

http://tinyurl.com/27wn6e3

---

Dec. 25, 1991 - Soviet President Mikhail S. 
Gorbachev went on TV to announce his resignation 
as the eighth and final leader of a Communist 
superpower that had already gone out of existence.

http://tinyurl.com/22ovlmh

---

Dec. 26, 1941 - Winston Churchill became the 
first British prime minister to address a joint 
meeting of the United States Congress.

http://tinyurl.com/2dpxds6

---

Dec. 28, 1981 - Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first 
American test-tube baby, was born in Norfolk, Va.

http://tinyurl.com/3982kdx

---

Dec. 29, 1940 - during World War II, Germany 
began dropping incendiary bombs on London.

http://tinyurl.com/39sbe2c

*****

CLOSING THOUGHT

CHRISTMAS TREES, by Robert Frost (1920)

http://tinyurl.com/29o86t9

(end)