For the week of October 16, 2003
LC homecoming
Louisiana College has scheduled its annual homecoming celebration
for Oct. 16-18 on the Pineville campus. Festivities are scheduled to begin Oct.
16 with the annual chapel service at 10:50 a.m. The annual golf tournament is
set for that afternoon. A Christian musical comedy – “Smoke on the
Mountain” – is to be presented Oct. 16-18 as well. A missionary reunion
is scheduled on Oct. 17, as is a 50th reunion luncheon for the class of 1953.
Friday events also include the sixth annual tricycle race, the opening of an
art exhibit, the annual homecoming celebration dinner and a bonfire and pep
rally. Events on Oct. 18 include the annual Wildcat Homecoming Run/Walk, various
organizational reunions and the Wildcat football game against Austin College
at 2 p.m. For specific details, call 318-487-7301.
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court justices began their annual term recently
with at least one major church-state case on the docket. The justices declined
to review a ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed a
Bible club in Washington state to meet in a high school during school hours.
The court also did not reveal whether it would hear arguments in another controversial
case from the Ninth Circuit. That court caused great controversy last year when
it declared the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in a California public
school unconstitutional because the oath contains the words “under God.”
The nations high court has agreed to hear a Washington state case on whether
states are required to fund religious programs – such as a Bible college
– on an equal basis with secular programs, even if the state constitution
contains an explicit bar on indirect government funding of religion.
Mission board budget
Southern Baptist North American Mission Board trustees recently
adopted a 2004 budget of $118.29 million, a reduction of nearly 6 percent from
the current year. The cutbacks represent an effort to cut expenses in the light
of an economic downturn, declining investment income and increased health insurance
costs. The budget includes the previously-announced elimination of 31 positions,
seven of which were filled by employees who were not offered other positions
or retirement.
Cooperative agreement
A yearlong impasse between the historic Baptist General Convention
of Texas and the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board has ended. Leaders
of both entities have approved a revised cooperative agreement for use of board
funds funneled into the state. The cooperative agreement has been an ongoing
issue. One of the issues was language relating to a mission board requirement
that jointly-appointed missionaries comply with the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.
The new agreement addresses that concern by noting: “When North American
Mission Board funds are used, both entities acknowledge that personnel must
comply with the North American Mission Boards requirements concerning
the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, though this does not indicate affirmation
of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.”
In addition, the Texas convention has agreed to reverse a policy in which it
was withholding funds to be sent through the mission board. Leaders of both
entities said they were pleased with the agreement.
Same-sex decision
An Arizona state appeals court has denied a request to legalize same-sex “marriage”
in the state. The ruling was not a surprise but still hailed as a victory by
those fighting for a national constitutional amendment to ban same-sex “marriage.”
The Arizona case involves two homosexual men who had sued the state after a
court clerk had refused to grant them marriage licenses. The men argued that
the states ban on same-sex “marriage” violated both the Arizona
and United States constitutions and that the recent Texas decision – which struck
down sodomy bans – allowed homosexuals to “marry.” But the court disagreed,
saying the matter should be decided by the state legislature, and not by judges.
An appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court is possible. The case is Stanhardt v.
Superior Court and can be read online at www.cofad1.state.az.us/opinionfiles/SA/SA030150.pdf
Marriage protection
President George Bush has proclaimed Oct. 12-18 as Marriage Protection Week,
calling the institutions preservation “essential to the continued
strength of our society.” The president issued the proclamation Oct. 3,
one day after a coalition of 25 evangelical Christian and conservative organizations
announced a campaign to work toward passage of a constitutional amendment to
preserve the biblical and traditional definition of the institution as only
between a man and a woman. The coalition includes the Southern Baptist Ethics
and Religious Liberty Commission. In his proclamation, Bush said, “Marriage
Protection Week provides an opportunity to focus our efforts on preserving the
sanctity of marriage and on building strong and healthy marriages in America.
Marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and my administration is working
to support the institution of marriage by helping couples build successful marriages
and be good parents.” Information on Marriage Protection Week is available
online at www.marriageprotectionweek.com.
Partial-birth abortion
A partial-birth abortion ban acceptable to pro-life advocates
awaits final passage by the Senate. A conference committee of members of the
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives recently approved a final version of
the Partial-birth Abortion Ban Act – minus an amendment opposed by pro-lifers.
The conferees removed a non-binding resolution added in the Senates bill
that endorsed the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. The House of
Representatives then approved the measure on a 281-142 vote. The action clears
the way for the Senate to act. If they do, President George Bush has promised
to sign the measure. It would enact the first direct, federal restriction on
an abortion procedure since Roe v. Wade. Bush has endorsed the ban. However,
abortion-rights organizations have promised to go to court to seek to block
enforcement of the ban. The bill addresses a late-term procedure in which a
baby is almost fully delivered, then aborted. Congress twice adopted partial-birth
abortion bans in the 1990s only to have President Bill Clinton veto them.
Eliminating hunger
Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., will contribute $40,000 to the
World Hunger Fund this year as part of an ambitious 100-year plan to help eradicate
world hunger. In 2000, Brushy Creek pastor Ralph Carter Jr. led his 2,000-member
congregation to adopt a plan that will run from 2000 to 2100, contributing $10,000
to world hunger the first year and then adding $10,000 to the previous years
contribution each year. At the end of the 100-year period, Brushy Creeks
annual contribution would be $1 million. The church expects to have contributed
$50.5 million toward erasing world hunger by that time. Carter said Southern
Baptist churches generally have taken a “nickel and dime” approach
to fighting world hunger. “If our churches would give more than lip service
to the problem of world hunger, we could erase it,” he said. The Brushy
Creek pastor said such a worldwide assault on hunger could provide inroads for
spreading the gospel. But even if it does not, giving to eliminate hunger “is
just the right thing to do,” he said. Hunger giving is only part of Brushy
Creeks 100-year plan. The 2,000-member congregation also has pledged to
build a Habitat for Humanity house each year and to send out 200 of its members
each year to do missions