European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 11, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes religion saturday december 11,1993 More russians turning to god Survey shows a fwd Sqq offs Obi vow a i by the new York times a a third of the russians who once considered themselves atheists had become believers in god by 1991, a study says. Quot these numbers demonstrate after the most serious attempt to obliterate religion in history the most dramatic religious revival a the Rev. Andrew m. Greeley said in presenting the report in Washington. The study was released thursday by the National opinion research Center it Analysed data collected in May and june 1991, when the russian Center for Public opinion research in Moscow asked a representative Sample of 2,964 russians to describe both their past and present religious beliefs and practices. Greeley a sociologist at the University of Chicago is a research associate at the research Center based in Chicago. The 1991 poll showed that although Only one out of 10 russians reported having been raised in the russian orthodox Church almost one out of 3 now said they were affiliated with it. The 1991 data were not available from the russians fat analysis until this year it is the most recent National Survey of religious beliefs in Russia but the new belief in god was not yet matched by new Levels in religious practice the poll showed. Only 8 percent reported attending a Church service once a month or More. Despite charges that orthodox officials had support _ i revival tussle kitted a Ait religion in to Toty 3% offered in god but Boom Othow support a Hoof Church two great Doal of too much con Monco i Church no Bottom in god source int Sgattona social Survey program study of 2,064 adult respondents in 1991. Ap/s4s de the communist government three out of four russians expressed Quot a great Deal Quot of Confidence in orthodox leaders now the poll found. Greeley contrasted the russian findings with the situation in the former Hast Germany where similar polls showed the downfall of communism had not reversed a religious decline. Greeley said the margin of error for the 1991 Survey was fewer than 3 percentage Points. / a a / crisis in sex Issue but won t Back off by David Briggs the associated press the nation s largest lutheran group has vowed to keep closer tabs on a task Force that provoked widespread protests for supporting homosexual unions but the Church is not backing off from the sex Church Council of the evangelical lutheran Church in America voted to appoint an 11-member consulting panel to work with the task Force to make sure that any official policy on sexuality would stand on biblical foundations and the confessional tradition of the Church. Church officials also announced thursday that the Council has decided to hire up to three people to replace the Rev. Karen a Bloomquist who was removed As the director of the sexuality study after the first draft was released. Quot we do have a crisis Quot said the head of the Church Bishop Herbert Chilstrom. Quot a crisis can be a doorway to looking at things in a new Way or a teaching the Church is in the Middle of its first attempt to grapple with sexuality since it was formed in 1988 by the merger of the lutheran Church in America the american lutheran Church and the association of evangelical lutheran churches. A 21-Page report released in october the Church and human sexuality a lutheran perspective urged members to Challenge traditional biblical condemnations of homosexuality and argued that supporting and even moving toward a practice of Blessing committed same sex unions Are practices Quot strongly supported by responsible biblical Quot it is the binding commitment not the License or ceremony that lies at the heart of biblical understandings of marriage Quot the draft said. Even before the statement was released the 67-Mcmber conference of Bishops expressed concerns about the Way marriage appeared to be equated with the term Quot Loving committed relationship Quot and about the Way scripture was interpreted in defense of homosexual relationships. The reaction from the pews was immediate and largely negative. Chilstrom said he received about 700 letters. Most of the negative letters go directly to the Issue of v homosexuality. It is very Clear that that is the Flash Point. A Bishop Herbert Chilstrom Quot most of the negative letters go directly to the Issue of homosexuality. It is very Clear that that is the Flash Point a he said in a statement. The Church Council the 5.2 million member denominations legislative body Between its biennial Church wide assemblies voted 25-7 last week against stopping work on a sexuality statement. However in its official statement released thursday the Council acknowledged that there Are Quot Strong signs that Trust in the current task Force has been impaired Quot and that significant modifications were required for the process to be widely accepted. While it did not set specific boundaries the Council also said no statement would be recommended to a Church wide Assembly unless it would stand on biblical foundations and Merit widespread support within the Church. A if members of this Church do not believe the process is trustworthy then Progress in developing a social statement on human sexuality will be greatly impaired if not permanently poisoned by cynicism disillusionment suspicion and sense of betrayal now Felt by a significant number of persons Quot said the Rev. Charles Miller executive director of the denominations division for Church in society. Chilstrom said thursday that the task Force ignored his advice when it appeared to take sides on homosexuality ruling out the stand of people who refer to the biblical prohibitions. Quot the most we can do in the Church at this Point is to Frame the dialogue and to encourage people to get involved in Calm and courageous discussions he said. Local churches have until june to Send Back responses to the first draft. A second scheduled to be prepared next summer in time for a Church wide Assembly of Lay and clergy delegates in 1995. Pittsburgh diocese plans to shut 6 More churches from wire reports Daisytown a. The roman Catholic diocese of Pittsburgh said five churches will close in february and a sixth will close in 1995 in the latest round of Church closings. Quot churchgoers Learned the news at services sunday. Quot it seemed like i was so close to god Here a a Rose Tokar said about the soon to close Assumption Mission ii Daisytown in Washington county. A i Only i had a Chance to talk to Bishop Donald Wuerl and Tell him the since july 1992, the diocese either has closed or has announced plans to close 36 churches. A priest shortage is one reason cited for the closings. Couple wed in own Church Shelby neb. A Penny Heimann and Craig Carlson wanted a Church wedding so they bought a Church. Quot anyone can buy or build a House but not everyone can buy a Church a Heimann said. On dec. 4, they exchanged vows in the old evangelical United Brethren Church in Shelby which Hasni to been used As a Church for More than 20 years and is now the couples Home. The Rev. John Ewton pastor of the United methodist Church across the Street officiated. The old Church which the couple bought in september for $2,500, has a Long in this Community of700 in East Central Nebraska. When members of the Brethren Church United with the methodists of the Community in 1968, the Stone building was sold to the masonic Temple. The masons and the order of the Eastern Star used the building until recently when it was abandoned. While some repairs have to be made Carlson said the building is structurally sound. Heimann estimated the Church Nas about 1,700 Square feet of living space. Sunday shopping protested Pella Iowa a to the dismay of Many residents in this Community in Central Iowa Wal Mart has broken with an informal taboo against sunday retailing. Starting last weekend Wal Mart opened its doors sunday from noon to 5 . Quot in a not very Happy a said the Rev. Wayne Bekkering of the protestant reformed Church. Quot this violates our religious and traditional convictions against sunday its not against the Law to shop on sundays. But with the exception of some restaurants and filling stations stores in Pella have traditionally agreed to stay closed said David Vollmar director of the Pella chamber of Commerce but Wal Mart which opened in Pella nine years ago believes it s simply satisfying a demand. Gene of Brien District manager said the company decided to open on sundays after consulting with local pastors. The hours from noon to 5 . Were selected to avoid any conflicts with morning and evening Church services he said. But Bekkering is not satisfied. Quot the lords Day is the whole Day a he said. Leaders condemn Media Albany . A the Media Are glorifying violence and should Cut out some of the Gore or be subject to More regulation new Yorkus religious leaders say. Quot when the top of the news for the first five to 10 minutes consists of reports of rape murder gory episodes criminal acts and then incidentally some important local news. That a not news reporting that a entertainment Quot said rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal executive vice president of the new York Board of rabbis. Quot that a pandering to the basest elements of human Rosenthal and leaders of the states roman Catholic and protestant churches released a six Page policy statement recently on How their Elan a the growth of violence in new York. The number of reported violent crimes across the state increased from about 125,000 in 1970 to More than 200,000 in 1992. The statement Calls on leaders of religious denominations to instill a greater sense of spirituality and self esteem in their members and to work Quot More compassionately and effectively Quot with victims and criminals. In one of its longest sections the statement takes movies television newspapers and the music Industry to task for the a Quot it a a highlighting of
