Religion news in brief
DENVER — As clergy involvement in politics stirs debate, Roman Catholic priests and deacons in the Denver Archdiocese are being instructed not to endorse or donate money to political candidates.
The directive came from Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, one of the nation's most outspoken Catholic bishops in expressing the need for Catholics to follow their faith in making political decisions.
Published in the archdiocesan newspaper, the directive states that clerics "may not publicly participate or endorse political campaigns or initiatives, or publicly affiliate themselves with groups whose primary purpose is to do so."
Jeanette DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Chaput wants to give clergy guidance ahead of the 2008 election and wasn't responding to any particular activity by priests or deacons.
She said the directive only affects partisan political activity and said that clergy still have a duty to speak out on moral issues such as abortion or immigration.
In May, a Chicago priest, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, pledged not to do any campaigning or publicly mention any candidate by name after making derisive comments about Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton. Chicago Cardinal Francis George said the comments were "partisan and amount to a personal attack."
Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, meantime, has disowned endorsements from two high-profile evangelical pastors for their controversial comments about other religions.
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Maine high court rejects school funding appeal
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine's highest court has rejected an appeal by a couple who wanted the town of Swans Island to pay for their children's education at a Christian school.
Jason and Priscilla Joyce argued that the subsidy to send their children to a religious school in Trenton came from town funds — not state funds — and therefore was exempt from state law banning the use of public money for religious education. They also argued that the town's payment was to them, not to the school.
In an unanimous opinion issued Tuesday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the law applies to all public funds.
Justice Andrew Mead wrote that differentiating between money raised by the state and money raised by a municipality would be "to invite a shell game with public monies."
Mead also wrote that it makes no difference whether the money was paid directly to the school or to reimburse the Joyces after they paid the school tuition. The town's policy made it clear that the subsidy would pay the cost of sending children to religious schools in violation of state law.
The Joyces filed a complaint in Kennebec County Superior Court in 2007 after the attorney general's office issued an opinion that the town's policy of giving parents money for religious education violated state law. Swans Island voters approved the policy in 2006.
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http://www.swans-island-maine.us/
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NYC Sikhs protest attack on 12-year-old girl
NEW YORK (AP) — The Sikh community in protesting an attack on a 12-year-old girl who had her long hair cut off by a fellow student.
The June 9 incident at Public School 219 in Flushing is the third incident in two months targeting a Sikh student in Queens. The hair cutting violates Sikh religious beliefs. School officials say the accused student was immediately suspended.
Sikhs and elected officials planned a march through Richmond Hill, Queens, on Monday, followed by a rally at Richmond Hill High School.
On June 3, a student tried to remove a Sikh's turban and punched him in the face at Richmond Hill High School. In May, a student at another Queens school had his turban removed and his hair cut off.
Schools Chancellor Joe Klein has previously met with the Sikh community and said new bias regulations were being implemented.
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Judge rejects Va. Christian group's cross request
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a Christian group's request to display a 12-foot-cross at a Fourth of July celebration at a city park in Chesapeake.
U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar denied the application of Christian Rights Ministries. The ministries said it was told last year to remove the religious symbol after the group said city workers called the cross "too blatantly Christian."
At the court hearing in Norfolk, however, the workers said they had the cross removed for safety reasons.
Ministries founder Steve Taylor filed the civil rights suit against Chesapeake and asked for an injunction to force the city to allow the cross at this year's celebration.
Chesapeake's city attorney, Jeffrey Salb, said other Christian groups have participated in the celebration without incident.
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http://www.christianrights.org/
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Noise complaints prompt church to leave Ohio city
MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) — The pastor of a northeast Ohio church that's been the subject of neighborhood complaints because of loud worship services said he'll move the small Pentecostal church outside of town.
During the annual revival in May at Worshippers of Christ the Warrior King in Massillon, services with loud music go late into the night.
After services on May 3, officers walked into the church and wrote senior pastor Troy Sowell a ticket for violating the city's noise ordinance.
Sowell said the controversy has caused the church to lose worshippers. The 49-year-old said he's also lost friends and ministry opportunities.
One of the world's fastest growing religious traditions, Pentecostal Christianity is distinguished by its exuberant worship and emphasis on "spiritual gifts" described in the Bible, like speaking in tongues.
The Ohio church has held services elsewhere for the last several weeks, Sowell said. A new permanent location should be determined soon.
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