2001: The Year In Review
Religion has made headlines in a big way this year--for better and for worse

Politics

WASHINGTON--John Ashcroft, a Pentecostal who was nominated as President George W. Bush's pick for attorney general early this year, drew perhaps the most controversy of any previous candidate for the office. Ashcroft, who was lambasted by some politicians for his strong religious beliefs, won the seat. Later, many protested against his right to hold a Bible study at the beginning of the workday. Articles on the topic quoted one member of the Justice Department as saying that the practice was "alienating," while another claimed that Ashcroft was attempting to establish a religion.

WASHINGTON--President George W. Bush also came under fire as critics decried his practice of daily Bible reading, praying in the Oval Office and using religious references in his speeches. Dissenters, including the national director of the Anti-Defamation League and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, also expressed their disapproval when it was revealed that Bush had prayed with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski in the White House when the two leaders met.

WASHINGTON--This year, President Bush also met with controversy when he announced his decision to expand the "charitable choice" program. By expanding charitable choice to 10 other social service programs, the program--adopted in 1996--allows religious groups to compete directly for government contracts. The proposed bill would change the tax code to encourage charitable contributions, including a new break for taxpayers that don't itemize and claim the standard deduction.

At press time, Republicans were preparing to push Bush's faith-based initiative to the House floor, with opponents begging the fundamental question of how religious a social service program may be in order to qualify for government money. And the administration confused matters further when a top Justice Department official told Congress that religious charities would have to keep any religious programming separate, then proposed an amendment to the legislation that would ensure it.

"In the past, the president and his allies have insisted that religious groups get funding without sacrificing their religious character," the Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State told the Associated Press earlier this year. "Now Bush's people seem to be saying religious groups must drop all religious activity if they get public funds."

The initiative's strongest supporters say that even the most religious programs (by definition, according to the AP, "those that try to convert people") should qualify for some sort of funding. Many Bush allies agreed, suggesting that even the most successful social service programs could benefit from using religion to improve the lives of those they assist.

WASHINGTON--According to the Associated Press, almost two-thirds of states have never given churches and other religious groups any money for welfare programs despite the federal 1996 "charitable choice" law. The problem is apparently due to a general lack of promotion and support, says reporter Laura Meckler.

On a related note, a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life found that a number of Americans support the idea of government money going to religious groups. According to AP reporter Will Lester, seven in 10 of the 2,041 adults polled in March said they favored the idea of allowing religious organizations to apply for government funding to provide social services. These citizens expressed confusion, however, about Bush's proposal to expand the charitable choice program, questioning what groups should receive money and whether those in need will be pressured to convert to a particular religion.

PHOENIX, Ariz.--According to a recent survey, six out of every 10 Americans feel that elected officials who have strongly-held religious beliefs should compromise with fellow officials when voting on controversial topics, including abortion and homosexuality. The survey also revealed that evangelical Christians are more likely to say that officials should vote based on their views.

PHOENIX, Ariz.--A nationwide study conducted by Ellison Research prior to the 2000 presidential election found that of 500 pastors, 64% said they would "definitely" or "probably" vote for George W. Bush. Fifteen percent supported Vice President Al Gore. Twenty-one percent were undecided.

Legal battles

MILFORD, N.Y.--In upstate New York, one evangelism club protested a school's opening its doors to after-school civic meetings for groups with a moral theme--like the Boy Scouts and 4-H--without including children's Bible study groups as well. Such an action violates First Amendment free-speech rights, the Supreme Court ruled.

"We can see no logical difference in kind between the invocation of Christianity by the club and the invocation of teamwork, loyalty or patriotism by other associations" that use the school building after hours, wrote Justice Clarence Thomas for a 6-3 majority.

"The Supreme Court decision represents an important victory for the First Amendment and sends a powerful message that religious organizations must receive equal treatment," added Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the conservative American Center for Law and Justice in an interview with the Associated Press.

The court's rulings concerning the proper place for religion in public schools have not always been in step with this latest decision, however. In the early 1960s, it banned organized prayer during class hours, then it banned public display of the Ten Commandments in 1980. In the past decade, the court has also banned clergy-led prayer at graduation ceremonies and student-led prayer at high school football games.

WASHINGTON--In April, the Supreme Court upheld a California court decision that exempts religious organizations from local landmark preservation laws. Without comment, the High Court rejected a challenge to a state law that allows church groups to tear down and replace historic buildings. The law prevents cities and counties from enforcing preservation laws in cases when a religious organization owns the property. The law was passed after the Catholic archdiocese announced plans to close nine churches in San Francisco, Calif.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas--Norma McCorvey, who as "Jane Roe" was one-half of the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion, is now fighting to have that decision overturned. McCorvey, who has since become a Christian, was quoted by Baptist Press as saying, "[M]y case was wrongfully decided and has caused great harm to the women and children of our nation." She filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a class action lawsuit May 31 in the federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In filing, Roe was joined by Sandra Cano, whose case--Doe v. Bolton--was issued as a companion ruling to Roe, making it legal to get an abortion for any reason.

Popular culture

NEW YORK--According to the New York Times, evangelist Bruce Wilkinson's best-seller, The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life, met with both praise and criticism from some unlikely sources. As of May, the book had sold 4.1 million copies, was No. 1 on the USA Today bestseller list; the New York Times' list of advice, how-to and miscellaneous bestsellers; and Publisher's Weekly's list of hardcover nonfiction bestsellers. While the public snapped it up, however, some church leaders panned the book's message, saying it focuses on asking God for personal success.

PHOENIX, Ariz.--Christian movies proliferated this year, capped off by the success of Left Behind--The Movie, which had the best opening ever for an evangelical Christian movie with $2.6 million in sales, according to Charisma magazine. Based on the wildly popular book series, it surpassed the previous record set by The Omega Code, which brought in $2.4 million on its opening weekend.

ATLANTA, Ga.--CNN founder Ted Turner stunned the religious community with his remarks at an Ash Wednesday gathering. The man known as the "Mouth from the South" referred to CNN staffers wearing ashes on their foreheads as "Jesus freaks." Turner later asked them, "Shouldn't you be working for Fox?" Turner, whose marriage ended this year after wife Jane Fonda revealed she had become a Christian, later apologized for what he called his "thoughtless" remarks.

MORENO VALLEY, Calif.--In June, a Vermont couple lost a court battle with the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (VDMV) when the organization denied them permission for specialty license plates bearing a religious message. According to the Maranatha Christian Journal, the VDMV refused to issue the paid-for specialty plates bearing "ROMANS5" and "ROMANS8" on the grounds that the message might be offensive or confusing. Two witnesses--a Rabbi and a person of Muslim faith--testified on behalf of the plaintiffs, saying the messages were not offensive, but the Agency of Transportation upheld the VDMV's decision to deny the plates. The case has been appealed to the Washington County Superior Court.

NEW YORK--The Catholic League urged 75 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and other religious organizations to boycott the cable channel Showtime, which aired a movie that the group deemed anti-Catholic, according to Cybercast News Service. The film, Sister Mary Explains It All, was referred to by League president William Donohue as "nothing but Catholic bashing."

WASHINGTON--This year, census figures showed a significant rise in the number of unmarried couples living together. According to CNSNews, figures indicated a 71% increase over the last decade, alarming many church leaders.

LOS ANGELES--In February, London-based Premier Christian Radio--the only nondenominational Christian radio station in the United Kingdom--launched its on-line confessional, www.theconfessor.co.uk. Visitors may follow a series of screen prompts or choose a database of prepared confessions, after which their submissions are erased completely, even from their own computers.

According to Peter Kerridge, managing director of the team who conceptualized the site, priests have issued complaints but "the Catholic Church has been particularly responsive." However, William Ryan, spokesman for the U.S. Catholic Conference, says the church does not recognize on-line confessions and that people who use the Web site will not receive absolution.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the site attracted more than one million visitors in its first 72 hours.

WASHINGTON--This year, North Dakota's prairie churches were among America's 11 Most Endangered Places, a list compiled annually by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. According to the trust, these churches were often founded by first-generation settlers from Germany, Poland, Iceland, Russia and Scandinavia and were usually "the first building to go up when a town was settled and the last to close its doors if the community died out."

More than 400 of the state's 2,000 church structures are now vacant and threatened by inadequate maintenance and demolition, according to Richard Moe, president of the National Trust. Many congregations have struggled to keep their churches going in the face of declining population and agriculture, he adds. In fact, 78% of the state's churches are in towns of fewer than 2,500 people. At the current rate, 50 more churches may close this decade.

While listing does not ensure protection or guarantee funding, designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save threatened sites in the past. For example, the History Channel hosted a one-hour documentary on all 11 endangered sites in July and The Atlantic Monthly presented a special insert about the sites in its July/August issue.

NEW YORK--A comprehensive book published by nonpartisan, nonprofit group Public Agenda indicates that most Americans are optimistic about the capacity religion has to improve contemporary society, although they are wary of mixing it with politics.

For Goodness' Sake: Why So Many Want Religion to Play a Greater Role in American Life probes how typical Americans think about religion in their lives. Its findings:

• Eighty-five percent say that if more Americans were to become more religious, it's likely that parents would do a better job raising their kids.
• Sixty-nine percent said that "more religion" is the best way to strengthen family values and moral behavior.
• Fifty-three percent of Americans and 53% of evangelical Christians say that public schools should deal with the issue of prayer in the classroom by having a moment of silence, not through expressly religious prayer.
• Fifty-two percent said that public schools often go overboard in taking the meaning out of holiday celebrations for most students by limiting the use of religious symbols during these occasions.

The book also looks at religion in the workplace. Among its findings: six in 10 Americans say people should bring up their religious beliefs with co-workers with care while another 30% advocated avoiding the topic altogether.

WASHINGTON--People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pulled its popular "Jesus Was a Vegetarian" ad campaign in July after the Priests of Sacred Heart claimed ownership of the image of Jesus that PETA was using in its materials. The campaigns featured a devotional image of Christ with a lemon slice halo around his head. According to the Religion News Service, the 122-year-old religious order of priests say they want to keep the image for devotional use.

HARTFORD, Conn.--Americans have a faulty view of the "typical" church, synagogue and mosque, according to a study conducted in March by sociologist David A. Roozen and FACT (Faith Communities Today). Despite the perception of large, urban churches as the norm, half of all congregations have fewer than 100 adults that attend regularly, Roozen reported. Furthermore, 52% are located in small towns and open country. The FACT study is the largest ever conducted on American congregations.

On a related note, another study conducted by ABCNews found that "megachurches"--those that average more than 1,000 members--are the minority. According to findings, only 5% to 10% of the 300,000 to 400,000 churches in the United States meet this criteria. The study also found that the number of Americans who attend megachurches is between 2 million and 5 million.

BOLIVAR, Mo.--This year, Dr. John N. Vaughan with megachurch research center Church Growth Today released the most recent figures on megachurch attendance by state. California topped the list at more than 364,000; Texas ranked second with nearly 268,000; Georgia came in third with more than 130,000; followed by Florida, with nearly 113,000. With 2,000 apiece, Alaska and Connecticut had the lowest megachurch attendance figures while Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa and North Dakota did not exceed 3,000 megachurch members. Results were based on data gathered by Vaughan, who has been researching and publishing these figures annually since 1985.

HOUSTON, Texas--Catholics were given a new way to invest with the debut of a mutual fund opened by a Detroit investment adviser, according to The Houston Chronicle. The Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund promises to make money for its investors while refusing to invest in companies whose businesses contradict Catholic teachings. These include stocks linked to abortion. "Anti-family" practices--including pornography--are also avoided.

PRINCETON, N.J.--Perhaps not to the surprise of many pastors, a recent Gallup poll determined that Easter draws nearly every other person 18 and older to church services, with typical attendance swelling from 40% to 50% on Easter Day. The biggest surges in attendance were seen in adults under 30 years of age and Catholics.

Although the numbers look promising, further research shows that only eight in 10 Protestant and Catholic adults surveyed claimed to understand the religious significance of Easter Sunday, while the other two in 10 either "misunderstood it" or admitted they could not hazard a guess.

WASHINGTON--An interfaith study conducted by Hartford Seminary researchers determined that 62% of U.S. congregations maintain strong ties to religious groups. This finding debunks the widely held belief that affiliation with major religious groups has declined, according to Washington Post reporter Bill Broadway. The fact that these ties endure counters sociologists' popular claim that American faith groups have "entered a 'post-denominational era' in which personal spirituality and needs have preempted loyalty to a single religious heritage," Broadway says. The study involved more than 14,000 congregations in 41 denominations and faith groups.

PRINCETON, N.J.--About six in 10 Americans say they read the Bible at least on occasion, according to the latest Gallup poll of more than 1,000 adults. Readership figures have declined since the 80's, when 73% of those surveyed claimed the same.

Fifty-percent of adults 65 and older reported reading the Bible daily or weekly, followed by Republicans (47%) and non-whites (46%). Respondents cited eight books of the Bible as favorites: Psalms (13%), Genesis (9%), Matthew (7%), John (6%), Revelation (6%), Proverbs (3%), Job (2%) and Luke (2%).

The study also found that only about one in seven Americans reports an involvement beyond reading the Bible (14% said they currently belong to a Bible study group). Regular readers cited motivating factors, including the Bible's relevance to "the basic questions of life" and its ability to help them deepen their understanding of their faith.

Clergy news

PHOENIX, Ariz.--This year, a study of American pastors from more than 500 Protestant churches deemed the New International Version (NIV) the preferred Bible translation. The study conducted by Ellison Research found that 34% of the pastors chose the NIV. It was followed by the King James Version (KJV) with 24%; the New Revised Standard (NRSV) with 17%; the New King James Version (NKJV) with 10%; and the New American Standard (NAS) with 9%.

VENTURA, Calif.--According to an annual survey by Barna Research Group, giving to non-profit organizations, churches and non-church religious organizations dropped significantly last year. The study found that about three-quarters of all adults (78%), donated money to a non-profit organization or a church in 2000. This is a 6% decline from the previous year and a nine-point drop from 1998, when 87% of all adults surveyed said they had donated funds. The average giving per person also dropped by 15% in 2000 to a mean of $886.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.--In its first year, the National Clergy Renewal Program, funded by the Lilly Endowment, provided ministers with grants of up to $30,000, affording each one time for "intentional reflection and renewal." Meanwhile, their congregations were entitled to use up to $10,000 to cover expenses incurred while their pastor was gone. About 120 ministers in 33 states received the grants. This year's winners will be announced in December.

WASHINGTON--In its annual survey of senior pastors of Protestant congregations, Barna Research Group (Ventura, Calif.) found that the median value of pastoral compensation exceeds $38,000 per year, up almost 9% from 1999 levels. Compensation includes salary and benefits--allowances for cars and housing among them--plus retirement payments.

Income varied greatly depending on congregation size, the survey found. Senior pastors leading congregations with more than 250 adults made an average of $56,429 per year while leaders of groups with less than 100 adults made $29,808 on average. Others with above-average earning figures included mainline congregational leaders, seminary graduates and those with more than 10 years of full-time ministry experience.

Meanwhile, this same study determined that although Protestant churches in America are more numerous and are raising record amounts of cash each year, attendance remains mired at its lowest point in the past decade.

Ministry newsmakers

GARNER, N.C.--Southside Community Church has a "no-gossip" policy, according to Charisma News Service. Pastor Phil Spry, who cites Matthew 18 as the basis for the policy, preaches against gossip annually. Those who miss it are required to listen to the taped message before receiving membership. Those who break their promise are as ked to leave.

BOSTON--A 5-year-old girl who suffers from an allergy to wheat was barred from taking a substitute communion due to Vatican rule. The girl and her family later moved to a United Methodist Church. Options presented to those unable to stomach wheat include taking the wine alone or taking a host with a lesser amount of gluten when requested.

NORTH RALEIGH, N.C.--A "Bible and Bike Cross Training" class at the A.E. Finley YMCA in North Raleigh, N.C., proved a popular idea. With Bibles perched on their stationery bikes, participants bike, read and pray while getting a workout.

WASHINGTON--According to an Associated Press religion poll, many churches are forming support groups, training courses and retreats for ministers' wives to combat loneliness and frustration. A 1998 study by Hartford, Conn.-based researchers showed the divorce rate among male ministers was 19%.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--Inspired by the movie Pay it Forward, a California pastor doled out $100 bills to his congregation--a total of $10,000--and instructed them to use the money for a good deed. The overwhelmingly successful result was then put into practice by a number of churches across the United States.

GLORIETA, N.M.--This year brought about a new focus on sports ministries for senior citizens. Church Sports International (San Jose, Calif.) hosted several seminars on the subject, including the National Senior Adult Leadership Summit for senior adult leaders and Rec Lab for ministers of sports and recreation. Both seminars were held at LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center and were sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

According to CSI spokesperson Rodger Oswald, senior adults should stay active as long as they live. Not only that, he says, they should use recreation as a ministry tool to reach other seniors for Christ.

"We are to have a heart for the lost, yet when we create programs that only serve the church internally, we have failed," Oswald told Baptist Press earlier this year. "Senior adults are the largest segment of our population today, and in another couple of years, seniors will double the number of teenagers."

Suggested activities include competitive team sports; competitive individual sports (such as swimming, golf and tennis); recreational sports, both non-competitive and adapted; leisure activities including crafts, drama, retreats and outings; wilderness activities; and health and fitness.

Deaths

CAMPWOOD, Texas--The remains of famed atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair, along with her son and adopted daughter, were discovered in a shallow grave on a Texas ranch in January, more than six years after the trio's disappearance. The outspoken O'Hair, who delighted in the moniker of "Most Hated Woman in America," fought in the 1960s to bar prayer and Bible-reading in American public schools on behalf of her son, Bill Murray, who later became a born-again Christian evangelist.

HOUSTON, Texas--Tropical Storm Allison destroyed the offices of the Union Baptist Association. The damage was estimated at $250,000 by director of missions Tom Billings, who later discovered the association was not insured against the flood. The Baptist General Convention of Texas promised to support the association and help with fundraising efforts.

More than 30 inches of rain fell on Houston and at least 20 on some parts of Louisiana. At press time, three flooded Baptist churches had been identified--all were uninsured against the flood--including one facing a reported three feet of water.

A list of damaged churches is available at www.ubahouston.org. Twenty people died as a result of the storm.

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky.--On May 18, Frederick Radford walked into the Greater Oak Missionary Baptist Church and shot and killed his 25-year-old wife and her friend, a 47-year-old trying to protect her. Radford was holding his two-year-old son at the time, who was unharmed.

CLEARWATER, Fla.--Presbyterian church leader Richard Hosking was shot to death in his home by a 17-year-old boy who had previously attended his church. William Lang, who at one time dated Hosking's daughter, assaulted her before shooting her father. He escaped in the Hosking's 1997 silver Honda Accord.

HARRISBURG, Penn.--Association of Baptists for World Evangelism missionary Veronica "Roni" Bowers was shot and killed along with her baby, Charity, when their plane was shot down over Peru after it was mistakenly believed to be on a drug-smuggling run. Pilot Kevin Donaldson was shot in both legs but managed to land the plane. Bowers' husband, also a missionary, and son Cory, 6, were uninjured.

CHICAGO (ELCA)--Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) music professor Dr. James D. Holloway, 40, was shot four times at the school's Tacoma, Wash. campus in May. The shooter, Donald Cowan, then turned the gun on himself.

Cowan, 55, left a 16-page note expressing his desire to kill someone. He was apparently angry with another university employee, who was out of the country at the time of the incident.