News Briefs I
Episcopal News Service. November 30, 2001 [2001-341]
Pope issues official church document on Internet
(RNS) Pope John Paul II has become the first Roman Catholic pontiff to issue an official church document via the Internet. The Vatican said that in a ceremony in the Apostolic Palace on November 22, John Paul signed a message summing up the work of a meeting of the bishops of Oceania, held at the Vatican in late 1998.
The pope previously has traveled to the region concerned to issue his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation following a continental Synod of Bishops. The Vatican gave no explanation for the change in custom, but John Paul is 81 years old and suffers from a neurological disease that limits his mobility. Although he has continued to travel and plans to visit Bulgaria in May, his trips outside Italy have become shorter in recent years. "In fact," the announcement said, "given the geographical dispersion and the expanse of the continent (of Oceania), electronic communication had an important role during all the synodal process from the initial preparations."
The Vatican said it would be the first time in the history of the church that a pope has issued a pontifical document electronically. The Vatican has for several years posted documents on its Web site (www.vatican.va), but only after distributing them in print.
South African wins award for genocide documentary on Anglican bishop
(UNIIN) A reporter for the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Jacques Pauw, has won the 2001 International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' (ICIJ) Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting, the Washington-based body said.
The ICIJ independent panel of international judges awarded Pauw $20,000 for the winning documentary, "The Bishop of Shyogwe." It is a story about an Anglican bishop accused of conspiring with the Rwandan government to kill Tutsis who sought sanctuary in his parish compound during the 1994 genocide. The judges said that, without Pauw's effort, the bishop, wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to answer charges of genocide, might never have been brought to justice.
"Jacques Pauw illuminates the tragedy of the Rwandan genocide in the grand tradition of Hanna Arendt's seminal analysis of Adolf Eichmann-by focusing on the 'banality of evil' embodied by a single man," the judges said in their commendation.
Competition for the 2001 award attracted 67 entries from 23 countries, involving reporting in 62 countries. Pauw will be presented his award at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, DC in early 2002.
The ICIJ describes its annual prize as unique among journalism awards worldwide "in that it was created specifically to honor international investigative reporting." ICIJ, created in 1997, is a network of 80 journalist-members from 44 countries.
Anglican bishop accuses Nigerian politicians of negligence, corruption
(allAfrica.com) The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter Akinola, has expressed dismay over the high level of corruption in the country. Speaking at this year's Carnival for Christ, an annual event of the Abuja Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Akinola lamented that Nigerian youths no longer believed in hard work.
"All they are after is to get rich quickly," said the archbishop who put the blame at the doorstep of politicians. According to him, members of the political class have abandoned the mandate given them by the electorate in their pursuit of selfish interest. He said: "politicians, instead of working hard to improve the lives of the masses, are busy chasing their second term in office.
"Are they sure there will be an election come year 2003? Or would there even be a nation called Nigeria with the amount of corruption going on?" he asked.
Akinola decried a situation "where those in high places are busy purchasing houses in London and competing among themselves on the number of cars, clothes and jewelries in their possession."
"Majority of families in the country are drying up every day due to a lack of economic base," he said, noting that many people could no longer afford three meals a day, "except those in high places."
The archbishop called on all authorities concerned to rise up to the challenges facing the country in order to move it forward.
One dead, 10 churches burned in Nigerian religious riot
(allAfrica.com) One person was killed and no fewer than 10 churches torched in Osogbo, the capital of the Nigerian state of Osun, in the early hours of November 29, by protesters numbering about 1,000 who are suspected to be Muslim fundamentalists.
Though Osun police commissioner Ganiyu Dawodu said the investigation conducted "so far has not fingered religious conflict," the Nigerian newspaper This Day reported that the rioters were protesting the coming of the German evangelist Reinhard Bonnke to the state for a five-day crusade.
Aside from the damaged churches, the group vandalized two vehicles belonging to the chaplain of All Saints Cathedral, the Rev. Igbeda Odunayo.
Among the affected churches are the Anglican All Saints Cathedral.
The mayhem, which lasted for about five hours, was said to have started around midnight.
The chairman of the League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Mustapha Ajisafe, and the chairman of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Leke Abegunrin, had on behalf of Muslims dissociated themselves from the ugly incident.
They described it as unfortunate and uncalled for noting the two religions "are for peace and we must embrace peace."
Cape Town archbishop to attend economic summit
(Cape Argus) Njongonkulu Ndungane, the archbishop of Cape Town, has been invited to attend the World Economic Forum in New York early in the new year. He will be among the leaders of the world faith community who, as a response to the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, have been invited to assist world leaders in reformulating or reconsidering global interests.
He said the forum recognized that "we need a new direction in terms of strategizing for a stable future in the world, and that the religious leadership has to play a role in this."
The archbishop, a key figure in the Jubilee 2000 campaign for the cancellation of Third World debt, said he believed "a sustainable future in our world will rest on three pillars: politicians creating the political space for things to happen, the business community bringing skills needed for development and growth, and the broad church of civil society bringing the elements of spirituality, human values, and environmental concern.
"Creative partnerships formed from these three can bring about stability and growth, and I hope that 2002 'Davos in New York', as they are calling it, will help to achieve this."
The theme of next year's forum is "Leadership in fragile times ... a vision for a shared future."
Ugandan Anglican priests suspended for being unmarried
(allAfrica.com) The Central Buganda diocese of the Church of Uganda has suspended over 30 priests for being bachelors. The move was meant to encourage them to get married.
The Rev. Martin Kiwanuka, diocesan secretary, confirmed the suspension November 22 to the Ugandan newspaper The Monitor. He said bachelor priests are more likely to love other people's wives and cause conflicts.
Kiwanuka said about 30 priests were suspended and the list would be released soon. He said that the decision to suspend the priests was reached at by the diocesan council which sat at Kasaka last week. The Monitor was also told that the affected priests including have been served with suspension letters and will not be allowed to carry out any church work until they are confirmed to be lawfully married.
Return to 'religion as usual' as attacks' impact recedes
(New York Times) In the first Sunday after the terrorist attacks, people filled the pews at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Louisville, Kentucky, seeking solace in a sermon about grief and joining together to sing "America the Beautiful." That day, the church drew 200 people, significantly more than the average Sunday attendance of 150, and for the next two Sundays the crowds kept coming.
But by the end of November, attendance was back to normal at St. Andrew's, an average-size American church, as it has been in recent weeks at houses of worship across the country. Americans, who after the attacks turned to religion in an outpouring that some religious leaders hailed as a spiritual "great awakening," have now mostly returned to their former habits.
"I just don't see much indication that there has been a great awakening or a profound change in America's religious practices," said Frank M. Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll. "It looks like people were treating this like a bereavement, a shorter-term funeral kind of thing, where they went to church or synagogue to grieve. But once past that, their normal churchgoing behavior passed back to where it was."
The return to religion as usual is a stark contrast to the spiritual thunderclap after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Stunned Americans flocked for prayer and comfort not only to their local houses of worship, but also to sports stadiums, public plazas and convention centers.
But the evidence from churches and synagogues, combined with several polls, now indicates that for most people the spiritual storm has passed, except perhaps in New York, where the pain of the attack is most intense.
For the last three decades, the percentage of Americans who told the Gallup Poll that they had attended church or synagogue in the previous week has hovered between 39 and 43. In May 2001, the figure was 41 percent. In the 10 days after September 11, it climbed to 47 percent-a noticeable rise, but no more than what is usually seen during the Christmas or Easter seasons. By early November, attendance had dropped back to 42 percent.
The result, said Robert Wuthnow, director of the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University, is that the terrorist attacks have not undermined the nation's basic religious equilibrium: one-quarter of the population devout, one-quarter secular and one-half mildly interested.
"We are in some ways a very religious country, especially compared to Western Europe," Mr. Wuthnow said. "But we're of two minds, and the other mind is that we really are pretty secular. We are very much a country of consumers and shoppers, and we're quite materialistic. And as long as we can kind of paste together a sense of control through our ordinary work and our ordinary purchases, we're pretty happy to do that."
National educators group plans annual conference
(ENS) The National Association of Episcopal Christian Education Directors (NAECED) will hold its annual conference January 17-19, 2002 in New Orleans. This year's conference will focus on professional development, including such topics as serving on a staff, salary negotiations, thriving in transition, and establishing a support base. Keynoter and presenter will be the Rev. Linda Grenz of LeaderResources. The group will also hear from the Rev. Bill Morris of the Diocese of Louisiana, as well as representatives from the Church Pension Fund.
NAECED is a small organization moving into its fourth year as a grass-roots support group for Episcopal Christian educators. The membership includes laity, clergy, and bishops.
"The goals of NAECED are small but significant," said NAECED president Heidi Clark. "We offer an annual gathering with quality presenters for people in this field to come together and share their successes and their challenges. We provide a directory which the members use to keep in touch with each other and to share ideas.
We also send out a semi-annual newsletter with resource reviews and other articles of interest to the professional Christian educator."
For more information or a brochure, contact Laurie Bailey at 504-895-6602 or email her at ccc2919@email.msn.com.
'Canon visionary' named in Central New York
(ENS) Newly ordained Episcopal bishop Gladstone B. 'Skip' Adams has appointed the Very Rev. Paul J. Kowalewski to the full-time position of "Canon Visionary" for the Diocese of Central New York.
In his new position, Kowalewski will assist the bishop in developing and articulating a vision and reshaping the church for its mission in Central New York and the 21st century. He also will be responsible for developing programs for training deacons, assisting parishes for mission strategy and leadership, and developing continuing education and training for clergy and laity to help meet the needs of a changing church in a changing culture.
Acting upon the recommendation of the diocese's long range planning committee in making the appointment, Adams said, "The role of a 'Canon Visionary' is an innovation in the larger church. The establishment of a staff position for the world of 'vision' and mission strategy is a significant action for our diocese and our time.
Our Visionary complements and supports this episcopate's goal of hosting a spirit of hope and harmony-and helping it happen in and outside the church."
Kowalewski has served as rector of Saint David's in Dewitt, New York, for the last eight years and as part-time dean of the diocesan School for Ministry since 1999. He officially assumes his new post January 1, 2002.
Episcopal deacon leaves parish to switch genders
(AP) In the past few months, Paula Schonauer has left the parish where she was an Episcopal deacon. A few friends have abandoned her, and some that remain have trouble using her first name. That's because Paula Schonauer was once known as Paul, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound Gulf War veteran who is an Oklahoma City police officer.
Under pressure from the congregation at St. James Episcopal Church, Schonauer quit the parish after deciding to wear a brown shoulder-length wig, makeup and dresses-and live life as a woman.
But while the 35-year-old Schonauer has left St. James, she has not renounced her faith or given up her title. And she has not ruled out taking another assignment as a deacon someday.
Schonauer is thought to be the first Episcopal deacon in the United States to change gender and remain with the church, said James Solheim, spokesman for the church's national headquarters in New York.
Indeed, it was after counseling from Bishop Robert Moody and a therapist that Schonauer decided in September, after a long internal struggle, to live as a woman. "It's not strength," Schonauer says, after walking into a coffee shop with a purse over her shoulder. "It's surrender."
Since age 4, Schonauer felt that she was a woman trapped in a man's body. "I got caught playing with my mom's cosmetics and scarves," she says. "I remember staring in the mirror while I was doing this and asking myself, 'Why am I me?'"
When parishioners learned of Schonauer's decision, they asked Moody to remove her. But Schonauer left her post before the bishop acted formally. "It still hurts because I wasn't able to explain my situation, although it probably wouldn't have made any difference," said Schonauer, who served for two years as a deacon, an ordained minister who participates in some sacraments. Unlike many deacons, Schonauer was not on track to become a priest, intending rather to stay in her role.
Officials from St. James did not return repeated calls from the Associated Press.
Schonauer, who recently divorced a wife of 13 years, continues to live in Oklahoma City because of their children-an 11-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl. They have a joint custody arrangement. "I think that if I went away that would be more unforgivable than my transition," she said. "It takes some fortitude to stay here. But I don't want to deny my past anymore than I want to deny who I am."
Schonauer's ex-wife has long known about his gender conflict and they have remained friends. She was one of 32 people, including church friends and members of a transgender support group, who attended a church ceremony for Schonauer in September. The service, which was informal and did not include a blessing from the bishop, marked the start of Schonauer's transgender journey.
Schonauer said she tried to fight her inner feelings for years by acting masculine. As a man, Schonauer earned a black belt in karate, joined the Army, served in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm and became a police officer. "I tried to keep it pressed down," she said.
Schonauer said faith in God and service to the church kept her from turning to drugs or alcohol to deal with depression from her conflict. But she struggled until recently about whether being transgender was sinful or shameful in the eyes of God. "The Bible teaches all of us fall short of the glory of God," she said. "My challenge is to realize what I am and find a way to live into it and make peace with myself."
Schonauer now attends St. Paul's Cathedral, the bishop's congregation, where most members do not recognize her, she said. Moody has been supportive of Schonauer. "This is a man who for a long time has felt uncomfortable in his body," the bishop said.
"He was a woman trapped in a man's body. This is not something that just happened." Moody says he hopes the church will be "as compassionate as the Oklahoma City Police Department has been."