New Ex-Offender Program Puts Religion Before State

"With budgets slashed, corrections officials are struggling to reduce the recidivism rate among ex-offenders. Chuck Colson’s new program steps into the breach, and hopes to bring down the wall separating church and state to help ex-offenders stay out of prison." (Religion Dispatches, 4/25/10)

Religion Dispatches writer, Mark Bergen, covers a story about a new program called Out4Life (part of Prison Fellowship Ministries, an evangelical prison ministry) to assist in getting recidivism rates down, to help offenders stay out of prison through helping them secure a job, go through rehab, and find a church community for support.

There is a bit of controversy about Out4Life because state-run and financially-burdened prisons are increasingly relying upon these religious ex-offender programs, which raises the question about the 1st Amendment issues of the separation of church and state.

Read the whole article at Religion Dispatches to get a fuller idea of the nature and practice of this prison ministry and the surrounding controversial issues.

(Image from Religion Dispatches website courtesy of Prison Fellowship Int'l.)

Episcopal Church Walks with American Clergy on Gay and Lesbian Equality

"Despite worldwide calls from conservative Anglicans that the American church is choosing to “walk apart” from the wider community, the numbers don't agree—at least not in America." (RD, 7.21.09)

Last week, the Episcopal Church lifted a de facto moratorium on ordaining gay and lesbian bishops, and voted to give bishops wide discretion regarding local clergy blessing same-sex unions, especially in states where same-sex marriage or union is legal, giving them permission to provide an important pastoral duty to gay and lesbian couples.

Because of these measures many conservatives in the States but also around the world in the Anglican Communion have accused the Episcopalians of deviating from the rest of Anglicanism on this issue. However, Robert P. Jones and Daniel Cox in a Religion Dispatches article suggest that the statistics don't agree with the conservative position. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Episcopal clergy say that gays and lesbians should be eligible for ordination without special requirements. Also, the views of Episcopalian clergy are fairly approximate to the views of clergy from most mainline Protestant denominations. Among clergy in the seven largest mainline denominations, all except two show majority support for ordaining gay and lesbian clergy with no special requirements. Episcopal clergy express stronger support than every other denomination except the United Church of Christ (UCC).

In my denomination, Unity, which is part of the New Thought movement, has always supported the ordination of ministers based on their character and spiritual evolution, not on sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, etc. Indeed, Unity has never had any rules or regulations in place that have limited one's eligibility for the ministry based on their sexual orientation, an issue of being not choice. It's simply not in line with the conviction that God is omnipresent in all creation and that we all are created children of God. I must say, I'm quite proud to be a part of such a legacy of equality, justice, and love in ministerial leadership training.

Check out Jones and Cox's intriguing and informative essay at Religion Dispatches.

(Above image from Religion Dispatches.)

National ‘Faith in Action Sunday' Set for Oct. 11

The third annual "Faith In Action Sunday," which challenges churches to literally close their doors on a Sunday morning and go out and serve their communities, will occur this year on Oct. 11.

"Faith in Action Sunday" was developed by a World Vision, Zondervan, and Outreach, Inc. in 2007 to encourage churches, ministries and small groups to serve and meet practical needs in their local communities.

Though this organization tends to be theologically and politically conservative and traditional in their approach, programs such as "Faith in Action Sunday" are evidence that many conservative Christian groups recognize Jesus' message of cultivating wider communal well-being and are dedicated to promoting social action. This is certainly a point at which both these conservative groups and more progressive religious groups can meet, dialogue, and work together to create a more peaceful and contented world.

I encourage all Unity congregations to participate in this year's "Faith in Action Sunday" and go out into our communities to work for love, peace, and justice.

New "How-To" Book Offers Cards for All Occasions and Ministries

"There are dozens of ways to share greetings of faith, according to popular writer Sue Banker, and a ‘greeting card ministry' is easily organized within any size church of any faith tradition. That's the premise of her new book from Morehouse Publishing and it's available now: Mailbox Ministry: Greeting Cards that Share the Faith. . . The new book provides all the tools necessary for crafting more than 50 individual faith-based projects, with step-by-step instructions, patterns, and messages, including poems, inspirational phrases, and biblical verses. It is appropriate for all skill levels -- children as well as adults." (RNS)

(Photo from Religion News Service.)

April/May 2009 Issue of "Contact"

The April/May 2009 issue of Contact, the Unity magazine produced to support thriving ministries by providing timely, practical information for ministries and individuals, is now available to read online. The present issue deals with the theme "Ethics."

Back issues are available online as well.