Source: South Bend Tribune

On February 21, 2001, the South Bend Tribune reported that, "while not opposing Bush's initiative outright, Lutheran, Catholic and Jewish groups are raising concerns about potential religious discrimination and coercion, echoing arguments from civil libertarian quarters." Other concerns include the theoretical issue of the separation between church and state, government infringement on churches' freedom, and worries "about government funding of religious groups outside the mainstream, such as the Church of Scientology and the...

Source: Star Tribune

On February 21, 2001, the Minneapolis Star Tribune published an article that brings up one of the biggest problems with Bush's faith-based initiative. "The state cannot be in the business of deciding which faiths pass muster and which do not. If they are law-abiding and their programs are effective, it would seem you have to take them all or take none. You allow proselytizing in all or in none." For example, the Salvation Army "injects its Christian philosophy deep into its programs." If the Salvation Army can do this, the article asked...

Source: Star Tribune

On February 19, 2001, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the 150 to 200 Hasidic Jews who live in Postville, Iowa, "may finally be on the verge of gaining acceptance in this predominantly Christian community of 1,600 residents." The first Jews arrived from New York in 1987. "Last month, in one of the most significant developments yet, the town council appointed its first Jew." Several residents then signed a petition objecting to the appointment. The petition has "forced everybody off the fence" about their position toward Jewish...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On February 19, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that in January the Los Angeles diocese became the first in the Episcopal church to appoint a Latino provost in the United States. The provost is "the person responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administration of a diocese's cathedral center...The Los Angeles diocese has the church's highest concentration of Latinos. They make up 10,000 of the 85,000 Episcopalians in the diocese," but only 20 of the 510 priests are Latinos. The new provost, Ernesto Medina, is one of only 275...

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On February 19, 2001, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that "more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who serve predominantly Hispanic parishes plan to meet today with Cardinal Francis George to discuss what some view as the failure of the Archdiocese of Chicago to meet the needs of Hispanic Catholics." Three Hispanic employees of the archdiocese recently complained of discrimination, and many more have complained that "the archdiocese isn't doing enough to keep up with the fast-growing Hispanic Catholic population in Chicago...One-third...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On February 19, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that the symbolic "Light of St. Gregory" was brought to members of the Armenian Church of Atlanta in a celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Christianization of Armenia. The flame used in the celebration originated in Armenia and has been distributed to Armenians all over the world. About 1,100 Armenians live in metro Atlanta.

Source: Los Angeles Times

On February 18, 2001, the Los Angeles Times published an article about the Jewish response to Bush's new faith-based initiative. Many Jewish leaders "remain guarded with Bush, who has...made his Christian faith a prominent part of his political platform. Both the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress oppose the president's plan... Yet, there is a growing minority of American Jews who... are 'pleased that President Bush is committed to increasing the partnership between government and faith and community-based...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/News/021801/Northoftampa/Residents_confront_ch.shtml

On February 18, 2001, the St. Petersburg Times reported on a public meeting where Lutz residents brought up concerns about Idlewild Baptist Church's plans to build a 5,600 seat church on Lake Reinheimer. "The forum was the monthly meeting of the Lutz Civic Association, renowned for its tenacious fights against overdevelopment and the traffic...

Source: New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-02-18/News_and_Views/City_Beat/a-100266.asp

On February 18, 2001, the New York Daily News reported on the the Treasure Island Pre-School in Brooklyn, New York, where love is "expressed daily among children whose families are Jewish, Muslim and Christian." In a community "where tensions have run high because of strains in the Middle East, an emphasis is being placed on unity among people...

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On February 16, 2001, The Columbus Dispatch reported on the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio, which has 350 members from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha'ism, Islam and Judaism. All are volunteers. "The missions of the association...are to educate its members and the public about customs of different faiths and to provide interfaith public worship and ceremonies related to local and global concerns." The association's projects, which range from peace-training programs in public schools to the creation of...

Source: Capital Times

On February 16, 2001, the Madison Capital Times published an article by Rev. Michael A.Schuler of the First Unitarian Society, in which he warns that, under the Bush administration, "conservative Christians [will] try to halt the current drift toward pluralism...Orthodox Christians and Jews reject a more inclusive and open-minded approach to religion because, for them, to be religious means to be sectarian as well." Schuler says that, globally, they have begun to "redouble their efforts to defend the old order," in response to...

Source: The Boston Globe

On February 16, 2001, The Boston Globe reported on conflicts between New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The mayor is upset with the museum "for displaying a painting of an African Virgin Mary decorated with elephant dung." and more recently "a color photograph that parodies the Last Supper with a naked woman, her arms outstretched, standing in the center of the picture instead of Jesus." Guiliani says he is offended by the images, which he considers "anti-Catholic." The debate continues about the...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Theological-Union-Looks-Outside-of-Christianity-2952371.php

On February 15, 2001, The San Francisco Chronicle...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On February 14, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported on the second annual meeting between top West Coast Catholic and Muslim leaders. The meeting "was designed to promote better understanding between the faiths and forge partnerships to counter what they see as the evils in secularized society, including abortion and pornography." It is a chance for those attending to build friendships that will lead to "local interfaith cooperation and action," and to deepen their understanding of spiritual matters by engaging in dialogue with...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/News/021401/Citrus/Critic_blasts_school_.shtml

On February 14, 2001, the St. Petersburg Times reported on a debate over religious issues in a Florida school district. At a recent meeting of the School Board, a critic "blasted the board for its prayer and related issues" after Chairwoman Patience Nave opened the session with a prayer that ended with "'I pray in the name of Jesus my savior.'...The...