World Family Policy Center Newsletter

1. Giving Fatherhood Some Pop

At NFI Gala, Laura Bush Touts Role of Dads in Families

By Roxanne Roberts

Washington Post

April 20, 2005

God, Dad and apple pie. Nothing against moms, but the new mantra of the Bush administration is all about fathers.

"Celebrating fatherhood is something our whole society should be doing," Laura Bush said at last night's National Fatherhood Initiative awards gala. The address at the Willard Hotel was part of the first lady's Helping America's Youth project to give children -- especially boys -- adult role models.

Moms, it seems, are a given. It's fathers, or the lack thereof, who are getting all the attention these days. The high-profile organization promotes the importance of dads as loving, involved parents -- and the presence of the first lady gave its message a White House seal of approval.

To read entire article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3507-2005Apr20.html

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2. Benedict XVI Sets Out Papal Goals in First Public Mass

By Elisabetta Povoledo

April 20, 2005

New York Times

ROME, April 20 - In his first Mass as pope, Benedict XVI reached out to the church today, setting out some of the themes of his papacy in conciliatory language.

He specified some of the top priorities of his papacy: the promotion of the unity of Christians and a commitment to ecumenism, the continued dialogue with other religions and the fulfillment of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Speaking in Latin, as is customary, in the brightly frescoed Sistine Chapel, where he was elected only a day before, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 78, also made repeated references to his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, confirming that his own papacy would be one of continuity.

He told the gold-robed cardinals in attendance that he would assume as his primary task the "full and visible unity of all the followers of Christ."

More than a task, he said, it was a duty where "concrete gestures" were required and not vague motions of good sentiment.

To read entire article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/20/international/worldspecial2/20cnd-mass.html?hp&ex=1114056000&en=dcf68db208870d67&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Related Article: New Pope Ratzinger Takes Strong Pro-Life Stance on Abortion

by Steven Ertelt

LifeNews.com

April 19, 2005

The Vatican (LifeNews.com) -- The world's Catholic leaders have chosen a strong pro-life advocate and the top official under Pope John Paul II as the new leader of the church. German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was charged with teaching Catholics worldwide about the church's position on key issues such as abortion and bioethics issues.

Ratzinger will take the name Pope Benedict XVI.

The vote for Ratzinger is seen by many observers as a desire on the part of the world's Catholic cardinals to keep the Catholic Church's strong pro-life position against such practices as euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.

Ratzinger will have big shoes to fill as Pope John Paul II will be remembered for helping to usher in the fall of communism and for his strong defense of the church's pro-life views.

In September, shortly before the presidential elections in the United States, Ratzinger authored a document saying Catholic voters should not support candidates who back legal abrotion.

To read entire article:

http://www.lifenews.com/nat1278c.html

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3. Is religion good for health? Studies say amen

April 14, 2005

By Jim Ritter

Chicago Sun Times

Two studies released Wednesday are adding to the growing body of research that religion is good for your health.

A study of 68 Alzheimer's disease patients found that going to church and other religious activities slowed cognitive declines, Canadian researchers reported at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

And University of Chicago researchers reported that African Americans who strongly believe in God were less likely to be depressed than nonbelievers. . . .

Religion helps provide a sense of hope, peace and well-being, which in turn can reduce health-damaging stress hormones, said Dr. Harold G. Koenig of Duke University's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.

. . . [T]here's a growing awareness in the medical profession of the role spirituality plays in health. For example, two-thirds of the nation's 125 medical schools now include courses on spirituality and faith, up from just three schools in 1992.

Some medical students are learning how to take patients' spiritual histories" along with their medical histories, according to the John Templeton Foundation, which funds research on spirituality and health.

To read entire article:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/health/cst-nws-god14.html

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4. Evangelist's Efforts Key in Ban of Same-Sex 'Marriage' in Australia

By Rebecca Grace

April 19, 2005

(AgapePress) - As the battle over a constitutional marriage protection amendment rages throughout the United States, Australia's recent passage of a bill protecting traditional marriage is an exemplary step in the right direction for the Western world.

Although the initial attempt to ban homosexual marriage in Australia seemed hopeless, the new law was passed August 13, 2004, by the Australian Senate with a 38-7 vote, as reported by Baptist Press. The turn of events, viewed by Christians as an act of God, came about largely due to the grassroots efforts of Australian native Warwick Marsh, a worshipping evangelist and co-founder of the Fatherhood Foundation and Australian Heart Ministries.

"The battle was raging in the middle of the year [2004] in May and June," Marsh told the AFA Journal. "It looked like ... 'gay' marriage was a sure thing."

To read entire article:

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/192005a.asp

Related Article: Connecticut OKs Same-Sex Civil Unions

April 20, 2005

FoxNews.com

HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut on Wednesday became the second state to offer civil unions (search) to gay couples — and the first to do so without being forced by the courts.

About an hour after the state Senate sent her the legislation, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell (search) signed into law a bill that will afford same-sex couples in Connecticut many of the rights and privileges of married couples.

"The vote we cast today will reverberate around the country and it will send a wave of hope to many people, to thousands of people across the country," said Sen. Andrew McDonald (search), who is gay.

The state House passed the measure last week but amended it to define marriage under Connecticut law as between one man and one woman. The Senate approved the amended bill Wednesday 26-8. The law takes effect Oct. 1.

"I have said all along that I believe in no discrimination of any kind and I think that this bill accomplishes that, while at the same time preserving the traditional language that a marriage is between a man and a woman," Rell said.

To read entire article:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154075,00.html

Related Article: Texas House Bill: No Gay Foster Parents

April 20, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas (search) could become the only state to bar gays from becoming foster parents under legislation passed Wednesday by the House.

The ban is part of a bill to revamp the state's Child Protective Services (search) agency. It passed 135-6 with two abstentions and now heads to the Senate.

The foster parent amendment is not included in the Senate version of the legislation, but that body could accept the House bill.

"It is our responsibility to make sure that we protect our most vulnerable children, and I don't think we are doing that if we allow a foster parent that is homosexual or bisexual," said Republican Rep. Robert Talton, who introduced the amendment.

To read entire article:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154111,00.html

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5. Bible Taught in School to ACLU's Chagrin

April 21, 2005

WorldNetDaily.com

Although the ACLU has declared the practice unconstitutional, the Bible is being used as a textbook in classes taught in 300 school districts nationwide, according to a curriculum provider.

About 1,000 high schools in 35 states are using material produced by the North Carolina-based National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools in classes during regular school hours.

The organization says that while the ACLU is "up in arms" about it, there have been no complaints from administrators, teachers, students or parents.

NCBCPS says 93 percent of all the school boards it has approached to implement the curriculum have accepted it.

"This paradigm shift is not only taking place in the Bible Belt but in school districts in Alaska, California, across the board to Pennsylvania and down to Florida," the organization says.

To read entire article:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43903

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6. P.C. scholars take Christ out of B.C.

By Michael Gormley

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. -- In certain precincts of a world encouraged to embrace differences, Christ is out.

The terms "B.C." and "A.D." increasingly are shunned by certain scholars.

Educators and historians say schools from North America to Australia have been changing the terms "Before Christ," or B.C., to "Before Common Era," or B.C.E., and "anno Domini" (Latin for "in the year of the Lord") to "Common Era." In short, they're referred to as B.C.E. and C.E.

The life of Christ still divides the epochs, but the change has stoked the ire of Christians and religious leaders who see it as an attack on a social and political order that has been in place for centuries.

For more than a century, Hebrew lessons have used B.C.E. and C.E., with C.E. sometimes referring to Christian Era.

This raises the question: Can old and new coexist in harmony, or must one give way to the other to reflect changing times and attitudes?

To read entire article:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050425-122707-1314r.htm

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7. Urban Christian Leaders Gather for NY Summit on Moral Values

By Ed Thomas and Jenni Parker

April 18, 2005

(AgapePress) - More than 125 Christian leaders from New York City and across the United States convened in the Big Apple last week to send a message about moral values to their political leaders.

Bishop Harry Jackson and the High Impact Leadership Coalition held a New York City summit and press conference on marriage and other moral issues, calling attention to the voice of the values voters. The New York City summit was one of several nationwide stops on the Coalition's tour schedule, during which the nonprofit Christian organization hopes to mobilize the ethnic Christian voters on behalf of biblically-based responses to the moral issues of the day, including homosexual "marriage" and abortion.

According to High Impact spokesman Mike Paul, the local and national Christian leaders wanted to emphasize their message again in strong terms well before the elections on tap between now and 2008. He says what they and their constituencies want their elected officials to know is, "if you are voting for gay marriage and against other moral values that we hold dear, then we will simply vote you out of office. And if you think that moral value issues were important in the 2004 election, you haven't seen anything yet."

To read entire article:

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/182005b.asp

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COMING EVENTS

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Sixth World Family Policy Forum

July 11 - 13, 2005

Provo, Utah

Sponsored by the World Family Policy Center, Brigham Young University. The theme for this year’s Forum is “Building on Doha: Marriage and Parenting in the Third Millennium.” Participation and attendance at the Forum is by invitation only. For further information, contact Emily Parks 801-422-8549.

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Note: The preceding article excerpts are highlights of current events and

do not necessarily represent the views of the World Family Policy Center

or Brigham Young University.

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Newsletter created and distributed by:

World Family Policy Center

J. Reuben Clark Law School

Brigham Young University

Managing Director: Richard Wilkins

Executive Director: A. Scott Loveless

Newsletter Editors: Joy S. Lundberg and Gary B. Lundberg

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