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The New York Times
Religion News in
Brief
By AP from
nytimes.com on the Web, August 23, 2007
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Rev.
Jerry Falwell had life insurance policies worth $34 million and the money has
been used to erase the debt of Liberty University, the school he founded.
The televangelist's son, Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., said his father
had named the university and the Thomas Road Baptist Church as beneficiaries to
protect their future.
The policies left $29 million to Liberty; its debt had reached $82 million in
1992, but the school had succeeded in paying off a significant amount before the
elder Falwell's death.
Another $5 million went to the 22,000-member Thomas Road congregation, which
Falwell had led, according to the News & Advance of Lynchburg.
Falwell Jr. said his father used to joke that when he ''kicked the bucket'' the
school would get a windfall. Falwell, a founder and leader of the Moral
Majority, died last May.
http://www.liberty.edu/
Louisiana College to create a
Christian law school
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) --
Louisiana College plans to establish a law school with a ''biblical worldview''
that aims to train defenders of conservative Christian values.
Louisiana College, a 1,000-student school in Pineville, expects to hire a law
dean next year and enroll up to 40 students in 2009, eventually building enough
capacity to enroll 300 students. The school will seek accreditation from
the American Bar Association.
Other conservative Christian law schools include Liberty University School of
Law, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, and Regent University School of
Law, founded by televangelist Pat Robertson. Both those schools are in
Virginia.
The Louisiana College law school will be named for Judge Paul Pressler, a leader
in the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention over the last
few decades. He served in Texas on the state's district court and appeals
court.
Louisiana College, founded in 1906, is run by trustees chosen by the Louisiana
Baptist Convention and requires faculty members accept Christ as their savior.
Joe Aguillard, college president, announced the plans in an Aug. 16 news
conference. Creating the school could cost more than $15 million.
http://www.lacollege.edu/
Akinola:
Anglicans must not sacrifice Bible
for unity
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) --
Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, a leader of Bible traditionalists in the
Anglican world, says the ''the moment of decision is almost upon us'' about
whether Anglican conservatives and liberals can stay together.
In a statement Monday, Akinola said that theological conservatives cannot stand
by as the U.S. Episcopal Church -- the Anglican body in the U.S. -- and the
Anglican Church of Canada move toward full acceptance of gay relationships.
''We earnestly desire the healing of our beloved communion but not at the cost
of rewriting the Bible to accommodate the latest cultural trend,'' Akinola said.
''We cannot turn away from the source of life and love for a temporary truce.''
Conservatives believe the Bible bars same-sex relationships. Liberals
believe that the overarching message of Scripture is full acceptance for all
people.
In 2003, Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson
of New Hampshire. In Canada, the Diocese of New Westminster approved
blessing ceremonies in 2002 for same-gender partners. And in June of this
year, the Canadian church passed a resolution stating that the ceremonies do
''not conflict with the doctrine'' of the church. Canon lawyers are trying
to determine whether that measure, in fact, gives approval for the ceremonies
churchwide.
The U.S. church has apologized repeatedly for not fully consulting with other
Anglicans before consecrating Robinson, but has not apologized for electing him.
The communion's spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, is
scheduled to meet with the Episcopal House of Bishops in New Orleans next month.
At that gathering, the U.S. bishops must respond to demands from Anglican
leaders that they unequivocally pledge by Sept. 30 not to consecrate another
openly gay bishop or risk losing their full membership in the communion.
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
Mormon student to attend WVU through
scholarship legal battle
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- A Mormon
student at West Virginia University who left school for two years to do mission
work is suing to keep his state-funded scholarship.
David Haws returned Aug. 8 from two years of helping improve living conditions
for Hispanic workers in Western states. Men in the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints typically go on a mission at age 19. Women serve at
age 21.
The political science student filed a lawsuit after the school denied him
continuance of his PROMISE scholarship after he returned. The suit seeks
the reinstatement of the 4.0 student's scholarship, and a change in the PROMISE
board's scholarship policy.
PROMISE is a West Virginia program, funded by proceeds from a video lottery and
with some money from the state's general revenue fund, that aims to keep
students in the state.
A university spokesman, Bill Nevin, said the school has agreed to defer Haws'
tuition payment until the lawsuit is resolved.
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