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Living the Christian Life: Religious Liberty |
 A
fairly intense conversation regarding church-state
relations is currently focused on the American
founders' "original intent." Did the founders
intend to guarantee religious liberty through an
institutional separation of church and state or
did they merely intend to keep one any religious
viewpoint from becoming America's "official
religion"?
This debate is contexted in part by the struggle
between secularists who believe that church and
state should be separated by an impassible barrier
and religious conservatives who depict separation
of church and state as fiction constructed by
liberal Supreme Court justices. Caught between
these two polarities are diverse Baptists who have
some sense of religious liberty as a Baptist
distinctive but who might also lament the
secularity of post-modern America and the loss of
"the good old days" when public school children
were asked to bow their heads for teacher-led
prayers and Bible readings.
For Baptists who value religious liberty through
separation of church state, it is always important
to understand as clearly as possible what we mean
by that phrase. Part of that understanding
involves an honest quest for truth regarding
original intent, and in particular, a way to
evaluate fairly the contention that church-state
separation is a myth. What should we make of the
books, articles, and websites which claim that the
founders really intended to establish a "Christian
America"? Through a maze of alleged quotations
from the founders themselves to this effect, how
can we find our way to some sense of confidence
about the founders' true original intent?
Church-state scholar Derek Davis examines one
website line by line with the not-so-surprising
conclusion that most of the author's "quotes" are
misquoted or so wrenched from their original
contexts that the conclusions drawn are ill
founded.
Read more... (pdf)
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Ethics in Action: Faith-Based Initiatives |
 One
of the most contentious religious liberty issues
in the past several years has been government aid
to religious entities that provide social
services. The most noticeable effort to promote
such aid has been through the president's
Faith-Based Initiative. For many, government funds
for religious-based social services put two
heartfelt desires at odds; to promote ministering
to the least of these among us, and to uphold the
value of religious liberty and the separation of
church and state. While religious charities have
received government grants for years, the recent
Faith-Based Initiative has sought to change some
essential rules governing the cooperation.
Over the last decade or so, Congress has debated
many aspects of the issue. Of particular focus for
some religious liberty advocates has been the
right of religious entities to hire or fire
employees on the basis of religion whose positions
are funded by tax dollars. Religious entities and
churches have the right to hire only those who
share their beliefs when using their own funds
such as tithes and offerings. Changes called for
under the Faith-Based Initiative raises the
question as to if that right is extended to
service positions funded by government grants.
In July, a group of organizations working together
as the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination,
sent a description of their concerns regarding the
implementation of the Faith-Based Initiatives to
both Senator McCain and Senator Obama. Their
summary recites a short history of cooperation
between the government and religious social
service providers. The letter then addresses some
problems the authors see in the current
Faith-Based Initiative and urges both candidates
to make reforms during the next administration. To
read the letter and gain a greater understanding
of a religious liberty issue being debated during
this political season please
click here. (pdf) |
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CLC Updates: CLC Summer Public Poicy Institute |
 This
July, the Austin staff of the CLC once again
hosted our week long Public Policy Institute.
The institute is open to high school students who
have completed their sophomore through senior
year. It is designed to teach the kids about
the relevance of their faith to public policy.
The students are given the opportunity to hear
many speakers and learn about many careers in
public policy.
Read Update
 Volunteer
Spotlight - Baptist General Convention of Texas
An extraordinary group of members from the Baptist
General Convention of Texas spent a day making of
the classrooms in El Buen's Education Department
and Child Learning Center a cleaner and refreshing
learning environment.
As part of their week-long summer camp, 15 willing
and energy-filled members of the Public Policy
Institute of the Christian Life Commission of the
Baptist General Convention of Texas, ranging in
age between 18 and 50 readily swept, organized,
mopped and cleaned El Buen's Education classrooms,
leaving them sparkling clean.
"Words cannot adequately express El Buen's
profound gratitude for the work the volunteers
undertook," said the Rev. Ed Gomez, executive
director of El Buen Samaritano. "Their genuine
concern and sense of community was contagious."
The volunteers from the Baptist General Convention
of Texas saw no impediment in turning tables and
chairs upside down to clean them from every angle.
Their energetic, gracious-serving and
compassion-filled attitude exemplified the spirit
of Christian love and charity.
From the El Buen Samaritano Monthly Newsletter
written by Ivan Davila (pictured is Katheryn
Cansino of George West, Texas)
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CLC Updates: Public Policy |
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Although the legislature does not meet until
January 2009, important work continues this
summer. In the following update are summaries of
Lottery Privatization in Texas, Adult Basic
Education and the Bible to be taught in
public school classrooms.
Read Updates
Lottery Privatization in Texas
Over the past several years, cash-strapped
states around the country have been
approached with the idea of privatizing their
lotteries. The idea is that a private company
will pay a particular State up front for a license
to operate the lottery for a set number of years.
The company will operate the lottery during that
period and recoup their investment and a return on
its investment. Though to date, no state has
agreed to sale their lottery.
Read Update
Adult Basic Education
Adult Basic Education, such as English language
classes, has been ministry staple for Baptists for
years. The role the church has played is
critical due the gap in our education system in
Texas.
Read Update
Bible Bill Update
On Friday, July 18 the State Board of Education
approved curriculum guidelines for two classes
about the Bible to be taught in public school
classrooms. The CLC was involved in the effort
to pass a strong Bible in public schools bill for
Texas. The bill signed into law by the governor
contained CLC supported amendments requiring
mandatory teacher training, affirmative religious
liberty protections and oversight of textbooks and
curriculum by the State Board of Education (SBOE).
Such protections help to ensure, to the degree
possible, the courses would be taught in an
academic, non-devotional and constitutional
manner.
Read Update |
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CLC Updates: Substance Abuse |
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As adults,
we have the responsibility to the kids in
our world to lead by example, set appropriate
boundaries and be Christ like in our
choices. This morning, the following news
report came to me over email.
"More than 40 percent of the nation's
estimated 10.8 million underage current drinkers
(persons aged 12 to 20 who drank in the
past 30 days) were provided free alcohol by
adults 21 or older, according to a nationwide
report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration. The study also indicates
that one in 16 underage drinkers (6.4
percent or 650,000) was given alcoholic
beverages by their parents in the past month.
Read Update
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CLC Updates: TBOWH |
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TEXAS HOPE 2010 - CARE !
The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger will
be a major part of
Texas HOPE 2010 Care, Share, Prayer.
New categories of ministry are added to the
Offering: Rural and Urban poverty, Border
Ministries, Disaster Relief, Christian Women's and
Men's Job Corps. The offering will also be
introducing WORLD MARKET, a chance to
purchase products from ministries and
micro-businesses serving hungry and vulnerable
people. Give the cost of one meal, once a month
to NOURISH THE HUNGRY WITH HOPE. Your gifts
bear witness to Christ's love and make an
enormous, positive difference in the lives of
hungry people in Texas and across the globe.
Donate now!
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CLC Updates: ISAAC |
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Separating the wheat from chaff (Luke 3:17)
The term "sanctuary city" has no legal
meaning or significance. It is a term that does
not have a precise definition and, as a
result, creates confusion and misunderstanding.
The term "sanctuary" implies immunity
from the law. As we will see, no state, county,
or city can provide an unauthorized alien immunity
from federal immigration law.
Read Update
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*The views and opinions expressed in any sites to
which this newsletter links do not necessarily
represent the views and opinions of either the
Christian Life Commission or the Baptist General
Convention of Texas.
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Director's Column: Improving Religious Freedom
Worldwide |
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Dust off your thinking. Religious freedom is not
just a history issue. We need 21st century voices
in suppport of liberty for all humanity. I
attended a Religion and Foreign Policy workshop
recently in New York, sponsored by The
US Council on Foreign Relations. A look at the
status of religious freedom was provided by Paul
Marshall* and an insightful reflection by Richard
Sieple** chronicled both success and failures of
promoting religious freedom worldwide. Today,
religious freedom and religious persecution affect
all religious groups - Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism or Buddhism as well as small religious
groups like Baha'i, Jehovah's Witness or Judaism.
It may come as a surprise to some people, but
religious freedom is not an exclusively western
achievement. Religious freedom can be found on
every continent. Estonia and Hungary are among the
freest countries in the world.
Read on...
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Resource Links
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Baptist Joint Committee Brochure (pdf)
The Freedom Forum
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CALENDAR of Upcoming CLC Events
Healthcare Forums
San Antonio: August 7, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
Garland: August 12, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
Fort Worth: August 28, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
Austin: September 4, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
McAllen: September 9, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
El Paso: September 15, 2008
Contact Shelton Green for more info
shelton.green@bgct.org
Keeping Your Church Out Of Court Seminars
Dallas: September 22, 2008
Contact Stephen Reeves for more info
stephen.reeves@bgct.org
Abilene: September 29, 2008: Logsdon Seminary
Contact Stephen Reeves for more info
stephen.reeves@bgct.org
Ft. Worth: Nov 10 - 11, 2008
(BGCT Annual Meeting - pending approval of
workshop application)
San Antonio: Date TBD
Houston: Date TBD
3rd Annual Christian Ethics Today Foundation
Conference
Waco: September 16-17, 2008
Red-Letter Christians: An Emerging Evangelical
Center and Public Policy Issues
For more info go to
www.ChristianEthicsToday.com
Celebrate Recovery Networking Event
September 20, 2008:
Mt. Lebanon Encampment
Recovery Sunday
October 19, 2008
contact Carrie Beaird for more info
cbcounseling@aol.com
Substance Abuse Dinner at BGCT Annual Meeting
November 9, 2008
Sunday at 7:00 at the convention center,
contact Carrie Beaird for more info
cbcounseling@aol.com
BGCT Annual Meeting
Fort Worth: Nov 10-11, 2008
For more information go to
www.bgct.org
CLC Annual Conference
Austin, First Baptist Church:
February 2-3, 2009
More information to come
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