Subject: IWG Au Courant LP Hearings Coverage letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 23:41:29 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and
organizations and 56 clergy from 15 religious traditions. If you are in 
the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious 
organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths 
are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in 
other areas.

May 2, 1998

Editor
Au Courant
PO Box 42741
Philadelphia, PA 19101-2741

Dear Editor:

Your coverage of the City Council Life Partnership
hearings captured the antagonism and grueling length of
the debate extremely well.  However, given the great
detail you used in describing the religious nature of
the opposition's testimony, it was surprising to us
that you did not mention the fact that there was more
religious testimony in favor of the bills than against. 
A large number of religious organizations and
individual clergy members testified in favor of the
bills, including the Episcopal and Lutheran Bishops,
the American Jewish Congress, the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting,
Dignity/Philadelphia, two Reconstructionist rabbis, two
Unitarian Universalist pastors, a Disciples of Christ
minister, a Metropolitan Community Church minister, an
Episcopal priest, and Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist
pastors.  

However, our hope is, ultimately, that Council will
decide the fate of the bills based on the law, and not
theology.  As we concluded in our official statement
regarding this debate, which has now been endorsed by
eight religious organizations, eight congregations, and
seventy-seven individual clergy from sixteen religious
traditions: "The Mayor and City Council are charged
with doing what is best for the health and welfare of
all people in Philadelphia, not forcing the religious
tenets of some city residents on all her citizens." 

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/          reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.

Sunday, May 31, 4 pm, First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, 21st and Walnut
Marching in the Light benefit concert http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/concert.html