Subject: IWG US News denominational conflicts letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 00:08:17 -0400 (EDT)

July 14, 1999

U. S. News
2400 N St. NW
Washington, DC 20037-1196

Dear Editors:

	We appreciated your July 19 article, "An
American Reformation," if only because it aptly
demonstrated that there is no clear consensus in the
religious community on sexual orientation and
identity.  However, there were some assertions and
omissions which we found puzzling.  
	We were confused by the characterization of the
United Church of Christ as "badly polarized."  The
national UCC office has very consistently taken a
position in favor of the full inclusion of sexual
minorities in the life of church (including
ordination) and society.  Indeed, if there is any
denomination in a position to provide a "common
ecumenical banner" for inclusive churches, it is the
UCC.
	While the article was about main line Protestant
churches, there was also a strong implication that
these debates are not occurring elsewhere.  In fact,
there is serious disagreement in the Roman Catholic
Church, including the recent departure of an entire
congregation and their priest in Rochester, and the
announcement by the Vatican that the priest and nun
who founded New Ways Ministries have been barred for
life from ministering to gays and lesbians.  In
addition, the article did not mention that the
Southern Baptist Convention has disfellowshipped
several congregations for welcoming sexual minorities
into membership, and some congregations have
voluntarily left the SBC, contributing in part to a
1% membership drop.
	Lastly, we felt that the article glossed over
the organizational and doctrinal differences of
opinion on a plethora of issues besides sexuality
that have fragmented American Christianity into
thousands of very different denominations.  Those
differences are not likely to simply disappear, just
because people have found new things to disagree
about.  Historically, new disagreements have resulted
in more denominations, not fewer.   

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and
organizations and 67 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.

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
http://www.libertynet.org/iwg           and clergy supporting gay rights,
[email-masked]                      reproductive freedom, and the 
voice: 215-235-3050  fax: 232-0829      separation of church and state.
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Subject: US News letter correction
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 00:53:37 -0400 (EDT)

"New Ways Ministry" not "New Ways Ministries"

The web page has the corrected version, and the corrected version
will be mailed.

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
http://www.libertynet.org/iwg           and clergy supporting gay rights,
[email-masked]                      reproductive freedom, and the 
voice: 215-235-3050  fax: 232-0829      separation of church and state.