LONDON (AP) – The leader of the international Anglican Communion has ruled out new debate on the teaching that gay sex is “incompatible with Scripture.”

Looking ahead to a 2008 conference of the world’s Anglican bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said he detected little support for re-examining the 1998 conference’s resolution that condemned gay sex, clergy ordination of persons in same-sex relationships and church blessings for gay couples.

In a letter to “primates” who lead 38 the Anglican branches, released Thursday, Williams acknowledged “bitter controversy” on the issue. But “in my judgment, we cannot properly or usefully reopen the discussion as if (the 1998 resolution) did not continue to represent the general mind of the Communion.”

In a Sunday TV interview, Williams warned that the Anglican Communion faces a possible breakup over the U.S. Episcopal Church’s acceptance of a gay bishop and if so it could take “decades to restore some sort of relationship.”

Sir David Frost interviewed Williams for the BBC during a tour of Sudan.

Williams expressed a dim view of turning the Anglican Communion into a federation of national branches. “If there is a rupture, it’s going to be a more visible rupture. It’s not just going to settle down quietly into being a federation.” He worries that “if the communion is broken we may be left with even less than a federation.”

The U.S. bishops will likely discuss the gay issue and global Anglican situation at a closed-door session March 17-22. Williams said “a lot rides on” the Episcopal Church’s June convention, which will respond officially to criticism from Anglicans overseas.

Besides the American church’s 2003 consecration of openly gay Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, two of five nominees in the May election for bishop of the California Diocese live with homosexual partners. Conservatives are also vexed by toleration of gay priests and blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in parts of the Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada.

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Battle over girl’s death continues

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) – A grieving father says he will continue his fight against Jehovah’s Witnesses and their prohibition of blood transfusions after a court decision partially cleared the way for a wrongful death lawsuit.

Lawrence Hughes filed the 2004 claim as executor of the estate of his daughter, Bethany, who died from acute leukemia in 2002 at age 17 after repeatedly refusing conventional treatment because of the faith’s teaching.

A judge decided Hughes cannot proceed with claims against the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society because the court cannot arbitrate religious dogma. But Hughes can continue suing lawyers Shane Heath Brady and David Miles Gnam, Witnesses who represented Bethany, her mother Arliss and the Watch Tower.

The judge said the lawyers were not in a position to advise Bethany objectively, so that she could make a free and informed decision. Brady called the ruling “silly.”

Hughes contends that the ruling means “a religious sect or cult can be held responsible for the injury they inflict on others, whether it relates to deliberately giving out misleading medical information or using institutional coercion.” He said he might appeal the ruling so he can also proceed against the Watch Tower directly.

Bethany’s illness garnered attention across Canada and renewed public debate over the circumstances under which someone under age 18 should be able to decide on medical care.

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Group targets James Dobson for alleged ties to lobbyist Abramoff

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) – A group is targeting Focus on the Family founder James Dobson for work against a proposed Indian casino also opposed by a client of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The Campaign to Defend the Constitution, an online effort to combat “religious right” influence, launched a New York Times ad and TV spots in three markets Wednesday. Besides Dobson, the campaign targets Ralph Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition, and the Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition.

Abramoff fought the proposal from the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians on behalf of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, which has a casino. In e-mails made public during a Senate investigation, Abramoff and Reed took credit for getting Dobson to produce radio ads. Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud in January.

“Things are going behind (the) scenes that people have a right to know about,” campaign spokeswoman Sarah Belanger told The Denver Post.

Tom Minnery, Focus’ public policy vice president, said Dobson wrote letters regarding a casino proposed by the Jena Indians in 2002 but never produced radio ads.

“The left is even more desperate than I thought,” Minnery said. “We’re just amazed they keep trying to re-fashion the same stuff.”

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Minnesota Catholic archbishop forbids priest from Web postings, radio broadcasts

ST. PAUL (AP) – The archbishop of Minneapolis and St. Paul ordered a prominent conservative priest to stop posting his sermons on the Web and broadcasting them on Roman Catholic radio.

The Rev. Robert Altier of St. Agnes Church has spoken against a sex-abuse prevention program taught throughout the archdiocese, including to schoolchildren.

Such programs were required by U.S. bishops in response to cases of sex abuse by clergy, but some critics say they are too explicit and infringe on parents’ role in teaching their children about sex, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

Altier posted a message on his “A Voice in the Desert” Web site saying he would no longer post his homilies and presentations or broadcast them, in response to a written request from Archbishop Harry Flynn.

Archdiocesan spokesman Dennis McGrath said he could not state a reason for Flynn’s directive because communications between a priest and bishop are confidential.

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Falwell denies report that he believes Jews don’t need Jesus

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) – The Rev. Jerry Falwell has issued a statement saying he still believes that all people, including Jews, “must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to enter heaven.”

Falwell’s comment came in response to a Jerusalem Post report that said Falwell now believes Jews have a separate covenant and don’t need to go through Jesus or believe in his sacrifice on the cross.

Falwell said he doesn’t follow this “dual covenant” theology:

“The traditional evangelical belief that salvation is available only through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is often portrayed as closed-minded and bigoted. But if one is to believe in Jesus Christ, he must believe in His words: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father but by Me.”‘

The Baptist pastor said, however, that “I am a strong supporter of the state of Israel and dearly love the Jewish people and believe them to be the chosen people of God.” He called himself “a Zionist in terms of Israel’s entitlement to its homeland.”

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http://www.falwell.com

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Maryland legislator will return campaign contributions from churches

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – The speaker pro tem of Maryland’s House of Delegates, Democrat Adrienne Jones, has pledged to return $2,200 in campaign contributions from churches to protect their tax-exempt status.

The (Baltimore) Sun reported last week that at least 115 Maryland churches had contributed to about 40 candidates since 2000. Jones is the first named recipient to say she’d return the money.

Nonprofit organizations are prohibited by the Internal Revenue Service from donating to campaigns, though neither state nor federal law bars candidates from receiving such contributions. Violators face revocation of tax-exempt status or a 10 percent excise tax on the contributions, an IRS pamphlet says.

“I believe that the churches, who were not aware of this tax law, should not be penalized for participating in the political process,” Jones said.

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