Faith

Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett - Mega Millions lottery winner, Wiccan high priest, recently retired accountant - would like to clear up a few misconceptions about his plans for a "witch school." Yes, he'd like to start a pagan seminary. But no, it's not going to be some sort of Hogwarts-on-the-Patapsco, with precocious adolescents running around in wizard hats and casting spells. Bartlett instead envisions the place as sort of a yeshiva for all faiths, a "church" that's less about God - or gods, if you prefer - and more about spirituality, nature and healing.

You've probably heard by now that Mitt Romney has a Mormon problem. It seems every pollster of note has published a poll showing that many Americans consider Mr. Romney's membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - commonly called the Mormon Church - a potential deal-breaker. John F. Kennedy faced a similar challenge as he campaigned to become the first president who was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. Many are encouraging Mr. Romney, the Republican former governor of Massachusetts, to borrow several pages from the JFK playbook - especially the speech he delivered to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in September 1960.

BOSTON -- He's not exactly a profile in courage. After all, Pete Stark has represented his liberal district near San Francisco for more than 30 years. It's unlikely that he'll be tarred and feathered or sent packing for admitting that he's, well, a godless politician. Nevertheless, last week, Mr. Stark broke a political taboo. He became the first member of Congress to say publicly that he doesn't believe in "a supreme being." Some described the admission as "coming out of the closet." Others rued the fact that God was not on his side.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has no illusions that her first book might serve as a springboard back into elected politics. The book - a reflection on her personal faith mixed with a broader look at America's religious traditions - argues that the Catholic and Protestant churches have lost their way in recent decades, falling short of the Christian concept of social justice as they've been "hijacked" by political conservatives. "This is a book you can only write when you're out of politics," says Townsend, who served two terms as Maryland's lieutenant governor and is the eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy.

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court handed President Bush and the Republican Party two victories yesterday by clearing the way for corporate-funded broadcast ads before elections and by shielding the White House's "faith-based initiative" from challenge in the courts. Both came in 5-4 rulings by the conservative majority led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. The first decision will allow corporate and union money to play a bigger role in political campaigns. Five years ago, Congress passed the McCain-Feingold Act, part of which banned pre-election ads that mention a candidate's name if they were paid for with corporate or union money.

On December 15, 2007. On today a Memorial Service will be held at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1900 E. North Avenue from 9 A.M.-10 A.M. with services to follow. Inquiries to 410-433-7500.

THE BRONX, N.Y. -- Fordham University, a Jesuit institution, looks appropriately gothic in a December gloaming, and especially so as a backdrop for its most eminent teacher, all of whose 6-foot-2-inch frame beneath his black beret is clothed in black against the night chill.Avery Dulles, 81, distinguished son of a famous father, remembers the letter he sent to his parents 59 years ago, announcing his first steps on the Catholic path of service to the faith whose founder's birth is celebrated this season.

In the mountains of Western Maryland, in the year 1956, I had my first crisis of faith. I asked God to part the waters of the swimming pool at Camp Airy the way he had parted the waters of the Red Sea for the children of Israel, and he did not.God and I have been discussing this little failing on somebody's part - Whose part? His? Mine? That's the crux of it, isn't it? - for the past 43 years, and after all this time, in our way, the two of us have settled absolutely nothing.And I find this eternally stimulating.

IF I lived in Kansas, I'd be checking plane fares to anywhere right about now. I'd be out of there so fast my shadow would have to catch a later flight.Not to dump on Kansas. The Sunflower State has contributed much to this country. It has given us spicy jazz and amber waves of grain. Given us such American icons as Amelia Earhart, Buster Keaton and Damon Runyon.Unfortunately, it just gave us something else -- a disturbing example of religious zealotry run amok. Meaning the recent decision by the state board of education to adopt classroom science standards that do not require the teaching of evolution.

In her New Mexico bedroom, a devout Roman Catholic woman keeps a menorah next to a sackful of soil from a pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary.A gravestone in a rural burial ground bears a professionally carved Christian cross -- and, hand-etched beneath it, two Stars of David.In an 18th-century house in a Hispanic section of Old Town Albuquerque, workers uncover a 40- or 50-year-old mezuza -- a small box containing verses from the Torah, found in observant Jewish homes. But the 80-year-old Christian man who owned the house for decades denies seeing the mezuza before.

Christmas is probably unconstitutional. I'm no lawyer, but the logic seems unassailable to me. Consider: Santa Claus aside, Christmas is an explicitly Christian holiday and the only holiday of any religion to be observed by the federal government. Which would seem to violate the First Amendment edict that Congress "shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." Yet to the best of my admittedly limited knowledge, no one has ever sued Christmas before the Supreme Court. Not that I'm trying to give any ideas.

Containers of hand sanitizer have been deployed near the doors at St. Mary's in Annapolis. The doorknobs are being cleaned between Masses, and the bathrooms are getting more attention. The Rev. John Kingsbury has practiced giving Communion without touching the hand of the recipient. But the pastor still worries about the impact on the 16,000-member Catholic parish if the H1N1 virus hits the community hard. "I think the spiritual side is the one that has yet to be faced," Kingsbury said.

An adult convert to Islam, Ify Okoye spent her first couple of years learning about the religion from books. It wasn't until the Beltsville woman started going to seminars given by the AlMaghrib Institute that she really began to understand her new faith. "I look at my Islam completely as the pre-AlMaghrib phase and the post-AlMaghrib phase," says the 25-year-old Okoye, a student at Bowie State University. "After attending my first class, I see there's such a breadth and depth to the Islamic tradition, and also a real practical intellectual tradition that's vibrant, that can work today, that Muslims in America can use."

The leaders of the city's Catholic, Jewish and Muslim faiths have a plan to turn Baltimore's summer into the "summer of peace." But they complained Wednesday that the mayor is making their efforts difficult because of plans to close recreation centers and pools and curtail library hours. Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien mentioned the issue in passing in his remarks after meeting with city officials on preventing youth crime, but when questioned he openly leaped into the political fray and called for the city's chief executive to reverse course.

I don't always agree with Leonard Pitts Jr.'s stand on the issues, but I have to agree with his position on the subject of religion ("What's driving people away from religion?" Commentary, March 16). I am 66 years of age and have been a born-again Christian since I was 18. I am more than concerned by the decline of the Christian faith in this country. And I am also willing to admit that, as Christians, much of that decline is our own fault. Many of us castigate the idea of gay marriage and at the same time we have a divorce rate that borders on horrendous.

WASHINGTON -President Barack Obama announced yesterday the creation of his faith-based outreach office, expanding its agenda beyond funding social programs to work on policies aimed at strengthening family life and reducing abortion. Obama's office leaves in place rules that allow faith-based groups receiving federal funding to hire only people of their own faith, but White House aides said that the hiring rules would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis when there are complaints and that the Justice Department will provide legal assistance.

TAMPA, Fla. - There was Kurt Warner, addressing the godless - notebook-toting cynics who worship at the altar of the free media buffet. Our saviors are sharp-eyed copy editors, and our gods were the Babe and Unitas and Jordan. Who has time for Jesus talk? Unfortunately, our subject behind the microphone has nothing more important to talk about. No, it wasn't surprising that it took Warner just a couple of minutes before his talk turned from football to faith. But - and I suspect this was a news conference first - there were no groans from the assembled flock of hacks.

WASHINGTON - As Republicans sort out the reasons for their defeat, they likely will overlook or dismiss the gorilla in the pulpit. Three little letters, great big problem: G-O-D. I'm bathing in holy water as I type. To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh. Simply put: Armband religion is killing the Republican Party. And the truth - as long as we're setting ourselves free - is that if one were to eavesdrop on private conversations among the party intelligentsia, one would hear precisely that.

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski: It's time for boldness On Tuesday, we made history. Now it's time we change history. When President-elect Barack Obama assumes office in January, he will inherit two wars, a stratospheric budget deficit, a global financial meltdown, a broken health care system and a bruised international reputation. The challenges are daunting. But I know he is up to the task. In the Senate and on the campaign trail, Mr. Obama has displayed a steady hand and a clear vision. He has the ability to unify Americans of different ages, races and backgrounds in the call for change.

Not long ago, religion was something one generally didn't discuss in public. These days, it seems everyone wants to talk about his or her beliefs - especially everyone running for president. But some of the things they say make you realize why religion was a taboo topic for so long. Sen. John McCain, for example, agreed with the 55 percent of Americans who said in a poll that "the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation." Muslims, Jews and others were surprised to hear this news (the Constitution does not mention Christianity)