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News Release: Immigration from a Theological Perspective

The following press release was distributed today. Please let me know if you have any questions. I appreciate your support in helping us spread the word about this timely discussion.

http://www.udallas.edu/advancement/pr.cfm?NewsArticleID=2824&Cat=PR

UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS SCHOOL OF MINISTRY TO EXAMINE IMMIGRATION FROM A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Panel Discussion To Include Local Leaders From Journalism, Academia and Ministry

(IRVING, Texas – October 11, 2007) – The School of Ministry (SOM) at the University of Dallas (UD) will present a panel discussion titled “Theological Perspectives on Immigration” on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007, at 7 p.m. in UD’s Haggerty Art History Building.  Designed as a theological reflection on the issues, the SOM hopes to make a positive contribution to this important public policy debate by featuring local leaders from the fields of journalism, academia and ministry.

“By examining such a controversial and challenging issue from a theological perspective, we hope to take the immigration debate to a higher level of analysis,” said  Dr. Brian Schmisek, Dean of the SOM.  “Our panel includes a diverse mix of leaders in the Metroplex, including accomplished scholars, social commentators and service providers who work with immigrants.  I am confident that the exchange of ideas will be both intellectually stimulating and inspirational.”

The conversation will be moderated by William McKenzie, editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News, who has written about immigration issues and called for theologians to discuss the balance between respect for the law and the biblical order to welcome strangers. 

McKenzie will be joined by several leaders in the local theological community, including:

• Dr. John Norris of UD’s Department of Theology.  The former chair of the Department of Theology and past director of UD’s signature Rome Study Abroad Program, he offers expertise on historical theology, patristics, patristic exegesis and St. Augustine.

• Professor María Pía Septién Ramírez of UD’s SOM.  Born and raised in Mexico City, her academic interests include biblical studies and Catholic outreach to the Hispanic community.  Additionally, she has played a leading role in the offering of SOM courses in both English and Spanish.

• Reverend Owen K. Ross, founding pastor of La Fundicion de Cristo/Christ's Foundry.  Prior to establishing his current ministry, he has worked in Ecuador with the United States Peace Corps and studied in Zimbabwe.  He is also an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church.

• Sister Nancy Sullivan, Director of Mission Awareness/Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Dallas.  As a teacher, social services administrator and advocate, she has served disadvantaged populations – including large numbers of immigrants – in the United States and abroad for more than fifty years.   

About the School of Ministry (SOM) The University of Dallas School of Ministry (formerly the Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies) celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and is one of the fastest growing graduate schools in its field in the U.S.  The School of Ministry is widely recognized as an important center for learning theology, developing pastoral skills, and fostering spiritual growth. The School has assembled an impressive international faculty, formed strong working relationships with dioceses in the region, and developed master’s degree and certificate programs that deliver outstanding educational experiences through classroom and online instruction. The School of Ministry meets the educational needs of more than 800 students through five strategic areas of focus: its flagship master’s degree programs that include a Summer in Rome study program; the largest Catholic Biblical School of its kind among all Catholic universities nationwide; deacon formation programs and adult faith formation programs at the parish level; and an annual ministry conference. It is a member of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. For more information about the School of Ministry, visit www.udallas.edu/ministry.

About the University of Dallas The University of Dallas, a highly regarded, nationally recognized private university, celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2006. With more than 3,000 students, the University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences and business. The University of Dallas has its main campus in Irving, Texas (1845 E. Northgate Drive), along with an international campus near Rome, Italy, and satellite campuses in North Richland Hills (Tarrant County) and Frisco, Texas. For more information about the University of Dallas, go to www.udallas.edu.

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Lee: Strange Fire on Defiled Altars

This article speaks for itself. Just like the Piper video I posted some time ago, this editorial piece by Lee Grady is finally making headway in what has been one of the worst times of spiritual abuse and charlatanry in the church today. Although I do not always agree with Charisma magazine, Lee Gady has done an outstanding job of pointing out these false prophets of our times.

Coming from a hispanic and pentecostal heritage myself, for too long I have endured the theological free loaders that have lived off of innocence of the somewhat doctrinaly anemic brothers and sisters who are taken adavntage of time and time again. I can personlly attest to times when people like Paulino Bernal would preach about the "five desires" where you can literally buy your desires from God. There have been times where I have spoken to pastors across the border where they have literally turned over their personal items and sometimes even deeds to their land in order to get these and many other health and wealth assurances.

I applaud Lee Grady and the many others who boldly point out these people that do more damage than good. The excerpt from his editorial piece is below.

"That’s why I fear for many of the men and women who claim to be God’s mouthpieces today, particularly in the charismatic/Pentecostal movement that I serve.

When I read Leviticus 10, I wonder why the ground has not opened up and swallowed some of the careless spiritual clowns who are masquerading as bishops, apostles and prophets.

A case in point: Bishop Thomas Wesley Weeks III, who is now facing charges of assaulting his wife, recently stood in his pulpit in Atlanta during a marriage conference and proceeded to teach married couples how to use profanity during sex.

Yes, the man who allegedly kicked and punched Juanita Bynum in a hotel parking lot last month told attendees at a “Teach Me How to Love You” event that they should get over their hang-ups about cussing. The bedroom, he said, is the place to get down and dirty.

“Don’t bring your salvation into the bedroom,” he said in a sermon segment that has been posted on YouTube.

“All those special words that you can’t say no more because you’re saved … save that for the bedroom!”

It is bad enough that Weeks told his followers that it’s OK to use filthy language with your wife during lovemaking. It’s worse that he said these things as a minister speaking from a pulpit during a church service. Thankfully he didn’t bring a bed on stage and give a demonstration—but now that he has taken pulpit crudity to a new level, someone else is sure to introduce Pentecostal porn to an audience somewhere.

Weeks’ comments didn’t surprise me. There are so many crazy things happening in pulpits in this country that I’ve become numb to their impact. It seems that in many segments of the church today, false prophets and backslidden preachers can introduce the most bizarre doctrines imaginable and still get shouts from the crowd and plenty of donations in the offering plate.

Meanwhile, a growing number of television preachers are resorting to the most inane tactics to raise money. A popular trend this year is the “Day of Atonement Offering”—in which Old Testament scriptures are strained to the breaking point to make a case for buying special blessings from God. Thanks to this “revelation,” you can click on a Web site icon and give your Day of Atonement Offering to win divine favor. (And of course every dime of that money goes to an evangelist who uses it to purchase houses, cars, plastic surgeries and more airtime so they can spread this nonsense to more naïve people.)

I have no personal vendetta against these spiritual hoodlums, but lately I find myself praying: “Lord, when will You clean up Your church? When will you send Your holy fire into the sanctuary? When will You turn over the tables of the moneychangers and drive the charlatans out of Your house?”

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