October (Web-only) 2001

ARTICLE TOOLS

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To reach people who never enter a sanctuary, [Episcopal pastor Harry] Brunett and [marketer Chuck] Donofrio have used market research and focus groups, and have designed weekly services that, among other things, deliberately de-emphasize Jesus Christ.

"The sad fact is the name of Jesus Christ has become for many people exclusionary," said Donofrio, president and CEO of a Baltimore marketing and public relations firm. "Many people experience using Jesus almost as a bludgeon to beat them into submission."

The Post reports that the services, where Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is given equal time with Saint Benedict and Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again" is one of the hymns, has the backing of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and its bishop, the Rev. Robert Wilkes Ihloff. "We're enabling people to discover God themselves, maybe through Jesus, maybe through Buddha, maybe through any number of ways," says Brunett. "It's not a back-door way to catch people and bring them to the Episcopal Church."

Another missionary kidnapped in the Philippines
How stupid are these guerillas? They have to know that if anything happens to Martin and Gracia Burnham, the two New Tribes missionaries they are already holding captive, the U.S. military will rain down hellfire upon them. Now they go and kidnap another foreign missionary? Giuseppi Piarantoni, an Italian priest, was kidnapped last night as he celebrated Mass. The local military isn't totally sure it was the Abu Sayyaf who took him, but it sure looks that way.

The controversial sayings of Pat Robertson, part 6,531,402,312 "Ladies and gentlemen," Pat Robertson said on Monday's 700Club, "our president said Islam is a peaceful ...