Faith Digest: Lutherans ask Anabaptists’ forgiveness

Lutherans ask Anabaptists’ forgiveness. Lutheran World Federation leaders plan to apologize for their ancestors’ 16th-century persecution of Anabaptists, religious reformers whose direct successors include Mennonites and the Amish and who influenced Baptists. The apology unanimously adopted by the federation council now is recommended for formal adoption by the highest governing body, its assembly, meeting in Stuttgart, Germany, in July 2010.

Dobson announces retirement from radio. Religious broadcaster James Dobson will end his hosting of the Focus on the Family program in February, a final step of resignation from the organization he founded more than 30 years ago. The Colorado Springs, Colo., ministry announced Dobson’s plans Oct. 30. Dobson resigned the presidency of the ministry in 2003 and stepped down from its board, along with his wife Shirley, in February. Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger said in an interview the radio show will continue without Dobson, 73, and the decision did not relate to his health.

Congregations keep giving. Despite the economic recession, a plurality of congregations reported an increase in donations in the first half of 2009, according to a new study. More than two-thirds of 1,500 congregations surveyed said fund raising has increased (37 percent) or held steady (34 percent). Congregations where attendance and finances have been growing over the past five years are more likely to have a growth in fund raising than “survival congregations,” churches where attendance and finances have dropped by more than 10 percent over the past five years, the report showed. While many congregations are growing, there are indicators the recession has taken a toll. One-third of responding congregations reported making budget cuts in 2009 and another 25 percent kept their budget the same, without allowing for any increases in the cost of living. The study was part of a joint project between the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, a program of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and the Alban Institute on congregations and the economy.

Repeal of blasphemy laws in Pakistan sought. A petition calling for the repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws—which impose the death sentence on a person found desecrating the Quran—has been delivered to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. The signatories say the law is used to settle scores with non-Muslims and has been exploited to incite hatred and attacks against Pakistan’s minority Christian community in recent times. Rory Mungoven, head of the Asia-Pacific unit of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, received the petition from a delegation of the London and Pakistan-based Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement. Blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad is punishable by death under the law of Pakistan, although nobody has been executed for it. However, some lawyers have said that non-Muslims they defended, including Christians, had been killed while awaiting trial.