Salt Lake Tribune | 1999-10-09 | Page 19

Ghe Salt LakeTribune ECTIOy, RELIGION @ BULLETIN BOARD, C-2 @ WORLD VIEW, C-3 BIV/COMICS, C-4,5 SATEREAY WEENTERTAINMENT, C-6-8 OCTOBER 9, 1999 ‘Trinitarians’ Unite Under Council of Churches Banner BYPEG 7Y FLETCHI ACK THEs LT LAKE TRIBUNE, TheSalt Lake City Council of Churchesis ex panding its membership beyond downtown to amelie all interested Christian chu in the . All, that is, whodefine themselves in. itarian," believing in the doctrine of a three personedGodor Trinity. s one more attempt to clarify and ex pandthe role of Utah’s interfaith group: which for years have sought tofind a pub! common purposein a state where = ka anene frank the population are bers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints. ues. In the past, the nowdefunct Salt Lake Minis: terial Association welcomed all religious groups. Representatives from the Jewish, Mus: lim, LDS and even Wiccan (or pagan) communi ties, as well as moretraditional Christians, belongedtoit. “[ felt it wastoo loosey goosey,” says the Rev Steve Sandlinof Central Christian Church(Dis ciplesof Christ). “Anyone whocalled themselves Mlustration by Sean Noyce / The Salt Lake Tribune LDS Struggle to Keep Proxy Baptisms Appropriate a ‘minister’couldbeonboard. It basically meant nothing.” In 1971, Uta S Presbyterian and United Methodist chut launched a group called United Ministries for Cooperative Mission Strategy. By 1977, BY BOB MIMS “Whatever frameworkin whichit is presented, the notion ofperforming thesesortof rites for Hitler, Himmler and other Nazis ... is beyond [understanding].” ‘THE SALT LAKETRIBUNE Four years after the LDS Church agreed to stop posthumous baptisms for Jewish Holocaust victims, perhaps the best-known of death camp martyrs — Anne Frank and members of her family — continue to pop up in Mormontemple and genealogical records. Further, the records show temple work has also been done vicariously for the Holocaust’s chief perpetrator, Adolf Hitler, and manyofhis Nazi Abraham Cooper rites — and to eradicate records for “fictitious or inappropriate” figures, like Hitler, when they are discovered. The battle, they Y, goes on, an arduous task considerii‘ing the faith’s's genealogical databases con- terally billions of names. Whatis more, est in family history incre hundreds “As enter into eternal marriagesand families are “sealed” togetherin the faith’s temples. Only Mormons “in good standing” — those who regularly tithe, live moral and law-abiding lives and adhere to the church's prohibitions against alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea areissued “temple recommend”cards that allow entry to temple: Mormons are encouragedto limit submissions of namesfor vicarious temple work to their own thousands {more] names of deceased people are continually being submitted by members of the rch genealogical records contain a “Who's who" ofhistorical figures targeted for Mormon bap- his six wives, have appeared in church genealogical records, along with the Communistfoursomeof Karl Marx,Jo- men. Herod the Great, whomthe Gospels recount massacred Bethlehem’sinfantboy unsuccessful bid to kill Jesus, was baptizedin the Logan Templein 1994; Iv: n the Terrible, Dracula (Vlad “The Impaler,” Princeof Wallachia) and Ras- ByApril 1996, however,interest in and finan cial support of Shared Ministry was waning and hadtobediscontinued By contrast, the Salt Lake City Council of Church (SLCCC), once known as the Downtown Council of Churche: beenabletosustainit self. For at least a decade, this group has met monthly and has Friday Christ's sponsored the annual Good Procession, commemorating Jesus journeyto the cross. In the last couple of years, the group has service for Pentecost in January, added a commonworship and Christian Unity Week _ When Sandlin arrived in 1990, the monthly scussions were mostly onpolitical topics, he But more and more it becamepersonal,” of6 million Jews andthe deaths of tens ofmillions of support and encouragement.” others during World WarII. It took only seconds recently to retrieve Der Fue- Search Internet site (www.familysearch.org). The tius Loyola and Francis Xavier, thelatter now listed See BAPTISMS,Page C-3 andinfamous. ( )n one handis a host of Roman Catholic popes and nts, among themJoanof Are, Igna- education ministries. Sandlin says. “We did more sharing of what was Thelist spans both the noble and ignoble, famous an opportunity tojoin the church in the spirit world. Similarly, dead spou: and their childrencan be “sealed” for eternity, just as living Latter-daySSaints tium of churcheseventually included69congre gations drawnfrom a dozen or so denomin tions. It provided leadership trainingforlay leaders, summer youth camps and higher ‘Andthenthereis Hitler, whose dreamsofa Ger: man ThirdReichresulted in the systematicslaughter hrer’s record andthat of wife Eva Braun — from the LDS Church’s Ancestral File via the Family- the hereafter. the Christian Church(Disci ples ofChrist) joined and the group changed nameto Shared Ministry of Utah. The consor putin, spiritual adviser to the doomed Romanovfamia, also have cropped upin church. tismfor the dead, family sealings and marriages in spokesman MichaelPurdy. Mormonsbelieve proxy baptisms give the dead Henrythe VIII, along with several of Mormons chooseto offer posthumous salvation to history's tyrants and mad: of church and others around the world,” said church the explor- mysterious “Mrs. Buddha.” King It is harder to understand why some aeatall Churchofficials acknowledge the renegade records are thorns in the flesh, but they insist they have donetheir best to honortheir 1995 agreement to keep Holocaustvictims out of temple Columbusalsois there, sealed to a Beatriz Enriquez Harana er’s mistress; so are Buddha and the seph Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung and Ho Chi-Minh. Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center henchmen. as married, or sealed, despite lifelong elibacy. records also listed two menas having provided the goingonin our lives, offeringeach other mutual Now that the SLCCCha defineditself as “trinitarian,” the grouphas stronger senseof identity. This is not meant to beelitist, it is just that “we have more in common,” Sandlinsays. “ ‘We are theo don’t have to argueour position, we ar logically in line. Wecan talk about ourdiffer encesand it is not divisive.” It has taken some time to “hammer out a mission ” says the Rev. Grant Aaseng of Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, one of the downtown churches. “Some pastorsarelooking for support, some want social action, some just Alone Together at Work — Avoiding the Appearanceof Evil evangelical and otherwise, conserva: tive andliberal saidthey tend to go the extra mile to prevent questions of impropriety with membersof the op- ‘Never once would I or canI remember closing the door to have a conversation with myoffice manager across the nation: men and women meeting alone. one-on-oneprivate meetings or taking steps to minimize that chance of inadrtently sending out a wrong signal. “It’s not a written rule, but every- director of the National Association of Americaoften runs counter to what's body out there has heard of the‘Billy regarded as proper particularly con: Grahamrule,’ which is never alone without the door open,” said Michael Cromartie, director of the Evangelical Studies Project at Washington's Ethies and PublicPolicy Center Grahamsaid he tried to be so careful BYADELLEM. BANKS and IRA RIFKIN RELIGION NEWS SERVICE But what's acceptable in corporate religious circles, ve on F vate one-on-one business meetings between men and women no matter howprofessional they may be is one areaof divergenc The hubbub surrounding Republi can presidential hopeful Gary Bauer, a conservative evangelical Christian, at tests to theissue's importanc ‘ormer members of Bauer's cam paignstaff maintain the candidate's meetings with a younger femalestaffer were in. ppropriate because they cre ated the appearance of sexual impropriety Bauertold a Washington news con: ference that he had done nothing who is a young woman in her 20s,” said the Rev. Richard Cizik, Washington posite sex. That includes avoiding It happens everyday in offices Religious News Service Republican presidential hopeful Gary Bauer, an evangelical Christian, wascrit- icized becausethe candidate's meetings with a young femalestaffer created the appearanceofimpropriety. wrong and he saw nothing improper in the meetings. In a television interview, his wife agreed However, religious leaders about his dealings with womenthat he never rode alone in a car or had a meal alone with his secretary. He once told a TV interviewer that when Hillary Rodham Clinton invited him for lunch, he chose to dine in a hotel restaurant where they could be seen. Religious leaders said theological and moral concerns as well as con cern over sexual-harassment lawsuits influence their dealings with mem bersof the opposite gender angelicals. “It’s the rule, not just for clerics but for professionals, and I would hope menand womeninall professions We'reinstructed in Scripture you don't create the appearance of evil. You avoid the appearance of evil at all want to learn about other churches, and other want active evangelizing.” groups cre Two years ago, several Chris ated a separate group known as ommunity of Churches.” While the Council is made up of representa tives from different congregations, the Commu. nityis by denomination. Those participating in clude: American Baptist Churches (USA), Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), E pal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Chure America, Presbyterian Church (USA), Roman Catholic Church, Society of Friends (Quakers), United Churchof Christ, and United Methodist Church. he mission statement, cost.” called “Founding Cizik said he once accompanied Covenant,”says, “We covenant together in order former NAEPresident Don Argue to a White House state dinner for the pre: mier of China when Argue’s wife was to carry a shared vision, faithful to the words of Jesus as reported in John’s Gospel “That They May All Be One. Joint efforts of the Community of Churche not available. Argue could have in vited a woman with interests in China but “so there would not be any misun derstanding, he went with another man,” Cizik said. The Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, general se y of the National Council of Churches, said she heard See AVOIDING, Page C-3 will include: sharing diversity, gifts and r sources,” ecumenical worship, a united voice on issues, working for social justice, and dialogue with each other and withother faiths One of the group's first efforts is going to be establishing a website for the exchangeof infor mation and ideas. his will help us communicate and network ch other, “ Aaseng says. If Everyone Would Come to Sunday Meetings Naked, Maybe I Could Stay Awake ROBERT It happens every Sunday: sitting ina long, dry church meeting, your soul leaves your body and goes somewhere, I don't know where yours goes. Mine goes home and plays Nintendo. While I believe this qualifies as an ac tual out-of-body experience, my wife says I just keepfalling asleep in church. She says I sometimes snore and bother the speakers, Howshe could tell the differ ence between us is beyond me. For most of you non Mormons, falling asleep in churchseems easy enough. I know because I have been to your wor ship services. They are, for the most part, reverent, dignified and spiritually sooth ing. In other words, the perfect environ », Frankly, a Mor monwould have tobe nuts to takea snooze surrounded by Baptists and B; copalians, You might pants me or shave ' j f POOR COPY my head It’s harderto fall asleep in a Mormon ward, Mainly because we are a notori ously noisy bunch, Half ofthecong: tion in any typical LDS sacrament meet ingis undertheageof 10. A soccerriotis ison. age to fall asleepin church. ‘There is something about the word: and so I testify to you, brothers sisters, that the Sadducee: pos were all Democrats, ery time. [have tried everythingto stay awake No-Doz, Diet Coke, electricity, 22 Top © 1999, Tho Salt Lake Tribune ing to the wrong church. I should have beengoing to naked church on a set of headphones but nothing ms to work. Believe it ar not, | have even tried paying attention, That actually t, I'mserious, In Los Angeles, the congregation at the Churchof the Holy madeit worse the pictures someonesent, they don't Just when I thought it was hopeless, | found something. | wasn't goingto even get to wearshoes, church with the wrongattitude. I was Ko Bodyworshipsin the nude. Judging from Pastor Lance Regione, who, by the ches in the buff, says that the removal of clothing is symbolic, even though everyone does actually naked. The symbolism comes in demonstrating that you have nothing to hide from God or each other. Maybe, maybe not. I'm guessing that God already knows what you look like naked, and that you couldn't hide any. thing from him even ifyou tried. If you think you can, you've got bigger church problems than wondering where you left your socks. Not having anything to hidefrom each other might have a plussideto it, It would certainly solve a controversy here in Utah. Naked church would makeit a lot harderto carry a concealed weapon into services. I suppose it could makethe average person a bit more humble, probably a lot morealert as well. Uniess you're drunk, it's hard to fall asleep without any clothes i on while surrounded by people you barely know Alot dependson how comfortable you are with your body, Accordingto the photostaken at Church of the Holy Body, everyone there is very comfortable, probably becausethey'reall young, toned and relativelyattractive Sure, it wouldbeeasier to stay awake without anyclothes on in church. But judging fromthepeopleI see there now, I would be seeing more of themthanI re ally wantedto, Eventually, I wouldn't be able to sleepat all, | would have to stop going. Wouldn't work. Naked hometeachers would come looking for me. Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Kirbylives in Springville. The self- described “Oxy-Mormon™ welcomes mall at P.O, Box 684, Springville, UT 84664 OF & mail at [e-mail], . 1