01: Chevrolet’s sponsorship of an evangelical Christian concert and preaching tour is a relatively novel approach of funding Christian ministries.
The sponsorship has also raised controversy, with critics charging that the corporation’s support constitutes an endorsement of one religion over others. The 16-city Come Together and Worship Tour, which began Nov. 1 in Atlanta and winds up Nov. 23 in Auburn Hills, Mich. features music by contemporary Christian music artists Third Day and Michael W. Smith, as well as preaching (or what Chevy calls “speaking”) by Texas pastor and best-selling inspirational author Max Lucado.
(Source: Religion Bookline, Oct. 29)
02: The Global Renaissance Alliance is an interfaith group that seeks to bring a synthesis of New Age and other alternative spiritualities to inform social activism. The group, organized by alternative spirituality leaders Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson, describes itself as a “citizen-based network of spiritual activists [whose] mission is to make a stand in our local and national communities for the role of spiritual principle in solving the problems of the world.”
The alliance organizes peace circles where people gather to pray and envision world peace and cooperation. Other alternative spirituality leaders involved in the alliance include Barbara Marx Hubbard, Gary Zukav, James Redfield, and Deepak Chopra.
(Source: The Banner, Fall; GRA’s web address is: http://www.renaissancealliance.org)