The Associated Press

'Giants' film nets $855,000 for church from DVD release

ALBANY, Ga. - A south Georgia church that made the inspirational movie "Facing the Giants" has netted $855,000 from the film's DVD release and plans to use the money to reduce debt and help complete an 82-acre sports complex, the church's pastor says.

The Rev. Michael Catt told the congregation of Sherwood Baptist Church on Aug. 19 that the church had received an initial advance royalty check for $855,000 from Provident Films.

Catt said $600,000 of the royalty payment will be applied to church debt. The remaining $255,000 will be used for the sports complex.

Made by Sherwood with an amateur cast and crew at a cost of about $100,000, "Facing the Giants" played at theaters nationwide but showed no profits from the theatrical release after distribution expenses, officials said.

The movie focuses on a chronically losing high-school football team and the personal problems of its coach. The coach turns to God to resolve his problems and persuades the team to become winners by doing the same.

Falwell's insurance policies pay off Liberty University debt

LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell had life insurance policies worth $34 million, and the money has been used to erase the debt of Liberty University, the school he founded.

The televangelist's son, Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., said his father had named the univers

ity and the Thomas Road Baptist Church as beneficiaries to protect their future.

The policies left $29 million to Liberty; its debt had reached $82 million in 1992, but the school had succeeded in paying off a significant amount before the elder Falwell's death.

Another $5 million went to the 22,000-member Thomas Road congregation, which Falwell had led, according to the News & Advance of Lynchburg.

Falwell Jr. said his father used to joke that when he "kicked the bucket" the school would get a windfall. Falwell, a founder and leader of the Moral Majority, died last May.

Louisiana College to create a Christian law school

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana College plans to establish a law school with a "biblical worldview" that aims to train defenders of conservative Christian values.

Louisiana College, a 1,000-student school in Pineville, expects to hire a law dean next year and enroll up to 40 students in 2009, eventually building enough capacity to enroll 300 students. The school will seek accreditation from the American Bar Association.

Other conservative Christian law schools include Liberty University School of Law, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, and Regent University School of Law, founded by televangelist Pat Robertson. Both those schools are in Virginia.

The Louisiana College law school will be named for Judge Paul Pressler, a leader in the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention over the last few decades.

He served in Texas on the state's district court and appeals court.

Louisiana College, founded in 1906, is run by trustees chosen by the Louisiana Baptist Convention and requires faculty members accept Christ as their savior.

Joe Aguillard, college president, announced the plans in an Aug. 16 news conference. Creating the school could cost more than $15 million.

Akinola: Anglicans must not sacrifice Bible for unity

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, a leader of Bible traditionalists in the Anglican world, says "the moment of decision is almost upon us" about whether Anglican conservatives and liberals can stay together.

In a statement Monday, Akinola said that theological conservatives cannot stand by as the U.S. Episcopal Church -- the Anglican body in the U.S. -- and the Anglican Church of Canada move toward full acceptance of gay relationships.

"We earnestly desire the healing of our beloved communion but not at the cost of rewriting the Bible to accommodate the latest cultural trend," Akinola said. "We cannot turn away from the source of life and love for a temporary truce."

Conservatives believe the Bible bars same-sex relationships. Liberals believe that the overarching message of Scripture is full acceptance for all people.

In 2003, Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. In Canada, the Diocese of New Westminster approved blessing ceremonies in 2002 for same-gender partners. And in June of this year, the Canadian church passed a resolution stating that the ceremonies do "not conflict with the doctrine" of the church. Canon lawyers are trying to determine whether that measure, in fact, gives approval for the ceremonies churchwide.

The U.S. church has apologized repeatedly for not fully consulting with other Anglicans before consecrating Robinson but has not apologized for electing him.

The communion's spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, is scheduled to meet with the Episcopal House of Bishops in New Orleans next month.

At that gathering, the U.S. bishops must respond to demands from Anglican leaders that they unequivocally pledge by Sept. 30 not to consecrate another openly gay bishop or risk losing their full membership in the communion.

Mormon student to attend WVU through scholarship legal battle

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- A Mormon student at West Virginia University who left school for two years to do mission work is suing to keep his state-funded scholarship.

David Haws returned Aug. 8 from two years of helping improve living conditions for Hispanic workers in Western states. Men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints typically go on a mission at age 19. Women serve at age 21.

The political science student filed a lawsuit after the school denied him continuance of his PROMISE scholarship after he returned. The suit seeks the reinstatement of the 4.0 student's scholarship and a change in the PROMISE board's scholarship policy.

PROMISE is a West Virginia program, funded by proceeds from a video lottery and with some money from the state's general revenue fund, that aims to keep students in the state.

A university spokesman, Bill Nevin, said the school has agreed to defer Haws' tuition payment until the lawsuit is resolved.

Ensley church, parsonage get history markers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- A historical marker has been unveiled at the First Baptist Church of Ensley, the site of mass meetings where the Rev. A.D. King, the younger brother of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was pastor during the civil rights movement.

Another marker was unveiled that same day, Aug. 19, at the church's parsonage, which was bombed May 11, 1963, while A.D. King and his family lived there. The parsonage is nine blocks from the church. King died in 1969 at the age of 38. Some of his relatives attended the unveiling ceremonies, including his wife, Naomi, and daughter Alveda.

King was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Ensley from 1961 until 1965. The Village Creek Society's historical committee led efforts to get markers placed on both sites.

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