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Quote of the Day. "It will take an expanding worldwide but grassroots culture reaching beyond national borders to fashion a body of Christian peacemakers to be an effective power to block the guns and be part of transforming each impending tragedy of war. Little by little there will be change." Gene Stoltzfus, founding director of Christian Peacemaker Teams, who died Wednesday at age 70, from his last blog post. (Christian Peacemaker Teams)

FAITH IN THE NEWS

Outraged by Glenn Beck's Salvo, Christians Fire Back "Last week, the conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck called on Christians to leave their churches if they hear preaching about social or economic justice, saying they were code words for Communism and Nazism." Jim Wallis urges Christians to turn off Glenn Beck "Jim Wallis, a politically progressive evangelical and longtime advocate for the poor, said Christians should stop watching or listening to broadcaster Glenn Beck for remarks urging people to leave churches that preach 'social justice.'"

Pakistani Churches Condemn Killings at World Vision Office "Churches in Pakistan have deplored the killing of six World Vision staff members as the international Christian humanitarian organization suspended its operations in the country."

Tea parties stir evangelicals' fears "A reeling economy and the massive bank bailout and stimulus plan were the triggers for a resurgence in support for the Republican Party and the rise of the tea party movement. But they've also banished the social issues that are the focus of many evangelical Christians to the background." Social conservatives put religious twist on 'tea party' message "In news releases, mission statements and interviews, prominent social conservatives increasingly are using the small-government rhetoric popular with the tea party activists and long used by economic conservatives -- but with a religious bent."

NEWS AT HOME

Immigration. Senators give Obama a bipartisan plan on immigration "A pair of influential senators presented President Obama with a three-page blueprint for a bipartisan agreement to overhaul the nation's immigration system, but the proposal's viability is threatened by politics surrounding the health-care debate." Obama Links Immigration Overhaul in 2010 to G.O.P. Backing "President Obama said Thursday that he would proceed with an overhaul of the immigration system this year if he could attract substantial Republican support. But a leading Republican who supports an overhaul said an immigration bill could not go forward if the president used a legislative shortcut sidestepping Republicans to pass his health-care bill." Groups demand action on immigration "Leaders of grassroots groups want a framework for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's immigration laws introduced in Congress this month, they told reporters after a meeting with President Obama on Thursday."

Health Care. Democrats seek healthcare consensus "Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill worked throughout the day Thursday seeking intraparty agreements over abortion, federal insurance subsidies, and other issues in a health-care package they hope to send President Obama before the end of the month." Democrats move toward grouping health reform with student-aid bill "Democratic leaders said Thursday that they were increasingly inclined to release a final health-care bill that could accomplish two of President Obama's top domestic priorities: guaranteeing coverage to 30 million uninsured Americans and vastly expanding federal aid for college students." Democrats Struggle to Finish Health Bill "House and Senate Democratic leaders struggled Thursday to stitch together pieces of a final health-care bill as rank-and-file Democrats demanded more information about the contents of the bill and its cost."

Financial Reform. Democrats Push Ahead on Finance Bill "Democrats said on Thursday that they would go it alone in an effort to pass an overhaul of financial regulation, increasing the likelihood of a bitter partisan showdown." Sen. Dodd will take financial regulation bill to committee "Unable to muster bipartisan agreement on key banking provisions, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd said Thursday that he will offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support."

Foreclosures. New round of foreclosures threatens housing market "The housing market is facing swelling ranks of homeowners who are seriously delinquent but have yet to lose their homes, and this is threatening a new wave of foreclosures that could hit just as the real estate market has begun to stabilize."

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Mideast Peace Talks. Joe Biden makes parting plea for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks "A four-day trip by Joe Biden designed to kick-start faltering peace talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships ended in failure last night despite a parting plea for negotiations to begin with no delay." 'Abbas seeks U.S. pledge for East Jerusalem construction freeze' "Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday sought guarantees from Washington that it would pressure Israel to cancel its plan for 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem."

Haiti. Haiti quake response largely a success "Medical care and food supplies arrived quickly, heading off the potential for widespread unrest, officials say. Progress on sanitation and shelter has been slower, posing the threat of a new crisis." Earthquake's Burdens Weigh Heavily on Haiti's Elderly "No strangers to hardship, elderly Haitians find themselves distinctly vulnerable and emotionally burdened these days. They have grown old in a place where so many people die young. With longevity comes survivor's guilt."

Taliban-Al Qaeda Rift. Some U.S. officials see a growing Taliban-Al Qaeda rift "A growing number of Taliban militants in the Pakistani border region are refusing to collaborate with Al Qaeda fighters, declining to provide shelter or assist in attacks in Afghanistan even in return for payment, according to U.S. military and counter-terrorism officials."

Afghanistan. Program aims to rebuild Afghan police force, repair its image "U.S. and Afghan officials are beginning a major overhaul of the Afghan police with the goal of cleaning up a force whose recent history of corruption has undermined confidence in the Kabul government and fueled the insurgency." U.S. criticizes Afghanistan's 'poor' human rights record "The U.S.-backed government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has a 'poor' human rights record, tarnished by widespread impunity for security forces who commit abuses; violence against women; torture and extra-judicial killings, the State Department said in an annual report released Thursday." Afghan Tribal Rivalries Bedevil a U.S. Plan "Government officials and elders from other tribes were trying to get the two sides to reconcile, but given the intensity of the fighting, some said they doubted that the effort would work. "

Iraq. Iraq results point to tight race "Early results from Iraq's election suggest a tight contest may be developing between Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his main rival Iyad Allawi." In Early Tally, Tight Iraq Race Deepens Splits "Iraq's major coalitions were locked in a surprisingly close race on Thursday, in initial results from elections that deepened divisions across a fractured landscape. Candidates were quick to charge fraud, heightening concerns whether Iraq's fledgling institutions were strong enough to support a peaceful transfer of power."

OPINION

The speech of a friend (Editorial, Haaretz) "In his speech at Tel Aviv University yesterday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden outlined the American approach to the Middle East in its broadest sense, from the Israeli-Arab conflict to the Persian Gulf."

In Africa, a step backward on human rights (Desmond Tutu, Washington Post) "Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are part of so many families. They are part of the human family. They are part of God's family. And of course they are part of the African family. But a wave of hate is spreading across my beloved continent."

Health Reform Myths (Paul Krugman, New York Times) "Health reform is back from the dead. Many Democrats have realized that their electoral prospects will be better if they can point to a real accomplishment. Polling on reform -- which was never as negative as portrayed -- shows signs of improving. And I've been really impressed by the passion and energy of this guy Barack Obama."

Sojourners' Daily Digest is a compilation of the top news related to our commitments of life and peace, economic and racial justice, and care of creation, with a special focus on news of the engagement of faith in public life.