SPIRITUAL LIFE IN BRIEF

Published Saturday, July 28, 2007

Creationism museum attracts big crowds

PETERSBURG, Ky. (AP) - Less than two months after opening, a northern Kentucky museum dedicated to promoting creationism has drawn 100,000 visitors, causing some growing pains, museum officials said.

The milestone visit - the honor went to a Buffalo, N.Y., family - means the $27 million museum is on pace to shatter its first-year attendance projection of 250,000 visits, officials said.

"We’re pretty pleased with the response," said Mike Zovath, vice president of museum operations.

The 60,000-square foot museum’s first weeks have been highlighted by packed parking lots, long lines to get in and - from critics - skepticism about the museum’s claims about science, faith and the origins of the earth.

Evolution is derided at the museum, which is packed with high-tech exhibits designed by an acclaimed theme-park artist, animatronic dinosaurs and a huge wooden ark. In this Old Testament version of history, dinosaurs appeared on the same day God created other land animals.

The museum also contains fossils, hung in glass cases in a room visitors spill into after taking a tour of Old Testament history. Museum officials said most fossils were created by the flood detailed in the book of Genesis.

Church wins suit on gay marriage stance

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (AP) - A judge has upheld a vote by a northeastern Indiana congregation to leave the United Church of Christ over the denomination’s recognition of gay marriage.

Special Judge David Hanselman Sr. dissolved a temporary restraining order that had prevented St. Peter’s First United Church of Christ in Huntington from leaving the United Church of Christ and denied the denomination’s claim on the assets of the church.

The restraining order had been in place since October 2005. Church members Paul Krieg and William Kruzan had won it after a 115-92 vote the month before by members of the congregation to leave the denomination. The congregation had about 500 members at the time.

In his ruling Thursday, Hanselman determined the congregational vote was proper and binding and that there had been no "division" of the church as defined by its bylaws that would trigger a transfer of its assets to the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ.

St. Patrick’s Day set to be celebrated early

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Although it isn’t clear whether bars and pubs will follow suit, the Roman Catholic Church will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day two days early next year because of the holiday’s rare calendar clash with Holy Week.

Traditionally St. Patrick and all things Irish are celebrated March 17. However, in 2008, March 17 falls on the Monday of Holy Week, and, according to church law, the days of Holy Week and Easter rank above all others, according to Catholic News Service. So the solemnity of St. Patrick must be moved.

Officials from the Irish bishops’ conference wrote the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments about the conflict, and the congregation’s decision was recently made public, CNS reported.

The St. Patrick’s Festival Committee in Dublin confirmed that next year’s parade would go off March 17 as usual. In Boston, St. Patrick’s Day planner John "Wacko" Hurley said next year’s parade will go ahead on Sunday, March 16.