coming up, the contentious debate over banning u.s. courts from considering islamic law, syria and their decision making. plus an episcopal congregation chooses to become catholic. >> major nundifunding for religiousous weekly is founded by an indianapolis based private family foundation dedicated to its founders and christian religion, community development and education. additional funding also provided

by mutual of america. designing customized individual and group retirement product. that's why we're your retirement company. the estate of william j. carter. the james hhen he is not foundad the corporation of public broadcasting. >> welcome. thank you for joining us. as as the conflict under syria continues, faith-based relief agencies are calling attention to a growing humanitarian crisis. some 200,000 residents are believed to have fled the fighting in aleppo, syria's largest city. the world food program sounded an early alarm saying 3 million people will need food assistance in the next 12 months. more than 10% of syria's 22 million people. the state department's annual report on religious freedom is out and draws particular attention to the plight of religious minorities in several nations. among those mentioned,

christians in egypt, muslims in indonesia and pakistan, and iran. the report says jews suffer in several countries as do muslims including those in europe and china, also cited for its treatment of tibetan buddhists. an official chinese response blasted the report as quote blatantly interfering in the internal fairs of other countries. the state department list includes the same countries that were included the year before. including saudi arabia, burma and north korea. a coalition of african-american pastors urged african-americans to rethink voting for president obama because of his support for gay marriage. at a washington press cones from on tuesday pastors accused the president of pandorring to the gay community and taking black voters for granted. >> i am shamed that the first black president chose this road, a disgraceful road. >> new figures from the pew

forum show a majority, 51% of african-americans remain opposed to gay marriage. 40% are in favor. there's been little change in those numbers since april before president obama voiced his personal support for gay marriage. meanwhile, another pew survey shows that a majority of american catholics shares their bishop's concerns about some obama administration policies that they say infringe on religious liberty. but the majority of catholics also plans to vote for president obama. 56% of catholics say they agree with the bishop, at the same time, 51% of catholic voters say they support a lean towards supporting the president. 42% say mitt romney. also this week, romney launched a new effort to court jewish voters emphasizing his strong support for israel. a group of christian leaders this week denounced congressional efforts to cut federal funding for tax credits that benefit the poor. they spoke in advance after house vote that reduced the current rate of the earned

income and child tax credit while extending the bush era tax cuts for the wealthy. they called the proposed policy morally reprehensible. >> caviar for the wealthy. crumbs from the table for the children. these are not family values. they are faithless, immoral values. and a front to people of everything. >> now a special report. in many areas of the country, intense legislative battles are waged 0e6r islamic law. bills have been introduced in more than 20 states to ban courts from considering foreign laws, including syria. some say it is national security. others say muslims are unfairly targeted. >> we can have a will with no problem. >> at the law offices near newark, new jersey, attorney

awad consults about creating contracts, wills and other legal documents that appears to the principles of syria, islamic law, that is important to muslims. >> the way of sharia means there is guideline for how i should be interacting. >> awad says over the past decade he handled more than a hundred cases involving some component of islamic law. now a growing movement is seeking to ban in courts sharia in any way. it limit the judge's ability to decide them. >> these will trickle down to your average american muslim when it comes to distributing estates, getting married, issues regarding dissolution of marriage. this is divesting courts of their own authority. >> but proponents say legislation is necessary to protect american interests. taryn logo is an attorney and

anti-sharia activist. >> within a society of western culture, you cannot have two prevailing legal systems side by side. ultimately there will be a break down of what we in our country have agreed to be governed by, which is the consensus under a rule of law, not of men, not of cleric. >> sharia is an arabic word that means pass to the watering hole. >> sharia is a methodology to engage in the divine text, to ascertain divine will. it's constantly influx. it is evolving. it is very flexible. >> the other meaning of sharia, which is more common, is this human interpretation of divine law, which has been satisfied into laws, and different from country to country and generally when we are talking about sharia

or even criticizing it, we tend to think of the human interpretation. >> the bulk of sharia deals with topics with diet, family relationships and financial transactions. but there are also principles for political order, crime and punishment. and how these have been interpreted and applied in many predominantly muslim countries, raise he concerns here in the u.s. an attorney and orthodox jew is one of the most prominent voices in the anti-sharia movement. >> if you look at the doctrine that the gee jihadist from around the world, it is of sharia and doctrine of jihad. that becomes a national security

threat. >> some people who live in countries where sharia is the basis of law, agree. >> it is time for westerners to understand what is the consequences of welcoming sharia or even saying that sharia is misunderstood. there is nothing misunderstood about the law that condemns women to stoning, to death, and to flogging. >> there's been a contentious sharia debate across the country. in 2010, voters in oklahoma passed an initiative to ban state courtes from considering sharia. but a court challenge so far prevented it from taking effect. activist are support offing bills that don't specifically state sharia, but ban courts from considering any foreign law. four states enacted such laws and similar bills have been taken up in more than 20 other states. a widely used model was called american laws for american courts. >> it doesn't identify sharia

per se, but it doesn't have to. but it is also incorporated within its reach. it says any foreign law or foreign judgment that would violate in the particular case that issue, a fundamental constitutional lib tir of one of the parties, due process, equal protection, the court will not grant it recognition. >> a professor at university of richmond law school and founder of karama, muslim women lawyers for human rights, she says she too is concerned about how sharia has been interpreted and implemented in some places, especially everseas against women. arguing that it is not a true representation of islam. still, alhibri says the anti-sharia constitution is unnecessary. >> our constitution basically trumps everything else. that also goes on the state level with the state law. you don't just bring a law from another country and impose it

here if it is against public policy. that is not how we work here. >> we can have a valid polygamist marriage out of egypt. and if this polygamist marriage is brought to the united states and the court is requested to enforce egyptian law, which would permit polygamy, but that violate our public policy, so the u.s. court would not recognize it. >> also teaching as ruckers law school and pace law school says the circumstances where sharia is relevant in u.s. court is limited, mainly for a judge reviewing, for example, a contract following sharia financial guidelines. >> it applies basic new jersey contract law. there is not really enforcing sharia. sharia is just a tool it aid the court to better understand what it is reviewing. >> he says anti-foreign law bills could effect other

religious groups as well. >> this vast net being cast to prevent state judges from considering any foreign law is catching in its net jewish law, cannon law. >> inner faith groups including many jewish groups have also been vocally opposed to the legislation. >> we refuse to be divided along religious lines. it is what is at stake over this debate over sharia law. and i'm proud to stand with you and my colleagues here to say that it is simply unamerican at the deechest and most profound levels. >> anti-sharia activist contend that islamic law has been used in unfair decisions against women. especially under domestic cases. and the most frequently cited case, a new jersey woman tried to get a restraining order against her husband, alleging he raped and beat her. after hearing testimony that

husband muslim faith orders women to, it was not allowed. >> god permits the man to beat the wife? human rights activists were upset. constitutional scholars were upset. everybody was upset. and you know who is also upset as well? the appellate court which immediately reversed that decision because it was a bad decision. >> the woman happened to have an attorney and she happened to have sufficient funds to make an appeal. and only then was it corrected. how many women like this woman, who can't afford an appeal? >> muslims around the country say the legislative efforts discriminate against them. >> it is to create this fear of islam and muslims in the largest society, that all islam does not belong in america. these are foreigners. don't trust them. >> the islamic circle of north

america launched a national multimillion dollar campaign to count what it believes are negative misperceptions about sharia. the campaign features billboards. informational mailings and community forums about what sharia is and is not. >> thank you for calling 1-855-sharia. how can i help you? >> there is hot line where muslims and nonmuslims can call and ask questions about sharia or get information about the push for legislation. >> they can feel it is anti-foreign law. but we know it is targeting one community, one faith. >> it is not the sharia doctrine part of the jihadist doctrine? the moment you ask the question and engage in discourse, you become branded as an islam foeb and they attack you and attack you. >> opponents say they intend to keep up the pressure on the local level. >> if the law doesn't pass, it

engages enormous debate because the opposition has put the brakes on. but that means it comes up again at the next session. and there is another public debate. >> the group has been sponsoring town hall meetings to make sure the public debate includes islamic law experts. she says open dialogue and education are the only way to resolve the conflict. >> the muslims should not live in fear and nonmuslims should not live in fear. this is a country which is based on courage, on production, on trusting each other and if we need it talk about it, let's talk about it and get over any islam phobia, which is unjustified. >> but given the level of polarization, resolution isn't likely any time soon. i'm kim lawton, reporting. >> next, finding one's place in the worship house divided.

the episcopal church is a branch of the church of england which broke away from rome in 1534. the american church has itself been divided, primarily over issues related to homosexuality. we have a report about episcopalians taking up an invitation from rome to make the catholic church their home. our correspondent is bob fall. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> in maryland, the catholic service unfolds smoothly. a comfortable routine for priests and parishoners alike. but one year ago, members of st. luke's pearish were devout devoted episcopalians. this is the first group in the country to convert to catholicism, directing episcopalians. >> about 20 years ago if i told you you would become a catholic priest, what would you have said? >> i would have thought you were

crazy. >> under 2009 decree by pope benedict xvi, st. lukees a like all churches that choose to convert, with its literature like using its book of common prayer and anglican hymns. it also gets to keep its married priests, father mark lewis, who was exempt from the roman catholic vows of celibacy. father lewis, an episcopal church for ten years, and his wife vickie, have two children. their grandson, sherman, is an altar server. >> we left the 50epies could pal church. not because we were running away from the issues of the episcopal church. we left the episcopal church because we were running to the catholic church p. we came to a place where we realize the theology of the episcopal church is lacking.

the unity of rome and and of the holy sea and bishops, that was appealing to us. >> former episcopal priest also found the move to catholicism se seamless. he was overdaned in 2000 and acted as chaplin here while father lewis waited to be overdaned. >> there is a real hunger among some episcopalians and anglicans for authority. it was the question of where can true christian authority be found that was a key element in this community's journey. >> it wasn't just the need for authority, say other former epips could palians. they were also uncomfortable wauz the episcopal church aproves of ordaining women, openly gay priests and same-sex marriage. >> there is not any one real to point to. it is like the strands after

rope one by one. and each one weakens the rope as a whole. >> ann marie whitaker feels she didn't leave the episcopal church, that the church left her. >> all of a sudden it was a, do your own thing, mass. and there was a lot going on. for instance, a clown mass. i would come in and someone would put a red nose on me. and circling altars. one by one, parishes started to succumb to practice in order to attract people. and it made it difficult for me to worship in that atmosphere. >> under the new vatican guidelines, an estimated 1300 ang lans and 150 married priests have inquire bed being received into the catholic church. to accommodate them, the church established the equivalent of nationwide diocese.

father herd act as its chief of staff. >> i don't see it as being a title wave. but i see it as a slow and steady trickle of people who wish to -- who feel led to come in this direction. >> and people who feel led, despite revelations of widespread priestly pedophilia and coverup within the catholic chu church. >> the outrage with the scandals of the priests. recently i sat down and they said, what about penn state? what about penn state? is this something that is happening all around? it is not to excuse the church. >> but it is bigger than the church. >> is bigger than the church. >> there has always been scandals in the church. there has been in the church from the beginning. as i said in my sermon this morning, it is the church of christ and that is what i choose to focus on.

rather than the sinful nature of people. >> some episcopal church leaders such as bishop sutton from the diocese of maryland argue that these conversions are not a threat. that many catholics become episcopali episcopalian. >> i would like to say that we are really one spiritual family. we believe about 90% of things in common. where we disagree is matters of authority and some other spiritual matters. but the important thing is that we are not fighting. we are not in competition. >> even though the number of episcopal congregations converting to catholicism has been relatively small, the impact on the episcopal church has not been negligible. here, the president and dean calls the movement a real threat. >> there is traffic currently

going both ways between the two traditions, especially at the level of congregates. you have entire congregations and clergy making the shift. so yeah, i think the catholic church is a threat because we have lost a sense of our theological understanding and identity. >> dean markham believes there is still anger over the pope's 2009 decree. >> this is poaching by the anglican church, stealing sheep, and not recognizing the value and integrity of our tradition. >> converging is a touchy issue. which newfound catholic handling both diplomatically and bluntly. >> we're not trying to steel sheep or to poach. we are trying to past orally respond to those who have wanted to come in this direction for some time.

>> let me show you something about sheep stealing. you cannot steal sheep if the shepherd is doing his job. and that's bottom line. if the shepherd is doing his job, the flock will stay. >> whether poaching or a naturae that their church cannot sit back and watch. >> i think this is a healthy movement to the church. what it does is it keeps it from providing a rational to things that we do. too often we can't, can w changes in policy on positioning, on questions like sexuality, in terms of secular discourse. and we, as tradition, need to be a -- we need to be equally robust in saying, look, we actually think we have diserned

what god requires of us and of the community in the world and we need to put our mission up against the catholic vision. >> while some leaders made convergence difficult, that was not the case under st. luks. this parish gets to keep its building. but however, the conversion is handled, church leaders see little need to back down from where the episcopal church stands on social issues. >> one thing that the church does that is very attractive to people, is we try to do two things at once. that is hold on to the ancient past. we believe in tradition. but the other thing we do well is embrace the new. we do not believe that in order to follow jesus means that we have to have our head in the sand and we cannot be open to any new understanding or any new way of being church. >> for new converts though, it

is that very tension between embracing both the old and the new which has caused them to turn in a new direction. >> it was a move to going to what we believe is truth and what we know is truth. and i don't think there's anybody alive that would know what truth is and not go to it. >> is going home, it really is. it feels good and everyone has been so helpful, but i'm at peace. i'm at peace. >> here, where going home has brought comfort to a small congregation. and implications for the wilder episcopal church. for religion ethics news weekly, this is bob in lateensburg, maryland. on our calendar this week on friday, hindus celebrate the birthday of the popular hindu

lord crishna. thousands met at metlife stadium. studying one page a day of the more than 2700 pages of commentary on thor e torer to torrah and jewish law. this began in europe in 1923. organizers said this year's celebration was the largest. that's our program for now. i'm fred. you can follow us on twitter, facebook, and watch us any time on smart phones. there is always much more on our website as well. can you comment on all of our stories and share them. audio and video contacts are also available. join us at pbs.org. as we leave you, scenes from a recent concert for pope benedict xvi by an orchestra of palestinian and israeli musicians.

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