
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 9, 1993                   TAG: 9305100343
SECTION: DISCOVER                    PAGE: 76   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FINDING TOLERANCE NOT EASY

Religion-watching is engaged in by some in the New River Valley, especially the many connected with the universities. These men and women are accustomed to working analyzing such events as the recent controversy over the naming of school holidays in Montgomery County.

Ray Penn, an associate professor in Radford University's communications department, is such a watcher. Penn said he finds it both challenging and discouraging to strike a balance between tolerance and a bland adherence to values.

"What really does tolerance mean? Most people see tolerance as public virtue . . . an equally uniform acceptance of the presence of religion," he observed.

But it is not good when many today do not know what their church stands for, Penn noted. Their ignorance translates into a blandness that offers little to those who sense their need for God's help.

As a teacher of communications with a theological-seminary background, Penn said he is troubled by the criticism conservative Christians level at news personnel.

Much of this criticism is valid, the professor said. He said he thinks many news people are not intentionally anti-religious but are poorly informed.

The other side of the bland-and-ignorant stance of many mainstream Christians today, Penn said, is that "many beliefs should have a presence in our area in a free marketplace of ideas competing for adherents."

Penn said he expects 95 percent of New River Valley people use religious values as guides to their actions.

The importance they give to religious ideas underlies many recent controversies, he said.

He observed that "probably the fairest - most just - thing we can do is give everyone a forum."

by CNB