RELIGION TODAY

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Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 21, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Christian Group Leaves Chinese Airport After Standoff
    * Presbyterian Clergy Will Return to Court over Lesbian Wedding
    * India: Hindu Extremists Suspected in Murder of Priest
    * Women Theologians Urge Churches to Challenge Power Structures

 


Christian Group Leaves Chinese Airport After Standoff

ASSIST News Service reports that members of an American Christian group have ended a standoff with Chinese customs officials over Bibles they were trying to bring into the country. Voice of America (VOA) reported Vision Beyond Borders leader Pat Klein said Monday that he and three others spent 26 hours at the Kunming airport in the southwestern province Yunnan, waiting for officials to return more than 300 confiscated Bibles in Chinese. A representative for the group, Dyann Romeijn, told VOA the four decided to leave the airport Monday after it became clear Chinese officials would not return the books. She said Klein became concerned he and his traveling companions - including a 78-year-old man and 15-year-old boy - would be forcibly removed from the airport. But U.S embassy officials later told them that doing so violated a Chinese law prohibiting the import of religious materials other than for personal use.

Presbyterian Clergy Will Return to Court over Lesbian Wedding

Religion News Service reports that a Presbyterian minister who officiated at a lesbian wedding in 2005 is heading for church court again, two years after charges against her were dismissed on a technicality. The Rev. Janet Edwards of Pittsburgh will again face possible expulsion if convicted by the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Pittsburgh Presbytery. Edwards will appear before the commission Oct. 1, to answer charges that she defied her ordination vows and Presbyterian Church (USA) rules by officiating at the Pittsburgh wedding of a lesbian couple in 2005. "I am trying really hard to speak clearly about how what I did reflects Jesus' love and justice, and so I hope the permanent judicial council acquits me," Edwards said. The PCUSA allows ministers to perform same-sex unions as long as they are not equated with traditional marriage.

India: Hindu Extremists Suspected in Murder of Priest

Compass Direct News reports that Christian leaders in Andhra Pradesh suspect the grisly murder of a Catholic priest was the work of Hindu extremists and that police have prematurely ruled out that possibility. The battered body of Father Thomas Pandipally, 38, was found lying on a roadside in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh early on August 17. Rev. Father Alex Thannippara, a provincial superior of Pandipally's order, pointed out that on January 16 a mob of 500 people led by Hindu extremists prevented the Hyderabad archbishop from blessing the new building of an HIV/AIDS care center, and two years ago the school where the slain priest worked was also targeted. Andhra Pradesh has witnessed a strange trend of brutal and mysterious murders of Christian workers in the past eight years.

Women Theologians Urge Churches to Challenge Power Structures

A new international group has called for churches to be transforming agents against power structures that fail to respect human dignity, the Christian Post reports. Female theologians participating in the Feminist Discourse on Economy, Ecology and Empire in Bangalore, India, said in a statement, "There is an urgent need to bring together differing analyses and perspectives on the systemic roots of the life-threatening socio-economic and ecological crises and to explore possibilities of articulating a clear faith stance and envisioning a future beyond empire... In particular, it is crucial to include feminist/womanist thinking in the current debates in order to fully identify the theological and ethical challenges posed by empire." The conference was hosted by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and World Council of Churches (WCC).

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Seminary President Shares His Experience in Beijing
Katherine Britton

August 22, 2008

China's communication about the Christians in its midst has left believers in other countries scratching their heads. Official statements and promises of Bibles during the Olympics contradict reports of crackdowns on house churches. Can both scenarios be true? Is the house church the only place where the Gospel is spreading?

Dr. Mark Bailey, president of Dallas Theological Seminary, shared his thoughts with Crosswalk after he returned from a visit to Kuanjie Protestant Church in Beijing with President Bush.

Dallas Seminary recently began translating its online courses into Mandarin, becoming the only U.S. seminary that enables students in China to attend lectures virtually in their own language. These courses have put Dr. Bailey in touch with Chinese students abroad and in Beijing, and exposed him to aspect of Chinese culture that most Americans hear little about: China's institutional church. The following is an excerpt from Crosswalk's interview.

CW: Tell us about the church service at Kuanjie Protestant Church with the president in Beijing. What did you see there?

Bailey: This is my second time to Beijing, and I saw a service very similar to what I'd seen before. Obviously, things are different with security having swept the place and prepared for having the president there for two weeks, just like it would be in this country. But it was a very typical worship service as I had experienced in China before.

[There was] great singing, songs like "Onward Christian Soldier," "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord," great evangelical prayers by Pastor Li (SP) at the Kuanjie church where we attended... The children's choir that was the result of the work that a couple of churches in the States had done in doing an English in character form of VBS over there last summer, and they sang "Amazing Grace." The Gospel was plainly presented in prayer, in song as well as in the preaching.

CW: That's not exactly what Americans expect from a state-sponsored church. Do you find the church in any way tainted by its association with the state?

Bailey: China is a very complicated culture... in my experience, in all the times that I have either preached or spoken there in two different trips, nobody has ever asked me to control or censor my message or asked for a previous script of what I would say. I had absolute freedom to present the gospel straightforwardly, plainly, in churches. There are pockets of freedom that are developing. That's what we've been praying for and what we've been dialoguing with the government and church leaders to accomplish there.

[In the past], we've used their translators, and we've used our own translators... and never has there been censorship or couching of the message that we have preached. That's been our experience and we know that's a measure of freedom that we hope would continue to spread.

In one sense, it's interesting that in our country you have to get approval to be a church and to have a 501c organization through the IRS here. You can only build where they'll let you in a zoning [area], you have to build according to code, and you have to have parking restrictions. We have more government involvement here than most people might recognize or might be conscious of, but that hasn't limited us so far. The United States hasn't limited our expression of worship. That's what we would pray for over there, whether that's for the registered or unregistered church.

CW: So you feel like in the registered church there isn't any restriction on expressing your religion?

Bailey: Well, I think that there probably are in some different situations. [The government's] biggest concern obviously is the cults, and making sure that money isn't taken out of the culture and controlling rebellions and rebellious movements. There's fear on both sides that goes back hundreds of years. There was the communist regime where Christianity obviously was outlawed, discouraged and prohibited, but that's changing.

But I know that there's a saying that anything you hear about going on in China is going on somewhere in China--liberty to great restriction. I'm sure it's very regional and very selective.

CW: How was your interaction with the church members as Kuanjie?

Bailey: I remembered a number of the people and they remembered me, having been there two years ago at the church where we shared a service with the President. I went to another church service and met some new folks. We had mutual acquaintances--we have students as Dallas Seminary from both the house church and the registered church. I met a number of people who attended a church that one of our students had pastored before he came to do his masters and doctoral work at the seminary. And so, it's great fellowship and great encouragement. [There are lots of] people who had studied here in the States--you know, doctors, lawyers--who are continuing to walk with the Lord. That was just great fellowship with them.

CW: Since the institutional church is so free and so open, at least in your experience, it seems funny that people would risk the persecution they face by joining a house church. Why do you think that is?

Bailey: I would stress that the openness in the registered church is probably regional, and even exceptional. I think that's beginning to change. I hope it is. I think the years of distrust because of the heavy persecution, the limitation that has existed for centuries and for generations has created distrust on both sides -- the fear of movements and rebellions, the fear of persecution on the other... Unless God miraculously heals it, I think that great divide is going to take a long time to heal. Again, the healing depends on whether genuine faith is allowed and the freedom to express that faith.

My belief, based on the life of Joseph and the life of Daniel, is that Christians should be able to exist and even serve in governments that are anything but Christian, anything but faithful. Joseph being second in command to Pharaoh, Daniel being second in command to Babylonian or Persian powers and still holding the faith -- that's the model that we ought to seek for. [That's a model of] justice, righteousness and peace for all people.

CW: It seems like there are two different faces of China -- one that is encouraging religion and the registered church, and one that is actively trying to stamp out house churches in different places. What do you make of these conflicting impressions?

Bailey: It's exactly that--it's conflicting. It's a more extreme level of where Bible studies are allowed in certain school but they're outlawed at others. You could have Christmas decorations in one place but not at another. It's a conflicted society, and it's as regional and local as the leadership. Everything happens, unfortunately, and too much of it in terms of the negative.

CW: What would you say of the religious culture in Beijing based on your own experience there?

Bailey: I think it's a testament that the Gospel is not chained. You can't stop what Christ said he would do when he said, 'I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.' We've seen the great growth of evangelical faith in China, in the house church movement, for many, many years. And again there are pockets of that that are now developing in the registered churches. Some of them are quite evangelical, some of them are obviously not. In the house church, there's evangelical movement and also cultish activity and strange behavior.

It's not that the house church alone is righteous and the registered church is evil. There's a mix of both that is really important to keep in mind. That's why our prayers our to be for genuine believers, for them to have a winsome witness, a faithfulness in spite of persecution, and to sensitively and wisely be able to share the Gospel at all levels of the culture. That would be our prayer.
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Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 22, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

 

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Tensions between Russia and Georgia Hit the Church
    * Pakistan: Custody Case Could Go to Supreme Court
    * Amish Population Nearly Doubles in 16 Years
    * Large Gift Saves Historic Mission Group from Staff Cutbacks

 


Tensions between Russia and Georgia Take Toll on the Church

Mission News Network reports that although Russia is scheduled to complete its pullout of Georgia today, residents of the conflict-ridden region fear all-out war could still erupt. Both sides have accused each other of genocide and ethnic cleansing during the week-long conflict in South Ossetia, making many apprehensive as they return home. Meanwhile, Jonathon Shibley with Global Advance says their ministry was scheduled for a conference in Georgia this week, but had to ultimately recall their team for security concerns. However, many pastors were already gathered, according to Shibley. "It could potentially be an opportunity for these pastors still to come together and just use this as a strategic time of prayer and intercession for the nation. This was going to be a multi-denominational gathering of pastors and leaders of various churches, and we hope that somehow they'll still be able to convene," he said.

Pakistan: Custody Case Could Go to Supreme Court

Compass Direct News reports that the custody battle in Pakistan over two Christian girls kidnapped and allegedly forced to convert to Islam remained inconclusive after a hearing Wednesday, with rights advocates for the family suspecting Muslim fundamentalists of pressuring the minors and a medical board. Judge Malek Saeed Ejaz of the Lahore High Court's Multan Branch set the next hearing for Sept. 9. Lawyers for the Masih family said that if the girls are not returned to their parents at the next hearing they will appeal to the Pakistani Supreme Court. Until then, Aneela and Saba Masih, 10 and 13 respectively, will remain at Multan's Dar Ul Rahman women's shelter. Rashid Rehman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said, "They are giving them misinformation regarding their parents, saying, 'If you return to your parents, they will kill you.'"

Amish Population Nearly Doubles in 16 Years

In spite of relatively little outreach, the United States' Amish population has grown from an estimated 123,000 in 1992 to an estimated 227,000 today, Associated Press reports. This growth in population has led to an exodus extending far beyond their traditional homes as they journey to affordable farmland in seven new states since 1992. "When we think they might be dying out or merely surviving, they are actually thriving," said Elizabethtown professor Don Kraybill, a leading expert on the Amish who shared his research from an upcoming book with The Associated Press. Most of the growth comes from birth and retention rates; most Amish couples have at least five children, and more than four out of five decide to stay within the church.

Large Legacy Saves Historic Mission Group from Staff Cutbacks

Christian Post reports that an unprecedented gift of mercy will keep one of the world's oldest Protestant mission organizations afloat for a while longer. A legacy believed to be around $1.4 million will help postpone staff cuts in the Baptist Mission Society World Mission for at least a year, allowing board members to come up with more permanent solutions. The organization has suffered from three consecutive years of individual deficits more than $561,000, and announced staff cuts just one week before the gift came. "Although a legacy is a one-off gift and not a source of regular income, it allows time to consider whether new options become available over the coming year," the board members said in a statement released Wednesday.

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Relief Orgs Hit the Frontlines of South Ossetia Conflict
Ginny McCabe


August 25, 2008

Several organizations, including World Vision and Project HOPE have been serving on the frontlines in Russia. They are actively aiding many people who have been involved in the Georgia conflict by engaging in humanitarian efforts and providing medical supplies.

In regard to most recent efforts, as reported by Dwayne Mamo, Communications Manager, World Vision Georgia on Aug. 21, "World Vision is calling for a ceasefire to be honored by both sides and to allow humanitarian access to those who remain in need. Just recently we have been able to deliver emergency supplies to the previously inaccessible city of Gori, but South Ossetia remains too dangerous for humanitarian agencies to access."

In describing the situation there, he said, "We have seen thousands of people, especially women and children, fleeing the violence in South Ossetia and Gori, and coming here to Tbilisi. Unfortunately, a lot of families have been separated. In some cases, fathers and sons stayed behind while the mothers and young children sought safety. Now many of these people don't know where their loved ones are or if they are okay."

World Vision in Georgia is responding to the urgent needs of displaced people by distributing food in cooperation with the World Food Program. Mamo said the organization is also distributing non-food-items such as hygiene kits, as well as providing medical supplies to Tbilisi's main hospital.

"Our recent delivery to Gori consisted of 10-day food rations for 1,000 people. World Vision plans to help close to 48,000 displaced people in over 300 collection centers in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. To date, we have provided food to over 10,500 displaced persons and non-food items to over 6,000. World Vision is currently working in partnership with the UN and other agencies carrying out needs assessments in all the centers in Tbilisi, with a special focus on the needs of children," Mamo said.

World Vision teams in the Russian Federation are also helping those who have fled to North Ossetia. World Vision is providing medical supplies such as bandages, crutches, pain relievers, syringes and antibiotics to the wounded through partners. They are also planning to open Child Friendly Spaces where affected children can come and interact with other children and re-establish a sense of normalcy in their lives.

"As a Christian humanitarian agency, World Vision's goal is to respond when there is human suffering. As a result of this conflict, many people have experienced terrible things and have been left with very few resources of their own. World Vision is able to help provide some of those resources. We want to do all that we can to help these people," said Mamo.

Yet, there are still difficult days ahead in regard to the immediate future of those who have been involved in the conflict.

"I can tell you that these families, these women and children, will need a lot of help to rebuild their lives. Houses have been razed, children have seen neighbors killed, families have been torn apart. These experiences leave emotional scars that last a lifetime. For many, the immediate outlook is bleak," Mamo said.

He continued, "Taking part in the distributions myself, I have personally seen the effect that World Vision's relief work is having. We are meeting the immediate, physical needs of thousands of people. You have to remember, many of them fled their homes and left everything behind, so they lack even basic supplies. We are able to provide some of those supplies for them and hopefully sustain them and help them get back on their feet. And I've also seen the emotional impact of our work. In a crisis like this where people have witnessed a lot of violence, the simple fact that we care about them and are working to help them lets them know that they are loved."

World Vision has been in Georgia since 1994, and currently has 155 permanent staff in Georgia working on a variety of relief, rehabilitation and development initiatives. Additionally, they have worked in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation since 1995, including peacebuilding and economic recovery projects in North Ossetia. The organization has also worked in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Orenburg.

Project HOPE, an international organization with a fifty-year history of helping make health care better for people around the globe by effectively and efficiently providing medical supplies and medicines, is also involved in the relief efforts.

The U.S. Department of State coordinated the humanitarian aid drop to the Republic of Georgia, and asked Project HOPE and other non-governmental organizations (NGO) to help by sending medicines to help the injured and wounded.

Project HOPE has worked with the U.S. State Department on many occasions in the past and the State Department asked if their organization could also help in this situation. The medicine supplied will help prevent illness or infection due to the conflict.

"Project HOPE has sent over $400,000 in antibiotics to Georgia, nearly 4,000 bottles of liquid antibiotics. Bristol-Myers Squibb donated the medicine to Project HOPE as part of an inventory to be made available when a humanitarian crisis arose," said Marisol Euceda, media representative for Project HOPE.

The medication will help prevent some of the infections that people could contract in a war-like environment. This shipment arrived to Georgia on Aug. 13.

"Just before the conflict in Georgia commenced a humanitarian assistance shipment of more than $1.4 million of medicines and medical supplies donated by Project HOPE, working in conjunction with the American Friends of Georgia, had been delivered to Georgia. Access to the supplies was then cut off and Project HOPE and the American Friends of Georgia are exploring ways to reach the shipment and may redirect the supplies to assist in conflict relief efforts. It is unclear if the shipment is safe or if it was looted since it was in town occupied by Russian soldiers," Euceda said.

Since 1992, Project HOPE has provided more than $63 million of humanitarian assistance to the people of Georgia. Nearly one year ago, Project HOPE provided more than $8 million of medicines and medical supplies as part of a Department of State airlift. The medicines and supplies were distributed to five hospitals in the Tbilisi area.

Another organization, Medical Teams International, in partnership with Project HOPE was also in the process of preparing an additional shipment of supplies, when they were informed late in the week that shipments have been put on hold.

On Aug. 18, Medical Teams International had announced that the organization was preparing more than $100,000 in medical supplies to airship to families caught in the conflict between Russia and the former soviet republic of Georgia. On Aug. 21, Project HOPE informed Medical Teams International that the State Department flights to Georgia are now on our hold.

According to reports, Georgia has been flooded with medicines and medical supplies from European countries and the Georgian Ministry of Health is trying to keep with inventorying and distributing the products before more flights come in.

"The shipment has been put on hold, so the supplies haven't left our warehouse," said Barbara Agnew, media representative for Medical Teams International. "We will keep the antibiotics, pain relievers and other emergency supplies in our warehouse until we hear an update from Project HOPE."

Georgia, which borders Russia, is a former Soviet republic. It declared its independence in 1991 after the collapse of communism.

The conflict began when Georgia launched a military strike on the province of South Ossetia, as an aim to reclaim it after 16 years of semi-independence. In response, Russia sent in troops and armored tanks.

Fighting broke out Aug. 8 between Russia and the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

Prior to that time, relations between Moscow and Georgia were tense because Moscow continually tries to reassert influence over its bordering nations, while Georgia has aligned itself with the West.

Since the fighting began, The United States, NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called for a halt in hostilities and urged Georgia, Russia and South Ossetia to seek a more peaceful resolution.

CNN reported on Aug. 22, that Russian troops are in the final phase of their withdrawal from Georgian territory. A Russian military spokesman said it would be completed by late Friday,

Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn said Russian troops are in full compliance with the cease-fire agreement. He confirmed that Russia's military had suspended cooperation with NATO because of the rift over its actions in Georgia.

According to reports, the number of casualties has not been yet been released. There are conflicting reports in regard to the actual number of deaths.
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Christians Attacked in India after Hindu Leader Killed
Vishal Arora


August 26, 2008

Two people burnt alive, churches torched in Orissa state.

NEW DELHI (Compass Direct News) -- The killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) leader Swamiji Laxmanananda Saraswati and four associates by suspected Maoists on Saturday night (August 23) led to renewed anti-Christian attacks in Orissa state, with churches torched and two people burned alive.

Accusing local Christians of killing their leader, Hindu extremists set an orphanage on fire in Khuntapali village in Barhgarh district, burning a Catholic nun to death, according to the All India Christian Council. The attack on the orphanage in Khuntapali, 250 miles west of the state capital of Bhubaneswar, also left a priest at the orphanage hospitalized with severe burns.

Over the weekend, VHP extremists in Nuagon, Kandhamal district burned alive a man suffering from paralysis, whose identity and religious affiliation were still unknown at press time, and assaulted pastors.

The Indian Express reported that a mob torched a house in Nuagaon near Pasara outpost in Chakapada area last night. The paralytic man stranded inside the house reportedly burned to death.

The Hindu extremists also launched arson attacks on at least 10 churches, several prayer houses, shops and vehicles in various parts of the eastern state. Numerous Christians have fled to jungles to save their lives, according to the AICC, which has written to the federal internal minister demanding security for the community.

Saraswati allegedly incited the attacks on Christians and their property in Kandhamal during last Christmas season. The violence lasted for more than a week beginning December 24, and killed at least four Christians and burned 730 houses and 95 churches. The attacks were allegedly carried out mainly by VHP extremists under the pretext of avenging an alleged attack on Saraswati by local Christians.

Hundreds of Christians were displaced by the violence in Kandhamal, and they are still in various relief camps set up by the state government.

Maoists Suspected

At around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday (August 23), around 30 armed men carrying sophisticated rifles and AK-47s launched an attack on Saraswati's ashram (religious center) in the Jalespata area in Kandhamal's Tumudiband Block, killing five people, including Saraswati, reported CNN-IBN news channel.

A warning letter found at the Saraswati religious center and the use of expensive arms suggested Maoists were behind the attack. Christian groups, including the Global Council of Indian Christians, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the AICC, and the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) condemned the killing of Saraswati and his associates.

The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a partner in the state's ruling coalition led by the Biju Janata Dal party, and the VHP called for 12-hour a strike in which inflammatory speeches were made accusing Christians of killing Saraswati.

"Swamiji [Saraswati] was opposed to religious conversion taking place in various parts of Orissa," BJP state leader Suresh Pujari told Press Trust of India. "Those opposed to Swamiji's anti-conversion activities killed him."

On Sunday, the Kandhamal district administration imposed a curfew in all sensitive areas in Kandhamal and issued orders prohibiting the gathering of four or more people throughout the district. All borders of the district were also sealed.

Defying the orders, VHP extremists took Saraswati's funeral procession from the Jalespata religious center to the main ashram in Chakapada, covering around 70 kilometers (44 miles), apparently to incite violence. According to media reports, they launched attacks on Christian institutions along the way.

"A large number of supporters of Laxmanananda entered the district headquarter town of Phulbani in violation of curfew restrictions on their way to Chakapada and targeted churches and houses," Kandhamal District Collector (administrative head) Krishan Kumar told The Indian Express newspaper.

Numerous Attacks

The newspaper also reported that two police officers suffered injuries when they tried to prevent the mob from attacking churches, prayer halls, houses and vehicles on the route of the procession.

Eyewitnesses told the newspaper that a Baptist church and its parsonage, a Roman Catholic church, three houses and some vehicles were attacked by the extremists in Phulbani town, the district headquarters. Nine shops and two vehicles were also torched in Raikia, and two jeeps in Udayagiri.

In Nuagaon, Kandhamal district, Hindu extremists reportedly gang-raped a young Catholic nun of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar diocese working with the Jan Vikas Kendra social service center before destroying the building.

John Dayal of the AICC reported that less than a kilometer away from the social service center, a senior priest and nun were injured when Hindu extremists attacked the facility.

Calling for their blood, Hindu extremists took the director of the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Kanjimendi, known only as Father Thomas, and a nun to a local police station, then set the center on fire.

The Pioneer newspaper reported that VHP extremists burned a small thatched prayer house on Saturday night in Tentulijhari area in Sundargarh district.

The EFI reported that pastor Jeebaratna Lima of the Believer's Church from Khurda district was attacked on Sunday while he was going to his church to conduct the prayer service. The mob almost set him on fire after spraying him with gas, but police arrived in time to save him.

Another Believer's Church pastor, Bahumulya Paik, was attacked the same day in Bamunidei village in Ganjam district.

The violence continued today. The VHP and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, with the support of the BJP enforced a dawn-to-dusk closure across the state, organizing numerous protests and road and rail blockades and launching more attacks. As a precautionary measure, the state government ordered closure of all schools and colleges.

According to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), the protestors today attacked more than 10 churches and dozens of vehicles in different parts of the state and clashed with police in some places.

According to the EFI report, a Believers Church was also vandalized in Chandrasekharpur area in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.

"It was a spontaneous response of the people to the shutdown," national coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, Subash Chauhan, claimed while speaking to IANS.

While the district administration has suspended the officer-in-charge of the Tumudiband police station, Orissa state chief minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a judicial probe into the incident and announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees (US$4,617) to the next of kin of the deceased.

The population of Kandhamal is 600,000, which includes around 150,000 Christians.

According to The Pioneer, police have arrested three Christians in connection with Saraswati's murder, but at press time police had not confirmed the report.
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In Gori, Relief Logistics Move Forward
Mark Kelly


August 27, 2008

TBLISI, Georgia (BP) -- When Russian troops pulled back from Gori, Georgia, Aug. 22, a Southern Baptist overseas relief team in Tblisi scrambled to assess the need for humanitarian assistance.

"The city of Gori is in overall pretty decent condition," one team member reported. "The destruction was mostly to army bases and government buildings. It seems like most homes were spared, although there were entire blocks of apartments bombed. You can see where all of the glass was gone and fires burned on the top floors."

When the team was able to get to the church building that will be their command center for relief operations, they saw that a building 100 yards away had been destroyed when the city was bombed. They were told several people died in the explosion.

Team members were able to hold an impromptu meeting with the governor of Gori on the street in the city center, the team member reported.

"We were asked to meet needs that are not being met by major humanitarian organizations," he said. "We are going to buy and deliver things such as body soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, toothbrushes and other toiletries for several thousand people."

Russian troops have pulled back to a position six miles outside Gori and continue to control access to Georgia's key port at Poti, according to the AFP news service. Russians also are manning positions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two provinces that have sought independence from Georgia. The Russians also have left "peacekeepers" in a buffer zone they created inside Georgia.

The Southern Baptist team plans to begin remodeling a building shell made available to them by a local Baptist partner. The building, which is strategically located, will be able to feed 400 people inside, and more outside, the team reported. It also will serve as housing for volunteers and eventually will provide classrooms and work space for community development projects.

"The refugees from surrounding villages whose houses were destroyed will need to be fed from this center," the team member said. "They are expecting as many as 20,000 long-term refugees here. People from the surrounding villages --- Georgian nationals living in South Ossetia --- have been burned out and banished from their homes. It is doubtful they will ever be able to return to their villages."

A seven-member team of disaster relief specialists from Texas Baptist Men was scheduled to leave for Georgia Aug. 27, with a similar team of specialists from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma following soon after, according to Jim Brown, U.S. director of Baptist Global Response, a Southern Baptist international relief and development organization. With Gori opening to relief workers, the timetable may be accelerated and the dimensions of a volunteer response enlarged.

A U.S. Navy ship carrying relief supplies has docked at Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi, about 30 miles south of Russian-occupied Poti, according to news reports. Three ships have been dispatched with cargoes of humanitarian aid for the estimated 100,000 people in Georgia displaced by the fighting.
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Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 25, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Most Americans Think Churches Should Avoid Politics
    * Turkey: Malatya Murders Linked to Political Conspiracy
    * China Returns Confiscated Bibles to Departing U.S. Christians
    * Young Evangelical Backs Out of Convention Prayer

 

Most Americans Think Churches Should Avoid Politics

Religion News Service reports that a slim majority of Americans, including rising numbers of conservatives, say churches should stay out of politics, according to a survey released Thursday (Aug. 21) by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Fifty-two percent of Americans say they think houses of worship should not express their opinions about political and social matters, while 45 percent say they approve of such expression. The center said this marks the first time since it started asking the question in 1996 that respondents who want churches to stay out of politics outnumber those with the opposite view. Conservatives, especially, have reconsidered the issue, with 50 percent saying congregations should stay out of politics. Only 30 voiced that opinion in 2004. The study was based on telephone interviews from July 31-Aug. 10 with a national sample of 2,905 adults.

Turkey: Malatya Murders Linked to Political Conspiracy

Compass Direct News reports that the five young Turkish men accused of torturing and killing three Christians in Malatya last year may have been incited by members of a vast political conspiracy allegedly responsible for multiple murders in recent years. The 10th hearing on the murder of three Christians at a publishing house in southeast Turkey 16 months ago took place Aug. 21 at the Malatya Third Criminal Court. Plaintiff attorneys requested the case be integrated with an investigation into Ergenekon, an ultranationalist cabal of retired generals, politicians, journalists and mafia members under investigation for conspiracy in various murders. In January police uncovered and started arresting members of Ergenekon. A criminal investigation has linked them to high-profile attacks, murders and plans to engineer domestic chaos and ultimately overthrow the government.

China Returns Confiscated Bibles to Departing U.S. Christians

The Associated Press reports Chinese officials returned 315 Chinese-language Bibles to a group of American Christians only as the group prepared to leave the country Wednesday. Members of Vision Beyond Borders initially staged a sit-in at the airport, but after 26 hours when they realized their Bibles would not be returned. The group was informed on Monday by the U.S. Embassy that Chinese law forbids bringing religious materials into the country for distribution. Group representative Pat Klein told the Associated Press by phone that officials were civil, but clearly wanted the group to leave, as they were escorted to immigration after the Bibles were returned. The Sheridan, Wyoming-based group distributes Bibles and Christian teaching materials around the world.

Young Evangelical Backs Out of Convention Prayer

The Christian Post reports that Cameron Strang, the 32-year-old editor of Relevant Magazine, has rethought giving a prayer at this week's Democratic National Convention. Strang cited concerns that even delivering a prayer could be seen as a party endorsement, though that was not his intention. "Through Relevant, I reach a demographic that has strong faith, morals and passion, but disagreements politically," Strang wrote on his blog. "It wouldn't be wise for me to be seen as picking a political side when I've consistently said both sides are right in some areas and wrong in some areas." Strange said he will participate instead in a convention caucus meeting on religion later in the week. Thanks partially to Obama's aggressive recruitment of young religious voters, this year's DNC has a special focus on faith events and discussions.
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[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 26, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Christian Groups to Help Clean Up Fay's Mess in Florida
    * Democrats Demonstrate Faith at Convention
    * Are the Chinese Content with Their Spiritual Lives?
    * Survey: Christian Women and Sexual Harassment

 

Christian Groups to Help Clean Up Fay's Mess in Florida

The Christian Post reports that Christian aid organizations are preparing to head into Florida as tropical depression Fay loses energy, finally leaving the state after a record four landfalls. "We are receiving reports of catastrophic flooding and debris in parts of the state," said Marilyn Swanson, director of Disaster Recovery Ministry for the United Methodist Church's Florida Annual (regional) Conference, in a report Friday. "We are trying to anticipate the needs that will be arising in the next few days." United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Salvation Army will deliver special support to storm victims who were swamped by severe floodwaters, and UMCOR are also re-stocking their local food pantries. The storm is responsible for at least 11 deaths in Florida, and at least 23 more due to extreme flooding in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Democrats Demonstrate Faith at Convention

This year's Democratic National Convention features a new element: a vast display of faith of all kinds, Fox News reports. The first-ever interfaith meeting featured a readings from the Torah, the Koran, the sayings of Buddha and the New Testament by each religion's representative. The convention begins each night with an invocation and ends with a benediction delivered by a national faith leader, all part of an effort to reach faith voters. "Democrats have been, are and will continue to be people of faith -- and this convention will demonstrate that in an unprecedented way," Leah Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC, said in a written statement. "As convention CEO and a pastor myself, I am incredibly proud that so many esteemed leaders from the faith community will be with us to celebrate this historic occasion and honor the diverse faith traditions inside the Democratic party."

Are the Chinese Content with Their Spiritual Lives?

ASSIST News Service reports that in a recent www.CBNNews.com story, Brian Grim of The Pew Forum asserted that although 80 percent of Chinese citizens are pleased with the direction China is moving in economically, Grim doesn't believe this is necessarily an indication that the Chinese are happy with their personal lives. Grim further noted that interest in religion is high: "A whopping 96 percent thinks that the Olympics will be a success, but a much lower percentage are satisfied with their jobs and family life, etc. So within this context of high satisfaction with the country and low satisfaction with the daily life, we find that religious interest is very high in China today." According to a Religion Newswriters Association source guide on China and religion, China recognizes five major religions: Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholic Christianity and Protestant Christianity. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of Chinese participate in spiritual practices that are banned by the Chinese government at local altars and temples.

Survey: Christian Women and Sexual Harassment

OneNewsNow reports that a new survey showed that more than a quarter of self-described "active Christian women" have experienced sexually inappropriate behavior, and a quarter of those place the incident inside church settings. The survey by NationalChristianPoll.com asked nearly 800 women about such inappropriate behavior as sexual advances, touching or sexual contact, suggestive jokes, glances with sexual overtones and demeaning comments. The study showed that encounters with inappropriate behavior occurred mainly in non-ministry settings, but also that 53 percent of women who experienced such behavior said they would not report it. "There is a lot of inappropriate 'conversation' being tolerated by women so as not to antagonize men in their workplaces," said Joy Thornburg Melton, an ordained minister and attorney who currently serves in the United Methodist Church as chief resource officer for PACT (United Methodist Property and Casualty Trust), according to Christianity Today magazine.
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[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 27, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Orissa: Hindu Mob Attacks Christian Orphanage
    * Young Adults Struggle More with Morality, Survey Finds
    * India: Many Dead, Homeless as Monsoon Hits
    * Malaysia: Government Issues Demand to Catholic Newspaper

 

Orissa: Hindu Mob Attacks Christian Orphanage

Christian Post reports that the deadly attacks on Christians following the killing of a radical Hindu leader are becoming a "rampage" in India's Orissa state. Christians are literally "running for their lives," says one missionary. A Hindu mob burned down a Christian orphanage on Monday, seriously injuring a priest and killing one woman. The mob removed the children from the orphanage but trapped the 21-year-old woman inside before torching the building. Gospel for Asia reports that at least one of missionaries was attacked, but rescued by police. Radical Hindu leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati was killed by suspected Maoists or communist rebels, but Christians are being blamed. The Bishop of Sambalpur Lucas Kerketta told the Hindustan Times, "We are afraid to move out. Some Christians staying in institutions or bungalows are hiding in jungles or villages. We have two to three policemen, and they can't control a big crowd... we have asked for more security."

Young Adults Struggle More with Morality, Survey Finds

The Christian Post reports that new study from the Barna Group finds that Americans are talking about moral issues more and more, and that talk is redefining acceptable action, especially for young adults. Adults under 25 are more than twice as likely to cross traditional standards, according to the survey. "The moral code began to disintegrate when the generation before them - the Baby Busters - pushed the limits that had been challenged by their parents - the Baby Boomers," director George Barna noted. "The result is that without much fanfare or visible leadership, the U.S. has created a moral system based on convenience, feelings, and selfishness." More than 1,000 adults surveyed were asked if they had engaged in any of eight morally questionable behaviors over the past week, such as lying, using profanity in public, and having sex with someone to whom they were not married.

India: Many Dead, Homeless as Monsoon Hits

Mission News Network reports that at least 1,060 people in India have died as monsoon season hits. Brent Hample with India Partners says their ministry partners have also suffered. "Nearly 70 villages have been marooned by floods and have been completely cut off. Houses collapsed, and that's how a lot of people perish in the flooding--when the mud walls of the thatched huts collapse on people and the weight pins them under the water." People fear disease may take hold as they are without food and clean water in the flooding, which is worst flooding in 10 years. According to Hample, India Partners is working to provide shelter, food, clean water and medical care.

Malaysia: Government Issues Demand to Catholic Newspaper

Compass Direct News reports that the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a warning to a Catholic weekly demanding an explanation for articles that did not "focus" on religion and for a report that allegedly degraded Islam entitled, "America and Jihad -- where do they stand?" Father Lawrence Andrew, editor of the Herald, revealed on August 10 that the ministry had issued the "show-cause" letter accusing the newspaper of breaking publication rules on July 16. The ministry's letter reportedly warned that it "would not hesitate to take sterner action" if the Herald repeats its alleged offenses. According to The Associated Press, an unnamed ministry official on August 11 said the Herald must explain satisfactorily why it ran the articles and pledge to stick by the rules or risk suspension. Fr. Andrew told Compass the letter did not specify exactly what the "sterner actions" would be.
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[nChrist]

Even in Tough Times, Charitable Giving Stays Strong
Kristen Campbell


August 28, 2008

MOBILE, Ala. (RNS) -- When parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church began distributing groceries to families in need a few years ago, they gave away about 100 boxes of food.

Within the last year, the Rev. Jim Flowers said, they began stocking and giving out 175 boxes, and they still run out of supplies.

While this city may not have encountered the widespread economic hardships some U.S. cities have experienced, Americans along the Gulf Coast, as elsewhere, have nevertheless spent a summer grappling with soaring gas prices and rising food costs.

State records show the sum of food stamp dollars doled out monthly in Alabama increased by a third -- from $41.6 million to $55.3 million -- between May 2004 and May 2008. This past May, 572,000 people participated, up 78,000 from five years ago.

Nationwide, 72 percent of Americans say the economy is either in a recession or a depression, the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press recently reported. The group also stated it was getting harder for many Americans to afford some of life's most basic necessities.

For faith-based organizations, widespread economic woes might seem to have the potential to create a complicated situation: At the same time that more people may call upon them for assistance, those who routinely provide funding to charitable groups may be less able to respond.

Historically, however, church-member giving doesn't necessarily decline in a recession, according to empty tomb, inc., an Illinois-based research group that studies religious giving. This "probably has to do with the fact that churches are generally seen as the layer immediately beyond the family in terms of responsibility, accountability, relationships," explained Sylvia Ronsvalle, executive vice president of empty tomb.

For churches, "The needs are front and center," Ronsvalle said, and may entail anything from the power bill and pastor's salary to community service. "There is a communication system which underscores the importance of the religious impulse in giving, which other research supports."

Flowers, rector at All Saints Episcopal Church, said he's told his parish that it's apparent that needs are greater as a result of the current financial climate.

The congregation is "responding beautifully" and pledges are substantially up this year, Flowers said.

Meanwhile, Robert E. Kirby Jr., director of the Catholic Charities Appeal, said those who promised to provide funding -- nearly $4.3 million in all -- for some of the Archdiocese of Mobile's social service ministries are fulfilling their pledges.

"When people pledge to Catholic Charities, they fulfill that pledge," he said. "We're right where we should be."

Kirby recently noted, however, that the cost of providing services had doubled for ministries that involve travel.

"That kind of crimps things a little bit," he said, but funds to cover such increased costs are available.

Linda Johnson, administrator at this city's Mount Hebron Baptist Church, said her congregation is witnessing an increase in community needs. At its newly opened pantry, clothing and non-perishable food items are available for members and non-members alike. Funded by donations from church members, the facility is staffed on Mondays and Fridays.

"We're just excited to be able to be a blessing," she said.
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[nChrist]

Eritreans in Saudi Detention Center Begin Hunger Strike
Michael Ireland


August 29, 2008

SAUDI ARABIA (ANS) -- Fourteen Eritreans in a Saudi detention center have begun a hunger strike to highlight the continuing plight of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the Eritreans are part of a group of 28 refugees and asylum seekers who have been held in Gizan Detention Center for periods ranging from three to seven years, pending offers of resettlement in third countries.

CSW says that while conditions in Gizan are relatively good, inmates are not allowed to work, study or receive training of any sort. Consequently, many suffer depression due to enforced idleness and separation from families.

The move comes as hundreds of Eritreans in Libya called off a five-day hunger strike aimed at drawing attention to their continued incarceration.

In a media advisory, CSW says 700 Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers have been incarcerated in Libya's Misrata Detention Center for the last two years, and are being held in cramped and squalid conditions where abuse is rife and food, potable water and medical treatment are scarce.

CSW says the group, which includes around 30 children, recently staged a five-day a hunger strike in the hope of persuading the international community, and particularly the European Union (EU), to urgently facilitate their resettlement in third countries. However, the hunger-strike was called off five days later, following fresh offers of resettlement and promises of improved living conditions.

Meanwhile, at least 1,000 refugees and asylum seekers forcibly returned to Eritrea in June by the Egyptian government have been jailed in Wi'a military camp under conditions of extreme hardship and abuse.

The camp is situated in one of hottest places on earth, used during the Italian colonial era as a place of extreme punishment. Only pregnant women and those with young children have escaped this fate.

In addition, news received in July by the opposition Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) appears to indicate that an unspecified number of returnees may have been executed in military camps in front of fellow prisoners in order to dissuade onlookers from escaping.

CSW's spokesperson on Sub-Saharan Africa says: "We call on key members of the international community to consider offering sanctuary to Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the thousand men and women currently detained in the Wi'a military camp in Eritrea suffering unimaginable hardship and mistreatment in the most arduous conditions. Their fate should serve as a stark reminder of the appalling consequences of returning vulnerable people to countries where they have a well-founded fear of persecution."

CSW is a human rights organization which specializes in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.
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[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 28, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Clarity of New Chronological Bible at Question
    * Priest Cracks Code to Methodist Founder's Journal
    * India: Orissa Violence Claims More Lives
    * China Detains Underground Catholic Bishop

 

Clarity of New Chronological Bible at Question

A new study Bible offers a decided twist on Scripture - publisher Thomas Nelson will release the Chronological Study Bible next month, marketing it as the "only study Bible that presents the text of the New King James Version in chronological order," according to the Christian Post. The edition merges books or lifts them to entirely different places to fit the historical timeline. For instance, the Gospels are condensed into one narrative centered around Mark's order, and Psalm 51 is placed immediately after the story of David and Bathsheba. Many biblical scholars argue the edition twists the Bible's original purpose as holy instruction, a position which the Christian blogosphere mostly echoes. "I do think you do lose something when you start demolishing any book of the Bible," said Richard Hess, professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary in Colorado, according to The Tennessean. "You lose the literary and theological context."

India: Orissa Violence Claims More Lives

Compass Direct News reports that three more deaths were reported Thursday in the eastern state of Orissa, where a spate of anti-Christian violence began after suspected Maoists murdered Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his disciples on Aug. 23. The number of people confirmed dead has risen to 21 on the fourth day of ongoing violence in Kandhamal district and other parts of Orissa. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that more than 114 anti-Christian attacks have taken place in various parts of the state. "The worst hit are the people in Kandhamal district, where more than 400 churches, more than 500 houses and many Christian institutions have been demolished," GCIC President Dr. Sajan K. George said in a memorandum to the state governor. Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported that three more bodies were recovered today. One body was discovered from Phiringia area and another from Raikia in Kandhamal. Kandhamal district collector Kishan Kumar told IANS, "A third person was rescued in a critical condition, but died on Tuesday night in the hospital." IANS reported that the state administration today issued "shoot-at-sight" orders to police in Kandhamal, as "mobs defied curfew, blocked roads and attacked churches and Christian homes."

Anglican Priest Cracks Code to Methodist Founder's Journal

ASSIST News Service reports that an Anglican priest has finally cracked the code Methodist co-founder Charles Wesley used when writing about sensitive matters in his diary some 250 years ago. Jenna Lyle, writing for Christiantoday.com  says that more than 1,000 handwritten pages dating from 1736 to 1756 have been deciphered by the Rev Professor Kenneth Newport, pro vice-chancellor for research and academic development at Liverpool Hope University. Lyle says the transcribed pages reveal the extent of Charles' anger with his brother, fellow Methodist founder John Wesley, over the latter's plans to marry and disagreements over a split from the Church of England. "He was very much opposed to separation, he saw the Methodist Societies as within the established church and anything that smacked of separation was something he took a very strong view of," Rev Prof Newport was quoted by The Telegraph newspaper as saying. Lyle reports the transcribed diary pages will be published together with 9,000 never-before-seen poems and hymns.

China Detains Underground Catholic Bishop

The Associated Press reports that Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, an elderly bishop of an underground Catholic church, is being held by government officials with no word on where or why he was arrested. Jia, 73, was arrested from his church hours before the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Those the AP reached with the public security bureau said they knew nothing about the case. According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, which aims to promote the Roman Catholic church in China, said Jia has been details at least a dozen times since January 2004. Catholics may worship only in government-sanctioned and approved churches in China.
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[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 29, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Orissa: Christians in Hiding as Violence Continues
    * Laos: Christians Ordered to Renounce Faith
    * 'Fireproof' Supporters Mobilize Moviegoers for Opening
    * Southern Baptists Lead Get-Out-the-Vote Prayer

 

Orissa: Christians in Hiding as Violence Continues

Mission News Network reports that the violence in India's Orissa state continues, and Christian groups are contributing to attacks on rival Hindu groups. Officials have issued orders to shoot on site anyone who breaks the imposed curfew. According to one anonymous ministry leader, the situation has quelled most Christian outreach and ministry. "Where we had programs, the Christians are no longer living there. In cases where they haven't fled, there is enough fear created where it will be a while before they have the courage to gather together--whether it be in a church service, or children's program, or in the evening with our literacy classes." Mission India works through indigenous Christians, but many of them have fled to the forests and few are still attending literacy programs.

Laos: Christians Ordered to Renounce Faith

Compass Direct News reports that the chief of Boukham village in Savannakhet province, Laos today ordered the families of three detained Christians in Savannakhet province to sign documents renouncing their faith. Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom reported that the family members refused. A crackdown in other parts of Laos continued, with new incidents reported this week in Attapue and Borikhamxay provinces. On Aug. 25, the chief of Donphai village in Attapue province summoned Christians and fined them for holding a church service during local animistic ceremonies. In Borikhamxay province, officials continued to pressure 22 Christian families comprising 150 people in Toongpankham village who have refused to give up their faith. Village officials had torn down their church building in January, then in mid-August harassed church members for not meeting in a proper worship facility.

'Fireproof' Supporters Mobilize Moviegoers for Opening

The Christian Post reports that Christians across are the country are ready to greet the next Christian blockbuster from the makers of "Facing the Giants." Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., is working to mobilize viewers and supporters for a strong opening weekend, hoping that will extend the movie's reach even further. Directed and produced by brothers and associate pastors Alex and Stephen Kendrick, "Fireproof" stars actor Kirk Cameron playing a fireman with a desperate marriage on the verge divorce. According to the Christian Post, the movie has earned the support of more than 50 marriage ministries for its pro-marriage message. The film opens the weekend of Sept. 26-28.

Southern Baptists Lead Get-Out-the-Vote Prayer

Southern Baptists are coupling their values-voter registration drive with a nationwide prayer campaign, the 40/40 Prayer Vigil. According to the Associated Press, the campaign seeks "spiritual renewal for families and churches, and God's favor for public officials who are guided by the Bible." According to Rev. Richard Land, head of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, more than 1,300 churches have registered for the prayer campaign, set to run from Sept. 24 to Nov. 2. "Our vision statement is an American society that affirms and practices Judeo-Christian values rooted in biblical authority," Land said. "America will be better off if people who are voting are seeking God's guidance."
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[nChrist]

Orissa: Violence Slowing, But Interior Villages Still Targeted
ASSIST News Service


September 1, 2008

NEW DELHI, INDIA (ANS) -- Reports of attacks from the eastern state of Orissa are decreasing, but many rural villages remain cut off from communication and being attacked at night. Outside Orissa, the Indian Christian community engaged in several peaceful protest actions to highlight the breakdown of the rule of law and governance. After six days of rioting, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, broke his silence and called the violence a "national shame".

"We are thankful that we did not receive any reports of new attacks last night. However, there are literally thousands of displaced Christians whose homes were destroyed in the mob violence. Hundreds more are afraid to return home," said Rev. P.R. Parichha, All India Christian Council (aicc) Orissa state president. "The violence in towns and cities seems to be over, but the villages face the strong possibility of more attacks since security forces are spread thin. We still are requesting military intervention," said Parichha.

Media reports said Orissa officials estimate 4,000 Christian families are homeless. The death toll, currently at 17, is expected to raise as troops secure rural areas. The violence, which at one point spread across 12 of 30 districts in the state, now seems to be contained to Kandhamal District, the epicenter of similar attacks during Christmas 2007.

In protest of the collapse of governance and the rule of law in Orissa, about 10,000 Christians rallied in New Delhi this morning and were joined by Muslims, Buddhists, and progressive Hindus. Protestors tried to march to Orissa Bhavan (the official state government guest house in the capitol), but police issued a localized curfew to stop the rally. Attendees were forced to regroup at the Teen Murti traffic circle, but eventually reached Orissa Bhavan.

"Udit Raj, a major Dalit leader, and other non-Christian human rights activists clearly explained that the violence in Orissa is not because Christians are fraudulently converting people. That allegation is simply lie and hate propaganda."

Civil society leaders suggested India needs an investigation into why Hindu nationalist organizations -- who have converted tribals and Dalits in a major campaign -- are not being held accountable under Orissa's 1967 Freedom of Religion Act. "We must confront the fictional idea of "re-conversions", created by Hindutva activists, which ignores the fact that these people's ancestors were animists and not Hindus," said Rev. Madhu Chandra, aicc Regional Secretary and a member of the rally's organizing committee.

Also, an estimated 30,000 Christian schools across India closed their doors on Friday. The goal was to make millions of children -- and their parents -- aware of the evil of communal violence and the damage it is doing to the world's largest democracy. Aicc and major church networks which called for the closure encouraged people to pray for victims as well as perpetrators. Much of the Indian press inaccurately reported that only Roman Catholic schools were closed.

Christian leaders are also calling for a day of prayer and fasting across India on September 7, 2008.

In the aftermath of the murder of a Hindu swami by unknown assailants on August 23, 2008, mobs attacked the Christian community across the eastern state of Orissa. Media reports and eye witness accounts from aicc leaders indicate thousands of Christian properties burnt, sexual assaults of nuns, and pastors killed in their homes. See dedicated webpage at: http://indianchristians.in/news/content/view/2332/45/

From Dec. 24, 2007-Jan. 2, 2008, attacks in Kandhamal district killed at least four Christians and destroyed over 100 churches and 730 Christian homes. Most of the victims were Dalits, formerly known as untouchables.

The All India Christian Council (http://www.aiccindia.org/), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
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[nChrist]

Indonesia: Students Ordered to Leave Campground
Edi Mujiono


September 2, 2008

Principal refuses; mobs with knives and sharpened bamboo still active.

JAKARTA, (Compass Direct News) -- The manager of a campground in East Jakarta this week asked staff members and 600 female students from a theological college who had taken refuge there to leave and pay stiff fees.

Officials had sent the students to the facility after a violent mob attacked the Arastamar Evangelical School of Theology (SETIA) in East Jakarta on July 25.

Principal Matheus Mangentang refused to leave, saying that Fauzi Bowo, governor of Jakarta, had ordered them to stay at the campground. He further asked that the manager send the bill, amounting to 268 million rupiah (US$29,000) for four weeks of accommodation, to the governor's office.

The governor then suggested moving the staff and students to an old building once used as the office for the mayor of West Jakarta. Mangentang again refused, as the building would accommodate only 100 students and has very limited water and bathroom facilities.

Protestors first attacked the SETIA campus in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, on July 25. When police intervention failed, staff members and students were evacuated on July 26 and 27, even as protestors armed with swords, machetes, bamboo stakes and acid continued to attack them.

At least 20 students were injured in the attack, some with sword slashes.

Following the evacuation, some students were temporarily billeted in church offices, while others slept in the lobby of Indonesia's parliament building.

Officials then moved the female students to the Bumi Perkemahan Cibubur (BUPERTA) campground in East Jakarta, while the 500 male students were sent to a transmigrant accommodation facility in Bekasi.

At press time, police had still not arrested anyone in relation to the attack nor carried out an investigation.

The school, founded 21 years ago, has full legal permission and registration to operate. While now sitting in the middle of a populated area, when originally established the college was surrounded only by cornfields and banana plantations. (See Compass Direct News, "Students Demand Safe Return to College in Indonesia," July 31.)

Mobs Still Active

When a rumor spread that SETIA students would return to the campus on Sunday (August 24), a mob assembled at the entrance gate, equipped with swords, knives and sharpened bamboo stakes. The rumor, however, was false, and the mob eventually dispersed.

On August 21, when staff member Miryo Suripati returned to her home near the campus to collect some clothing, a crowd of young people carrying swords and other weapons gathered outside the building. A local public order official explained that Suripati was not a student but a resident of the community and quickly escorted her out of the housing estate.

A handful of men who declared themselves spokesmen for the Kampung Pulo area have since claimed that residents object to the presence of the college. Compass sources refuted this claim, pointing out that students were welcome customers at area photocopying facilities, snack shops and other retail outlets, while residents were employed at the college as kitchen hands, cooks and security personnel.

The mobs were mostly composed of people from neighboring communities, not local residents, sources said.

Female Students in Tents

The BUPERTA campground is about a 90-minute drive from Jakarta, far from snack shops or stores selling daily necessities. The female students are accommodated in large tents, with their belongings stacked against the tent walls, limited laundry and toilet facilities and a makeshift open-air kitchen.

Some students expressed concern that the rainy season might begin soon, turning the flat campground into a swamp.

Church leaders who recently visited BUPERTA and took note of conditions said they would lobby the governor for permission for the students to return to their campus.

Several students, including Julidana Reva and Lasse (who has only a single name), who traveled from distant Nias Island to study at SETIA, told Compass that study was extremely difficult under these circumstances and that their lives were virtually "on hold" until they returned to campus.
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