RELIGION TODAY

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Israel Strikes Gaza for Fourth Day
Jeremy Reynalds


December 31, 2008

Israeli jets attacked the Gaza Strip for a fourth day Tuesday, with raids on a number of Hamas government buildings and security installations.

The BBC reported that according to medical officials, air strikes early on Tuesday killed at least 10 people.

Reports from international media are saying that between 320 and 375 Palestinians have died since Saturday. The BBC said four Israelis have been killed by rockets from Gaza.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned both Israel and Hamas.

The BBC said while recognizing Israel's right to defend itself from militant rocket attacks, he condemned its "excessive use of force."

He added, "The suffering caused to civilian populations as a result of the large-scale violence and destruction that have taken place over the past few days has saddened me profoundly."

The UN said at least 62 of the Palestinians killed were women and children.

Christians Caught in Bombings

According to a news release from Open Doors Ministry, the small Christian community in Gaza is drawing strength from its faith in God.

Open Doors said in a statement that according to reliable reports, the Gaza Baptist Church building is still standing but has had some of its windows shattered by the bombings. A police station across from the church building was bombed, resulting in about 40 deaths.

Many of the hospitals, already lacking basic medicines and medical equipment, are overwhelmed with the casualties and are often without power.

According to Open Doors, some Christian families left Gaza for Bethlehem over the holidays and with a closed border are now separated from their loved ones.

Open Doors said in its news release that earlier this year one believer in Gaza stated, "Seventy percent of the Christians want to leave Gaza because they are very afraid. But we love Gaza. It's our country, we have roots here, our homes are here. We will not know anyone if we go somewhere else."

Open Doors USA President and CEO Carl Moeller said in the news release, "Even before the recent end to the ceasefire (December 19) and the bombings, Christians in Gaza, (whom) we estimate to be around 3,000, have been living in fear due to threats from Islamic militants."

Moeller added, "We are still grieving after the murder of Christian bookstore manager Rami Ayyad over a year ago. Please join me in prayer for the plight of the Christians in Gaza in the wake of this new outbreak of violence. Pray for peace and a new ceasefire to be put into place quickly. Pray that Christian families will be reunited. Pray that the Gaza Baptist Church building will be spared from the bombs."

Methodists Call on International Community to Help End Gaza Conflict

Meanwhile, as Israel's defense minister declared "war to the bitter end" against Hamas on Monday, the Methodist Church urged the international community to put pressure on Israel and Gaza to bring an end to the violence.

A story by Christian Today's Jennifer Gold reported that the Methodist Church's Public Issues Policy Advisor, Steve Hucklesby said, "The devastating death toll resulting from Israeli air strikes has shocked many. Rather than improving security, this action by Israel could compound conflict in the region. It is also likely to make it more difficult to bring regional powers together in a search for solutions."

He added, "Both Hamas and Israel must respond to the UN Security Council call for an immediate end to all military operations."

Christian Today reported that the Methodist Church is calling on the EU, US and UN to intensify pressure on Hamas to refrain from violence.

"At this time of year when the focus of Christians around the world is on the Holy Land we pray for courageous leadership in the cause of peace," Christian Today reported Hucklesby said.

Hucklesby warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is likely to get worse with the latest crisis.

"Before the recent outbreaks of violence, Gaza was already suffering a dire humanitarian situation. (This) has not been helped by Israel's blockade and restrictions on relief supplies," Christian Today reported he said. "Now food, fuel and medical supplies are needed urgently."

The head of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, also called on for an immediate halt to "the violence against Gaza."

"The deaths and suffering of the last three days are dreadful and shameful and will achieve nothing but more deaths and suffering," Christian Today reported he said in a statement on Monday.

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Kids from Religion, Intact Families Fare Better, Study Says
Michael Foust


January 1, 2009

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Children living with both biological parents or adoptive parents who attend religious services regularly are less likely to exhibit problems at school or at home, a new analysis of national data shows.

The study by psychologist Nicholas Zill, the founder of Child Trends, and statistician Philip Fletcher found that children in such a situation -- when compared to children not living with both parents and not attending religious services regularly -- are 5.5 times less likely to have repeated a grade and 2.5 less likely to have had their parents contacted by the school because of a conduct or achievement problem.

Additionally, intact families who have regular religious participation (defined as at least weekly or monthly) are less likely to report parental stress and more likely to report a "better parent-child relationship," the analysis, which focused on families with children ages 6-17, says.

The study, co-released by the Family Research Council and more than 30 state family councils as part of FRC's Mapping America project, was based on interviews in 2003 with parents of more than 100,000 children and teens by the National Center for Health Statistics for the National Survey of Children's Health.

The data "holds up after controlling for family income and poverty, low parent education levels, and race and ethnicity."

"An intact two-parent family and regular church attendance are each associated with fewer problem behaviors, more positive social development, and fewer parental concerns about the child's learning and achievement," Zill and Fletcher wrote. "Taken together, the two home-environment factors have an additive relationship with child well-being. That is, children who live in an intact family and attend religious services regularly generally come out best on child development measures, while children who do neither come out worst. Children with one factor in their favor, but not the other, fall in between ...."

The authors said that children in an intact religious family "are more likely to exhibit positive social behavior, including showing respect for teachers and neighbors, getting along with other children, understanding other people's feelings, and trying to resolve conflicts with classmates, family, or friends."

Pat Fagan, the director of FRC's Center for Family and Religion, said the study should impact social policy.

"Social science data continue to demonstrate overwhelmingly that the intact married family that worships weekly is the greatest generator of human goods and social benefits and is the core strength of the United States," he said in a statement. "Policy makers should strongly consider whether their policy proposals give support to such a family structure. Children are not the only beneficiaries but also their parents, families, communities, and all of society."

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India: Extremists Halt Church Construction
Gospel for Asia


January 2, 2009

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (ANS) -- Religious extremists from a popular radical Hindu activist group have brought a church construction project to a halt. They have set up a tent outside the unfinished building to conduct rituals to their gods.

The extremists descended on the church, which is under construction in Uttar Pradesh, India, on December 17. They placed vermillion-red flags on the church building, which is a sign that it has been taken over for Hindu use. The extremists, who belong to the radical RSS movement, then proceeded to offer pujas (Hindu prayers) to their gods and goddesses.

GFA missionary Kushal Samuel heard about the incident and rushed to the church. He tried to talk to the extremists, but they had called the police, who arrested Kushal and took him to jail. While he was being held in jail, the extremists attacked the GFA district leader, Harish Kumar, who had come to the site to help Kushal. The extremists beat Harish for about 30 minutes and then took him to the police station. They made up false stories about Kushal and Harish and accused them of many crimes.

The police allowed Kushal and Harish to speak, and they explained, in detail, what the church does. After hearing their explanation, the police released Kushal and Harish. But they halted the church construction.

In the meantime, the Hindu extremists set up a small tent in front of the unfinished church building. They are sitting in the tents conducting their rituals and are pressuring believers to turn their back on Christ and return to Hinduism.

The church was complete, except for the roof, when the extremists commandeered the site. GFA's zonal leader, Lamu Tekam, has met with the police in an effort to get permission to continue the construction project.

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Religion Today Summaries - Dec. 24, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Hindu Groups Call off Christmas Day Strike in Orissa
    * Pakistan's Turmoil over Mumbai Attacks Opens Doors for Peace
    * Myanmar Refugees Bring Advent Alive for Tennessee Church
    * Egyptian Christian Convert Tortured, Raped in Egypt


Hindu Groups Call off Christmas Day Strike in Orissa

ASSIST News Service reports that Hindu groups announced their decision Friday evening (December 19) to call off their proposed state-wide strike in Orissa planned for December 25th. The decision was made after representatives of several right-wing Hindu organizations met with Orissa Chief Minister, Mr. Naveen Patnaik. This welcome news for local Christians who have already seen terrible violence in their state, was announced by Friends of Orissa (www.FriendsofOrissa.org), which is part of the Foundation for International Research and Education. A message sent to their supporters said that Mr. Ratnakar Chaini, president of the Samiti, a memorial group formed after the murder of Laxmanananda Saraswati, told reporters that the turn of events was due to assurance given by the Chief Minister that all the killers of the Swami would soon be arrested.

Pakistan's Turmoil over Mumbai Attacks Opens Doors for Peace

Mission News Network reports that mission organization are hopeful that peace efforts between Pakistan and India will work for good. Tensions between both countries run high following the attacks in Mumbai by Pakistani Islamic extremists, and both countries are working to diffuse the volatile situation. World Bible Translation Center President Eric Fellman says reconciliation efforts have opened the door to the message of Jesus. "[President Asif Zadari of Pakistan] said in the current environment, reconciliation is the best revenge against the dark forces of terrorism. The only path to reconciliation is through Jesus Christ, so our goal is to take this bit of an opening in a Muslim country and get in as many copies of the Gospel as we can."

Myanmar Refugees Bring Advent Alive for Tennessee Church

The Anglican Journal reports that one rural church in Smyrna, Tenn., has experienced double blessings since welcoming the "alien within their gate." About 70 ethnic Karen from Myanmar began coming to the financially-struggling church earlier this year, and have since helped the church by volunteering to plow surrounding land and planting Burmese vegetables, which the whole church then harvested. Part of sales from the crop went to help pay the church's mortgage, which it had been struggling to meet. The sales also sponsored outreach projects. The Karen, who are the lowest rung in Burmese society especially if they are Christian, also used part of the proceeds. "It's a classic example of the Advent story," said Michael Williams, incoming senior warden at All Saints, Smyrna, Tennessee. "We could not find God, but God found us."

Egyptian Christian Convert Tortured, Raped in Egypt

ASSIST News Service reports that Martha Samuel, an Egyptian Muslim who converted to Christianity five years ago, was arrested at Cairo airport on last Wednesday as she, her husband and two sons (four and two years old) were leaving for Russia. Her name was on a list of people prohibited from leaving the country. According to reports, Martha Samuel has been sexually assaulted by Egyptian police officers and has been beaten and tortured in an attempt to force her to return to Islam. Samuel (and her children, who are also under arrest), is to be transferred from the National Security office in Heliopolis to Al-Qanater prison after seeing the "renewal judge." Food has been withheld from Samuel's children to pressure her to covert.

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Religion Today Summaries - Dec. 25, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Vatican Calls for Homosexuality to Be Decriminalized
    * China: Registered Church Demolished, Christians Beaten
    * Anglican Leader Questions Human Cost of Economic Measures
    * Iran: Radio Ministry Celebrates Two Years on Air


Vatican Calls for Homosexuality to Be Decriminalized

Religion News Service reports that the Vatican on Friday (Dec. 19) called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, but said a proposed United Nations declaration on gay rights is vague and excessively far-reaching. The statement by the Holy See's UN delegation was a response to the "Declaration on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity," presented to the UN General Assembly on Thursday. "The Holy See appreciates the attempts made in [the declaration] to condemn all forms of violence against homosexual persons as well as urge states to take necessary measures to put an end to all criminal penalties against them," the statement said. But the Vatican said that the UN declaration "goes beyond this goal and instead gives rise to uncertainty in the law and challenges existing human rights norms."

China: Registered Church Demolished, Christians Beaten

Christian News Wire reports that a group of police officers with nearly a thousand civilians forcibly demolished a church in Jiangsu province of China on Dec. 17. The destruction of this registered church came less than 24 hours after the church won a court case protecting their building against the same individuals who attacked it. The mob took away property belonging to the church and beat more than 10 Christians. Contacts report that the destruction was the result of government officials and powerful businessmen working in collusion to obtain the coveted church property by force.

Anglican Leader Questions Human Cost of Economic Measures

The Christian Post reports that the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion has warned world governments against letting the most vulnerable bear the brunt of the economic downturn. Dr. Rowan Williams told the U.K. Telegraph that government must remember "the unique concerns and crises of the pensioner whose savings have disappeared, the Woolworth's employee, the hopeful young executive, let alone the helpless producer of goods in some Third-world environment where prices are determined thousands of miles away," urging them to remember the faces amid their policies. "How we make it all work is vastly complicated -- no one is pretending it isn't. But without these anxieties about the specific costs, we've lost the essential moral compass," said Williams.

Iran: Radio Ministry Celebrates Two Years on Air

Mission News Network reports that Christian satellite TV ministry SAT-7 PARS is celebrating two years on the air in Iran. David Harder with SAT-7 says, "It is an exciting anniversary for us -- two years of being able to broadcast 24-hours a day, being able to reach people all throughout the day with the good news of Jesus and to be able to bring training." Christian evangelism is banned in Iran, and government even employs spies to monitor Christian groups. The channel works to provide Christian education and training for all ages, as training materials are scarce in Iran.

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

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Bush Signs Enhanced Anti-Trafficking Bill
    * Bangladesh Election Vulnerable to Terrorism
    * Sacred Texts: Vatican Embraces iTunes Prayer Book
    * Rick Warren's Biggest Critics: Other Pastors


Bush Signs Enhanced Anti-Trafficking Bill

Baptist Press reports President Bush signed into law Dec. 23 a bill to strengthen efforts to fight human trafficking in the United States and other countries. The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act won approval from many human rights activists, as well as Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). "It's a tremendous victory," Land told Baptist Press after the ceremony, which he attended. "This bill will significantly assist the United States government in impeding the trafficking of women and child for sexual purposes," he said. "It's a tremendously important new tool available to law enforcement officials in prosecuting those who traffic in human flesh. It will make a real difference to the victims of sex trafficking."

Bangladesh Election Vulnerable to Terrorism

ASSIST News Service reports that WEA's Religious Liberty Prayer ministry issued a prayer bulletin outlining the perpetual tug-of-war for Bangladesh between pro-secular and Islamic forces. The bulletin stressed the great need for prayer for Bangladesh, as the election will  pit the Awami League -- which led Bangladesh to independence and stands for secular politics and Bengali (as distinct from Islamic) culture -- against the pro-Pakistan, pro-Islam Bangladesh National Party (BNP) which has always used its power to advance Islamic nationalism and Islamisation. The greatest threat to these elections -- which are arguably the most crucial and pivotal since the country's independence -- is Islamic terrorism. The elections will take place Dec. 29.

Sacred Texts: Vatican Embraces iTunes Prayer Book

The Christian Post reports that that even the Vatican is going digital. A new technology developed by a tech-savvy Italian priest "brings the book of daily prayers used by priests straight onto iPhones." The iBreviary application was developed by a tech-savvy Italian priest, the Rev. Paolo Padrini,and recorded about 10,000 downloads during its free trial period in Italy. The application was officially released early December. The application includes the Breviary prayer book in five languages with more to come. Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications, praised the new application Monday, saying the Church "is learning to use the new technologies primarily as a tool or as a mean of evangelizing, as a way of being able to share its own message with the world." Padrini's proceeds are going to charity.

Rick Warren's Biggest Critics: Other Pastors

The Associated Press reports that although megachurch pastor Rick Warren has received much criticism from gay rights groups for his role in Obama's inauguration, some of his worst critics are closer to home. "The comments from many of the evangelicals further to the right of him are often critical for his lax stance on their passionate issues," said Scott Thumma, a professor at Connecticut's Hartford Seminary who researches megachurches and writes about the challenges for gay and lesbian Christians. Warren supports traditional marriage and pro-life causes, but has raised issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the practice of torture for military prisoners to the same level.

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Religion News Summaries - Dec. 29, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Gallup: Americans See Religious Influence Waning
    * Pakistan: Policeman Tortures, Paralyzes Christian
    * Kazakhstan Officials Threaten Rights Group after Criticism
    * China: Authorities Arrest Christians Before Christmas


Gallup: Americans See Religious Influence Waning

Religion News Service reports that two-thirds of Americans think religion is losing its influence on U.S. life. This shows a sharp jump from just three years ago when Americans were nearly evenly split on the question, according to a new Gallup Poll. Sixty-seven percent of Americans think religious influence is waning while just 27 percent say it is increasing. That perspective demonstrates a continuing downward trend, Gallup said. But the 27 percent figure is still higher than the record low, set in a 1970 poll, when just 14 percent of Americans thought religion was increasing in influence. The latest poll also finds that the percentage of Americans believing that religion "can answer all or most of today's problems" has reached an all-time low.

Pakistan: Policeman Tortures, Paralyzes Christian

Compass Direct News reports that a Pakistani Christian boy's quarrel with a Muslim policeman's son has led to his father's imprisonment, torture, paralysis, and five-year prison sentence. The father's health condition has become so fragile that he was temporarily released from prison and sent to a Faisalabad hospital on Dec. 20. Emanuel Masih, 43, is now in stable condition, his attorney told Compass. Masih is seeking to commute his prison sentence instigated by policeman Omer Draz who tortured and imprisoned him on trumped-up charges originating from a quarrel between their sons nine years ago. Police arrested Masih along with his brother-in-law Amin Masih, falsely implicating them in the alleged kidnapping of Draz' housekeeper's son.

Kazakhstan Officials Threaten Rights Group after Criticism

Justice Ministry officials in Kazakhstan have accused a local human rights group of lying in response to the group's criticism of a restrictive new religious freedom law, according to ASSIST News Service. The law is currently waiting for official signature by President Nazarbaev. "Officials are nervous over the new law, but very angry and aggressive when people complain about it," Yevgeny Zhovtis with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law said. The organization faces the threat of being closed down as a result of a tax investigation which began early in 2008. "Our problems don't appear to be directly related to our work opposing the new law, but represent pressure over all our activity, including on this law," Yevgeny said.

China: Authorities Arrest Christians Before Christmas

ASSIST News Service reports that the Chinese government has targeted Christians in Henan province, Anhui province, and Xinjiang Autonomous Region between December 21 and December 24. A ChinaAid spokesperson said that on Christmas Eve in Henan province, nine Christian women were arrested during a nativity play and are still being held by police. In Anhui province on December 22, officials arrested 19 students and two house church leaders and threatened to demolish their house church building. On December 21 in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, a house church was forbidden to gather and the pastor threatened with arrest.

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Religion News Summaries - Dec. 30, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Israel Pounds Gaza Strip in Hunt for Hamas
    * Uganda Rebels Accused of Massacre at Church
    * Christian Refugees from Iraq Pack Pews in Lebanon
    * Parents Plus Church Equal Success for Children


Israel Pounds Gaza Strip in Hunt for Hamas

Fox News reports that at least 330 are dead after three days of Israeli attacks on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "We have nothing against the people of Gaza," Ehud Barak said to a special session of parliament. "But this is an all-out war against Hamas and its branches. The restraint that we have demonstrated is the source of our strength when it is time to fight." A United Nations agency in Palestine reports that at least 62 civilians have been killed. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said, "We are trying to target Hamas, which hides among civilians." The terrorist organization Hamas has sent rockets into Israel for years, and is responsible for killing nearly 400 Israelis since 2000. Hamas officials say they will not participate in a new truce unless Israel stops all attacks on Gaza and reopens border crossings.

Uganda Rebels Accused of Massacre at Church

The Associated Press reports that at least 50 civilians are dead after alleged Ugandan rebels attacks churchgoers in a remote area of eastern Congo. Other reports say that as many as 150 may have died. Witnesses say they recognized the attackers as part of the Lord's Resistance Army, a brutal rebel group that the three official armies of Uganda, Sudan and the Congo recently banded together to eliminate. "I hid in bush near the church and heard people wailing as they were being cut with machetes," witness Abel Longi said. Aid workers report that hundreds of others fled south into a Congolese refugee camp and need basic supplies. The AP reports that this attack may be a response "against civilians for military attacks including a Dec. 14 air bombing on their main camp in Garamba National Park."

Christian Refugees from Iraq Pack Pews in Lebanon

The Chicago Tribune reports that Iraqi Christians with enough means are fleeing to Lebanon, preferring the longer journey for the greater freedom at the end. Lebanon's population is 40 percent Christian - much greater than Syria or Turkey, where many Iraqi refugees go. Rev. Joseph Malkoum in Beirut says the number of refugees is only increasing. "There was a period when we felt the numbers were going down, but after the recent troubles in Mosul the movement is picking up again," said Malkoum, who holds a special mass every Sunday for Iraqi Chaldeans. "Five years from now there won't be any Christians left in Iraq. It's happening quietly but also very quickly," said retired Gen. Michel Kasdano, a researcher and spokesman at the Chaldean Archbishopric.

Parents Plus Church Equal Success for Children

ASSIST News Service reports that children who live with their married biological mother and father and attend church once a week or once monthly have fewer problems in school, home and their personal lives, a new study says. The Family Research Council's Mapping America Project found that children in these circumstances "are five times less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to have behavior problems and more likely to understand other's feelings and be cooperative when necessary." The FRC study mirrors findings about the benefits of marriage and church in multiple other studies.

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Religion Today Summaries - Dec. 31, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Ebola Death Toll Rising in DR Congo
    * Christmas Peaceful in India
    * NJ Rules against Church Group in Gay Rights Case
    * Atheist Group Files Lawsuit against Prayer at Inauguration


Ebola Death Toll Rising in DR Congo

BBC News reports that 11 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have died in an outbreak of Ebola. Aid workers with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) are treating another 24 suspected Ebola cases, and are monitoring more than 100 others who may have been exposed. The killer outbreak began in Western Kasai province in late November, and has since contributed to the fear and confusion faced by displaced refugees in Congo's civil war. Workers report that this is only the fourth outbreak of the virus in the Congo since 1976. According to BBC, Ebola is a highly infectious bleeding fever that kills 80 percent of those it infects. There is no known cure.

Christmas Peaceful in India

Mission News Network reports that threats of Christmas Day violence by Hindu extremists were not acted out, allowing Christians in India to celebrate peacefully. The day stood in marked contrasted to the holiday last year, when Hindu extremists perpetrated massive attacks on Christians, their homes and their churches. Founder and President of Gospel for Asia KP Yohannan said, "By God's grace and in answer to prayer from people around the world, I believe, the state government stepped in and said, 'Anyone causing disturbances in the state would be arrested and punished severely.'" Although thousands remain in refugee camps, all were able to celebrate and worship publicly.

NJ Rules against Church Group in Gay Rights Case

The Christian Post reports that a New Jersey department ruled Monday that a church group's beachfront property should have open to a lesbian couple as the location for their civil union ceremony. The controversial case began in March 2007, when the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association refused to rent the location to the couple on religious grounds. The couple sued, saying the camp's refusal was discrimination against gays. Larry Lustberg, the lawyer for the couple, said they will now seek an order that requires the pavilion to be "open to all on an equal basis." Brian Raum, a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund representing the Camp Meeting, said, "A Christian organization has a constitutional right to use their facilities in a way that is consistent with their beliefs."

Atheist Group Files Lawsuit against Prayer at Inauguration

Fox News reports that an atheists group has filed a lawsuit to prevent prayer at Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, says that allowing prayer shows government picking between "believers" and "those who don't believe," thus "subjecting atheists and agnostics to someone else's religious beliefs." The lawsuit also seeks to remove the phrase "So help me God" from the presidential oath of office. "The inauguration is not a religious event. It is a secular event of a secular country that includes all Americans, including those of us who are not Christians, including those of us who are not believers," Barker continued.

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Religion Today Summaries - Jan. 1, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Warren's Inauguration Prayer Could Draw More Ire
    * Tanzania: 3 Million Will Get Bible in Native Language for First Time
    * Women Bishops Proposal Draws Mixed Response
    * Canterbury: Disestablished Church Not `The End of the World'



Warren's Inauguration Prayer Could Draw More Ire

Pastor Rick Warren may be in for more protests against his prayer at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration -- from those in his own camp. The Christian Post reports that Warren dodged questions Tuesday about whether he would pray "in Jesus' name." He said in a statement, ""I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray ... Prayers are not to be sermons, speeches, position statements nor political posturing. They are humble, personal appeals to God." Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Methodist pastor who prayed at George W. Bush's inauguration, said, "If Rick Warren does not pray in Jesus' name, some folks are going to be very disappointed ... Since he's evangelical, his own tribe, if you will, will have some angst if he does not do that."

Tanzania: 3 Million Will Get Bible in Native Language for First Time

The Christian Post reports that Wycliffe Associates plans to translate the Bible for 3 million people in the Tanzanian highlands before next autumn. The project aims to reach those in the Mbeya region, whose people speak and read Swahili only functionally, thus inhibiting their ability to access Scriptures. The new project will combine ten language translation projects. "This has a huge and positive impact on a culture, both spiritually and intellectually," said Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. "When a larger and nationalized language like Swahili is bearing down on a people group with a different language and identity, that group tends to have its importance in society diminished; and subsequently, their spiritual journey stunted," he explained.

Women Bishops Proposal Draws Mixed Response

The Church of England on Monday announced draft legislation that would allow parishes opposed to the ministry of women access to a "complementary" male bishop. The legislation is meant to pave the way for women bishops while accommodating more conservative parishes. Christina Rees, chairwoman for campaign group WATCH (Women and the Church), said the group was encouraged to see doors opening, but "dismayed" that women bishops would not have equal status in the Church episcopate. Rod Thomas, spokesman for the evangelical Anglican group Reform, voiced concern for a future beset by legal wrangles if some bishops refused to cede their authority over dissenting parishes to another. The Church of England's General Synod will consider the legislation in February.

Canterbury: Disestablished Church Not `The End of the World'

Religion News Service reports that the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams says he believes that severing the centuries-old ties between the Church of England and the British government would "by no means (be) the end of the world." The comment, in an interview with the British magazine New Statesman, was one of the Anglican leader's most outspoken statements to date on the touchy issue of church and state in Great Britain. Still, Williams made it clear that he expects no disestablishment of the Church of England anytime soon. The Church of England was formed in the 16th-century break from Roman Catholicism, with the English monarch -- currently Queen Elizabeth II -- as its head. The arrangement gives the Anglican church a special link with the state that is denied other religions, but subjects church laws to approval by British Parliament.

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Religion Today Summaries - Jan. 2, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Zimbabwe Health Crisis Further Deteriorates
    * China: Christians Building Replacement Houses Beaten
    * Poll: No Evidence Recession Pulls People into Pews
    * University Refuses Funds to Christian Groups


Zimbabwe Health Crisis Further Deteriorates

The Christian Post reports that Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic is spreading rapidly, as is the problem of child malnutrition. At least 1,564 people have died of cholera, and the number of reported cases has increased to 29,131 as of Sunday, reaching all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. The World Health Organization warns that as many as 60,000 could contract the disease unless humanitarian conditions improve. Many do not have access to clean water, a problem exacerbated by the start of the rainy season. Meanwhile, child aid organization Save the Children ports that cases of acute child malnutrition have risen by almost two-thirds in the past year. About 5 million people in Zimbabwe need food aid.

China: Christians Building Replacement Houses Beaten

Mission News Network reports that Chinese Christians aiding their countrymen in need are not exempt from police raids. More than 40 police from the Public Security Bureau, reportedly smelling of alcohol, beat four victims of May's earthquake and Christian volunteers who were helping rebuild the houses in Quchuan, Sichuan province. The police also confiscated Bibles, hymnals, even televisions and motorcycles. The authorities did not present official documents to warrant their actions. According to MNN, the town of Quchuan has received little outside aid due to its remote location, and Christian volunteers are among the few helping to rebuild houses as winter begins.

Poll: No Evidence Recession Pulls People into Pews

Religion News Service reports that the economic recession has not led to an increase in attendance at U.S. houses of worship, according to Gallup pollsters. Despite anecdotal evidence cited in high-profile media outlets, Americans' worship patterns have held steady in 2008, the Gallup Poll reports. Since mid-February, Gallup said, it has asked 1,000 adults a day how often they attend church, synagogue or mosque. About 42 percent have said they go weekly or almost weekly, with no increase in September through December, when the recession tightened its hold on the U.S. economy. Gallup also said there has been no significant change in the percentage of Americans who say they attend church about once a month, seldom, or never.

University Refuses Funds to Christian Groups

OneNewsNow reports that Christian groups on the Boise State University campus are taking legal action over what they call funding discrimination by the school. Casey Mattox, an attorney with the Christian Legal Society representing the groups, said, "The students are forced to pay the money, but the students with religious student groups -- their groups can never get the money." University officials argue that Idaho's constitution "prohibits them from giving equal treatment to religious groups," OneNewsNow wrote. The school does, however, offer funds to the Secular Student Alliance. Mattox contends such viewpoint discrimination is incorrect, explaining that the "Supreme Court held over a decade ago that public universities may not exclude student religious groups from student activity fee funding."

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Aid Reaches Gaza Civilians
Michael Ireland


January 5, 2008

EGYPT (ANS) -- The UK branch of a Colorado-based international humanitarian group is supporting a team of medical doctors that have deployed to help the victims of the conflict in Gaza.

Humanitarian International Services Group (http://www.hisg.org/) says state health officials are reporting that at least 400 people have been killed, and 1,700 more wounded, and hospitals in the Gaza Strip are vastly overwhelmed in the recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

HISG has provided funding for immediate needs on the ground and is also working with a team of aid workers delivering emergency items into the Gaza strip as well as a Hungarian team of doctors that has been granted access to the conflict zone, according to a media release from the group.

HISG is networked with thousands of relief and development organizations around the world, and focuses on connecting resources to needs. In this relief effort, HISG's United Kingdom office provided essential support to aid workers from different parts of Europe in order to meet urgent medical needs quickly for the people suffering in Gaza.

The group says the most urgent needs are for medical supplies, fuel and food.

"As the conflict continues, there is very little food available in Gaza and people are forced to wait in long lines for small rations. Most of the hospitals use diesel generators for electricity, so as the number of wounded people increases, an adequate supply of fuel is vital," the media release explains.

The release says that HISG's vast network of partners enables them to respond to emergency situations quickly and efficiently. HISG has mobilized capable teams of international volunteers to meet dire and specific needs in Gaza.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Jan. 5, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

    * Atheist: Africa Needs God, Not Just Aid
    * India, an Exporter of Priests, May Keep Them
    * Egypt Canceled New Year's Eve over Gaza 'Massacres'
    * UK 2050: Church Attendance 'To Fall by 90 Percent'

Atheist: Africa Needs God, Not Just Aid

The Christian Post reports that not all atheists are anti-God. Matthew Parris, a former conservative member of the British Parliament, recently argued in the U.K.-based The Times that Africa needs not only aid, but God. "Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts," writes Parris, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. "These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do." He continued, "In Africa, Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good."

India, an Exporter of Priests, May Keep Them

The New York Times reports that India's unlikely export of Roman Catholic priests to the West may be coming to an end. According to the Time, far more young men join the priesthood in India than in the United States and Europe, which often have trouble filling their pulpits. As a result, bishops often visit India to seek a priest willing to go abroad. In the United States, at least 800 Indian priests are active. Nonetheless, Indian prelates are carefully watching the motives of their priests. "There is a great danger just now because the spirit of materialism is on the increase," said Bishop Mar James Pazhayattil, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Irinjalakuda, "Faith and the life of sacrifice are becoming less." Prelates want to ensure that new priests learn spiritual sacrifice, not a means to financial gain.

Egypt Canceled New Year's Eve over Gaza 'Massacres'

The AFP reports that officials in Egypt cancelled official News Year's Eve celebrations to protest Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. "In solidarity with the painful events in the Palestinian territories and the massacres which Gazans are faced with ... the ministries of culture and information have decided to cancel New Year's festivities," the government paper Al-Ahram said Wednesday. Special concerts, television variety shows, and a new comedy channel were all delayed or cancelled. At least 400 Palestinians have been killed, some of them civilians, in Israeli bombings attempting to wipe out Hamas.

UK 2050: Church Attendance 'To Fall by 90 Percent'

A new study by Christian Research, the statistical arm of the Bible Society, claims that church attendance in Britain will plummet to below 88,000 by 2050. The estimate has ignited controversy, with Prime Minister Gordon claiming, "Faith in Britain today is very much alive and well," and the Church of England lambasting the estimate as "incomplete" and ignoring "new ways of worshipping outside the church network," the UK Guardian reported. But according to Keith Porteous-Wood of the National Secular Society, if church attendance continues a similar decline as seen in the last 60 years, Christianity will indeed become "a minority sect of largely elderly people" by 2050.

[nChrist]

Israeli Offensive Seeks to 'Protect Our Citizens'
Jeremy Reynalds


January 6, 2008

GAZA STRIP (ANS) -- Israeli tanks and infantry battalions swept to the edges of Gaza City Sunday, battling die-hard Hamas fighters and sealing off the bomb-scarred capital city from the rest of the coastal territory.

James Hider and Azmi Keshawi in a story published by Times Online said that with the civilian death toll rising by the hour and diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting making no headway, the head of the UN refugee agency called the situation a "catastrophe."

Times Online reported that Israel was clear that it was not about to heed calls for a swift ceasefire to "Operation Cast Lead." It said it had to smash Hamas and destroy its weapons stockpile in order to ensure a lasting peace not just for its citizens, who have endured years of Palestinian rocket fire, but for the people of Gaza themselves.

Times Online reported that Ehud Barak, the Defense Minister and architect of the assault on Gaza, said that the operation would be "expanded and intensified" as much necessary. He added, "War is not a picnic."

Hamas fired more rockets into southern Israel Sunday despite the Israeli army's push to the edges of Gaza City. With armored columns pressing in from three different points on the northern end of the strip and from the center, the territory was cut in half.

Times Online reported Israeli forces pushed all the way to the seashore just south of Gaza. They secured the hilly area where the Jewish settlement and Israeli army base of Netzarim once stood before the Gaza pullout ordered by Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli leader who suffered a debilitating stroke exactly three years ago.

With the north sealed off and heavy fighting under way between Israeli forces and Hamas guerrillas, more Israeli tanks moved into the southern area of the strip, cutting off Rafah, and its key smuggling tunnels under the Egyptian border.

Times Online said the incursion stopped the trickle of aid trucks that had been making their way to Gaza's hospitals, depleted of medicines and fuel for their emergency generators.

Times Online reported that John Ging, the head of the UN refugee agency in the Gaza Strip said, "We have a catastrophe unfolding in Gaza for the civilian population. They're in their houses, they're not safe, they're being killed and injured in very large numbers, and they have no end in sight."

Times Online reported that with fighting moving ever closer to Gaza City, many were simply fleeing their homes after tanks shells hit residential buildings in the cramped streets of the strip. But there was nowhere to go, with Israeli forces blocking the road south and trundling in from the north and east, and navy gunships shelling from the Mediterranean.

Israeli Security Cabinet Minister Comments

On Sunday's edition of CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer," Israeli security cabinet minister, Isaac Herzog, spoke about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza and intelligence he has received that indicates Hamas is looking for a way out of the situation.

Herzog said Hamas is under huge pressure. "And part of the problem is, of course -- and that's very important for your viewers and listeners to understand -- that the Middle East is now divided between two coalitions."

Herzog told Blitzer that there's the moderate coalitions of Arab nations, which, together with Israel and Turkey and the Palestinian Authority headed by President Abbas, understands the need to move to peace, to a two-state solution, peace between Israel and Palestine, and the containment of the Iranian influence in the region."

However, he continued, "The other coalition, the coalition of hatred, is a coalition headed by Tehran with two agents, Hezbollah and Hamas. And Hamas is getting orders from Tehran, and this is part of the problem, of course."

Blitzer asked Herzog about the humanitarian crisis facing the 1.5 million Palestinians stuck in the region.

Herzog said it's a major issue and one that they have been dealing with since the inception of the crisis.

He said, "We have increased dramatically the amount of supplies and trucks going into Gaza ... We're scrutinizing and reviewing this constantly. So far, the situation is stable, despite the pressure, despite the pains of many Gazans."

However, Herzog said, because of Hamas' mingling with civilians and being in apartments, houses, schools and stores, the difficulty of the situation is compounded.

He said, "Part of the circumstances are that in certain neighborhoods, when we are trying to find out where the launchers are, the missiles are, there are pains and there are difficult moments."

Blitzer asked Herzog what it would take for the Israeli government to call a halt to the entire operation.

Herzog was unequivocal in his response. He told Blitzer, "A very clear understanding that a dramatic change has been introduced into the Israel/Gaza border, whereby one side ... cannot just simply press a button in the morning and launch a missile into Israeli homes."

He added, "We are not aiming at eradicating Hamas, changing its regime. We want to protect our citizens. This is our aim."

A Dad's Perspective

Perhaps one Israeli brought the situation into perspective. In an open e-mail obtained by ANS, he wrote in part, "It brought tears to my eyes to watch on television, the 19-22 year old kids march into the Gaza strip, into the horror of face to face battle. My father did that, I did it, and to think my two sons will have to do it too ... Israel is the best country in the world, but we pay a heavy price for the wonderful life we have here."

He added, " I have a neighbor ... Her son, 20, is a sergeant in one of the of the Elite IDF units. One hour ago, I passed by her house and I saw her crying on the street with another neighbor. I asked her what happened. She said to me, 'My son just called me and said, 'Mommy, I love you, and my cell phone will be off in the next few days,' and then he hanged up.'"

The writer of the e-mail concluded, "(My neighbor) will not sleep tonight. I think about 8,000 moms and dads (who) will not sleep tonight. Pray for our kids in the front lines."

[nChrist]

Gaza Church Damaged in Israeli Air Strike
Baptist Press Staff


January 7, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) --An Israeli air strike at Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip seriously damaged Gaza Baptist Church on New Year's Day. The Israeli offensive -- launched Dec. 27 after a week in which more than 200 rockets struck southern Israel from the Gaza Strip -- illustrates the failure of the "land for peace" strategy in the Middle East, say two Israeli commentators. A leading Southern Baptist observer called the situation a "human tragedy" and "squandered opportunity."

Windows were blown out at Gaza Baptist Church when Israeli aircraft attacked a police station across the street, according to a report from the BosNews service. In 2007, the six-story church was commandeered by fighters with the Palestinian Fatah faction as a lookout station during the civil war in Gaza between Fatah and Hamas.

More specific information on the building and church members is not yet available. The church's pastor, Hanna Massad, was forced to flee Gaza after the Hamas takeover. Another Baptist leader in Gaza, bookstore owner Rami Ayyad, was kidnapped and murdered in October 2007.

Israel followed several days of aerial bombardment on Hamas target with a ground invasion Jan. 2, cutting the Gaza Strip in half and digging in around Gaza City. The Israeli offensive has focused on gaining control of high-rise buildings outside Gaza City and destroying buildings that serve as Hamas command centers or weapons caches, according to news reports out of the region. Israel also has attacked tunnels in southern Gaza used to smuggle weapons.

While Gaza health officials said the death toll of 537 included at least 200 civilians, Israeli officials have countered that civilian deaths are inevitable when Hamas military sites and operations are based in urban areas.

"If Hamas chose cynically to use those civilians as human shields, then Hamas should be accountable," Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich told the Associated Press. "Civilians will probably continue to get killed, unfortunately, because Hamas put them in the first lines of fire."

Middle East commentator Daniel Pipes said the "land for peace" concept that has driven Middle East peace proposals since 1993 is in jeopardy.

A Dec. 31 column at danielpipes.org quoted former Israeli general Yaakov Amidror as saying, "The historical lesson ... proves that with every concession, every territory we leave is used for attacks against us." Hamas rockets can now reach as many as 1 million Israelis and Israeli intelligence now believes Lebanon's Hezbollah militias have rockets that can strike Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city, Pipes said.

The Hamas fighters in Gaza, like the Hezbollah militias in Lebanon, are proxies of Iran's government, which has declared its intention of destroying the state of Israel, said author David Dolan.

"Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, called upon Muslims everywhere to rise up and defend the Arab residents of Gaza 'in any way possible,'" Dolan wrote in a Dec. 29 column at ddolan.com. "Iranian volunteers are already being recruited to join the battle on the ground. This comes as several Islamic clerics around the world declared the situation a 'jihad' that obligates all Muslims to come to the aid of Hamas."

Dolan noted that, while Israel tries to avoid civilian casualties, Hamas deliberately targets civilians with its rocket attacks. Dolan quoted Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak telling an emergency session of the Israeli parliament that Israel was engaged in "all out war" with Hamas and its radical Islamic allies.

"I want to remind the world that Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip more than three years ago," Barak told the lawmakers. "We gave a chance for a new reality and all we've seen in return is the Hamas government firing rockets and missiles on our citizens and carrying out attacks against Israel."

"The situation in Gaza is a human tragedy," said Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "Hamas could have used the opportunity provided by Israel's withdrawal in 2005 to begin to construct a real Palestinian state by providing basic services to its people and building desperately needed roads and infrastructure. Instead, Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to the annihilation of the Israeli state, chose to squander that historic opportunity by committing the meager resources of the Palestinian people to turning the Gaza strip into a terrorist base and a launching pad for thousands of rockets aimed deliberately at the civilian population of southern Israel.

"Instead of attempting to protect and serve their civilian population, Hamas deliberately uses Palestinian civilians as shields in an attempt to deter Israeli military action against rocket factories and launching sites," Land added. "One has to ask, what other country in the world would have waited as long as Israel has to respond in force to such murderous acts against its civilian population? It may be that it is even more important for the Palestinians' future than the Israelis' that Israel defeat Hamas, thus providing a more hopeful, peaceful and positive future for both Palestinians and Israelis. We should all pray that the 'peace of Jerusalem' should come sooner, rather than later to the Holy Land."

President-elect Barack H. Obama has yet to comment on the crisis, sticking to his previous statements that America has only one president at a time. An Obama aide told Reuters Jan. 4, "During this transition period, we are not engaging in any action that could send confusing signals to the world about who speaks on behalf of the United States."

But during the Democratic primary and the general election campaign Obama and Hillary Clinton -- now his secretary of state-designate -- made multiple comments that were viewed mostly as pro-Israel.

Asked at a press conference in July about the tension between Israel and Hamas concerning Gaza, Obama said, "I don't think any country would find it acceptable to have missiles raining down on the heads of their citizens.

"If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that," he said. "And I would expect Israelis to do the same thing. In terms of negotiations with Hamas, it is very hard to negotiate with a group that is not representative of a nation state, does not recognize your right to exist, has consistently used terror as a weapon, and is deeply influenced by other countries."