RELIGION TODAY

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Iran: Christian Women Arrested on False Charges
Michael Ireland


April 6, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) -- Iranian security forces have detained two Christian women for practicing Christianity. Iranian officials allege that Marzieh Amairizadeh Esmaeilabad and Maryam Rustampoor are 'anti-government activists.'

International Christian Concern (ICC) says it learned that on March 5, 2009, according to the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), Iranian authorities searched the apartment shared by the two women and confiscated their personal belongings before they arrested and took the Christians to Police and Security Station 137 in Gaysha, west of Tehran.

ICC says: "After appearing before the Revolutionary Court on March 18, the women were sent to the notorious Evin prison. Iranian officials told the Christian women to post bail at a staggering amount of $400,000 in order to be released from the prison."

ICC says the FCNN reports: "Both women are allowed just a one minute telephone call every day to their immediate families. Both are unwell and in need of urgent medical attention. During their last call on March 28 Marzieh said that she was suffering from an infection and high fever. She said 'I am dying'."

Iranian officials have dramatically increased their persecution of Christians following the conversion of a large number of Muslims to Christianity. Last year alone, 50 Christians were arrested for practicing their faith, some of whom were tortured. There have also been reports that Christians died due to the torture they were forced to endure during the crackdown.

ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho, stated that: "Iran's persecution of Christian minorities violates the fundamental freedom of its citizens to worship freely. The international community has obligations to speak up for the rights of the persecuted Iranian Christians. We call upon Iranian officials to stop mistreating Marzieh and Maryam and release them from prison."

Please pray for God to give strength and comfort to the detained Christian sisters. Also pray for their safe release.

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Bangladesh: Muslim Protests Stall Church Construction
Aenon Shalom


April 7, 2009

DHAKA, Bangladesh (Compass Direct News) -- Bangladeshi authorities called a five-month halt to construction of a church in northern Bangladesh, for fear of huge conversions. Authorities have said they will approve renewed construction soon.

Forkan Al Mashi, 55, a pastor of Calvary Ishai Fellowship, started building a church in early November 2008 in Palashbari Mondol Para in Kurigram district, 350 kilometers (218 miles) north of the capital city, Dhaka.

Mashi told Compass that, at the urging of local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, more than 100 Muslims gathered in a mosque on Nov. 7 to protest the church construction.

The villagers wanted to demolish the building, in which four pillars and the floor were completed. Mashi informed police when he heard of these plans.

"I informed police and instantly two platoons of police, around 25 in number, were deployed near the under-construction church building," Mashi said. "Some of the police also went to the mosque to persuade the Muslims not to demolish the pillars and the floor of the under-construction church building."

A police official told Compass that Muslims were concerned about huge conversions from Islam to Christianity if the church was built.

"The construction work of the church has been stopped by the protest of the local Muslims. Local people said, 'Why should there be a church in the predominantly Muslim area?'" the official said. "This church is the first church in this area. Local people protested because they thought there would be huge conversion in this area from Islam to Christianity, and the church would be the center."

A district official told Compass that construction would resume soon.

"Christians in this country have the right to practice their religion as well as the right to build churches," the official said. "I think the permission of constructing the church will be given soon from the city council. If anybody actively obstructs the construction of the church, we will protect it."

Administrative maneuvering

After Muslims protested construction of the church, the mayor halted construction. Generally city dwellers need building plans and permission from the city council to build a house.

"The local Muslims fired all the cylinders of the society to stop building a church in this vicinity. They want me not to work for the expansion of the Kingdom of God here. They persuaded the city council authority to stop [construction of] the church," Mashi said. "The mayor of the city council told me that I did not have any building plan and permission from them to build a house here, so I should stop the construction work."

One city council commissioner told Mashi that he did not need permission to construct his small, one-room church building.

Mashi wrote a letter to the district administrative chief to ask permission to resume church construction.

"A few days ago, the mayor assured me that he would give the plan and permission of the building and I can resume its construction," Mashi said.

Mashi said the mayor also told him there was pressure from the government to resume construction soon.

Pastor Mashi threatened

A few days before the construction of the church, a local student leader of the ruling Awami League Party warned Mashi not to build the church.

"If you want to be 'alive and live here,' do not build any church in this neighborhood," Mashi said in quoting the leader.

Mashi, who grew up Muslim, became a Christian in 1984. There are 60 registered members of his church.

"We have been worshiping Christ for 12 years in our house covertly, sometimes on the roof," he said.

The district administrative chief has previously provided police protection to the church for its Christmas and Easter services, Mashi said.

Bangladesh's constitution supports religious freedom.

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Azerbaijan Police Deny Raid on Private Religious Meeting Part 1
Jeremy Reynalds


April 8, 2009

AZERBAIJAN (ANS) -- Police in the central town of Agdash, near Göycay in Azerbaijan, have refused to explain why eight officials, including their officers, raided a peaceful religious meeting in a private home.

Azerbaijan is located in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range.

A story by Felix Corley for the Forum 18 News Service reported that the police declined to discuss the March 25 raid with the news organization, while the head of the Department for Communications with the Public at the National Security Ministry secret police in the capital Baku, Arif Babaev, denied that his ministry had been involved.

"We never engage in such acts," he told Forum 18. "We don't carry out such operations -- this is false information." Told that local press reports quoted the local police as declaring that ministry officers were also involved in a "joint operation,"he repeated his denial.

Babaev also denied that his ministry is involved in the refusal to allow the Abu Bekr Mosque in Baku to reopen. "It is not within our competence to open or close mosques," he claimed.

Others remain skeptical about the ministry's blanket denial of involvement in these two cases and other religious freedom restrictions. "Their work is in secret -- they never say when they are involved in activity against religious organizations," one commentator who asked not to be identified told Forum 18.

As is their practice, officials at the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations refused to speak to Forum 18. Yagut Alieva, the Committee spokesperson, repeatedly hung the phone up when Forum 18 called. The office of the State Committee representative covering the Sheki-Shirvan region, which includes Agdash, also terminated a telephone call when a reporter from Forum 18 introduced himself.

On the afternoon of March 25, eight men raided the Agdash home of long-standing Baptist Vera Zhuchaeva, who is in her seventies. Church members told Forum 18 that the seven officers were accompanied by the local official of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (the only one to identify himself). Accompanying the eight were two cameramen.

The Baptists told Forum 18 that officers insulted them for their faith. During the raid, one of the police officers told them, "We have long been after you and now we've caught you!"

Baptists claimed that parents had been invited to send their children to Zhuchaeva's home to listen to Bible stories over the Novruz spring festival holiday. They said the 12 children were all there with their parents' specific permission.

"The police came in and put all the children in one room," Lilia Hudaverdieva, a visiting member of the Baptist congregation in Baku, told Forum 18. "A police officer, the State Committee official and a teacher questioned the children without allowing the parents to be present, even though some of the children were crying and parents in the homes round about could hear them. They refused to allow the parents to collect their children."

Only once they had written down all the children's names did they allow their parents to take them away.

Forum 18 reported that police confiscated 508 books and 40 film recordings, as well as a player for the recordings. Baptists insisted there was nothing illegal among the books and films -- they pointed out that many were Hollywood films on Biblical themes.

Forum 18 said that Hudaverdieva and two other visitors from the Baku congregation, Sara Babaeva and Ofelia Yakulova, were taken to the police station. There they were questioned for four hours, and their identity documents were seized.

Hudaverdieva said police asked them "provocative" questions, but that she and her friends "told them the exact truth." She said they were not released until midnight.

The three were told to return the following day to the police station to collect their documents. The police took them to the Prosecutor's Office next door, where they were again insulted for their faith and fined.

Agdash District Prosecutor Munis Abuzarli told Forum 18 from the town that the three were found guilty of violating Article 299 of the Code of Administrative Offences for "illegally spreading Christianity and other faiths." He said each was fined 10 Manats (or 12 U.S. Dollars).

Asked how the three Baptists had violated the law, Abuzarli complained that they taught religion to children.

"You can't attract children to religious activity," he told Forum 18. Asked why the women had committed an offence, given that the children were present with the specific permission of their parents, he responded, "The law regards this as an offence. If they committed this offence they should be fined in accordance with the law."

Hudaverdieva complained that because banks were not open over the Novruz holiday, police told the three women that they had to hand over the fines to them in cash.

"We were given no documents about being fined or any receipt when we paid," she told Forum 18.

She also complained about how the Agdash police presented information about the Baptists' activity to the local media. The raid was shown several times on television, including on the private ATV channel's evening news broadcast on March 27.

Forum 18 said a report also appeared on the website of the Azeri Press Agency (APA) on March 26 (widely picked up by other news outlets), which said the raid had been a "joint operation" of the Agdash District Police and the Agdash District Ministry of National Security.

Included in the APA report were the ages and full home addresses of Zhuchaeva and the three women from Baku. "This was very unfortunate," Hudaverdieva told Forum 18.

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Azerbaijan Police Deny Raid on Private Religious Meeting Part 2
Jeremy Reynalds

The General Secretary of Azerbaijan's Baptist Union, Elnur Jabiev, went further. "This is dangerous," he told Forum 18.

He added, "Nationalists will know their addresses. The police should not have given journalists this information."

Forum 18 said given the refusal of Agdash Police to discuss the raid with the news service, it remains unclear whether this was done deliberately to intimidate the Baptists even further. The authorities have often used journalists to intimidate members of religious minorities, including children.

Hudaverdieva faced further problems when she returned to work after Novruz. She told Forum 18 that the National Security Ministry had informed the parent company of the state-owned firm where she works about her activity in Agdash and the administrative penalty. She said the parent company had contacted her boss, telling him that the company could not have employees who behave in this way.

"I was threatened with losing my job," she told Forum 18. "But my own boss is good and I was able to explain to him that this was all slander and tell him what actually happened. I told him I'm no criminal."

Ilya Zenchenko, the head of the Baptist Union, told Forum 18 that leaders from the Baku Baptist church will continue to visit church members in their branch congregation in Agdash.

More Raids on Jehovah's Witnesses

The authorities in various parts of Azerbaijan have also frequently raided Jehovah's Witness meetings in recent months.

Forum 18 reported that on the afternoon of Feb. 22, in the Garachakhuri district of Baku, some 20 people had gathered in the home of Gyulsira Akchurina, on the ninth floor of an apartment complex.

About ten police officers came up and started to knock at the door, demanding that it be opened, Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum 18. When this did not happen, the police, from the hallway outside the apartment, turned off the electricity and gas in the apartment. After two hours the policemen went down one floor and waited there.

In the early evening, when the meeting was over, those present left the apartment together. However, the police were waiting for them on the next floor down. They detained and questioned the group for half an hour, after which they were released.

When Akchurina and Rashida Ismaylova returned to the apartment complex half an hour later, about seven police officers detained them on the fifth floor.

"These policemen, some of whom were in a state of intoxication, behaved very rudely, pushed the women and insulted them," Jehovah's Witnesses complained.

One of the officers told the two women he was a representative of the Migration Service. He said the police were there because they had information that foreigners attend these meetings.

The following morning, Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum 18, police arrived at the place of work of Rinat Sadigov, who is not a Jehovah's Witness but whose mother Tamilla Sadigova attended the meeting the previous day. The police took Sadigov, as well as his manager, away to a police station, where he was "insulted and hit in the face. The police told Sadigov that he should invite his mother and brother to the police station.

Forum 18 said also during the questioning he was asked whether he knew Mushfig Mammedov. Mammedov is a conscientious objector whose case has been filed with the ECHR. Sadigov was not freed until late afternoon.

On Jan. 29 police raided a Jehovah's Witness meeting elsewhere in Baku, eleven days after a Jehovah's Witness meeting in the village of Sevinj near Gyanja was raided.

Continued Closure of Mosque

Meanwhile, members of the Abu Bekr mosque in Baku's Narimanov District are struggling to try to get the mosque reopened. It was closed by the authorities in the wake of a grenade attack in Aug. 2008 which left several members of the community dead and others injured. Police, the National Security Ministry and the State Committee have said the others ordered it closed..

Forum 18 reported that the mosque community's lawyer, Javanshir Suleymanov, says that the investigation into the attack is long over, so no obstacle to reopening the mosque should remain.

"It should be allowed to reopen now," he told Forum 18. "They said that it could reopen once the investigation is over, and the National Security Ministry confirmed at the beginning of March that it is indeed over. But a police car and a police post guard the mosque round the clock and it cannot reopen."

Suleymanov said the community filed its final appeal to the Supreme Court on March 30 over the authorities' refusal to allow it to reopen.

On Feb. 19, Baku's Appeal Court had rejected the community's appeal against a Narimanov District Court decision that the community cannot challenge the closure order. He pledged that if the community loses at the Supreme Court it will take its case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Officials who answered the phones of Muradali Babaev, the police chief of the Narimanov District, and his deputy Alekper Ismailov told Forum 18 each time that neither was there. The duty officer declined comment.

Constitutional Changes to Crack Down on "Harmful" Religious Groups

Forum 18 said amid the Constitutional changes put to a referendum on March 18 were several that touched on religion. Article 18 Part 2 of the Constitution was amended with the addition of "religious tendencies" and now reads, "Banned is the spread and propaganda of religions (religious tendencies) degrading the worth of the individual and contradicting the principles of humanity."

A new Part 5 was added to Article 48, reading "No one may be forced to express (demonstrate) their religious faith and religious convictions, carry out religious rites or take part in them". The Central Election Commission in Baku claims that both of these amendments were backed by more than 87 percent of those who took part in the referendum, according to its website.

Forum 18 said that in the run-up to the referendum, state officials claimed these changes would protect religious freedom and would make it easier to crack down on "harmful" religious groups. Elchin Askerov, the deputy head of the State Committee, told the Day.az news agency that the amendments would "prevent the activity of destructive so-called religious groups."

He did not explain which groups he believes are "harmful," nor how he believes these Constitutional amendments will be used in practice.

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China: Pastor Arrested Again, Property Confiscated
Michael Ireland


April 9, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA (ANS) -- A leading Chinese Christian human rights organization says a prominent House Church leader has been re-arrested, and that another Chinese believer will stand trial this week.

ChinaAid says in two media releases made available to the Press, that at 6 a.m. on March 21, more than a dozen police officers arrested and interrogated Pastor "Bike" Zhang Mingxuan, head of the more than 250,000-member Chinese House Church Alliance.

ChinaAid says officers confiscated three cell phones, bank cards and more than 150,000 yuan from one of the accounts, before forcefully searching him and threatening him with death.

In its media release, ChinaAid says: "Three hours later, Beijing authorities turned Pastor Bike over to three police officers from Pastor Bike's hometown in Nanyang city, Henan province. Police then escorted Pastor Bike back to Nanyang by train, and where he was questioned by local police. Beijing authorities later returned the bank cards and cell phones, but kept the 150,000 yuan."

The following is Pastor Bike's statement regarding the arrest and the events leading up to the arrest, made available to Western media:

Complaints by Pastor Bike Zhang: Illegally Arrested and Property Confiscated by Beijing PSB

"I (Pastor Bike Zhang Mingxuan) was informed about the apartment contract dispute case by Chaoyang District Court, Beijing [Pastor Bike and his family were illegally forced from their apartment in October 2008 by the apartment owner who was being pressured from government authorities.]. We (my younger son and friends) arrived at Yanjiao town, Hebei province at 10 p.m. on March 16, 2009.

"At 8:00 a.m. on the 17th, Beijing PSB officer Jianfeng Liang, who arrested me before the Olympic Games, called and wanted to have a friendly visit with me. I knew he was pretending. He insisted that he needed to see me that day. We met in a restaurant in Beiguan, Tongzhou at noon.

"From March 17 to 19, we stayed in Yanjiao town, Hebei. On March 20, I was at Brother Wu's home to baptize his sister-in-law. Due to the lateness of the hour [when the baptism was over] and the heavy traffic, I decided to stay at Brother Wu's home that night.

"At 6 a.m. on March 21, more than a dozen policemen and local leaders arrived from Yongle town, Tongzhou district. They pulled up in three cars and stopped by Wu's house. They arrested and interrogated me, and confiscated my three cell phones and bank cards. They harshly interrogated me, and forced me to their office in Yongle town. The plainclothes officers did not show their IDs. They searched me all over my body. They abused me and threatened to kill me. They forcibly confiscated my three mobile phones and bank cards (a Communication Bank card; a Pacific Bank Card which had 150,000 yuan in deposits). They said they were temporarily seizing it. At 9 a.m., they told me that my friends from my hometown wanted to see me. I met three policemen who came from Nanyang city in Henan Province. They had already arrived at Beijing on the 20th. Beijing authorities handed me over to the three policemen. At that time I responded to them. The PSB of Beijing had already premeditated to attack me through Officer Jianfeng Liang.

"The three policemen and I rode back to Nanyang by train (number k183). We arrived at Nanyang city at 6:00 am. They arranged for me to stay at Wenqun hotel. A PSB officer asked about all my travels over the past days, and told me the reason they wanted to know is because Beijing officers requested the information. I was released at 5:00pm. They returned my cell phones and my blank bank cards. They said the debit card (which had 150,000 Yuan deposits) was being held by the PSB of Beijing."

Pastor Bike states: "I am not against the law as a citizen.

"The police arrested me and detained my property illegally. They deprived me of my human rights as a citizen, freedom and right of residence. They arrested me several times during the Olympic Games. They beat my son. After the Olympic Games, they promised to allow my family to live in Beijing, but they lied. This is arbitrary deprivation of civil rights. I implore people of conscience in the international community, as well as Christians worldwide to pray for the Chinese public security authorities in Beijing, that they would realize their offense. Please pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would change their hearts, that they would stop persecuting house churches. Pray for the revival of China in true faith, and for the reality of harmonious policy by the Central Government."

Concerned Christians may contact the following government authorities, and request the funds from Pastor Bike's bank account be returned immediately and the persecution of house church members cease.

Meanwhile, in another high-profile case, ChinaAid says that Shi Weihan, who has been in prison since March 19, 2008 for printing and distributing Christian books and Bibles without government permission, will stand trial at the People's Court of Haidan District, Beijing on April 9 at 9 a.m. local time.

In its media release on this case, ChinaAid says: "Over the past months, several scheduled court appearances have been postponed. Shi Weihan's official charge is for 'illegal business practices,' however, a judge has held, at least twice, that there is not sufficient evidence to convict him on this charge. Nevertheless, police have continued to hold Shi Weihan in order collect additional evidence to gain a conviction."

ChinaAid reports that sources report that Shi Weihan did sign a confession stating that he had printed books and Bibles without government permission, but that they had been given away as gifts, not sold. Therefore, his actions did not constitute "illegal business practices."

According to ChinaAid sources, in the confession Shi Weihan stated that his reason for printing the books was that many churches and Christians lacked Bibles and Christian literature, which made them vulnerable to cults. Sources say Shi Weihan also stated that he had observed the change that occurred wherever the books and Bibles were available; how people's lives were transformed and that they became better citizens. Because of that, Shi Weihan maintained that what he had done was with honorable motives and was also good for China.

ChinaAid sources reported, "Shi's character and good influence on the other prisoners has apparently been noted by prison officials, and he reportedly has had some favor in that setting, although the conditions have been difficult and his health has suffered. ... pray that ... the judge recognizes what the officials in the prison have [recognized] -- that Shi Weihan is a man of great mercy and compassion, that he is a blessing to China ...."

Currently, Shi Weihan's wife is bearing much of the burden for the family. According to friends, her main concern is caring for their two daughters and continuing the house church work. Authorities continue to pressure the family. ChinaAid calls all Christians and concerned individuals in the international community to speak out on behalf of Shi Weihan and request his immediate release.

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Vermont Experiences 'Quiet Revival'
Terry Dorsett


April 10, 2009

EDITOR'S NOTE: Terry Dorsett serves as director of the Green Mountain Baptist Association. This column tells the story of the spread of evangelicalism in Vermont, where "gay marriage" was legalized Tuesday.

BARRE, Vt. (BP) -- I arrived in Vermont on a snowy afternoon in November 1993. I had left a church of over 900 members to become the pastor of a small mission church in a Vermont village of less than 1000 residents.

I had never lived in a rural setting nor did I know much about being a missionary. The church I served had less than 40 people on Sunday mornings and few of the other evangelical churches I encountered in nearby towns had many more than that. I found myself immersed in a completely different culture, but over the years I have grown to love my adopted state and am now so immersed in its culture and people that it is hard to think about living anywhere else.

Our little state has seen significant changes in the past 15 years. We finally have a Wal-Mart -- actually, we have four, spread strategically across the state. And though we are still a very rural state, cell phone service touches most areas, and cable TV has brought the "world" to Vermont.

The size of the evangelical Christian community is still small, but growing rapidly. I like to call it the "quiet revival." The Green Mountain Baptist Association, which is the Southern Baptist affiliate in Vermont, reports that it has grown from 17 churches to 37 churches in the past eight years alone. Records indicate that in 1999 less than 600 people worshipped in a Vermont Southern Baptist church on a typical Sunday. In 2008 that number had grown to nearly 1900.

Vermont was the last state to have a Southern Baptist presence, with the first church started in 1963. It took a long time for the fledging movement to take hold in Vermont, but now it is one of the fastest growing evangelical groups in the state. The Evangelical Free, the Assemblies of God, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance are also experiencing growth. One Christian and Missionary Alliance church in the Burlington area regularly has over 1,000 people in worship on Sundays. While that may be normal in other parts of the country, it is unheard of in Vermont, which was recently dubbed the "least religious state in America" in a January 2009 Gallup Poll.

Regrettably, even with all this growth in the evangelical church, that same Gallup poll revealed that 58 percent of Vermonters still don't think of religion as being very important in their lives. That affects their decisions and the lifestyle choices they make. Nine years ago Vermont was the first state to allow same-sex civil unions. Though evangelical Christians opposed it loudly, they were unable to stop the liberal political machine from steam rolling over their objections. Then, on Tuesday, our legislators passed a bill legalizing "gay marriage." (The bill takes effect Sept. 1.)

There are times when those of us who are leaders in the evangelical Christian community become discouraged with the smallness of our numbers and the way that the mainstream liberal media marginalizes our efforts. But then we are reminded that the battle is not fought in the courtrooms or in the statehouse, but in the hearts of men and women who are in need of Jesus. I have personally witnessed the spiritual transformation of several homosexuals who are now living free from that emotional addiction. They were drawn to one of our Southern Baptist churches because the people in that church showed concern for them. Though that congregation did not agree with the homosexual lifestyle, it did agree that everyone needs a chance to be transformed through faith in Christ.

Through building relationships, Christians in that church were able to share the Gospel with their homosexual friends one on one. The result was a conversion from sin and a transformation away from an unhealthy lifestyle. For these former homosexuals, the spiritual war has been won, and the victory belongs to the Lord.

Few people outside Vermont have any idea of how the church is growing in our small state. Even many Vermonters don't realize just how rapid the growth of evangelicalism is escalating. At only 1.8 percent of population, evangelicals may indeed lose a few more battles before our numbers are enough that people begin to notice. But in the end, we'll win the spiritual war for the hearts and souls of our friends and neighbors, for we offer to them the only Hope that can change their lives.

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Religion Today Summaries - Mar. 30, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Snow Hampering Dakota Flooding Relief
    * Christians in Turkey May Appeal Fine for 'Illegal' Funds
    * Somali Refugees Continues Spilling into Kenya
    * Vatican Expresses 'Profound Concern' for Gaza Christians

Snow Hampering Dakota Flooding Relief

Baptist Press reports that weather hampered volunteer efforts to fill and place millions of sandbags meant to stop the Red River from flooding residential North Dakota. "A big problem is the weather in the Midwest," Karl Ragan, manager of the North American Mission Board's disaster operations center. Response teams have faced massive snowstorms en route, and cold temperatures may disable kitchen and shower units. As of Friday, the river was expected to crest at 42 feet, exceeding earlier predictions and breaching the sandbag dike in some areas. Disaster relief specialists from Operation Blessing International and the Salvation Army are already on hand, and plan to bring in heavy equipment to clear debris once the waters retreat. The operation has drawn more than 110,000 volunteers to help residents of Fargo and neighboring areas sandbag their towns and homes.

Christians in Turkey May Appeal Fine for 'Illegal' Funds

Fearing that the sentencing of two Turkish Christians for "illegal collection of funds" would set a crippling precedent, their lawyer plans to take the case to a European court. Compass Direct News reports that Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal each paid the fine of 600 Turkish lira (US$360) to a civil court in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul yesterday. The verdict cannot be appealed within the Turkish legal system, but their lawyer said he is considering taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights. The ruling refers to the men receiving church offerings without official permission from local civil authorities. Nearly all Protestant fellowships in Turkey are registered as associations, with very few having status as a recognized religious body. Thus, strict application of the law would limit the scope of churches collecting funds, providing an excuse for authorities to harass them.

Somali Refugees Continues Spilling into Kenya

Reuters reports that more than 250,000 Somali refugees live in three giant camps in Kenya, and 100,000 more are expected to arrive before the year's end. Relief group Oxfam warned the camps in Dadaab, Kenya, constitute "a serious public health crisis caused by a lack of basic services, severe overcrowding and a chronic lack of funding". The group has already confirmed 20 recent cases of cholera, and says the disease will spread unless drastic measures are taken. "Conditions in Dadaab are dire and need immediate attention. People are not getting the aid they are entitled to," said Philippa Crosland-Taylor, head of Oxfam GB in Kenya. Many of the refugees have fled Somalia as al Shabaab, a pro-al Qaeda Islamist insurgent group, increases its efforts against the country's fledgling government.

Vatican Expresses 'Profound Concern' for Gaza Christians

Christian Today reports that the Vatican fears "the cradle of Christianity risks ending up without Christians," as Christians in the Gaza Strip are not well-loved by either side in the conflict. In a letter Wednesday, the Vatican wrote, "The wounds opened by violence make the problem of emigration more acute, inexorably depriving the Christian minority of its best resources for the future." The area also faces a humanitarian emergency. The most recent fighting left thousands without shelter, food or water, according to aid agencies and the United Nations. During the conflict in Gaza, which broke out last December and spilled into January, over 1,330 Palestinians were killed and 5,400 were injured, according to Israel's reports.

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Religion Today Summaries - Mar. 31, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Critics Blast U.N. Panel Religious Vote
    * Fargo Spends Day in Church and Fighting off Floods
    * Muslim-Majority Morocco Expels 5 Missionaries
    * London City Employee Suspended for Mentioning God

Critics Blast U.N. Panel Religious Vote

Baptist Press reports that the United Nations Human Rights Council approved a resolution March 26 condemning the "defaming of religion." Opponents argued that the resolution actually violates religious freedom. Only 23 members of the 47-member body supported the resolution, with 13 abstentions allowing it to pass. The resolution, which cites only Islam as a religion that has been defamed, calls for countries to protect "against acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation of religions and incitement to religious hatred in general." Pakistan introduced the measure on behalf of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). "While the resolution is not binding on U.N. member nations, it provides cover for groups who want to silence criticism of their religion," said Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC).

Fargo Spends Day in Church and Fighting off Floods

The Associated Press reports that efforts to save the town of Fargo took a different direction Sunday, as residents packed churches to pray. The Red River had dropped to 40 feet Sunday after cresting the day before, but snow storms and ice jams continue to complicate recovery and safety measures. "At a time like this, we need to call on God's providential assistance," said pastor Bob Ona of Fargo's First Assembly of God church. "All of you have been heroic in your efforts. All of you have been pushed past the wall of weariness, exhaustion and numerous frustrations in order to do the right thing -- help people in the name of the Lord." Residents fear storm winds and fluctuating water levels may still breach the sandbag levees built by thousands of volunteers. North Dakota has more than 2,400 National Guard troops engaged in the flood fight across the state.

Muslim-Majority Morocco Expels 5 Missionaries

The Christian Post reports that Muslim country of Morocco has expelled five Christian missionaries for proselytizing Muslims. The Interior Ministry reported that the five women, four from Spain and one from Germany, were attempting to convert Muslims "illegally." They were deported Saturday after officials surprised them in a meeting with Moroccan Muslims. "Numerous pieces of evangelical propaganda material were also seized," including video cassettes in Arabic that encourage conversion to Christianity, a ministry statement said. Though the vast majority of Moroccans are Sunni Muslim, the country has typically allowed Christians and Jews to practice in their own churches and synagogues.

London City Employee Suspended for Mentioning God

ASSIST News Service reports that an employee of a London, England, borough council has been suspended from work for nearly two months for encouraging a homeless woman to turn to God. According to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), Duke Amachree, (53) a Homelessness Prevention officer with Wandsworth Council, who has worked for the local authority for almost 18 years, was suspended on January 28 for discussing his faith with a client. He was told in an investigatory interview on March 17 that he should not raise the issue of religion at work. According to Michael Phillips of the CLC, Amachree was trying to encourage a client who was being forced to move from her home and also had an incurable illness, suggesting that she "put her trust in God." The woman filed the complaint leading to his suspension.

[nChrist]

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

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

In today's edition:

    * Fargo, Moorhead Fare Better Than Expected -- So Far
    * U.S. Finally Names Religious Freedom Violators
    * Churches Adjust to Challenging Times; Do More Good
    * Rights Group Urges India to Rework Response to Violence

Fargo, Moorhead Fare Better Than Expected -- So Far

Baptist Press reports that city officials and residents of the twin cities of Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., were relieved that the Red River crested at just below 41 feet March 28. But they're still holding their breath, and watching for the effects of a snowstorm that lasted through Tuesday morning. "The authorities predicted levels that were higher than they turned out to be, so that was very good news. The levels did not stay at their extreme height as long as people thought they might," said Durward Garrett, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Fargo. To help those forced from their homes, the disaster relief arm of the Southern Baptist Convention is preparing about several thousand hot meals a day. Convoy of Hope planned to arrive Tuesday with a total of 40,000 pounds in disaster supplies - including water, food and cleaning supplies - to be dispersed as soon as weather allows.

U.S. Finally Names Religious Freedom Violators

Associated Press reports that the Bush administration's final list of severe violators of religious freedom has finally been made public, but makes virtually no changes recommended by an independent panel. The list, signed by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the Bush administration's last working day, re-designated Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea and Sudan as "countries of particular concern." The document, however, waived potential sanctions for Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) received the list last week, but found that their recommended additions of Iraq, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam were ignored. The document also waived sanctions on Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. The list had not been updated in 26 month until Rice signed it in January.

Churches Adjust to Challenging Times; Do More Good

The Christian Post reports that more people are looking to churches for physical help in the economic crisis. According to a new survey by LifeWay Research, 62 percent of churches have received more requests from people outside their congregations for financial assistance in the last year than in previous years. More than one third of those churches are increasing their spending to help people cope with financial difficulties, and 31 percent are developing new ministries to reach those people. "When times are tough, the church can be at its best -- being, doing and telling the good news of the Gospel," said Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, in the report. But pastors must still rework how their churches operate; more than half of pastors surveyed said the economy has had some negative impact on their churches.

Rights Group Urges India to Rework Response to Violence

ASSIST News Service reports that after a year of the most severe anti-Christian violence seen in post-independence India, a Christian human rights group has published a briefing on the situation. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) especially urged he government of India to implement the 2008 recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to India. CSW also highlights the need to tackle impunity in religiously-motivated violence and to investigate extremist groups involved in the propagation of violence. There is also a need to allow Dalit Christians and Muslims to list as "scheduled castes," which would ensure that violence against them may be litigated more effectively. Finally, CSW encouraged repealing state anti-conversion laws. "We strongly encourage the Indian government to tackle these concerns with a firm resolve," the group said in a statement.

[nChrist]

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

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

In today's edition:

    * Three Iranian Converts Told to Stop 'Christian Activities'
    * US Reporters Face North Korea Trial
    * 'Islamopalian' Priest Removed from Ministry
    * U.S. Plans to Join U.N. Human Rights Council

Three Iranian Converts Ordered to Stop 'Christian Activities'

Declaring three Iranian Christians guilty of cooperating with "anti-government movements," a court in Shiraz on March 10 ordered the converts to discontinue Christian activities and stop propagating their faith, Compass Direct News reports. An Islamic Revolutionary Court judge handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence with a five-year probation to Seyed Allaedin Hussein, Homayoon Shokouhi, and Seyed Amir Hussein Bob-Annari. The judge said he would enforce their prison sentence and try them as "apostates," or those who leave Islam, if they violate terms of their probation -- including a ban on contacting one another. A new penal code under consideration by the Iranian Parliament includes a bill that would require the death penalty for apostasy. "The warning that they will be 'arrested and tried as apostates' if they continue their Christian activities is quite chilling," said a regional analyst who requested anonymity.

US Reporters Face North Korea Trial

ASSIST News Service reports that two U.S. reporters held in North Korea earlier this month will be tried for illegal entry and "hostile acts," the country's state-run news agency says. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said preparations were under way for indictments and a trial. Euna Lee and Laura Ling were detained on March 17 on North Korea's border with China. The journalists had traveled to China to report on North Korean refugees in northeastern China, according to Chun Ki Won, a Christian pastor in Seoul who helped arrange their trip, and Lee Hark Joon, a reporter with The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's leading daily, who met them in Seoul. South Korean television station YTN and unnamed diplomatic sources said that North Korean guards crossed the Tumen river into Chinese territory to arrest the journalists. Pyongyang says the reporters crossed its border illegally.

'Islamopalian' Priest Removed from Ministry

The Institute on Religion and Democracy reports that a controversial priest who claimed both Muslim and Christian faith was permanently removed from ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church Wednesday. The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding of Seattle made her profession of faith in Islam in March 2006 and insisted that her new beliefs did not conflict with Christianity. Redding had been under an inhibition from ministry since the summer of 2007 at the direction of Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island. The Episcopal Church has recently been forced to address a similar controversy with the election of the Rev. Kevin Thew Forrester to be bishop of Northern Michigan. Thew Forrester has received a Zen Buddhist lay ordination. "Releasing Redding from her vows and concluding her ordained ministry within the Episcopal Church was the only way to resolve the situation due to her intractable position that she was both a Muslim and a Christian," said Jeff Walton of the Institute on Religion & Democracy.

U.S. Plans to Join U.N. Human Rights Council

The Christian Post reports that the Obama administration will run for an elected seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council this year, taking a diplomatic approach to human rights issues. The Bush administration dismissed the council as ineffective at best. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton touted the decision as a departure from unilateral action in favor of advancing the universal "vision of the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights." The council's most recently approved the contested "defamation of religions" resolution. Opponents say the resolution will be used to silence religions besides Islam through anti-conversion and blasphemy laws, ultimately destroying religious freedom instead of upholding it. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) sponsored the proposal.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Apr. 3, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Iranian Christian Women Held in Notorious Prison Without Charge
    * Sweden Becomes Seventh Country to Approve Same-Sex Marriage
    * China: Imprisoned Christians Pleads for Help from Hospital
    * India: Watchdog Says 73,000 Enter Prostitution Annually


Iranian Christian Women Held in Notorious Prison without Charge

Christian Post reports that Iranian women continue to hold two Christian women without charge since their March 5 arrest. Security forces accused Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad, 30, and Maryam Rustampoor, 27, of "anti-government" activity, though no evidence has been presented even after several interrogations. Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN) reports that the women are practicing Christians, and that their arrest highlights growing religious intolerance towards Christians. In a one-minute daily phone call to her family on March 28, Esmaeilabad said she has an infection and high fever, and believes she is dying. The Iranian court refuses to allow the women out of prison unless they post $400,000 bail. FCNN notes the figure "is designed to make release impossible."

Sweden Becomes Seventh Country to Approve Same-Sex Marriage

BBC reports that Sweden will offer marriage licenses to same-sex couples starting May 1. The new law also enables couples to marry in religious ceremonies, but gives pastors and churches the right to refrain from performing ceremonies. The Lutheran Church, which is the largest denomination in Sweden, reportedly supports the new law, though individual clergy may opt out. Parliament overwhelmingly approved the measure on April 1. "Unfortunately this is not an April Fool's Day joke, this is reality," Yvonne Andersson, member of the Swedish parliament for the Christian Democrats, wrote on the party's Web site following the vote. Sweden is the fifth European country to approve same-sex marriages; Canada and South Africa have also approved them.

China: Imprisoned Christians Pleads for Help from Hospital

ASSIST News Service reports that a human rights group is raising concerns for the health and safety of a Christian man who has been imprisoned for more than a year. Alimujiang Yimiti was seen Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. (local time) at Nongsanshi Hospital in Kashgar, China, escorted by police and a prison doctor. "I'm sick. Tell my lawyer to come quickly to see me," he told bystanders. Alimujiang's lawyer met with him last week, which was only the second time anyone has been allowed to see him since his arrest in January 2008. He has already been tried once, when his case was returned to police for lack of evidence in May 2008. ChinaAid sources say the sudden change in his health is suspicious, and that abuse and torture from prison authorities cannot be discounted as local officials are desperate to justify his detention. His case is an increasing source of national embarrassment.

India: Watchdog Says 73,000 Enter Prostitution Annually

Mission News Network reports that of the estimated 900,000 sex workers in India, a full third of those are believe to be children with no escape. Watchdog India Partners says many of those were tricked into leaving neighboring Nepal or Sri Lanka, or another Indian state. Once away from home, India's 3,000 dialects often prevents them from understanding the language around them, decreasing their chances of escape. Kaytie Fielder, a regional representative for India Partners, says social and economic stability go hand in hand for impoverished countries. "The more we can address these issues, the more we can put money into helping these people and start making that shift. When we can protect the vulnerable and empower them, that is going to bring such a shift in our economy."

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Apr. 6, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Iowa Court Approves Same-Sex Marriage
    * Philippine Christians Still Fearful One Year after Murder
    * Over 230 Churches Join 'Servolution' Call
    * Cross-Carrying Man's Worldwide Trek Reaches Silver Screen

Iowa Court Approves Same-Sex Marriage

New York Times reports that the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously lifted the state's gay marriage ban on Friday. Iowa is only the third state that currently offers marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and the first in the conservative Midwest. At least six Midwest states adopted amendments to uphold traditional marriage. "We have a constitutional duty to ensure equal protection of the law," the Iowa justices wrote in their opinion. "If gay and lesbian people must submit to different treatment without an exceedingly persuasive justification, they are deprived of the benefits of the principle of equal protection upon which the rule of law is founded." Iowa may begin issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples in as soon as 21 days.

Philippine Christians Still Fearful One Year after Murder

Christian Today reports that Christians in the southern Philippines still fear violence from Islamic extremists. Bishop Angelito Lampon, Vicar Apostolic of Jolo in the southern Philippines, said the area is "relatively peaceful" for now, but that extremists have maintained staccato attacks on Christians since the death of a missionary last year. Multiple people ahve been abducted for ransom, but kidnappers have refrained from taking Muslims. Lampon notes that nightly curfews are in place for protection, while public events such as wedding as funerals have become much quieter. "Our faith is no longer only a matter of Sunday churchgoing, nor is it limited to praying novenas, asking for the things we need. Instead it is a daily encounter with God in the events of our everyday life," he said.

Over 230 Churches Join 'Servolution' Call

The Christian Post reports that more than 230 churches around the world have joined the "Servolution." The weeklong event, which ends Friday, purposes to humbly serve neighboring communities simply for the sake of serving. Participants will serve meals to the homeless, give out free coffee and gas, clean up their communities, wash cars and more, all done without planned evangelism. "We believe that as we serve, walls come down and people are willing to open up and ask why we do what we do ... hence the opportunity to share the gospel," Emily Morrow, spokesperson for Servolution, told The Christian Post. "Servolution is a revolution that is powered by humility and servanthood," said Dino Rizzo, lead pastor of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, La.

Cross-Carrying Man's Worldwide Trek Reaches Silver Screen

OneNewsNow reports that one man's 38,000-mile, 40-year journey bearing the cross will soon make the silver screen. Arthur Blessit, who carried a 12-foot cross across the U.S. in 1969, didn't have plans to go further. Since then, however, he's walked across 315 nations, territories and islands around the world. That walk took him through 52 war zones and thousands of deserted highways, meeting presidents, citizens, and even firing squads along the way. "The Guinness Book of Records says it's the longest walk in documented human history," he shares. "But I didn't just walk -- I carried a cross. So that suddenly gave purpose and meaning to every person who saw it. [They knew] he's on a mission, and the cross is about Jesus." Titled "The Cross," the film's wide release is April 10.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Apr. 7, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Italy: Major Earthquake Leaves 100 Dead
    * Four Christians Killed in Two Days in Iraq
    * Hundreds Rally against Notre Dame's Obama Invite
    * Zimbabwe: Emergency Aid Sent to Quell Starvation


Italy: Major Earthquake Leaves 100 Dead

CNN reports that at least 100 are dead after 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy on Monday. More than 1,500 were injured and thousands are homeless in historic L'Aquila and neighboring towns. Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said 1,500 rescuers were heading to the region to assist with efforts to dig out survivors still trapped under debris, while early rescuers dug with their bare hands. Italy's Prime Minister said a tent city will be set up to accommodate survivors. "The fundamental thing I want to say is that nobody will be left alone," Silvio Berlusconi said at a news conference. Although quakes are relatively common in the area, Monday's quake was the most deadly since 1980.

Four Christians Killed in Two Days in Iraq

ASSIST News Service reports that four Iraqi Christians were recently killed in Baghdad and Kirkuk. According to Christian human rights organization International Christian Concern (ICC), the perpetrators are as yet unknown, but Islamic fundamentalists, criminal gangs and other armed groups have been behind attacks against Christians in Iraq in the past. "The killing of four innocent people within the last two days has put a renewed fear in our hearts. What is important is to keep these continuous atrocities in the media and on the policy makers' radars. What we need is a more safe and secure Iraq for all Iraqi's, especially for the Christians who have faced ethno-religious cleansing," said Julian Taimoorazy, president of Iraqi Christian Relief Council, in an interview with ICC.

Hundreds Rally against Notre Dame's Obama Invite

Christian Post reports that pro-life and religious groups continue to protest the University of Notre Dame's decision to invite President Obama as the school's commencement speaker. An estimated 400 students, alumni and pro-life activists met after Palm Sunday Mass to signify their disagreement outside the campus administration building. "We feel it's a betrayal of the Catholic identity that Notre Dame was founded on," John Daly, media coordinator of the ND Response coalition. "We feel it would be a great disrespect to the office of the president to ask for the White House to rescind an invitation they already accepted. However, the university has yet to give the honorary degree," he said.

Zimbabwe: Emergency Aid Sent to Quell Starvation

Mission News Network reports that the global food crisis has hit famine-stricken Zimbabwe particularly hard. The country has not experienced good harvests since 2000, leaving weakened citizens even more vulnerable to outbreaks of cholera. An estimated 5.1 million people in the country face starvation. Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and the Canadian government have pledged $7 million to aid programs in Zimbabwe. Aid groups hope that the tenuous unified government will hold together, allowing food distribution projects to go forward, hopefully to be completed by month's end. Christian Care Zimbabwe manages food distribution, and notes that many recipients face the double hardships of hunger HIV/AIDS infection.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Apr. 8, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Strong Aftershock Felt in Rome and L'Aquila, Hampers Rescue
    * North Korea's Missile Launch Reveals Inside Oppression
    * Vermont Legislature Override Legalizes Gay Marriage
    * Obama Names Final Members of Faith-Based Council


Strong Aftershock Felt in Rome and L'Aquila, Hampers Rescue

Associated Press reports that the death toll rose to 207 Tuesday evening as rescue workers continued the scramble to free people still trapped in the rubble. Rescue efforts were complicated by a powerful 5.6 magnitude aftershock, forcing rescuers and residents to evacuate temporarily and further damaging historic buildings in L'Aquila. Fifteen are still missing, while 100 of the 1,000 injured are reportedly in serious condition. Four students have been located in a collapsed dormitory, but "I've been told (by rescuers) that they probably are dead," L'Aquila University rector Ferdinando Di Orio said. Officials will continue to search for survivors today and tomorrow.

North Korea's Missile Launch Reveals Inside Oppression

Open Doors and Mission News Network report that North Korea's missile launch is only the public face of oppression. "What is forgotten in all of the controversy surrounding the rocket launch is the treatment of the suffering people inside North Korea and the horrendous human rights record of Kim Jong-Il," says Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. "The litany of abuses is well-documented: forced labor, political prisoners tortured in prison camps, sex trafficking. And the abuses are increasing while the government sets its sights on developing a nuclear program." Open Doors' Jerry Dykstra says the group's field reports show a "war-like buildup by the government," which aims to show impoverished North Koreans that leader Kim Jong-Il remains fully in charge.

Vermont Legislature Override Legalizes Gay Marriage

New York Times reports that on Tuesday Vermont joined Iowa as the latest states to approve same-sex marriage. Vermont's legislators managed to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of the legislation, allowing the bill to proceed toward its Sept. 1 effective date. Steve Cable of traditional marriage groups Vermont Renewal and Vermont Marriage Advisory Council said the measure was rushed through the legislature, preventing effective debate. "The whole process has been shameful from the very beginning," Cable said. "If the process had been fair in allowing both sides to have reasonable debate on this and allowing all of Vermont to engage, then fine... But that's not the way this came down," he continued. Vermont became the first state to offer same-sex civil unions in 2000.

Obama Names Final Members of Faith-Based Council

Religion News Service reports that President Obama named nine advisers to the White House office for religious and community groups on Monday (April 6), adding a gay rights leader, an Orthodox Jew, a black bishop, member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and others to an eclectic 25-person council. The bulk of the council, which will advise Obama on certain domestic and foreign policy issues, was appointed last month when the president unveiled his revamped White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Council members will advise Obama on coordinating government programs with local community groups, according to the White House. Obama has named abortion and poverty reduction; responsible fatherhood and promotion of interfaith dialogue abroad as priorities for the council.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Apr. 9, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * California: Four Shot at Korean Christian Retreat Center
    * Chaplain Issued Day of Prayer, Fasting for U.S. Army
    * Watchdog Urges Monitoring of Aid Money for Eritrea
    * Spring Breakers Choose Outreach over Vacation


California: Four Shot at Korean Christian Retreat Center

Associated Press reports that one person is dead after a shooting at a Korean Christian retreat center in California Tuesday night. Three others were shot; at least two of those people were critically injured. Police say the language barrier has so far prevented a clear understanding of events, but say they first responded to the rural area after receiving reports about a man shooting his wife. "That language barrier, that's the key to figuring out what happened," Riverside County Sheriff's spokesman Dennis Gutierrez said, noting that most people at the center spoke Korean. So far the name of the alleged shooter has not been released, though he is believed to be one of the injured.

Chaplain Issued Day of Prayer, Fasting for U.S. Army

Religion News Service reports that the Army's top chaplain declared yesterday (Apr. 8 ) a day of prayer and fasting for U.S. soldiers, a response to rising suicide rates in the Army. Last year, the Army reported the highest suicide rate since record-keeping began in 1980. "I therefore call the Chaplaincy to a Day of Prayer and Fasting, in keeping with your religious traditions, to be observed on 8 April 2009 that the united cry of our Corps will be heard and answered regarding the protection, preservation, and peace for our Soldiers and Families," Carver said in his proclamation, which was issued March 2. "[W]e really encourage not only Baptists but all local churches to pray for the military," Carver told the Baptist Press.

Watchdog Urges Monitoring of Aid Money for Eritrea

Mission News Network reports that a persecution watchdog has voiced serious concerns over impending aid being sent to Eritrea's government. The European Commission may give the African nation $161 million in aid money. "We are extremely concerned that the European Commission's generous allocation of aid to Eritrea does not simply provide a financial lifeline to the oppressive Eritrean leadership, but rather alleviates the incredible suffering of the Eritrean people," says Arie de Pater, Open Doors Director of Advocacy. "We call on the European Commission, however, to ensure that the aid will benefit the people rather than the leadership or the military. Strict monitoring of funds and projects is crucial." At least 3,000 people in Eritrea have been imprisoned in military or labor camps for their religious beliefs in recent years.

Spring Breakers Choose Outreach over Vacation

The Christian Post reports that thousands of high school and college students are using their spring breaks to help someone else. Many of them are choosing to head to areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, or areas in the Midwest affected by flooding. "This week is different because these students have a choice," said Torey Kittleson, a Disaster Response Services staffer for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. "They're free for a week of vacation -- and they choose to help people in need rather than go to the beach and lie out in the sun." College ministry Campus Crusade for Christ led a trip of 2,600 students to Panama City Beach, but to share the Gospel with people out on the sand.