RELIGION TODAY

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Christians Pressed as Pakistani Military Battles Taliban
Michael Larson


May 14, 2009

ISTANBUL (Compass Direct News) -- Pakistani Christians in Swat Valley are caught between the Taliban and Pakistan's military as it assaults the stronghold where sharia (Islamic law) rules.

Nearly 15,000 troops have been deployed in the picturesque Swat Valley in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and neighboring Afghanistan. Troops came after months of peace negotiations collapsed between the Taliban Islamist insurgents who have imposed sharia in the valley and the central government last month. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis have fled the war-ravaged area for fear of a full military assault.

On May 10 (Sunday) the army ordered residents to flee Swat Valley during a lull in fighting. Aid groups estimate that as many as 1.3 million could be displaced by the fighting, according to The Guardian.

Christians are particularly vulnerable in the mass exodus. Working as poor day laborers, they occupy the lowest rung of the social ladder and have little money for costly transport or to stock up on resources before fleeing.

"Christians are poor, and like in any conflict, the prices of transportation and commodities skyrocket," said Ashar Dean, assistant director of communication of the Church of Pakistan Peshawar diocese. "Some had to go on foot to flee the valley."

The Taliban had ratcheted up pressure on Christians, other religious minorities and liberal Muslims in Swat to live according to Islamic fundamentalist norms. They were forced to grow beards and don Islamic attire for fear of their safety in an attempt to blend in with Muslim residents of Swat.

Many Christians also fled for insufficient funds to pay the jizye, a poll tax under sharia paid by non-Muslims for protection if they decline to convert to Islam.

In February the Pakistani government ceded control of Swat valley to the Taliban, who imposed their version of sharia and established clerical rule over the legal system. But Christians had seen warning signs long before the formal sharia announcement. In the past year the Taliban burned or bombed more than 200 girls' schools in Swat, including one that housed a Catholic church.

Religious minorities live in a precarious situation in the Muslim-dominated country. The legal system informally discriminates against non-Muslims, and in recent years Christian villages have been ransacked by Muslim mobs incited by dubious reports that a Quran had been desecrated.

The Taliban's attempts to spread out from Swat into neighboring areas, however, have increased feelings of insecurity among the nation's 3 million Christians.

"The threat of the Taliban is a hanging sword above the necks of Christians," said Sohail Johnson, chief coordinator of Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan. "Christians could be in the situation where they would have to accept Islam or die."

Swat Christians Flee

Approximately 40-60 Christian families lived in Swat as congregants at the Church of Pakistan. But since Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on April 8 announced a military mission into Swat, nearly all have fled to nearby districts.

Most are in refugee housing in Mardan in the NWFP. They stay in a technical school owned by the Church of Pakistan, a congregation composed of Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Lutherans.

The school dismissed its students for the school year early to make room for the refugees. Opening its doors to the displaced Christians was necessary due to government inaction toward religious minorities, said Yousaf Benjamin of the National Commission for Justice and Peace.

"The government is giving protection to Muslims, but the Christians are through waiting for their services," he said.

Similar measures are being employed in hundreds of schools. To provide for the massive influx in refugees, the Pakistan government ended the school year early in districts near Swat and opened the schools to refugees for temporary housing. Teachers are also assisting in the humanitarian relief effort, Benjamin said.

Some Christians have complained of facing discrimination in refugee camps. Government relief workers forbade Christians, Hindus and Sikhs from setting up tents or eating with Muslim refugees, according to online news site Christian Today.

But ultimately Christians will not be able to return to Swat Valley unless the Taliban threat is completely removed, Christian relief groups said. Their possessions and property will otherwise always be under threat.

"Christians will face terrible persecution if the Taliban is not controlled by the government," Johnson said. "They will easily attack churches, schools and other Christian institutions."

Rehman Malik, the interior minister, said Pakistan's military operation would continue until the last Taliban fighter had been ousted. Since April 8, government troops have killed an estimated 751 militants.

There are believed to be 5,000 Taliban militants in Swat Valley. The government hopes to minimize civilian casualties through precision air strikes and delivering emergency humanitarian aid.

Pakistan's government has come under harsh national and international criticism for its negotiations with the Taliban and ceding control of Swat. They fear the Taliban could seize control of the nation's nuclear weapons.

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India: Court Inquiry Underway on Church Attacks
Gospel for Asia


May 15, 2009

KARNATAKA, INDIA (ANS) -- A court in Karnataka, India, has appointed a commission to "conduct an inquiry into the causes of attack and preventative measures" after anti-Christian extremists went on a rampage in the state last fall. The outcome of the commission's findings is a serious concern for the Christian churches in the area.

The government ordered the commission to seek testimony from churches affected by the rampage. More than 800 churches responded by submitting an affidavit describing the attacks on their church. More than half of the churches that told their stories to the commission are led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors.

GFA's Karnataka state leader was summoned to appear before the commission in February, but only five of the 20 church representatives were able to be heard that day. He is now waiting for his next invitation to appear.

The state leader said it appears that the commission is not really trying to help or understand the churches and their situation, nor are they trying to provide any compensation for the churches that were burned down. Instead, the commission is seemingly using its power to further the agenda of those who want to implement an anti-conversion law in the state.

For instance, at the first hearing, the commission allowed a representative of the extremists to cross-examine the five church representatives for more than two hours each, using all the time allotted for the hearing that day. Additionally, commission members appear to be sticking to the idea that the churches were fair targets because they are forcing people to convert to Christianity. They are also using this sentiment as a basis for arguments in favor of anti-conversion legislation.

Karnataka has a long history of violence against Christians. Last fall, anti-Christian extremist violence in Orissa spilled over into Karnataka. Prior to that, Christians were routinely harassed, assaulted and arrested. Anti-Christian extremists have also vandalized a GFA-supported Bible college and arrested missionaries working in the state.

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Pope Urges Peace between Muslims, Christians in Nazareth
Michelle Chabin


May 18, 2009

NAZARETH, Israel (RNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI spent the last full day of his week-long pilgrimage on Wednesday (May 14) urging reconciliation in the town where Jesus spent his youth but which is now beset by uneasy relations between Christians and Muslims.

At a festive Mass in this hilly city in northern Israel, the pope focused on the sometimes troubled relationship between local Christians and Muslims. About two-thirds of the city's 65,000 residents are Arab Muslims, while the rest are Christian.

Animosity between the two groups, which is always simmering under the surface, peaked almost a decade ago when the Vatican thwarted plans to build a mosque right next to the Church of the Annunciation, where tradition holds the Virgin Mary was told she would give birth to Jesus.

As he has done many times during his pilgrimage, Benedict drew modern lessons from biblical events during the Mass atop the Mount of Precipice, the site where a throng of angry people threatened to throw Jesus down a cliff.

"This Mount of Precipice reminds us, as it has generations of pilgrims, that our Lord's message was at times a source of contradiction and conflict with his hearers," the pope told the 40,000 pilgrims arrayed before him.

"Sadly, as the world knows, Nazareth has experienced tensions in recent years which have harmed relations between its Christian and Muslim communities."

Benedict urged "people of good will" in both communities "to repair the damage that has been done, and in fidelity to our common belief in one God, the father of the human family, to work to build bridges and find the way to a peaceful coexistence. Let everyone reject the destructive power of hatred and prejudice, which kills men's souls before it kills their bodies."

Given the town's importance in the life of Mary, the pope also emphasized the importance of the family and reaffirmed the "sacredness" of marriage between "a man and a woman."

"Nazareth reminds us of our need to acknowledge and respect the God-given dignity and proper role of women, as well as their particular charms and talents," the pope said.

Like Wednesday's papal Mass in Bethlehem, the city of Jesus' birth, the mood in Nazareth was upbeat and energized. Local Catholics mingled with pilgrims from dozens of countries, including Israel-based diplomats, foreign workers, humanitarian aid workers and African refugees who have found safe haven in Israel. The crowds danced in the aisles and broke into song as others played guitars, flutes and drums.

Following the Mass, the pope held an interfaith meeting at the Shrine of the Annunciation and held a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Vatican's top spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the talks "centered on how the peace process can be advanced" but provided few details.

According to Netanyahu, the pope "said that he condemns all instances of anti-Semitism and hate against the state of Israel -- against humanity as a whole -- but in this case against Israel."

During the week-long pilgrimage, the pope has twice called for the creation of a "sovereign Palestinian homeland," an idea that Netanyahu is cool to because he believes Palestinians, divided between Fatah and Hamas loyalists, are not yet ready to make peace with Israel.

Netanyahu said he asked Benedict to act against Iranian threats to destroy the Jewish state.

"I asked him, as a moral figure, to make his voice heard loud and continuously against the declarations coming from Iran of their intention to destroy Israel. I told him it cannot be that at the beginning of the 21st century there is a state which says it is going to destroy the Jewish state, there is no aggressive voice being heard condemning this," Netanyahu said.

Benedict returned to Rome on Friday, following a stop at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which Christians revere as Jesus' tomb.

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Iraq: 5-Year-Old Christian Boy Kidnapped and Killed
Baptist Press


May 19, 2009

WASHINGTON (BP) -- The body of a kidnapped 5-year-old Iraqi Christian boy was discovered riddled with gunshots May 11, according to a report issued May 13 by International Christian Concern, a Washington-based human rights organization.

The youth, Tony Adwar Shaweel, was kidnapped March 5 and held for $50,000 ransom by an unknown group, ICC reported. The identity of Shaweel's kidnappers and killers remains unknown.

In a statement to ICC, Juliana Taimoorazy, president of the Chicago-based Iraqi Christian Relief Council, said, "On Sunday, May 10th, Christians in Chicago prayed in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Iraq for peace and especially for the safe return of the kidnapped. Unfortunately, the following day, on Monday, the community was notified of the discovery of his body. The Iraqi Christians in Chicago are mourning the loss of yet another one of their own."

ICC noted in its report: "Christians in Iraq have been increasingly targeted by criminal gangs, Islamic extremists and other armed groups as part of a broader strategy to drive the Iraqi Christian population from the country. Despite these appalling conditions, the media rarely reports violence against Christians in Iraq."

Taimoorazy told ICC: "What we need is for the American government to take notice of this dire situation. We are demanding that the State Department work on passing legislation which would ensure the protection of the Chaldo-Assyrian Christians in their own homeland. We want to live peacefully side by side with the other citizens in Iraq. This situation has long gone unnoticed. We implore the international community to pay attention and unite in helping the sons and daughters of those who gave so much to civilization over 6,700 years ago."

Jonathan Racho, ICC's regional manager for Africa and the Middle East, said, "This latest unconscionable act indicates the deteriorating situation for Christian minorities in Iraq. It is also a clear sign of the danger that all Iraqi Christians face in the country. We call upon the Iraqi and the United States government to put an end to the systematic extermination of Christians from Iraq."

ICC urged supporters: "Please go to www.house.gov to find the information of your elected officials and alert them to the killing of Tony and ask them to pressure Iraqi officials to protect Iraqi Christians."

Iraq is one of 13 countries cited by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for designation among "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) for foreign governments that have participated in or tolerated "particularly severe" violations of religious liberty.

The Iraqi government, which USCIRF placed back on its CPC-recommended list in December, has tolerated "ongoing, severe abuses of religious freedom," especially against Christians and other religious minorities, commissioner Nina Shea said when USCIRF released its annual report May 1.

While overall violence has diminished in Iraq, incidents against religious minorities have continued, Shea said, noting that about half of the Christian community of 1.4 million people has fled Iraq or been killed in recent years.

Although USCIRF makes recommendations for the CPC list, only the State Department gives countries that designation. Outgoing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named only eight countries as CPCs in January: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.

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Muslim Group in Indonesia Threatens Newly Elected Christian
Special to Compass Direct News


May 20, 2009

JAKARTA (Compass Direct News) -- An Islamic group in West Sumatra province, Indonesia, has issued threats against Dominikus Supriyanto, the only Catholic to win a seat in the district legislature in recent general elections, warning him that he should convert to Islam if he wants to retain the seat.

On April 23, after results were announced, a group identifying itself as the Islamic Forum of West Pasaman attacked Supriyanto's home, slinging stones and breaking several windows. Supriyanto, who was in the house at the time, said the attackers also shouted threats and demanded that he become a Muslim if he planned to stay in politics.

Supriyanto reported the incident to police and requested protection. After a brief investigation, police concluded that the attackers had most likely acted on behalf of unsuccessful election candidates.

Elections took place on April 9, but the election commission has only recently confirmed the names of those who will take up positions at district, provincial and national levels.

Supriyanto stood as a candidate for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in West Pasaman, West Sumatra, and won a seat in the district legislature from 2009 to 2014. The district is 98 percent Muslim, but Compass sources said voters supported Supriyanto because of his rapport with the Muslim community.

Supriyanto's party supports pancasila, Indonesia's national policy of tolerance for all religions.

Earlier this year, supporters of other candidates engaged in a so-called "black campaign," warning that Supriyanto would likely "Christianize" West Pasaman if elected.

Despite such accusations prior to and following the elections, Supriyanto is determined to retain his seat.

"I was elected not just by Christians and Catholics, but by Muslims," he told Compass. "I'm going to remain Catholic no matter what happens."

Supriyanto has requested support from fellow party members in Jakarta.

The bishop of Padang diocese, Monsignor Martinus Situmorang, said Supriyanto had won the vote fairly and that if threats continued the diocese would take the issue to a national level.

Members of the Islamic Forum, meanwhile, have pledged to demonstrate publicly against Supriyanto during his inauguration in July.

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India's Election Results Show 'A Vote against Extremism'
Dan Wooding


May 21, 2009

CARROLLTON, TX (ANS) -- Gospel for Asia President, K. P. Yohannan, has said that the Indian election results are "a vote against extremism."

Yohannan said, after the poll results were posted in the world's largest democracy, "The Indian election has sent a significant message that extremism, especially against minorities, is not going to be accepted in the country."

He went on to say, "The Dalits ('Untouchables'), the 'other backward classes,' Christians and other minorities have spoken with a loud voice that abusing minorities is not the way to go."

At the same time that the India election results were announced, the government in neighboring Sri Lanka declared victory in the decades-long civil war in that country. Both developments impacted GFA work in the region.

In Sri Lanka, where GFA-supported native missionaries work with more than 100 churches, GFA workers are in the early stages of ministering to the thousands of men, women and children who have been driven from their homes and suffered both physical and emotional devastation in the fighting. GFA-supported missionaries have served on both sides, bringing hope and meeting needs during crisis times. They are thus in a unique position to help bring reconciliation to the former enemies.

"While this 30-year-long civil war has come to an end by the news of the Tamil Tigers' surrender, in reality this is the beginning of pain and crisis for hundreds of thousands of people who are displaced," Dr. Yohannan said. "There are 25,000 now in refugee camps, and the suffering is especially acute among the children and elderly.

"This is one of the greatest challenges and opportunities we have to minister to people in the name of Christ."

Dr. Yohannan asks for prayer for Sri Lanka in the wake of this conflict that took an estimated 70,000 lives. Further details about GFA response will be released as developments unfold.

In India, the moderate Congress Party and its allies won 260 seats in the 543-seat parliament with two races undecided--only 12 seats short of a majority. Dr. Yohannan said there were a number of smaller parties eager to join the coalition. The vote was a serious blow to those who would lead India down the road of religious intolerance and continued persecution of Christians.

The incumbent prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has vowed to lead a "stable, strong government which is committed to secular values," a refutation of extreme, religious-based nationalism.

The size of the vote against those advocating violence against Christians amazed the political pundits, who had predicted a close election with perhaps years of unstable and weak coalition governments in India's future.

"No one expected this," Dr. Yohannan noted. "The Congress party itself is surprised."

But Dr. Yohannan said there was a clear explanation.

"Many political pundits are talking about the 'X' factor in this election, something unexpected that can turn the results. There was an X factor, and I believe it was God," he said.

"There are 1.2 billion people in India. They are very important to God, and He worked.

"So much prayer went up," he added. "Christians have been praying, and God answered their prayers. That's what happened."

As a result, K.P. said, "I believe that the prime minister will lead the country to greater freedom for minorities, their rights will be protected and the country will have greater economic good.

"But we need to continue to pray according to Romans 13--to pray for the government officials, that God will bless them and that Christians in India will have increased freedom to exercise their faith.

"Christians around the world should be concerned and in prayer for India, first of all because it is the key nation in the region," Dr. Yohannan noted. "What happens in India affects all of the surrounding countries--and ultimately the world.

"But beyond that, we need to pray for both India and Sri Lanka because of the Kingdom's work. India and South Asia are in the heart of the 10/40 window--the region of the world with the most people who have never heard the name of Jesus. Christians need to be in prayer that the doors will remain open to share the message of God's love with Asia's lost billions."

Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, and is involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

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Religion Today Summaries - May 11, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Sudan Allows Remaining Aid Agencies to Expand Work
    * Church Leaders Remember Tiananmen Square in Declaration
    * Months after Hurricanes, Haiti Is Worse Than Ever
    * China Cited for Religious Rights Abuses

Sudan Allows Remaining Aid Agencies to Expand Work

Reuters reports that U.N. agencies and relief agencies will be allowed to expand their operations in Sudan to help compensate for the 13 aid agencies that were kicked out two months ago. About 4.7 million people rely on humanitarian aid in Darfur, and much of the country has been scarred by civil war between its largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south. The country is due to hold elections next year, which includes a U.S.-supported referendum on southern independence set for 2011. But the situation remains tenuous, as seen in the recent appointment of Ahmed Haroun from the cabinet to governor of a sensitive north-south border province that contains key oil fields. Haroun, like Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, is wanted by International Criminal Court on Darfur war crimes charges.

Church Leaders Remember Tiananmen Square in Declaration

The Christian Post reports that Christian leaders across China and America are calling for simultaneous forgiveness and truth as the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre approaches. "This was an open display to both God and man the viciousness and hypocrisy of a tyrannical political system, and the deepest sin and darkness of man," the leaders stated. More than 80 signatories signed the groundbreaking declaration, including Bob Fu, president and found of ChinaAid; Zhang Boli, a pastor in Virginia who was a student activists during Tiananmen; and other house church leaders in China. The document urges a day of prayer to mark the June 4 incident in order "to pray for the salvation of lost souls in our home country, for social justice and for the future of our race."

Months after Hurricanes, Haiti Is Worse Than Ever

Mission News Network reports that conditions in Haiti have not improved since several major hurricanes hit the country last year. According to Eva DeHart of For Haiti With Love, conditions are worse than ever. "The roads are worse, getting around is worse, obstacles in trying to help are worse... It is worse than it was 40 years ago," she said. "The needs basically are the same." Government incompetence and red tape has only exacerbated the situation, preventing relief groups from bringing many supplies into the country. "People are starving to death, they haven't recouped the loss of their gardens and their animals and stuff from the hurricane, and it's just really, really bad." DeHart said the country cannot withstand another hit from hurricanes this year.

China Cited for Religious Rights Abuses

Compass Direct News reports that after the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) last week recommended China remain on the U.S. Department of State's list of the world's worst violators of religious freedom, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry said USCIRF's report was "an attempt to smear China." The commission acknowledged that "the freedom to participate in officially-sanctioned religious activity increased in many areas of the country," but noted that abuses of members of unregistered religious groups had extended to a small handful of lawyers who dared to defend them. In at least 17 provinces, some 764 Protestant leaders and house church members were arrested last year, 35 of whom were sentenced to prison for a year or more, the report said. According to the state department, the total number of Protestant house church members and "underground" Catholics arrested last year may be in the thousands.

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Religion Today Summaries - May 12, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Christians in Gaza Make Their Appeal to the Pope
    * Imprisoned Iranian-American Journalist Released
    * Orissa Archbishop Welcomes Upcoming Visit by U.S. Commission
    * Kazakhstan Declares Religion Law Unconstitutional

Christians in Gaza Make Their Appeal to the Pope

Time reports that red tape will probably prevent 250 Gaza Christians from visiting the Holy Father in Israel today. Six weeks ago, the group requested special permission to enter Israel during Pope Benedict XVI's visit, and have received no answer. Israeli security prevents anyone from leaving the hot spot except in life-or-death emergencies, and the group doubts they will receive an exception in spite of the Vatican's efforts to help them. "The Pope is an inspiration for us, and we want to tell him how difficult it is for us Arab Christians living in Gaza," says Kamran, a young Christian student. Christians in the Hamas-controlled region tread carefully and quietly, sometimes respected and sometimes targeted by hardline Muslim neighbors. Meanwhile, in Jordan Sunday, the pope recognized believers facing "difficulties and uncertainties" because of their faith, encouraging them to hold "the courage of conviction" against extremism.

Imprisoned Iranian-American Journalist Released

CNN reports that an Iranian-American journalist imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran walked free yesterday. Roxanna Saberi, 32, was convicted last month in a closed-door trial before she and her lawyer even knew the court was in session. Saberi denies the charges, maintaining that she was researching a book even after her press credentials were revoked. The case sparked international outcry, and brought increasing pressure on an Iranian appeals court to reverse the sentence. Saberi is now free to leave Iran after her eight-year sentence was reduced to two-year jail term suspended for five years. Her father, Reza Saberi, told reporters that they will leave the country as soon as possible.

Orissa Archbishop Welcomes Upcoming Visit by U.S. Commission

The Christian Post reports that Orissa Christians are hopeful that a visit from a U.S. religious rights watchdog will motivate local authorities to protect religious freedom. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is scheduled to visit India in June. The country's Orissa state has been plagued by spurts of violence since August 2008, when Maoists extremists blamed Christians for the murder of their leader. That violence displaced more than 50,000 people, and authorities have offered sporadic help at best. "If an independent body can force local government to put into practice the provision of the constitution -- religious freedom -- it would be good for all minorities," Archbishop of Orissa Raphael Cheenath said.

Kazakhstan Declares Religion Law Unconstitutional

Mission News Network reports that although a restrictive religion law has been officially defeated in Kazakhstan, ministries are encouraging believers to remain alert and courageous. A proposed amendment to the law would have imposed exorbitant fines on any religion publicly operating without government permission, and demanded permission of both parents before a child could attend a religious event. The amendment drew international criticism, and the country's Constitutional Council found it unconstitutional. Still, the spirit behind the amendment remains. "I wouldn't be surprised if we see something similar -- another push to try to restrict religious freedom. This isn't the first time, and it probably won't be the last," said Carl Kresge with SEND International.

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Religion Today Summaries - May 14, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Churchgoers, Pastors Struggle to Define Spiritual Maturity
    * Pope Visits Jerusalem's Western Wall, Dome of the Rock
    * Anglicans Emerge from Meeting with More Hope for Unified Future
    * Pastors Win IRS Ruling over Policy Conferences

Churchgoers, Pastors Struggle to Define Spiritual Maturity

The Barna Group reports that many people in the pews have no idea what "spiritual maturity" actually means - possibly because their pastors can't define it either. A new Barna study found that half of churchgoers cannot describe how their church defines a "healthy, spiritually mature follower of Jesus," including those that call themselves "born again Christians." The most common answers included "trying hard to follow the rules described in the Bible," even among Christians who say that good works are not a prerequisite for salvation. Born again Christians were more likely to point to "a relationship with Jesus" as a sign of spiritual maturity, but more than half said following the rules translates into spiritual maturity. Pastors also struggled to point out specific Bible passages describing the measure for spiritual maturity - one third simply said "the whole Bible."

Pope Visits Jerusalem's Western Wall, Dome of the Rock

Religion News Service reports that Pope Benedict XVI continued his visit to Israel Tuesday, stopping at two controversial sites. The pontiff prayed at the Western Wall and visited the nearby Dome of the Rock, two disputed pieces of holy ground that are sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Benedict paused in prayer after he inserted a written prayer, known as a "kvitel," in the cracks of the wall that is the last surviving piece of the Jewish Temple. "I bring with you the joys, the hopes and the aspirations, the trials, the suffering and the pain of all your people throughout the world," a portion of the prayer said. "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, hear the cry of the afflicted, the fearful, the bereft." The pope focused on areas of common ground between Catholicism and the two major religions.

Anglicans Emerge from Meeting with More Hope for Unified Future

The Christian Post reports that a 12-day meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council brings renewed hope for the future of the Communion. "We believe that whatever has happened in the course of our decisions, from this point forward God has a perfect plan for his Church to remain the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church," said delegates from the Global South in a statement. Still, questions of homosexuality and biblical authority loom large. "The question is of course what that future will look like," said Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, the spiritual head 77 million-member Communion. Williams suggested that further "scapegoating and rejection" would detract from the credibility of Christianity.

Pastors Win IRS Ruling over Policy Conferences

Christians News Wire reports that the Internal Revenue Service found that pastors who gathered in 2006 for a series of public policy conferences had every right to do so and that the organizers of the events did not violate any tax laws that govern non-profit organizations. "There is now a clear IRS statement outlining these pastors' events and approving them as valid under the law," said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel of Liberty Legal Institute which represented event organizers. The IRS began its investigation in January 2008, questioning whether six conferences by the Niemoller Foundation violated non-profit rules. The conferences called pastors to stand up for moral issues and to encourage their congregants to get involved in the political process.

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Religion Today Summaries - May 15, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * 'We Are the Forgotten Church,' Say Palestinian Pastors
    * Sri Lanka: 50,000 Still Trapped in Fighting
    * Iraq: Christian Exodus May Be Slowing
    * Britain Will Invite Thousands 'Back to Church'

'We Are the Forgotten Church,' Say Palestinian Pastors

Christian Post reports that the number of Christians surrounding Christ's birthplace continues to dwindle. "Because of the economic pressures, many Christian families when they get the chance, are leaving for a better life abroad," said Pastor Jack Sara, senior pastor of the Jerusalem Alliance Church in Old City Jerusalem. "We are not the forgotten church; we are the beaten and forgotten church," one pastor told Release International, which estimates only 5,000 evangelical Christians remain in the West Bank and Gaza. Those who stay face military action in the contested region and sometimes hostile neighbors. "I've been beaten up after preaching," says Steve Khoury, a young ordained Arab minister, "and, as painful as that is physically, you get over it."

Sri Lanka: 50,000 Still Trapped in Fighting

Reuters reports that renewed attacks killed a Red Cross relief worker in Sri Lanka's war zone on Wednesday, following hundreds of civilian deaths Sunday and Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama and the U.N. Security Council have urged both sides to back down from the small region where at least 50,000 civilians are trapped. Christians comprise about 20 percent of the trapped Tamil population. "Four Christian workers were killed in the shelling at the end of April, and there are many Christians among the displaced in the camps. Others have lost family members. Still others do not know if their loved ones are alive or dead, or where they might be, as families have been scattered among different centers," the Barnabas Fund aid group reported.

Iraq: Christian Exodus May Be Slowing

Mission News Network reports that the tide of emigration may have slowed in Iraq, though the number of Christians continues to dwindle. Three Christians were killed in Kirkuk on April 26 by gunmen in two separate attacks, and periodic violence continues. "We talked to our leader in Iraq, and he said there's about ten major terrorist groups. It's their job to persecute Christians and go after them." said Tom Doyle with E3 Partners. Despite the challenges, ""We do know of significant numbers of Christians that are staying and have a fruitful ministry, and God is working in their midst," he said.

Britain Will Invite Thousands 'Back to Church'

Christian Today reports that churches across the United Kingdom are encouraging their members to invite someone they know "back to church" this September 27. The united effort of the Methodist Church, Churches Together in Scotland, the Church in Wales, the Baptist Union of Great Britain and others has spread to other countries, and organizers hope to invite half a million worldwide. The initiative met with widespread success last year, when the Church of England spearheaded the initiative. "This is a wonderful initiative and I encourage all of our Methodist Churches to be involved. We must also give thought and time to how we continue the warmth of welcome every Sunday of the year so those coming among us will want to stay to find friendship and deepening faith," said Methodist President the Rev. Stephen Poxon.

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Religion Today Summaries - May 18, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Pakistan: Families Flee Swat Offensive into Peshawar
    * Christian Children's Fund Drops 'Christian' from Name
    * Somalia: Fighting Sparks Fresh Wave of Refugees
    * Religious People Make for Better Communities, Study Says

Pakistan: Families Flee Swat Offensive into Peshawar

ASSIST News Service reports that at least 60 Christian families have managed to take refuge in Rasalpur, near Peshawar in Pakistan, after fleeing battles between the Pakistani military and the Taliban. Christians and Sikhs are among tens of thousands of people who have fled from the four war-plagued districts of North West Frontier Province including Swat. The Taliban began enforcing Sharia (Islamic) law in Swat after striking a deal with the Pakistan government in February of this year. "[M]any walked for days to reach NWFP districts of Mardan and Swabi where the government has set up refugee camps," said a report by Minorities Concern of Pakistan. "Thousands are still waiting to be registered as refugees to get food and shelter." Approximately 300,000 people have left their homes because of the conflict.

Christian Children's Fund Drops 'Christian' from Name

Religion News Service reports that Christian Children's Fund, an organization that helps needy children across the globe, has decided to change its name to ChildFund International as part of its plan to broaden its outreach. "We are now part of an alliance of 12 organizations around the world who have the same goal of working to help deprived children in developing countries," said Anne Lynam Goddard, president and CEO of the Richmond, Va.- based charity. "All members of the alliance are taking on the same name, ChildFund." The charity, founded in 1938, was one of the first organizations to offer "sponsorships" of individual children, originally working with children in China.

Somalia: Fighting Sparks Fresh Wave of Refugees

Reuters reports that clashes between militant extremists and pro-government forces have unleashed a new wave of refugees in Somalia, sending 27,000 civilians from the capital. Aid agencies say the latest burst of fighting will make the country's humanitarian crisis worse. "In the midst of an already existing catastrophe, reports of continued fighting, civilian deaths, including women and children, are extremely worrying," said Andrea Pattison, spokeswoman for the charity Oxfam. Militant al Shabaab fighters have killed 113 people in the last two weeks, while the continued violence threatens to destabilize the fledgling government. Pascal Mauchle, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's Somalia delegation, said, "The daily struggle for survival is exhausting [the people of Somalia's] capacity to cope."

Religious People Make for Better Communities, Study Says

Religion News Service reports that people of faith are better citizens and better neighbors, says Harvard University professor Robert Putnam. But there's a problem: young Americans are "vastly more secular" than their older counterparts. "That is a stunning development," Putnam said. "The youth are the future. Some of them are going to get religious over time, but most of them are not." Still, Putnam and University of Notre Dame scholar David Campbell argue that religion still holds communities together. Their studies found that religious people are three to four times more likely to be involved in their community, serving on volunteer organization and working on community projects. Putnam and Campbell say their data show that religious people are just "nicer," probably because of the relationships people make in their churches, mosques, synagogues and temples that draw them into community activism.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 19, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Church Wants Jesus in Jeans to Connect with Community
    * Breakaway Group Asks Court to Dismiss Episcopal Church Lawsuit
    * Official: More than 1M Child Prostitutes in India
    * New Hampshire Gov. Says He'll Sign Gay Marriage Bill

Church Wants Jesus in Jeans to Connect with Community

Christian Today reports that a Catholic church in Uckfield, England, is determined to show that Jesus is relevant today -- with a new statue of a modern day Jesus wearing jeans. "On the continent you often encounter modern representations of Jesus but it is not so common over here. We wanted a figure of Christ not in suffering but dynamic and welcoming," said Father Buckley, the parish priest of Our Lady Immaculate and St Philip Neri Catholic church. The seven-foot, £35,000 bronze statue will be placed 100 feet high on the bell tower. "The clothing is loosely contemporary in order to connect Christ to his people now as much as to his past. I hope this sculpture will inspire and communicate in very human terms, reaching out and being relevant to both the congregation and local community."

Breakaway Group Asks Court to Dismiss Episcopal Church Lawsuit

The Christian Post reports that the breakaway Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, says The Episcopal Church at large can't sue them in a civil court. The breakaway group has asked for the case to be dismissed, saying the civil court lacks jurisdiction to resolve an ecclesiastical dispute. The breakaway group officially realigned with the more conservative Anglican Church in North America last month, after splitting from The Episcopal Church in November. About 80 percent of the diocese's clergy and parishioners voted to sever ties at that time. The Episcopal Church is suing for the return of ""all property held by or for the Diocese ... for the Church and the Diocese."

Official: More than 1 Million Child Prostitutes in India

CNN reports that more than a million of India's children are victims of their own country. According to the country's federal police, about 1.2 million children are caught in prostitution inside the country. Ashwani Kumar, who heads the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), called India a source, transit nation, and destination of the trade all in one. "Studies and surveys sponsored by the ministry of women and child development estimate that there are about three million prostitutes in the country, of which an estimated 40 percent are children," a CBI statement said. Authorities believe 90 percent of human trafficking in India is "intra-country."

New Hampshire Gov. Says He'll Sign Gay Marriage Bill

Disappointing conservatives who say he is reneging from a previous statement to voters, New Hampshire Democratic Gov. John Lynch said Thursday he would sign a bill legalizing "gay marriage" if changes to it are made. Baptist Press reports that Lynch released a statement saying he wants to see the bill's protections for religious organizations strengthened. Opponents, though, said that the governor's proposal falls far short and that even if he gets his way parental rights and religious freedoms still will be impaired, with "gay marriage" being taught as normative in public schools. The state House and Senate will most likely adopt the changes to the bill as early as this week.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 20, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * India's Christians Celebrate Congress Party's Win
    * Sri Lanka War Ends; Desperate Aid Needed
    * Top Chinese Rights Lawyer Still Missing After 104 Days
    * Church Gives Fresh Meaning to 'Offering' Plate


India's Christians Celebrate Congress Party's Win

Mission News Network reports that Christians and minorities in India hope for a peaceful future under the newly elected Congress Party, which replaces the extremist-leaning party in power. According to reports, the Congress party won 262 seats in Parliament, up from the 190 seats they had in the previous elections. The results from the month-long elections promise a secular government that will not try to force Hinduism as the national religion. "Hundreds of thousands of people across India and the world have been praying. We are so grateful to God for answering our prayers. This will definitely benefit the growth of Christianity in the next five years," said President of Serve India Ministries Ebenezer Samuel. Samuel does not expect persecution to disappear, but hopes the new government will ease some tensions.

Sri Lanka War Ends; Desperate Aid Needed

The Christian Post reports that Sri Lanka's civil war is over, but the humanitarian challenges remain stark. The country's 25-year war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the official government leaves more than 250,000 dependent on aid in refugee camps. "The conventional war may be over but the real challenge now is to foster an environment where fractured and displaced Tamil communities can heal and have a real chance at creating a future for themselves and their children," said aid agency director Suresh Bartlett, of World Vision in Sri Lanka. The United Nations estimates 7,000 civilians were killed and 16,700 wounded in the fighting over the last five months, as the LTTE used civilians as human shields and prevented them from leaving the war zone.

Top Chinese Rights Lawyer Still Missing After 104 Days

ASSIST News Service reports that it has been more than 100 days since Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been seen in public. Two Christian groups, who work for the rights of believers in countries where they face persecution or discrimination, are working together for his release, while U.S. senators are calling on the China's president to release Gao. ChinaAid and Voice of the Martyrs have released a video exposing the torture Gao suffered after his last arrest in 2007, and say he is likely experiencing the same treatment now. That video gives Gao's personal account of 58 days in detention, exposing the brutality of the Communist Party and the persecution of house church Christians. He was last seen being hauled away by Chinese officials.

Church Gives Fresh Meaning to 'Offering' Plate

Most churches have church members put offerings into the collection plate - but one church has decided to do it backwards, CNN reports. Pastor Toby Slough at Cross Timbers Community Church in Texas told his congregation to take what they needed from the plate earlier this year, hoping to ease financial stress. When the church collected the plates again though, they found that the church had had its highest offering ever. Since that Sunday, Slough and his church have given away a half-million dollars to members, non-members, missions and local groups. "In these economic times, we can't be so into church business that we forget what our business is, and that is to help people," Slough told CNN television affiliate KDAF in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 21, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Evangelical Alliance Urges Churches to Confront Money Issues
    * Sri Lanka Civil War Ends; GFA Workers Reach Out to Survivors
    * Campaign Begins to Rebuild Communities in Orissa
    * Christian Group Urges Nationwide Prayer on July 5


Evangelical Alliance Urges Churches to Confront Money Issues

Christian Today reports that the Evangelical Alliance (EA) is encouraging churches in Britain to be more transparent and vocal about money matters. "Churches are failing their members and communities by avoiding openly talking about money and debt," the group said. The EA plans to host finance-focused seminars at events this year, joined by presentations from Credit Action Chris Tapp and National Stewardship and Resources Officer for the Church of England, John Preston. "Money is generally seen as a very private subject and this all too often leads to reluctance on the part of churches in discussing financial matters," Tapp said. "However it is an absolutely crucial issue for Christians to tackle especially today when so many in our churches and communities are struggling desperately with money and debt issues.

Sri Lanka Civil War Ends; GFA Workers Reach Out to Survivors

Monday's announcement that government forces had killed the rebel Tamil leader didn't end Sri Lanka's problems, Christian Newswire reports. "This is one of the greatest challenges and opportunities we have to minister to people in the name of Christ," said Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan. "We have more than 100 churches in Sri Lanka, and our people are engaged in doing whatever they can to help the suffering refugees. This is a drawn-out challenge that will be there for a long time to come." Sri Lanka faces returning almost 25,000 displaced people to new homes and new livelihoods. The defeated Tamil Tigers (LTTE) officially fought for a separate homeland for minority Tamils, but many countries consider them a terrorist organization.

Campaign Begins to Rebuild Communities in Orissa

Mission News Network reports that ministries in Orissa, India, hope to rebuild most of their community this summer and fall. The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) and Gospel for Asia will partner in an effort to raise money for rebuilding projects, noting that $40,000 is enough to rebuild an entire community, including its church. "Some of the people are still homeless from what took place back in the summer and early fall," NRB's Ron Harris said. "They need their homes, and they need their churches. Some are still living in tents and out in the woods, and we need Christians to come alongside." Radio and television stations will be invited to support the rebuilding campaign. Thousands of people were displaced in anti-Christian violence last August, when Hindu extremists blamed Christians for the murder of their leader.

Christian Group Urges Nationwide Prayer on July 5

Religion News Service reports that the Family Research Council is spearheading a call for churches to pray for the nation on the day after Independence Day. The conservative Christian group, best known for its efforts to shape public policy, hopes the "Call 2 Fall" initiative will reach thousands of churches. "I think increasingly there's an awareness that there is a problem in America that is not political at its heart but rather it's a spiritual problem," said FRC President Tony Perkins on Tuesday (May 19). Pastor Larry Stockstill of Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, La., said the movement goes beyond political issues or figures. "We know the problem lies in us and not in anyone else's issues or policies or persuasion," he said. "We are therefore bringing ourselves to God and asking for his mercy upon us."

[nChrist]

In Muslim Culture, Honor Killings Not Out of Date
Kristin Butler


May 22, 2009

Pakistani vocalist Ayman Udas had just had her first major television appearance. The beautiful and talented singer had risen to fame over songs sung in her native Pashto language, songs that speak of love, courage, and death. But it seemed that the disapproval of her conservative Islamic family was growing at the rate of her popularity in Peshawar's artistic society. The young mother of two had divorced and recently remarried, creating a stir in her family. But it was her television appearance that led to Udas's death at the hands of her own brothers, men who killed their sister in the name of "honor."

The artist had remarried only ten days before her brothers entered her flat on April 27, 2009, while her husband was away. They fired three bullets into her body and fled. The Times of India reported that the family "felt it was sinful for women to be performing on television." Both brothers have yet to be caught.

James Emery, a journalist who has researched honor killings extensively, writes that "In the feudal, patriarchal societies of the Middle East, honor is based on what men feel is important, and reputation is everything." Emery says that several thousand women are victims of honor killings each year. But he adds that "numerous murders are ruled an accident, suicide, or family dispute, if they're reported at all."

The United Nations estimates that over 5,000 women a year are killed for "honor." These killings happen all over the world -- throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and even North America.

Dishonoring the Family

On New Years Day 2008, two teenage girls in Dallas, Texas, were found shot to death in a taxicab. Police believe that Amina and Sarah Said were murdered by their father, in what the girls' aunt claims was an honor killing. Yaser Said, a Muslim from Egypt, and the father of both girls, had threatened to harm Amina when he found out that she was dating a non-Muslim. Said had also issued similar threats over the girls' lifestyle and friendships. In an article in The Dallas Morning News, an unidentified senior at Amina's high school recalled her father's infamous threats. "I remember her telling me that her dad told her he would take her back to Egypt and have her killed," she said. "He said it's okay to do that over there if you dishonor your family."

Human Rights Watch defines honor killing as "acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family." The organizations says that "A woman can be targeted by [individuals within] her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce--even from an abusive husband--or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a way that "dishonors" her family is sufficient to trigger an attack on her life."

Silent Killings

While the rise of honor killings in the United States has made national headlines, many thousands of silent murders continue to take place throughout the Muslim world. And they aren't always over arranged marriages, divorces, or sexual assaults. Honor killings over religious conversions are also becoming an issue, as well as honor killings over Muslims dating non-Muslims.

On May 4, 2008, Adeel Masih, a young Pakistani Christian, was found dead in Hafizabad, Pakistan. While originally deemed a suicide, Masih's family and human rights lawyers believe that his death was an honor killing, citing threats that the young man had received from the family of a Muslim woman he had a relationship with. The family threatened to kill Masih, saying that they "would not allow a Christian man to disgrace Islam this way," according to the Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement in Lahore, Pakistan.

Compass Direct News reports that "Marriage between Christian men and Muslim women is forbidden according to a strict interpretation of Sharia (Islamic Law), and even social contacts such as these can incite violent reactions in Pakistan." Masih disappeared on May 1, 2008, while on his way to visit Irfan, the Muslim woman he had had a relationship with for the past year. His body was later found in a canal in Hafizabad. Marks on his hands and feet indicated that he had been bound, while an autopsy report showed that he had sustained scalp and brain injuries.

Aneeqa Maria, a case worker for CLAAS, says that the family of the Muslim woman tried to delay investigations. "The police said, 'We will first inquire whether Adeel has committed suicide,' because the culprits told the police about the fact that their daughter wanted to embrace Christianity because of Adeel."

But in Masih's case, justice may yet be served. Irfan's father and uncle are expected to face charges of murder, kidnapping, obstructing justice, and conspiracy in a local criminal court.

Voices of the Victims

Residents of Pakistan's Swat Valley, in the grip of Taliban control, have faced extremist Muslim brutality for years, and may only now be on the verge of casting it off. In Swat Valley's capital of Mingora, not far from where Pakistani singer Ayman Udas grew up, the body of a Pakistani dancer is found. Bullets have mangled her frame. Radio Free Europe reports that a note discovered near the body warns local residents that "un-Islamic voices" will no longer be tolerated.

But it may take more than brutal honor killings to silence the voices of the victims. On her MySpace page, Amina Said's words live on, "I don't want to ... become a memory," she wrote.

In her final song performed on television, Ayman Udas seemed to envisage her fate, "I died but still live among the living," she sang "because I live on in the dreams of my lover."