RELIGION TODAY

[nChrist]

Victims' Group Urges Action after Irish Abuse Report
Daniel Burke


May 25, 2009

(RNS) -- U.S. victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy say the Vatican should publicly rebuke the religious order that fought to keep abusers' names out of a damning report that details thousands of crimes against minors in Ireland.

The 2,600-page report, released on Wednesday (May 20), describes sexual and violent crimes committed against thousands of young Catholics who lived in residential schools run by religious orders between 1930 and 1990. One order, the Christian Brothers, successfully sued to keep the names of its members out of the report.

"The Vatican has to take real action," said David Clohessy, national director for the U.S.-based Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "The Vatican should publicly censure and, in any way possible, discipline the Christian Brothers for having the audacity to take legal action to conceal predator's names."

The five-volume report by Ireland's Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse cited "a climate of fear, created by pervasive, excessive and arbitrary punishment" that "permeated most of the institutions and all those run for boys. Children lived with the daily terror of not knowing where the next beating was coming from."

The Christian Brothers' leader in Ireland, Brother Kevin Mullan, told the Associated Press that the order fought to keep names secret because "perhaps we had doubts about some of the allegations."

"But on the other hand, I'd have to say that at this stage, we have no interest in protecting people who were perpetrators of abuse," Mullan said, adding that the order will "cooperate fully with any investigation or any civil authority seeking to explore those matters."

A number of victims in Ireland said the report is not complete without the names, and the matter is not closed until perpetrators are punished for their crimes. Clohessy agreed and said the church should punish abusers, even if the state does not.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's top spokesman, said Thursday the Vatican would defer to Irish bishops to comment on the report.

Reports commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have found nearly 15,000 allegations of sexual abuse have been lodged against U.S. clergy since 1950. The same studies have showed that the church has paid more than $2.5 billion in costs related to clergy sexual abuse since 1950.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 22, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * India: Elected Party Takes Office; Christians Breathe Easier
    * Study: Mainline Clergy Cautious on Gay Marriage
    * Iranian Authorities Pressure Father of Convert
    * Philippines: Body of Kidnapped Christian Farmer Found

India: Elected Party Takes Office; Christians Breathe Easier

Compass Direct News reports that Christians in India are heaving a sigh of relief after the rout of a Hindu nationalist party in national and state assembly elections in Orissa state. The embarrassing defeat for the Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came as a surprise. Hoping to gain from its hardcore Hindu nationalist image, the BJP made Narendra Modi, accused of organizing an anti-Muslim pogrom in the western state of Gujarat in 2002, its star campaigner. The ruling centrist party, Biju Janata Dal, won a second term, but concerns over persecution of minorities remain. A local centrist party, the Biju Janata Dal, took charge of the government of the eastern state of Orissa yesterday. Today (May 22) the new federal government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be sworn in, representing a second term for an alliance led by the Congress Party.

Study: Mainline Clergy Cautious on Gay Marriage

Religion News Service reports that mainline Protestant clergy are generally more likely than most Americans to endorse gay rights. Still, only one in three supports same-sex marriage, according to a new study. About one-third of mainline clergy support civil unions and one-third oppose any legal recognition for gay couples, found Public Religion Research, a Washington-based consulting firm. According to a Washington Post/ABC poll released in April, 49 percent of Americans say they support gay marriage, and 47 percent are opposed. Assurances that churches and congregations will not be required to perform gay marriages make mainline Protestant clergy much more willing to accept them, according to the report. Support for gay marriage jumped from 32 to 46 percent with the "religious liberty" assurance as New Hampshire plans to offer.

Iranian Authorities Pressure Father of Convert

Compass Direct News reports that in an attempt to silence a Christian human rights activist living in England, Iranian authorities went after his father. Abdul Zahra Vashahi, a retired 62-year-old suffering a heart condition, was arrested on Thursday (May 14) in Iran's southwestern city of Bandar Mahshahr and interrogated about the human rights activities of his son, a Christian convert who has been living in England since 2003. His son, John (Reza) Vashahi, converted to Christianity while in England and in 2008 founded the Iranian Minorities Human Rights Organization (IMHRO). He has not seen his family in six years. "It is a good example of harassment even outside the country," Vashahi told Compass by telephone. "It is just showing how far the government will go if we let them."

Philippines: Body of Kidnapped Christian Farmer Found

ASSIST News Service reports that villagers discovered the severed head of an elderly Christian farmer who had been abducted by Muslim militants in the southern Philippines nearly a month ago. The son of 61-year-old Doroteo Gonzales identified his father's face on Monday after police took on the case. The family failed to pay the 25 million pesos ($525,000) Gonzales's captors demanded. Police believe these militants had transferred the victim to the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group that is currently holding at least five other hostages. International Christian Concerns said three teachers, a lending-firm collector, and a peace activist are known hostages on Basilan Island. In Jolo, the extremist group is still holding Italian Red Cross Worker Eugenio Vagni, who was captured along with his two colleagues in January.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 25, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Prominent Missiologist Dr. Ralph Winter Dies
    * N.H. Governor and House in Gay Marriage Standoff
    * Relations Warms between Russian Orthodox Church and Vatican
    * Shuttered Stores Find New Life as Churches

Prominent Missiologist Dr. Ralph Winter Dies

ASSIST News Service reports that one of the most significant missiological thinkers of the twentieth century, Dr. Ralph Winter, passed away May 20. He was 84. Dr. Winter founded the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) in 1976 and the William Carey International University a year later. At Fuller Theological Seminary's School of World Mission, Winter taught mission history and leadership training. His 1974 address to the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization created a seismic shift in mission strategy, with his call to evangelize people groups outside the focus of established mission efforts. "He was constantly thinking outside the box," said Dr. Dale Kietzman, a professor at William Carey. "He did this to such an extent that you weren't sure what the box was anymore."

N.H. Governor and House in Gay Marriage Standoff

Baptist Press reports that the New Hampshire legislature is in a standoff with Gov. John Lynch over a bill that would legalize "gay marriage." The House voted 188-186 May 20 to reject the Governor's amendment to the bill, which includes language protecting religious groups. Colin Manning, a spokesman for Lynch, said the governor was firm in wanting religious protections if "gay marriage" is to be legalized in the state. Sam Taylor, pastor of Nashua Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist congregation, told Baptist Press the House action shows what's really at stake in New Hampshire. "The fact that the New Hampshire House of Representatives refused to accept Gov. Lynch's very reasonable amendment demonstrates the radical agenda of those who are trying to force this bill into law," Taylor said.

Relations Warms between Russian Orthodox Church and Vatican

The New York Times reports that the lost frost between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican may be thawing. The Vatican has encouraged the recent dedication of an Orthodox church on Russian Embassy property near the Vatican. The two churches also cooperated for dedication services, as when the choir of the Danilov Monastery, the seat of the Moscow Patriarchate, sang in a Roman basilica on Sunday. Church analysts say the new leadership in both churches favors closer ties, and Patriarch Kirill's new position as head of the Orthodox church may even lead to an invitation for Pope Benedict XVI to visit. Tensions between the churches have existed for years over issues of jurisdiction and authority.

Shuttered Stores Find New Life as Churches

Religion News Service reports that at Prime Outlets in Huntley, Ill., a former Mikasa fine china store will soon become the home of Christian Life Church. "This provided an opportunity, from moving from being kind of a homeless church, if you will, to find a home," said Pastor Daryl Merrill, whose church had been renting space weekly at a local hotel. The tough economy may have shuttered some retail stores, but the vacant spaces aren't necessarily sitting empty: some are becoming new locations for worship. Churches have considered former big-box sites, closed auto dealerships and mall locations. Experts say it's a potential win-win situation for both churches that want to have a location they can use every day -- rather than once-a-week arrangements at schools or hotels -- and property owners having trouble finding new tenants.

[nChrist]

The Gospel according to Twitter
Amy Green


May 26, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. (RNS) -- Do you tweet during church? Isn't it rude?

David Loveless doesn't think so. Loveless is lead pastor of Discovery Church, a nondenominational congregation that draws some 4,000 on Sundays to three locations in Orlando. The congregation has always thrived on the cutting edge, becoming among the first to embrace contemporary music and remove its steeple from its building.

Now the congregation is tweeting -- using 21st-century technology to discuss the gospel in 140-character cell-phone text updates sent via Twitter.

The technology emerged naturally here, as something parishioners brought with them to Sundays from the rest of their week. Loveless recognized it as a new way to communicate, and he began posing questions during his sermons and asking parishioners to "tweet" back by texting their responses. Those responses were then woven into his sermons, creating an instantaneous dialogue between pulpit and pew.

"In John 1, when Jesus was referred to as `the Word that became flesh,' God knew exactly what was the most relevant form of communication for the first century," Loveless said. "It made people feel like, `My gosh, he talks my language.' That would be people's responses these days, in going, `My gosh, my pastor tweets.'"

It is the newest technology arriving in contemporary church services. In fact, it's so new, and growing so fast, that there's no data to say just how many churches have embraced it.

No longer is the cell phone such a pariah -- only ringing cell phones are. Instead, church leaders are inviting worshippers to tweet and text their way through services as a way to share their prayers and reflections with neighbors in the pews, or their family, friends and "followers" on Twitter.

"It's a hot-bed issue right now, and people are on two sides of the fence about it," said Matt Carlisle, a Nashville, Tenn.-based technology and new media consultant for faith-based groups and nonprofits.

"As Christians, we are to witness, we are to make disciples for Jesus Christ. And if we can embrace new technology to do that, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't embrace Twitter, why we shouldn't embrace Facebook."

Many church leaders embraced new media such as Twitter and Facebook long ago as a way to create an online gathering place and promote upcoming events. Now some are taking it further, encouraging tweeting and texting during services as a way to create dialogue and strengthen a sense of community.

Michael Campbell, the 30-year-old pastor of the 230-member Montrose Seventh-day Adventist Church in Montrose, Colo., poses questions during his sermons and asks worshippers to text their responses, which are displayed on a screen. Like Loveless, Campbell then discusses the responses.

In other congregations, Twitter has emerged quietly and organically, with parishioners tweeting their reflections during services in the same way they tweet their thoughts or activities throughout the week. The dialogue also allows real-time discussion and gives those who couldn't make it a chance to monitor services from afar.

"I'm a younger pastor," Campbell said. "You're just building that sense of community, and people are interested in that because now they are part of the sermon."

But isn't it distracting? Doesn't it detract from the contemplative and meditative nature of spirituality? Carlisle points out that parishioners long have been taking notes during services, and that never has been distracting to others.

"I don't think the etiquette has been established yet," he said.

"Literally, within a year's time, this thing has been happening at a handful of congregations."

At Mars Hill Church in Seattle, leaders never decided to add Twitter to services. It just happened, said Ian Sanderson, a church spokesman.

The nondenominational congregation draws some 8,000 worshippers at nine locations, including a new one in Albuquerque, N.M. Seattle is a tech-savvy place, and the average member at Mars Hill is in his or her 20s. Tweeting and texting encourages dialogue across the congregation's multiple locations, and it helps church staff keep up with what parishioners are thinking and feeling, Sanderson said.

"I would say probably 80 or 90 percent of the church staff is on Twitter," he said. "If the old rules aren't helping anyone in their walk and their relationship with Jesus, if you can pull out your iPhone and Twitter something about the sermon and that helps your whole group of friends, we're not going to frown on that at all."

[nChrist]

Sri Lanka's Refugee Camps Still Places of Fear
Ginny McCabe


May 27, 2009

Although the war has ended in Sri Lanka, strict government limits remain in place for relief agencies working with the country's 250,000 displaced people.

As of late last week, more than a dozen international relief aid agencies who had been operating in the camps said that the government had restricted movement of their vehicles, halting relief aid efforts. The agencies have appealed to Sri Lankan authorities to lift restrictions, as has United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, but conditions continue to deteriorate.

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa said Sunday that he would not lift the restriction until various security measures are complete. Authorities fear that members of the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) might still be among the camps, and fear they could escape with aid vehicles that go in and out of the camps. As a result, barbed-wire fences appear along the perimeter of many parts of the refugee camps, keeping health services and food supplies out while civilians are forced to wait inside.

The country's 26-year civil war ended May 19 when government forces declared victory. The fighting forced hundreds of thousands from their homes over the years, trapping minority Tamils between government forces and LTTE terrorists.

Tens of thousands of people trapped in the fighting zone have had to endure unimaginable hardship over recent weeks, because there was hardly any place left that was safe, and access to medical care, food and water was inadequate, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported. As of now, about 210,000 are still held inside about 20 camps for "internally displaced people."

Additionally, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported that thousands of new arrivals are overwhelming medical facilities. Since the declaration of the end of the conflict, thousands of people have left the Vanni, the former conflict zone, and have arrived in the Vavuniya district in desperate need of medical care. About 1,900 patients are currently at the Vavuniya hospital, which has a 450-bed capacity.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has been working in Sri Lanka for many years, issued a statement on Thursday, stating that the organization's access had been restored. Earlier that week, ICRC vehicles were not permitted into Menik Farm, the largest displaced persons camp in Sri Lanka, which houses more than 130,000 people.

The ICRC, together with its partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, have been distributing drinking water, food packs, personal hygiene kits, baby-care parcels, emergency household items and kitchen utensils to around 40,000 people in Menik Farm, near Vavuniya. Also, tents and plastic sheeting were distributed to serve as temporary shelter for around 17,000 people.

"Between mid-February and the beginning of May, we were operating a ferry boat, which was taking people out of the conflict zone -- those who were seriously wounded or sick -- and taking them to hospitals outside of the zone. We had transported over 14,000 people like that," said Bernard Barrett, media spokesperson for the ICRC in Washington, D.C.

Besides access to the camps, he says, "the other issue is going to be resettlement -- how is the government going to organize that and when will they organize it... Then, there is going to have to be the whole reintegration of the Tamil population into this society of the country, and that is a political decision that the government is going to have to sort out."

Even with the LTTE defeated, their work remains. The rebels planted explosives all over the war zone, and many have yet to be discovered.

"Also, in the area where the conflict has gone on, there is a lot of unexploded ordnance, so all of that is going to have to be cleared. It is a very dangerous area right now," Barrett said.

World Vision, which also has worked in Sri Lanka since 1977, has maintained access to the camps, but struggles to help so many displaced people.

"The real challenge now is to heal the families and communities who have been displaced and affected for so long," Rachel Brumbaugh, World Vision's program officer who oversees our Sri Lanka work from the United States.

"An entire generation has grown up knowing nothing but this conflict. A lot of peacebuilding work needs to be done to bring people to reconciliation and healing. One of World Vision's main priorities is to provide emotional and educational support to children. We do this by establishing Temporary Learning Spaces and Child-Friendly Spaces, which are areas where kids can come and be with their peers and regain a sense of normalcy after having been through distressing experiences."

The group has begun distributing study packs, including books, pens, pencils and other school supplies, to 2,000 children who will be given temporary education. Future work, however, depends on more funds. World Vision is working with the Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education to source teachers from the area to work in the temporary schools, and is collaborating with colleague agencies and the UN to ensure maximum coverage and assistance to the most needy.

"Many of the children have spent their entire lives in displacement camps or moving from place to place to avoid the conflict. It will take a lot of work to break down the years of prejudice and animosity," Brumbaugh said.

[nChrist]

California Supreme Court Upholds Gay Marrige Ban
Michael Foust


May 28, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (BP) -- The California Supreme Court Tuesday upheld a citizen-enacted ban on "gay marriage," capping one of the most significant victories in the history of the social conservative movement but also setting up what is certain to be an effort by opponents to overturn it.

Proposition 8, as it is known, passed by a margin of 52-48 percent on Election Day, reversing a May 2008 ruling by the high court that had legalized "gay marriage." After Prop 8 passed, opponents quickly filed suit, arguing that the amendment amounted to a "revision" of the constitution and should first have been approved by the legislature, which it was not.

But the court in its Tuesday ruling disagreed, and by a 6-1 margin said the citizens had the right to pass the amendment, which states that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." In a partial win for homosexual activists, the court unanimously allowed the 18,000 or so marriages between same-sex couples already in existence on Election Day to stand. Based on oral arguments, both rulings were expected.

"We conclude that the California Constitution cannot be interpreted as restricting the scope of the people's right to amend their Constitution in the manner proposed by petitioners," California Chief Justice Robert M. George wrote for the majority.

Just one year earlier, the justices, in a 4-3 decision written by George, legalized "gay marriage."

"Regardless of our views as individuals on this question of policy, we recognize as judges and as a court our responsibility to confine our consideration to a determination of the constitutional validity and legal effect of the measure in question," George wrote. "It bears emphasis in this regard that our role is limited to interpreting and applying the principles and rules embodied in the California Constitution, setting aside our own personal beliefs and values."

California is the first state to legalize "gay marriage" only later to reverse course and rescind the law. Conservatives in Maine hope to follow suit either this year or next when citizens there likely will decide whether to overturn a "gay marriage" law passed by the Democratic legislature and signed by the Democratic governor.

"We're very grateful for what God has done and to see that the vote of the people has been upheld," Chris Clark, pastor of East Clairemont Southern Baptist Church in San Diego, told Baptist Press. Clark was part of a coalition of pastors statewide that promoted Prop 8. "This is a government of the people, by the people and for the people, and when the people feel that there's a branch of government that is not representing them properly, it is their right and responsibility to take it back and let their voice be heard."

California is one of 30 states to pass a constitutional marriage amendment. Including California's, the 30 amendments have passed by an average margin of 68-32 percent.

Prop 8 supporters needed 690,000 signatures to qualify the proposal for the ballot and turned in approximately 1.1 million. The campaign was the most expensive one in U.S. history on a social issue, with each side raising more than $40 million.

"We are very gratified that the California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8," Andrew Pugno, an attorney representing ProtectMarriage.com, the group behind the amendment, said in a statement. "This is the culmination of years of hard work to preserve marriage in California. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers worked diligently to uphold the institution of marriage. Twice, voters have decided that marriage in California should be only between a man and a woman. We are extremely pleased that the Supreme Court has acknowledged the right of voters to define marriage in the California Constitution. The voters have decided this issue and their views should be respected."

There likely will be a second round in the coming years, perhaps as soon as 2010. Equality California, a homosexual activist organization, already was requesting donations in light of the court's ruling. "We will overturn Prop 8, but only with your support," a statement said. The organization, though, acknowledged the significance of the court's ruling. "Our worst fears have come to pass," it said.

Prop 8 opponents likely will conduct their own polling to determine when to try and place a pro-"gay marriage" amendment on the ballot. Supporters of Prop 8 say that opponents will be hard-pressed to find a more favorable environment than they had last fall, with a popular Democratic presidential nominee on the ballot who opposed Prop 8. But, on the flip side, the black voters who came out in droves to vote for then-candidate Barack Obama may not come out in such numbers in 2010, when he's not on the ballot. Exit polls showed 70 percent of blacks backing Prop 8.

The latest public poll has good news for conservatives: A Public Policy Institute of California survey of 2,004 adults in March showed that by a margin of 49-45 percent, Californians oppose "gay marriage."

"Those polls typically underreport what is actually occurring," Clark said. "And with continued efforts in educating and continuing to point out the merits of traditional marriage, I see us as being able to hold this ground."

Clark also said the Prop 8 victory shows what can happen when Christians participate.

"Our Founding Fathers created a government like this for the express purpose of the citizens to step up and participate," he said. "It's our responsibility as followers of Jesus to be good citizens. We have a role here."

Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage -- which worked to pass Prop 8 -- said in a statement that "marriage is worth protecting because it is the way we teach the next generation: children need mothers and fathers."

"This victory for Prop 8 is a victory for children, for civil rights, and for the common good," she said.

Compared to many other states -- not to mention the federal Constitution -- the California constitution is relatively easy to change and has been amended more than 500 times since it was written in 1879. By comparison, the U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 26, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Conservative Lutherans Make Open Plea on Homosexuality
    * Pakistan: Christian Refugees Need Outside Assistance
    * Abuse of Child 'Witches' on Rise, Aid Group Says
    * Buddhist Cremation Rite Forced on Christians in Bangladesh

Conservative Lutherans Make Open Plea on Homosexuality

The Christian Post reports that conservative Lutheran scholars and pastors are pleading for their denomination to reject various measures that would support civil unions and gay ordination. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will vote on the measures at the Churchwide Assembly in August. "The proposals to be considered by the Churchwide Assembly this summer from the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality are perceived by some as compromises that will permit the ELCA to live faithfully with internal diversity on controversial ethical questions. The proposals are in fact no compromise," the letter states. "They clearly imply that same-sex blessings and the ordination and rostering of homosexual persons in committed relationships are acceptable within the ELCA." Currently, the ELCA allows the ordination of gays and lesbians if they remain celibate.

Pakistan: Christian Refugees Need Outside Assistance

Mission News Network reports that Christians fleeing from Pakistan's conflict with the Taliban may face steeper challenges than other groups. "The challenge for Christians is somewhat multiplied because they are already sort of disenfranchised: they're already pushed to the side, and so they become sort of lost in the shuffle," said Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs. "We have even heard reports that while the government is helping to relocate Muslim citizens out of these areas where the Taliban is taking over, they're not giving that same assistance to Christians." Pakistan's Christians rank low in society and are often forced to work the most menial jobs because of discrimination and lack of education. Under the Taliban, Christians could face poll taxes and even harsher discrimination.

Abuse of Child 'Witches' on Rise, Aid Group Says

CNN reports that superstition and suspicion have led to increasing abuse among Nigeria's children. Children who are unruly, stubborn or have learning disabilities and physical ailments are most likely to be singled out. "Children accused of witchcraft are often incarcerated in churches for weeks on end and beaten, starved and tortured in order to extract a confession," said Gary Foxcroft, program director of Stepping Stones Nigeria, a nonprofit that helps alleged witch children in the region. About 15,000 children in the Akwa Ibon and Cross River states have been branded as witches, he said, and most of them are forced out on the street and abused. Sometimes even Nigeria's pastors are responsible for the abuse, identifying children who they say are possessed. The problem is growing worldwide, even in places like Nepal.

Buddhist Cremation Rite Forced on Christians in Bangladesh

Compass Direct News reports that Buddhist villagers in southeastern Bangladesh forced Christians to participate in a Buddhist cremation rite for a deceased family member last weekend and demanded money for a post-funeral ceremony. Uttam Lal Chakma, 55, died last Friday (May 15) after a long illness in Dighinala sub-district of Khagrachari hill district, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Dhaka. He had converted from Buddhism to Christianity two years ago. Pastor Vubon Chakma and Christian villagers sought to give him a Christian burial the next day, but a hostile group of local Buddhists forcibly stopped them from doing so, according to a local Christian source. The source told Compass that a member of the Buddhist group told family members, "He was born as a Buddhist, and he will be buried as a Buddhist."

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 27, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Two Dead, 14 Injured in Nepal Church Blast
    * Stabbing, Bombing Attacks Strike Near Two Churches in Egypt
    * School District Upholds Bible Distribution
    * Radical Muslims Force Members from Church in Zanzibar

Two Dead, 14 Injured in Nepal Church Blast

Agence France-Presse reports that two people were killed and 14 were injured Saturday when a bomb detonated inside a Roman Catholic church. Police suspect a Hindu extremist group is behind the attack, which is the first of its kind around Kathmandu, the country's capitol. About 500 people were in the church when an usher tried to remove a black plastic bag in a seat, setting off the bomb inside the bag. A 15-year-old girl died in the blast. "This is the saddest day in the history of Nepali Christians. Never before has there been such an attack on the church in Nepal," said Tirtha Thapa, a Christian leader and founder-director of Nepal's Human Development and Community Services which works in education and health.

Stabbing, Bombing Attacks Strike Two Churches in Egypt

Compass Direct News reports that a Coptic Christian suffered severe stab wounds as he left a worship service in Minya, Upper Egypt, and a car-bombing outside a venerable church in Cairo disrupted a wedding. Without provocation, three Muslims repeatedly stabbed Coptic Christian Girgis Yousry, 21, as the army conscript was leaving the gates of the church of Saint Mary. The assault left him with severe injuries to internal organs, and was still receiving treatment in a district hospital at press time. Three men were arrested on May 5 and have been given a 16-day initial incarceration while the investigation is underway. In Cairo, a makeshift bomb placed under a car exploded outside a renowned Coptic Orthodox church building in Zeitoun district on May 9, incinerating the vehicle but causing no injuries.

School District Upholds Bible Distribution

Baptist Press reports that a few parents in a suburban Dallas school district are angry that volunteers with Gideons International were permitted to leave Bibles on school office counters for middle and high school students to take. The Frisco Independent School District allowed the Bibles to be placed at its 13 secondary schools next to other non-school-related literature promoting such things as local scout troops, soccer leagues and summer camps. The district has what it calls a "viewpoint neutral" policy on such material, provided it meets strict guidelines for decency and civility. District policy prohibits solicitors from distributing materials or engaging students. District spokeswoman Shana Wortham said the incident involving a Gideon allegedly handing the Bibles to students was resolved immediately.

Radical Muslims Force Members from Church in Zanzibar

Compass Direct News reports that worship in a house church on a Tanzanian island did not take place for the third week running. Muslim extremists expelled worshippers from their rented property in Zanzibar City on May 9. Angered by a recent upsurge in Christian evangelism in the area, church members said, radical Muslims had sent several threats to the Christians warning them to stop their activities. The church had undertaken a two-day evangelism campaign culminating in an Easter celebration. On the morning of the attack, more than 20 church members had gathered for Saturday fellowship when word reached them that Muslim extremists were about to attack. As the radical group approached, the Christians fled in fear of their lives.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 28, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Cyclone Aila Kills 191 in South Asia
    * North Korea Attacks Likely to Continue, Watchdog Says
    * Sri Lankan Refugees Need $1M Daily to Survive
    * Pastors in Pakistan Arrested for Use of Loudspeakers

Cyclone Aila Kills 191 in South Asia

New York Times reports that at least 191 people are dead after Cyclone Aila slammed parts of Bangladesh and India Wednesday. The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers make their way to hundreds of thousands trapped or made homeless by the storm. Authorities blamed mudslides for some of the 78 deaths in eastern India. In southern Bangladesh, low-lying farm land and rice paddies were inundates with sea water, ruining potential harvests. One island, Nijuhm Dwip, was reportedly submerged. "We're quite worried about this island, because reports are coming in that houses and fields have been totally washed away," said Nick Southern, the Bangladesh country director for the aid agency Care. "We are trying to get there today by boat, but the cyclone has made travel almost impossible."

North Korea Attacks Likely to Continue, Watchdog Says

Mission News Network reports that one watchdog organization expects North Korea's tense international relations will further endanger the country's Christians. "The average Christian now is under even more danger, if that's possible. There are spies everywhere. If they even see a Bible with a Christian, they are imprisoned," said Jerry Dykstra with Open Doors USA. "[North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il] feels that the fall of Eastern Europe, the fall of communism, was caused by Christians and that this could also happen in North Korea. That's why there's an increase in surveillance of house churches and Christians." Open Doors estimates that almost one-quarter of North Korea's 200,000 political prisoners are Christians.

Sri Lankan Refugees Need $1M Daily to Survive

Christian Post reports that the cost of providing supplies to survivors of Sri Lanka's civil war has reached $1 million per day. "Funding is becoming a huge concern for aid agencies. Most have already used up a large chunk of their existing relief budgets responding to the crisis," said Suresh Bartlett, national director of World Vision Sri Lanka. About 288,000 people rely on humanitarian agencies in the country, as war has displaced hundreds of thousands and destroyed homeland. Agencies spend about $3.50 per day for food and water supplies for each person. That amount rises if they are provided shelter, medical care or education for the children, the Post reports. Sri Lanka's 26-year civil war officially ended May 17, when government forces defeated the last of Tamil Tiger rebels.

Pastors in Pakistan Arrested for Use of Loudspeakers

Compass Direct News reports that nine pastors in Pakistan could face prison time for using loudspeakers to broadcast prayers and sermons from their churches on Easter Sunday. The nine pastors who lead congregations in Martinpur and Youngsnabad, about 150 kilometers from Lahore, say that local Muslim security forces have twisted the law to solicit a bribe. On May 16, police arrested and detained Hafeez Gill, Fahim John, Maksud Ulkaq, and a catechist from the Catholic Church in Youngsnabad identified only as Saqab. While en route to the police station, the officers told them they would be released if they offered a bribe, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement. The pastors refused and were detained, but following a public outcry from their parishioners they were released later that day. Reports indicate the arrest was premeditated.

[nChrist]

South African Church Still Hasn't Moved 'Beyond Apartheid'
Stephen Brown and Hans Pienaar


May 29, 2009

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (RNS/ENI) -- A South African church that was suspended from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 1982 because of its support for apartheid is "still not ready for readmission," leaders of the Geneva-based Reformed group were told.

The Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (Dutch Reformed Church of Africa), or NHKA, had been excluded from the global Reformed alliance because of the theological and biblical backing the church gave to the system of white minority rule that ended in the early 1990s.

The church has applied to rejoin WARC, but the alliance's executive committee said in 2005 that the NHKA first needed to demonstrate to the churches in South Africa and the world that it has renounced apartheid "fully and completely".

The Rev. Setri Nyomi, WARC's general secretary, told the group's executive committee on May 23 that a WARC team had visited South Africa in March to meet the denomination.

"Our discussions showed a deep division in the church about moving beyond apartheid," said Nyomi, a Presbyterian from Ghana, in his report. "It was our determination that they were not ready for readmission."

In separate comments to the Geneva meeting, Nyomi noted that "there were a few voices that ... were committed to challenge the leadership of their church."

Five of the NHKA's leading theologians, writing in an article in South Africa's Afrikaans-language press early in March, voiced their "shame and hurt" that the NHKA has not yet officially declared apartheid "unevangelical" and "evil".

The NHKA's 2007 general synod had scheduled debate on a motion calling for such a declaration, but emotions ran so high before the meeting even began that the matter was taken off the agenda.

The theologians called for other members of the NHKA to add their names to their dissident declaration, in which it is also acknowledged that apartheid was dehumanizing and caused great suffering which had to be redressed.

The larger Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, which was formed as a merger between black and white Dutch reformed churches, has rejected the racist ideology of apartheid and was earlier readmitted to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - May 29, 2009
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

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

In today's edition:

    * Episcopal Leadership Ousts 61 Breakaway Clergy
    * Christianity Today to Close Four Publications, Lays Off 31
    * Pakistan-Taliban Fighting Creates 2.2 Million Refugees
    * Turkey: Malatya Murder Trial Fizzles without Cooperation


Episcopal Leadership Ousts 61 Breakaway Clergy

The Associated Press reports that the Episcopal Church has ousted 61 clergy who affiliate with the breakaway San Joaquin diocese. Bishop Jerry Lamb, who took over Episcopal leadership for the diocese in 2008 after most of the parishes broke away, said he had asked breakaway clergy to request release from their ordination vows. None of them recognized Lamb's leadership on the matter, instead following former Bishop John-David Schofield. Schofield led the San Joaquin to become the first diocese to break with the national church in 2007. According to Schofield, Anglican leaders across the globe still recognize him and other ousted San Joaquin as priests and deacons in good standing. "Clearly, the traditional understanding of what it means to be a member of this historic Communion has been tragically altered by this action," he said.

Christianity Today to Close Four Publications, Lays Off 31

Religion News Service reports that publishing powerhouse Christianity Today International (CTI) is shutting down four publications and laying off 31 workers. The ministry cited hard times in its industry. According to a plan announced May 22, two magazines will fold: Today's Christian Woman and the Campus Life College Guide, which targets Christian undergrads. CTI will also cease to publish Glimpses, a worship bulletin insert with stories from Christian history, and Church Office Today, a bi-monthly newsletter read by church administrators. The moves, which reduce CTI staff numbers by 22 percent to 108 employees, mark the latest attempt to cut costs at Carol Stream, Ill.-based CTI. In January, the organization shuttered two other magazines -- Marriage Partnership and Ignite Your Faith -- and sold a third, Today's Christian.

Pakistan-Taliban Fighting Creates 2.2 Million Refugees

Baptist Press reports that an estimated 2.2 million people have been driven from their homes by fighting in Pakistan's Swat Valley -- raising the specter of a humanitarian crisis rivaling the refugee exodus during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, relief workers on the ground in Pakistan say. On-site assessments and media reports on the needs of internally displaced people indicate a lack of food staples, cooking utensils, bedding and shelter, reported Francis Horton, who directs work in southern Asia for Baptist Global Response, an international relief and development organization. Though the vast majority of people fleeing the Valley and two adjoining districts are staying with relatives or renting a place to live, a sizeable percentage have been force to fall back on government camps.

Turkey: Malatya Murder Trial Fizzles without Cooperation

Compass Direct News reports that prosecutors' efforts to tie the murderers of three Christians in Malatya, Turkey, to state-linked masterminds were set back on May 22 when the alleged ring-leader unexpectedly contradicted his previous testimony implicating a suspected "middleman." Emre Gunaydin -- whose previous private testimony led to the arrest of Huseyin Yelki, the suspected middleman -- stood up and claimed Yelki was "not guilty." Gunaydin said he implicated Yelki because Yelki was a Christian missionary. Yelki testified during the court hearing that he had met Gunaydin only once prior to the murders. Gunaydin's retraction raised suspicion among the judges that in recent months he has received visits in prison from those behind the murders who have pressured him to change his statement.

[nChrist]

Islamic Radicals Storm Pakistani ?Blasphemy? Hearing
Roger Elliott


June 1, 2009

ISTANBUL (Compass Direct News) -- Radical Pakistani Muslims in a town outside of Lahore this month overran a courtroom in hopes of swaying a judge in a "blasphemy" case against a Christian couple, and a member of the prosecution later threatened to kill the wife.

Some 50 molvis (Muslim clergy) on May 14 burst into the courtroom in Mustafabad, where a bail hearing was taking place in the case against Munir Masih and his wife Ruqiya Bibi, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS).

"Nobody could stop them as they rushed into the court," said CLAAS's Tahir Gull, sole representative for the accused. "They said, 'No non-Muslim has the right to keep a Quran in his house, they have done this so they are liable to be punished.'"

Masih and Bibi, both in their 30s, were originally accused under section 295-B of Pakistan's penal code with defiling the Quran by touching it with unwashed hands on Dec. 8 of last year. Masih was taken to prison and remained there until Jan. 22, when a Muslim neighbor who had asked him to store some of his possessions, including his Quran, testified on his behalf and the case was dropped.

The complainant, Mohammad Nawaz, subsequently filed another accusation on Feb. 12, this time under 295-C, blasphemy against Muhammad, Islam's prophet. This charge carries a death sentence, whereas defiling the Quran calls for life imprisonment.

Despite pressure from the crowd of clerics, Judge Shafqat Ali -- also a molvi -- granted the couple bail. Following the hearing, however, a member of the prosecution team approached Bibi outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her.

"Ruqiya was waiting outside the court," said Gull, "and one man came and said, 'Whatever the decision, we will kill you.'"

A prosecution lawyer read portions of the Quran while presenting his case, he added.

"He was not explaining the law in which the accused were charged," said Gull. "He was trying to influence the court religiously."

Charges of blasphemy are common in Pakistan and particularly incendiary, often leading to strong shows of religious zeal. It is not uncommon for sections 295-B and 295-C of the Pakistani penal code to be invoked in retaliation for personal grievances.

"It is very easy to grab any person for religious reasons," said Parvez Choudhry, chairman of Legal Aid for the Destitute and Settlement, who specialize in blasphemy cases. "There are many personal cases involving property, or money, or business that motivate the complainant against the accused person. All the cases are falsely charged."

Pakistan's blasphemy laws have come under heavy fire from international rights groups. Any private citizen can file blasphemy charges, destroying reputation and livelihood. The charge can possibly lead to the death penalty in the conservative Islamic country.

Masih, who before his initial arrest had been a day laborer, is no longer able to find work due to the stigma of the blasphemy accusation.

"There is a need to repeal these sections [295-B and 295-C]," said Choudhry. "This is considered a draconian law."

Section 295-C carries a death sentence for anyone found "by words or visible representation or by an imputation or insinuation, directly or indirectly, [to have] defiled the name of the Muhammad of Islam."

Choudhry suggested that just correcting the vagueness of this definition would go a long way toward reducing its frequent misuse.

"The word 'indirect' should be repealed -- this is wrong, unconstitutional," he said. "They have no value in the Evidence Act of Pakistan. The Evidence Act states that there needs to be direct evidence for a conviction."

The next court date has not yet been assigned, but Gull said he is confident about securing an acquittal.

"We have a good case on our side," he told Compass. "I am very optimistic."

[nChrist]

Church of Sweden Elects Lesbian Bishop
RNS/ENI


June 2, 2009

UPPSALA, Sweden (RNS/ENI) -- The newly-elected Lutheran bishop of Stockholm says that being a lesbian means she wants to stand alongside people who feel powerless.

"I know what it is to be called into question," the Rev. Eva Brunne said in an article on the Web site of the Church of Sweden after her Tuesday (May 26) election. "I am in the lucky situation that I have power and I can use it for the benefit of those who have no power."

Brunne, who is currently the dean of the Stockholm diocese, is the first Church of Sweden bishop to live in a registered homosexual partnership, the Uppsala-headquartered church said, and she is believed to be the first openly lesbian bishop in the world.

Brunne, 55, lives with priest Gunilla Linden in a partnership that has received a church blessing. They have a three-year-old son.

"Once you have been baptized, no one can say you cannot be part of the Church because you are homo-, bi-, or transsexual," the Web site of the French periodical Ttu quoted Brunne as saying.

She clinched the post by 413 votes against 365 votes for Hans Ulfvebrand; she will succeed Bishop Caroline Krook, who is to retire in November.

In 2003, the consecration of a V. Eugene Robinson, an openly gay man who lives with a male partner, as the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire triggered a deep division and threatened a schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Lutheran churches throughout the world hold different views about matters of human sexuality, including the acceptance of homosexuals in church life and blessings for same-sex relationships.

The Church of Sweden, which offers a special blessing for same-sex couples, has faced criticism from some other Lutheran churches, particularly those in African countries.

[nChrist]

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

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

In today's edition:

    * Pastor Cited for Holding Home Bible Study Without Permit
    * GFA Missionaries Reaching Out to Bengal Cyclone Victims
    * Two Egyptian Copts Re-Arrested in Abu Fana Murder
    * Missionaries in South Africa Robbed, Injured a Second Time

Pastor Cited for Holding Home Bible Study Without Permit

Christian Post reports that a California pastor and his wife face legal action from San Diego County for holding a weekly Bible study at their home. Officials informed the couple on Good Friday that the meeting constitutes a "religious assembly" and requires an expensive permit. Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary say the "assembly" is simply dinner, fellowship and Bible study in their home. The Joneses and their attorney argue that forcing them to get a permit is unconstitutional under the First Amendment. "The implications are great because it's not only us that's involved," Mary Jones told Fox News. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we're interested in is setting a precedent here -- before it goes any further -- and that we have it settled for the future."

GFA Missionaries Reaching Out to Bengal Cyclone Victims

Christian Newswire reports that Gospel for Asia's West Bengal headquarters has become a makeshift shelter for cyclone Aila victims. Everyone involved in the ministry is assisting in the relief effort to rescue the thousands whose possessions and dreams were washed away by the storm. "The love of the Lord and His compassion have seized our hearts to do something for our dear people who have been affected by this dreadful cyclone," a GFA-supported missionary pastor wrote. "We have already sent some money to our district leader to buy essential commodities for the believers." The cyclone ripped through West Bengal and Bangladesh on Monday, killing an estimated 200 people and driving a million others from their homes.

Two Egyptian Copts Re-Arrested in Abu Fana Murder

Compass Direct News reports that police this month released two Copts wrongfully arrested for killing a Muslim during an attack on Abu Fana monastery in Egypt in May 2008, but then re-arrested them as part of an intimidation campaign against Christians, their lawyer said. More worrisome to the Christians in custody is that their fate most likely will be decided outside of the justice system, in "reconciliation meetings." The state prosecutor investigating the case has not announced the results of his findings on the true identity of the murderer, as he is awaiting the outcome of the out-of-court talks between Copts and local Muslims. Brothers Refaat and Ibrahim Fawzy Abdo have been incarcerated for a year.

Missionaries in South Africa Robbed, Injured a Second Time

ASSIST News Service reports that a couple ministering to orphan children with AIDS has been attacked and robbed at gunpoint in South Africa for the second time in a month. After Clive and Zoliswa Bartlett and their family returned home after church on May 24, burglars arrived and again demanded money. Clive handed them the 200 Rands he had in his pocket and explained there was no more. The robbers then clubbed him with their gun and shot him in the buttocks. They escaped with a laptop computer, printer and the family's car. Clive was taken to a hospital for treatment, and is currently recovering after meeting with a bone specialist. "This was a traumatic experience for the whole family," said Margaret Templeman, field director of the Timothy Misson to African Townships (TMAT).

[nChrist]

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

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

In today's edition:

    * Korean Pastor Expelled from China, Church Closed
    * Church Shooting Kills Abortionist George Tiller
    * U.K. Christians Challenged to Be Bold, Not Nice
    * Muslim Villagers Beat Evangelists in Bangladesh

Korean Pastor Expelled from China, Church Closed

ASSIST News Service reports that Chinese authorities have abolished the Immanuel Church in Tinajin and banned Pastor Han Changxu, an ethnic Korean, from serving there. On May 16, the Office for Religious Affairs in Jinghai county, Tianjin issued a notice abolishing the church. ChinaAid says Pastor Han Changxu, a native of Heilongjiang province, was ordained as a pastor by the Presbyterian Church in 2008. He has been serving in Immanuel Church in Jinghai county, Tianjin since 2004. During the 2008 Olympics, authorities in Tianjin placed Pastor Han on surveillance when they discovered he had contacts with missionaries from South Korea. Chinese authorities have reportedly tried to prevent Pastor Han Changxu from having contact with churches in South Korea.

Church Shooting Kills Abortionist George Tiller

The Christian Post reports that Sunday's church shooting led to the targeted death of late-term abortion provider George Tiller. Tiller was handing out bulletins inside Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kan., when the suspect shot and killed him with a single bullet. Police arrested the suspect, Scott P. Roeder, Sunday evening. "We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," said Troy Newman, president of pro-life group Operation Rescue, on Sunday. "We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning." Tiller was one of only a handful of doctors to provide late-term abortions in the United States, and was only recently acquitted of 19 charges of illegal abortions in a Kansas court.

U.K. Christians Challenged to Be Bold, Not Nice

Christian Today reports that people in 219 countries participated Sunday's Global Day of Prayer. In London, more than 10,000 people participated. The city's organizer challenged Christians to speak boldly and clearly. "I used to be a Muslim. The Muslims don't just want to build a mosque. They want to take over," said Pastor Jonathan Oloyede to a group in East London. "If you want to roll over and play dead while the legacy of your forefathers is thrown in the dust and you can't stand up and say enough is enough then you are not fit to be a Christian." Oloyede warned that Christians who focus on being "nice" cannot really be God's messengers because they're too worried about offending people. He begged Christians to be "true to the calling you have as a citizen of the Kingdom."

Muslim Villagers Beat Evangelists in Bangladesh

Compass Direct News reports that nearly four months after Muslim villagers in the Feni district of Bangladesh beat two evangelists for showing the "Jesus Film," one of the Christians is still receiving treatment for his hip. Christian Life Bangladesh worker Edward Biswas, 32, was admitted to Alabakth Physiotherapy Centre on May 5, and still faces neurological complications in his hip. Biswas told Compass that he and 21-year-old Dolonmoy Tripura first showed the film on Feb. 7 in a home in Chandpur village. The next evening, some villagers told them to show the film at their home, which the evangelists suspected to be a trap. The villagers took them to a school yard to show the film, and began beating them after the first 20 minutes of the film.