Micah Challenge: Coordinators Update June 2007
WEA Thanks Stott As He Leaves Public Ministry
On July 17, the world-renowned theologian and evangelist of the modern era, Rev. Dr. John Stott, retired from public ministry after giving his final speaking engagement at Keswick Convention in U.K.
WEA requests prayers for Korean Christian Hostages and sympathy for families of German Hostages
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is asking for earnest prayers for the South Korean Christians being held hostage in Afghanistan and also sends its deepest sympathies to the families of two abducted Germans who may have been killed on Saturday.
Religious Liberty:
Egypt to rule on apostasy - 1 July 2007
A hugely important appeal is presently being considered by Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court. The judgment is due to be handed down on Sunday 1 July. This apostasy case has had virtually no coverage in English language media. The appeal, which bears striking similarity to Lina Joy's appeal in Malaysia, has been filed by 45 Copts (Egypt's indigenous, traditionally Christian people) who had either converted to Islam for various reasons or been deemed Muslim on account of their parents' conversion to Islam.
Bangladesh: Grass Roots Hositility but a Hopeful Response
On 12 June, 42 local new Christian converts from Islam were baptised in a river in Nilphamari district, north-west bangladesh. The Compass Direct (CD) report went on to say mosque authorities in the village of Durbachari Bhatiapara then banned Christians from using the village well, the area's only source of potable water.
Egypt: Let the apostasy/liberty debate begin.
In April 2007 a lower court ruled against 45 Copts who had converted to Islam or been deemed Muslim on account of the conversion of a parent, but who wanted to officially return to Christianity. The lower court ruled that Muslims, even if they are converts from Christianity, could not be permitted to apostasise (leave Islam).
Malaysia: Image and Substance
In the recent WEA Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin entitled "Malaysia: At the Crossroads" it was noted: "Elections are due in Malaysia before early 2008. Many people are disenchanted with the ruling party, UMNO, and PAS [Parti Islam Semalaysia] is hoping to capitalise. PAS is modernising and softening its image, replacing turbaned clerics with Western-educated, smartly-suited so-called 'Young Turks', hoping the new image will attract Chinese and Indian voters.
Lebanon: Christians Facing Perilous Times
In the Middle East, Sunni and Shiite Muslims are embroiled in a political struggle for supremacy that started over thirteen hundred years ago. Shiite theology says only a direct descendant of Mohammed can lead Muslims, thus delegitimising Sunni dictatorships. Sunnis have countered with a fiercely anti-Shiite doctrine.
Algeria: Christians and the extremist threat.
On 13 June the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera published a column by Magdi Allam on the persecution of Christians and the lack of religious tolerance in Muslim countries. In the very last paragraph Allam names Algeria, just once, saying "…. from Algeria to Pakistan, Indonesia to Nigeria, Saudi Arabia to
Somalia", Christians are victims of persecution and discrimination.
China: Momentum for Change (but not yet in North Korea)
For decades the Chinese government has been denying the true extent of Chinese Christianity. In 2004 the government-backed Amity News Service put the number of Protestants at 18 million. However China Aid Association reported on 8 January 2007: 'Mr Yie Xiaowen, the director of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs, said in two internal meetings held in Beijing University and Chinese Academy of Social Science . . . that the number of Christians in China has reached 130 million [10 percent of the population].' This is a remarkable acknowledgement.
Afghanistan: Islamic Fundamentalists Control through Terror
Up to 17,000 Korean Christians serve the Lord abroad in this way, most in war-torn, volatile, hostile and 'restricted access'
nations. There are around 100 South Korean Christians from a dozen humanitarian organisations and churches presently engaged in voluntary work in war-torn Afghanistan. Since 2002, some 400-500 South Koreans have visited Afghanistan every year in response to the Lord's sending.
Interview with Johan Candelin on Turkish elections - by Misson Network News
Pressing challenges face Turkey's ruling AK party after its win in parliamentary elections earlier this week. The first challenge facing Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is to settle the choice of a new state president, which is what caused the early elections.
Youth:
Youth Commission Report, July 2007
Canada:
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada: The latest Canada Watch, EFC’s radio show for Evangelicals hosted by Bruce J. Clemenger, EFC’s president, is available online.
Caribbean:
Evangelical Association of the Caribbean: Full details for CONECAR 2007 are now on EAC’s website. CONECAR takes place October 22-25, 2007 in Trinidad around the theme “Building Disciples….Developing Christians to Make a Difference.” You are invited to be there.
India:
Evangelical Fellowship of India:
EFI Intervention Petition Admitted By Supreme Court - The Supreme Court on July 13, admitted an intervention petition filed by the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) in a writ petition filed by social activist Shabnam Hashmi seeking a uniform adoption law or guidelines which would enable minority communities to adopt in India.
EFI requests your prayers for the following persecution cases - ...The cases of atrocities against the Christian minority in the state of Assam have been reported in recent past. Nepali, Assamese and Bodo Christians in lower Assam are the victims of these atrocities.
Italy:
Italian Evangelical Alliance:
Rally for Religious Liberty in Rome - 2007 marks the second centenary of Giuseppe Garibaldi?s birth (1807), the popular Italian general that helped the country to be united with his 1,000 committed men. Some observers suggested a comparison with the thousand people who gathered in Rome for the Rally for Religious Freedom organised by the Italian Evangelical Alliance (IEA) on the 23rd of June.
Sri Lanka:
National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka:
Request of Prayer - Disappearances and Abduction - Since the breakdown of the Norwegian brokered cease fire between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an ‘unofficial’ war rages on. While this return to armed hostilities has taken a huge toll on the civilian population, displacing thousands from their homes and killing hundreds, a trend of abductions, extortion and gruesome executions have intensified fear and suffering among civilians.
The following is a collection of reports and commentaries on ISLAM by Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher
The Islamic Studies Scholar, Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, is Academic Director of the Islamic Studies Institute in Bonn and author of several books about Islam. Her most recent is Islam und christliche Glaube: Ein Vergleich (Islam and the Christian Faith: A Comparison), published by Hännsler Verlag in Germany
Now available in the French language
Mission Commission: Member Care information
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