Another Conflict in the Middle East, Another Christian Exodus

Middle East | Indonesian Christians to be executed | Politics | Evolution | Missions & ministry | Church life | Churches fighting ‘adult’ businesses | Catholicism | Sexual abuse | Film | Books | Dobson on Gibson | More articles of interest

Articles from Friday, August 11.

Middle East:

1. Christian exodus from Holy Land causes worry | Many migrate to escape conflict and restrictions (Newhouse News Service)
2. Archbishop to hold vigil for Middle East | The Archbishop of York, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, is to camp inside his cathedral and forgo food for a week in solidarity with those caught up in the Middle East conflict. (Reuters)
3. Muslims upset by Bush’s remarks | They say his reference to ‘Islamic fascists’ intensifies U.S. hostility toward their religion. (Los Angeles Times)
4. Local pastor answers call to Israel | With thousands of people fleeing to escape the combat zone of northern Israel, 27 U.S. Christians answered the call of a Charleston and Jerusalem-based organization to offer support to the soldiers and citizens of the war-stricken nation. (Rock Hill Herald, S.C.)

Indonesian Christians to be executed:

1. Indonesians protest planned executions | Hundreds of Indonesian Christians rallied Thursday against plans to execute three Christian men convicted of leading a series of attacks on Muslims in eastern Indonesia. (Associated Press)
2. Pope appeals for clemency for 3 Catholic militiamen | Pope Benedict XVI appealed for clemency Friday for three Catholic militiamen sentenced to death in Indonesia. (Associated Press)
3. Plans to execute Christians decried | Men were convicted of leading attacks on Muslims in Indonesia (Associated Press)
4. Indonesia to execute 3, igniting sectarian questions | Three men convicted in connection with riots that killed hundreds of people a few years ago are to be executed on Saturday, Indonesian officials said today, in a case marred by questions about their trial and stirring up the country’s sectarian politics. (New York Times)

Politics:

1. Bush not listening to all evangelicals | These are rich times for conspiracy theorists, and the mother lode these days may be found in the fevered minds of anti-Christianists. (Kathleen Parker, News-Leader, Mo.)
2. Mayor criticized over prayer | Bolivar Mayor Edward Hall is defending his recent decision to remove an opening prayer from the Town Council meeting agendas, and he is calling for residents who support prayer during government meetings to voice their opinions. (Martinsburg Journal, WV)
3. Christian groups ask backers to `intimidate’ Huntsville council | A group of conservative Christians rallied support for a crackdown on illegal immigration with an e-mail that urged backers to show up at a City Council meeting Thursday night and “intimidate” members into supporting the ordinance. (Associated Press)
4. Was Jesus an ‘intimidator’? No | Last I checked, Jesus was more a mediator and healer than an intimidator – unless, of course, he was confronting the hypocritical religious leaders of his day. (David Person, Huntsville Times)
5. Making war on terrorism a new crusade threatens basic right | When Christian activists burned a Quran in Mississippi last month, you could almost hear Osama bin Laden cheering them on. (Charles C. Haynes)
6. Last man standing | The Democrats want religious voices. Why not Lieberman’s? (Naomi Schaefer Riley, Wall Street Journal)
7. A victory, sort of, for Plan B | After Tuesday’s meeting between the agency and the manufacturer, it looks as if — fingers and toes and eyes crossed — the deal is nearly done. Finally, and I do mean finally, the “morning-after pill” may be accessible the morning after without a prescription. (Ellen Goodman, The Boston Globe)

Evolution:

1. Pope to dissect evolution with former students | Pope Benedict XVI will conduct a weekend seminar in early September examining Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and its impact on Roman Catholicism’s teaching of Creation. (Religion News Service)
2. U.S. lags behind Europe, Japan in acceptance of evolution | A comparison of peoples’ views in 34 countries finds that the United States ranks near the bottom when it comes to public acceptance of evolution. (Fox News)

Missions & ministry:

1. Harvest Crusade keeps current | The annual Christian revival at Angel Stadium boosts the music and tech to draw newcomers and younger people. (Los Angeles Times)
2. Christian bikers | Iron Horse Church started with six members in 2004 (Sun Herald, Miss.)
3. Tent revival offers praise, worship | Holy Ghost Stay Right Here. The sign on the podium at the sixth annual Carolina for Christ tent revival beckons the Holy Spirit to join its worshippers and for more than 60 nights, Apostle Walter James Parker says God’s presence has been strong. (Kinston Free Press, N.C.)
4. Cautionary note for Christians who care, reach out | All believers in Jesus are called to serve in Christ’s Name and share Him so others, like us, can know there is a God Who cares about people. (Mark Daniels, Bethel Journal, Ohio)

Church life:

1. Fellowship important for these church ladies | In some ways, women have always been ahead of men when it comes to church, even though for most of history men have been at the pulpit, said the Rev. David Fortuna, pastor of Noel (Shreveport Times, La.)
2. Anaheim church joyfully reopens after fire damage | A year after the ‘adventure’ of Masses in a tent with rainfall, St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church holds a consecration. (Los Angeles Times)
3. Churches vary on roles women can play | The Rev. Nancy Idenden could be seen as a leader and a beacon for women everywhere. (Columbus Telegram, Neb.)
4. Yesterday’s church? | Trends put traditional Protestants into decline  (Columbus Dispatch)
5. ‘Preacher’ Swinson begins ministry at Trinity United | Some call him Pastor Dan, and he’s not as comfortable being called Dr. Swinson, but members of Trinity United Methodist Church in Mount Prospect have a new leader to call on — Rev. Daniel L. Swinson. (Pioneer Press, Ill.)

Churches fighting ‘adult’ businesses:

1. Church in unholy row with strip club | An Australian church is trying to stop the proprietors of a nightclub from going ahead with plans to feature nude shows when it opens in a building owned by the church Friday. (Reuters)
2. Adult entertainment targeted | Conservative religious group aims to restrict sex-oriented businesses (News-Herald, Ohio)

Catholicism:

1. A whistle-blower in a scandal at a church decides to resign | One of the two whistleblowers who helped expose a financial scandal at St. John Roman Catholic Church here that led to the ouster of its longtime pastor has resigned as the parish’s bookkeeper, her lawyer said on Thursday. (New York Times)
2. Pastor’s actions were a shock | The findings, released last week, of the audit report detailing the financial misconduct of former St. John Parish pastor, the Rev. Michael Jude Fay, said the loss to the town parish is estimated at $1.4 million. Parish money was spent on travel, limousines, restaurants and furniture. This money paid for a lifestyle that the bishop said was inappropriate for any follower of Christ, let alone a priest. (Darien Times, CT)
3. Roman Catholic TV network celebrates success | Twenty-five years ago, Mother Mary Angelica had a vision for Eternal Word Television Network, a channel offering nothing but Roman Catholic programming. She had little more than faith, $200 and a garage to use as a studio. (Associated Press)
4. 15 women who took up priestly roles face excommunication | Their effort to change the policies of the Catholic Church is met by bishops’ warnings. ‘I’m breaking an unjust law,’ one woman says. (Los Angeles Times)
5. Women choosing religious vocations follow their hearts | Sister Maureen Anne’s first passion was teaching. But after three years of teaching at a high school in Green Bay, God’s call came in loud and clear while the 26-year-old woman was driving home to Ohio for a visit. (Sheboygan Press, Wi.)

Sexual abuse:

1. Moody pastor is charged | Assault cases involve 2 16-year-old girls (Chicago Tribune)
2. Pastor accused of sex assault on teen girls | A former pastor at a church on the city’s North Side has been charged with sexually assaulting two 16-year-old girls. (Associated Press)
3. Religion news in brief | For the first time in almost three years, Cardinal Sean O’Malley met with representatives of Voice of the Faithful, a Roman Catholic lay reform group that was founded in response to the clergy sex abuse crisis. (Associated Press)

Film:

1. Snakes on the brain | History: A much-discussed film opening this weekend, Snakes on a Plane, uses the cold-blooded legless reptiles as objects of fear. Many cultures, though, have made them objects of worship. Why? (Marvin Olasky, World)
2. Moore Vs. ‘Jesus’ | Despite repeated requests to pull the documentary “Jesus Camp” from the lineup, controversial filmmaker Michael Moore screened two sold-out performances of the film at his Traverse City (Mich.) Film Festival last weekend. (Independent News)

Books:

1. Amish gone wild? It’s teens sowing oats to test their faith | Rumspringa begins when an Amish youth turns 16, usually lasts a year to several years, and ends when the youth decides either to be baptized into the church and accept the responsibilities of an adult member (more than 80 percent do), or leave Amish society. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
2. Jesus Seminar takes a critical eye | Did Jesus really do and say the things attributed to him in the Bible? Most Christians would say yes — in fact, they might not even ask themselves the question. (Kevin Eigelbach, Cincinnati Post)

Dobson onGibson:

1. Dobson backs Gibson’s work | Criticizes his tirade (Denver Post)
2. Dobson comments on Mel Gibson’s outburst | Pro-family leader stands behind ‘Passion of the Christ’ (press release)

More articles of interest:

1. S.C. bakery Bible study featured ‘buns’ | Customers in a bakery for a Bible study saw a different kind of buns Wednesday morning. A drunken teen came into the Atlanta Bread Co. shortly after it opened, used the bathroom in a storage closet, then walked out of the bakery naked, Bluffton Police Department spokesman Mike Creason said. (Associated Press)
2. College’s hiring of missionary to teach religion irks rabbis | A northwest suburban community college has hired an evangelical missionary to teach doctrines of Judaism and Christianity, irking local rabbis who fear the instructor’s “subtle evangelism” will creep into the classroom. (Chicago Tribune)

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Suggest links and stories by sending e-mail to weblog@christianitytoday.com

What is Weblog?

See our past Weblog updates:

August 10

August 4 | 1

July 28 | 27 | 26

July 21 | 19

July 14 | 13 | 12b | 12a | 10

July 7 | 6 | 5 | 3

June 29b | 29a | 28

June 23 | 22 | 21