Evangelicals Now

World News

• Algeria: demand higher

  Bible Society

  Algeria’s secret believers must hide their faith, but demand for the Bible is higher than ever, it was reported in late August.

  ‘In 11 years I have never received so many requests for Scripture’, says the person who distributes Bible Society’s Bibles and Scripture booklets despite threats from extremists. Although many churches must meet secretly and threats, intimidation and abuse of Christians in society is common, 2,000 new Christians are baptised each year and Bible Society’s aim, funds allowing, is to give each one a Bible.

• Austria: ‘inhumane’

  Bible Society

  Amnesty International in August dubbed the conditions in Austria’s camp for asylum seekers as ‘inhumane’.

  Almost 5,000 people are housed in the camp in the village of Traiskirchen, about 30 miles outside Vienna. Bible Society of Austria’s Director, Jutta Henner, backed Amnesty International’s statement, calling conditions at the camp ‘shocking’. Bible Society makes Bibles and portions of the Bible available within the camp.

• China: concern

  location. Christian Solidarity Worldwide

  Lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders based in South Asia issued a joint statement on 1 September expressing concern about the detention and disappearance of over 270 lawyers, activists, family members and associates in China since 10 July, 28 of whom remain in some form of detention.

  One of the most recent and alarming arrests is that of lawyer Zhang Kai, who was taken into custody by police for a second time on 25 August and later sentenced to six months imprisonment in an undisclosed

• Ethiopia: charges quashed

  World Watch Monitor

  On 26 August, four months after their initial arrest, a judge dismissed all charges against the seven Christians charged with holding ‘illegal meetings in secret locations’ and ordered that their bail costs be refunded.

  ‘The Lord is always good and he can turn everything into the good of his people. Imprisonment for the name of the Lord is not a curse. The Lord can turn it into a source of strength and courage’, said one of the Christians, who wished to thank those who had been praying for them.

• Iran: arrested

  Mohabat News

  Police invaded a house church in Karaj on 7 August, arresting at least eight members who had gathered for a worship service.

  There is no information on the whereabouts or the physical condition of those arrested, although there have been unconfirmed reports that three of the detainees have been temporarily and conditionally released on bail.

• Israel: conference

  Christian Witness to Israel

  From 16–21 August, more than 200 participants from six continents met in Jerusalem for the tenth International Conference of the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism (LCJE).

  Encouraged by the promises of God regarding Israel and the evangelistic successes of the past, LCJE is seeking to nurture a new generation of gifted leaders who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will inspire the worldwide church to share the life-giving message of Messiah with Jewish people until, as foretold by the apostle Paul in Romans 11.26, ‘all Israel will be saved’!

• Mexico: persecution

  Christian Solidarity Worldwide

  Three Protestant members from Unión Juárez village, La Trinitaria municipality in Chiapas State, were physically prevented from entering the village on 31 August and one was arbitrarily detained for 24 hours.

  This action followed the arbitrary detention of three other Protestant men on 22 August in Nuevo Las Tacitas, Ocosingo municipality, Chiapas State. The three men, who belong to the Presbyterian Church, were detained as they arrived at the home of a local family to celebrate a religious thanksgiving day.

• Nigeria: protests

  Christian Solidarity Worldwide

  A peaceful march in the Plateau State capital Jos on 31 August was the latest in a week of protests calling for action to end the daily killings of local villagers by Fulani gunmen.

  Protestors at the march in Jos, organised by the Plateau Intelligentsia group, assembled at the Old Airport Junction before marching to the Plateau State House of Assembly, where they were received by the Speaker, Peter Azi. Since President Buhari’s inauguration in May, at least 500 people in five states have died in attacks attributed to Fulani gunmen, with over half these deaths occurring in Plateau State.

• Pakistan: arrested

  British Pakistani Christian Association

  A Christian man was accused of blasphemy in early September after a heated argument between a self-employed construction labourer and his employer.

  Pervaiz Masih, a long-time resident of Gahary Wala Kasur District, was accused of insulting Muhammad and arrested on 3 September. Pervaiz had apparently won a contract with a Muslim brick kiln owner, which infuriated a local Muslim businessman, Haji Jamshed, who wanted the contract for himself. Haji Jamshed had an argument with Pervaiz and alleges that during the heated discussion Pervaiz committed a blasphemy.

• Slovakia: taking 200

  Bible Society’s Newswatch (The Independent)

  Under an EU relocation plan Slovakia announced in August that it will take 200 Christian migrants, but not Muslims.

  Interior Ministry spokesman Ivan Metik said: ‘We could take 800 Muslims, but we don’t have any mosques in Slovakia, so how can Muslims be integrated if they are not going to like it here?’

• Sudan: home at last

  Morning Star News

  Two South Sudanese pastors arrived home in Juba from Khartoum on 19 August after an eight-month ordeal.

  The Revd Peter Yein Reith and the Revd Yat Michael were acquitted of the crimes of which they had been accused on 5 August, but were prevented from boarding a plane out of the country the next day. Attorneys for the two pastors had been working for their release since then, but it was not immediately clear why they were suddenly released. Mr Reith and Mr Michael were transported from Juba airport to a church in Hai Jebel in Juba, where they attended a thanksgiving service.

• Syria: freed

  Bible Society’s Newswatch (Premier)

  Islamic State militants in August released 22 Syrian Christians.

  This is, however, only a small number of the Christians who were abducted from villages in north-eastern Syria in February. The released are mainly elderly and in poor health.

• Thailand: crackdown

  British Pakistani Christian Association

  In a major police crackdown in Bangkok, hundreds of asylum seekers were arrested on 10 September for overstaying their tourist visas.

  Those arrested were mainly Pakistani Christians, but also two Somali families and one Afghan family.

• Turkey: death threats

  World Watch Monitor

  Since 27 August, at least 15 Protestant pastors have received emails and SMS messages with death threats against them and their church members.

  The threats followed the style and jargon typically used by Islamic State, quoting ‘verses’ referring to the duty of the faithful to put to death any ‘apostates’ who refuse to return to their original faith. The majority of Turkish Protestant congregations are former Muslims who have converted to Christianity. In contrast to most Muslim-majority nations, Turkish citizens have the legal right to change their religious identity or leave blank the religion column on their IDs.

• USA: Danny Lotz dies

  crosswalk.com

  Anne Graham Lotz announced on 19 August that her husband Danny (78), whom she had found unresponsive in the family's swimming pool on 17 August, had died.

  Married since 1966, the couple have three adult children. Anne Graham Lotz and the Lotz family remain steadfast in their faith.

• USA: filing for divorce

  Religion Today

  Tullian Tchividjian, former senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has filed for divorce, it was reported in late August.

  The decision to file for divorce comes in the wake of Tchividjian’s admittance of an extra-marital affair earlier this summer and his demotion from senior pastor of Coral Ridge, as well as his loss of position with The Gospel Coalition.

• USA: rally

  Religion Today

  Thousands gathered on the lawn of South Carolina’s statehouse on 29 August for a rally for traditional values.

  Those present at the rally supported reversing funding for Planned Parenthood and repealing the ruling that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

• USA: released

  Religion Today

  On 3 September, Kim Davis, County Clerk of Rowan County, was sent to jail for refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples, but was released on 8 September and will be returning to work.

  Mrs Davis had refused to issue any same-sex marriage licences since the Supreme Court in June handed down its decision legalising same-sex marriage. She stated that her Christian convictions would not allow her to issue a licence for a marriage she did not believe was legitimate. The Rowan County Courthouse continued issuing same-sex marriage licences while Davis was out of the office.