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Vietnam’s religion policy and practice – contradictions continue

November 23, 2017 Vietnam Binh Phuoc, Catholics, Central Highlands, Communism, Evangelical Church of Vietnam, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Protestants, Religion Law, Religious freedom, Vietnam

Optimists are hard to find ahead of Vietnam’s impending introduction of its new Law on Belief and Religion, scheduled to come into effect on 1 January, 2018. Vietnam’s Catholic and Evangelical leaders, as well as Buddhists and Caodaists, say the main benefit of the law, two years in the making, . . . Read More

Russian Patriarch and UK archbishop call for greater support for persecuted Christians

November 23, 2017 Russia Crimea, Iraq, Middle East, Moscow, Patriarch Kirill, Russia, Russian Orthodox Church, Soviet Union, Syria, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin

The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury have called for more aid to reach Middle Eastern refugees, especially Christians, and for robust safeguards against extremist ideology, which they say has spread “like an epidemic”. Patriarch Kirill and Archbishop Justin Welby released a joint statement thanking . . . Read More

Iraq and Philippines Christians join Red Wednesday religious freedom solidarity display

November 22, 2017 Bashar Warda, Belgium, China, Copts, Egypt, France, IDPs, India, Iraq, Islamic State, London, Manila, Myanmar, Nineveh Plains, Religious freedom, Rohingya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UN, Uyghurs

Landmarks in the UK, Ireland, Iraq and the Philippines are due to be floodlit in red today (22 November) to highlight the persecution of faith groups for their “peacefully held beliefs”. The “Red Wednesday” initiative is in its second year and has been pioneered by Aid to the Church in . . . Read More

Universal Children’s Day: Kidnapped Christina receives letter from German namesake

November 20, 2017 Iraq Ankawa, Children, Christina Abada, Erbil, Iraq, Islamic State, Mosul, Qaraqosh, Refugees

Five-year-old Christina, shortly after she was reunited with her family, including mother Ayda in the back. (Twitter @thestevennabil)

When German teenager Christina learned that a three-year-old girl with the same name from Qaraqosh, Iraq, had been abducted by Islamic State militants in August 2014, she started praying. A few months ago she heard the news of Christina’s release and decided to write a letter to the little girl, . . . Read More

US tells Sudan to ‘immediately suspend’ church demolitions

November 20, 2017 Sudan Censorship, Churches, Mariam Ibrahim, Minorities, NISS, Pentecostals, Religious freedom, Sanctions, Sudan, Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, Sudanese Church of Christ, USA

The US Deputy Secretary of State has called on Sudan to “immediately suspend” its demolition of churches and to hold a roundtable discussion with Christian leaders to resolve disputes. John J. Sullivan, speaking at the Al-Neelain Mosque in Omdurman on Friday (17 November), said “the treatment of members of religious . . . Read More

Algerian church closed for ‘illegally printing Bibles and material intended for evangelism’

November 20, 2017 Algeria Aïn Turk, Algeria, Bibles, Churches, Oran, Proselytism, Protestant Church of Algeria

A church in Algeria’s north-western town of Aïn Turk (15km from Oran city) has been closed down by local authorities. The church, affiliated to the Protestant Church of Algeria (known as EPA, its French acronym), was sealed off by police on 9 November. Authorities in Oran claimed the church had . . . Read More

To flee or not to flee?

November 17, 2017 Civil War, Converts, Egypt, IDPs, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Middle East, Migrants, Refugees, Syria

It is sometimes said that the Middle East is being denuded of Christians. Against this, church leaders throughout the Middle East urge Christians to remain in their country, or, where conflict makes that impossible, then to at least stay in the region. The emigration of Christians from the Middle East . . . Read More

The ‘remarkable religious transformation’ of Vietnam’s Hmong

November 16, 2017 Vietnam Central Highlands, Converts, Hmong, Religion Law, Vietnam

Christianity started spreading among the Hmong in the highlands of northwest and central Vietnam in the late 1980s through a Hmong-language Christian radio program broadcast from Manila and has led to “a remarkable religious transformation … in the past three decades”, according to academic Seb Rumsby, writing for The Diplomat. Among . . . Read More

Nigeria: Fulani Christians call for peace as violence continues in Plateau

November 15, 2017 Nigeria Christian Association of Nigeria, Fulani herdsmen, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Plateau

Fulani Christians in Nigeria have spoken out against the persistent attacks and killings attributed to Fulani herdsmen in the central state of Plateau, calling on them to embrace peace and shun all acts of violence. Rev. Buba Aliyu, chairman of the Fulbe Christian Association of Nigeria, led a contingent of . . . Read More

Persistent Fulani violence ‘indicates ethnic cleansing’ of Nigerian Christians

November 14, 2017 Nigeria Benue, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, Middle Belt, Nigeria

A new report detailing the sustained attack on Christian communities by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria’s central state of Benue concludes that the number and ferocity of incidents is evidence of ethnic cleansing. Further, signs of ethnic cleansing on Christian communities “are likely to become increasingly evident” in light of a . . . Read More

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