Religious persecution ‘central’ to refugee crisis

Religious persecution ‘central’ to refugee crisis
Religious persecution is playing a “central role” in the global displacement crisis, the charity Open Doors UK and Ireland has said. Refugees eating donated food outside a derelict warehouse in Belgrade, Serbia. According to Open Doors, more than half of the world’s 65.3m refugee population come from Somalia, Afghanistan and . . . Read More

Nationalism in Asia, Islamic extremism in Africa – the 2017 World Watch List

Nationalism in Asia, Islamic extremism in Africa – the 2017 World Watch List
One of the greatest increases in animosity towards Christians last year took place in India as a result of religiously motivated nationalism, according to the latest annual survey of the 50 countries in which it is most difficult to live as a Christian. Since the rise to power of Narendra . . . Read More

Church body calls for equal education in N Nigeria

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the north-eastern state of Yobe has appealed to the state government to introduce Christian religious studies in public schools. Despite the constitutional provision for freedom of worship, the teaching of Christian religious knowledge is prohibited by local authorities in Yobe and other northern . . . Read More

Nigerian churches criticised for not helping persecuted north

Nigerian churches criticised for not helping persecuted north
Baroness Cox: there’s ‘a disconnect at every level’ between southern and northern Nigerian churchesBaptist Assembly 2009   Christians in the south of Nigeria are failing to help their persecuted compatriots in the north, according to a veteran humanitarian campaigner. British peer, Baroness Caroline Cox, who has made numerous aid missions . . . Read More

‘We must distinguish between Islam and terrorism’

‘We must distinguish between Islam and terrorism’
Keeping the distinction between Islam and terrorism clear could prevent an ultimate ‘Clash of Civilisations’, an EU diplomat says. “All this hatred and bloodshed is a misuse of religion,” said Ján Figeľ, the European Commission’s first Special Envoy for the promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the EU. . . . Read More