Tag: Protestants

Churches’ prayers show Syria’s “blood ecumenism”

November 10, 2016 Syria Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Syria

Christians from different backgrounds have gathered in Damascus to stress the “blood ecumenism” uniting them through shared suffering in Syria. The “cry for peace” was joined by over 2,500, together with bishops of various Christian denominations, as well as nuns, priests, volunteers and scout groups, reported Asia News on Tuesday. . . . Read More

UPDATE: Malatya murderers re-arrested over fears they may flee Turkey

October 3, 2016 Turkey Malatya, Protestants, Torture

UPDATE (3 Oct.): Five Turkish men convicted last week of the 2007 murder of three Christians in southeast Turkey – but allowed to remain free – have been re-arrested. They were picked up on Thursday evening (29 Sep.) after the prosecutor, Burhanettin Olgun, expressed fears they may flee Turkey. . . . Read More

Religious freedom ambassador visits Mexico

August 17, 2016 Mexico Catholics, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Lauro Pérez Núñez, Mexico, Mexico City, Protestants, Puebla, Religious freedom

The US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, David Saperstein, is in Mexico to discuss how its federal and state governments are adhering to their international obligations to uphold freedom of religion and belief. As World Watch Monitor has reported, Mexican Christians who branch away from the “traditionalist” village churches, which . . . Read More

Mexican Protestants continue to face pressure for leaving ‘traditionalist’ churches

June 13, 2016 Mexico Burial, Catholics, Chiapas, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Lauro Pérez Núñez, Protestants, Tuxpan de Bolaños, Veracruz

Lauro Pérez Núñez has been arrested and detained several times since leaving ‘traditionalist’ church.Coordinación de Organizaciones Cristianas Mexican Christians who branch away from the “traditionalist” village churches, which blend aspects of indigenous paganism and popular Catholicism, continue to face pressure to return to the fold or leave their villages. . . . Read More

Kazakhstan church raids a ‘backward step’

May 24, 2016 Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Pentecostals, Protestants

A policeman is filmed during the Good Friday raid on New Life church in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Maxim Maximov / YouTube

Recent raids on Christians’ homes and churches in Kazakhstan are a “backward step”, following the positive strides made by the Kazakhstan President in recent years, according to a religious freedom expert in the country. Kevin White, research fellow and country director at the Almaty-based Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, says . . . Read More

Hostile homecoming for Mexican Protestant after exile

May 16, 2016 Mexico Catholics, Chiapas, Exile, Lauro Pérez Núñez, Oaxaca, Protestants

Lauro Pérez Núñez has been arrested and detained several times since leaving ‘traditionalist’ church.Coordinación de Organizaciones Cristianas Lauro Pérez Núñez, a convert to the Protestant faith, was ordered to leave his community last year for violating what local authorities claimed was the village’s “custom” of belonging to the “traditionalist” . . . Read More

Islamists close Indonesian church weeks after it opened

April 12, 2016 Indonesia Bekasi, Bogor, GKI Yasmin, Islamic extremism, Jakarta, Protestants, Santa Clara

In 2010, Bogor’s GKI Yasmin church was sealed and padlocked by order of the mayor and city government. They now hold Sunday services outside the church, and stage monthly services outside Indonesia’s Presidential Palace. To date, they have held 115 such services.World Watch Monitor An Islamist group in Indonesia . . . Read More

Turkey backs down on closing Bursa’s only church

February 24, 2016 Turkey Bursa, Churches, Converts, Greek Orthodox, Protestants, Sunni, Turkey

The local government of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa ordered that its only church, which serves four congregations, be vacated by Friday (26 Feb.) before rescinding the order on Tuesday. Ismail Kulakcioglu, the pastor of the Protestant congregation, said they were given less than a week to vacate the . . . Read More

Turkey’s Protestants ‘anxious and distressed’

February 15, 2016 Turkey Ankara, Balikesir, Christmas, Protestants

After a year filled with repeated threats and attacks against Protestant churches and their leaders in Turkey, the leader of their tiny Christian community has admitted that they remain “anxious and distressed”. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Pastor Ihsan Ozbek of the Association of Protestant Churches named two major obstacles . . . Read More

Imprisoned Mexican Protestants allowed home

February 10, 2016 Mexico Catholics, Chiapas, Exile, Mexico, Pentecostals, Protestants, Religious freedom

Two Mexican Protestants who were imprisoned and then expelled from their community for refusing to renounce their faith have been allowed to return to their homes with a guarantee of full religious freedom. Casto Hernández, 31, and his cousin Juan Placido Hernández, 26, of the United Pentecostal Church of Mexico, . . . Read More

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