Good News for Persian speakers
“A major new translation of the whole Bible into modern Persian was launched in London and Istanbul last week (September 22-24). The project was especially significant as some of its earliest contributors were martyred for their faith.
Its publishers are Elam Ministries and Wycliffe Bible Translators. Elam was founded in 1990 by senior Iranian church leaders with a vision to serve the growing church in the Iran…”
– from Bible Society Australia.
IVCF ‘re-creating campus ministry’
“The California State University (CSU) system has issued a nondiscrimination policy that requires InterVarsity to allow non-Christians to be chapter leaders. InterVarsity has always required chapter leaders to agree to our Doctrinal Basis, a summary of basic, historic Christian beliefs.
While InterVarsity invites and welcomes all students as participants, we believe a Christian group should have the right to expect and even require their leaders to be Christian – just as any student group, club or Greek organization should be able to require their leaders to be like-minded…”
– press release from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
Related: When Your Campus Ministry Is “Derecognized” – Desiring God.
Kent Brantly’s remarks upon his release from hospital
“I prayed that God would help me be faithful even in my illness and that in my life, even in my death, he would be glorified.”
– Samaritan’s Purse Dr.Kent Brantly spoke as he was discharged from hospital after recovering from Ebola. See the video at Denny Burk’s website (h/t Tim Challies). Photo: Samaritan’s Purse.
South Sudanese church leaders: ‘The West has forgotten us’
“Church leaders in South Sudan said yesterday that the world has turned its back on the war-torn nation and little is being done to help the millions in desperate need of humanitarian aid.
Representatives from the Africa Inland Church, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Presbyterian Church of East Africa and the Pentecostal Church in South Sudan met in London yesterday to launch an appeal in partnership with the Barnabas Fund, urging the West to support their efforts in rebuilding peace…”
– Story from Christian Today. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.) Photo: Barnabas Fund.
See also Barnabas Fund, and
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid South Sudan appeal – and donation page.
Archbishop of Sydney calls for ‘urgent prayer and sacrificial generosity’
Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies has called for “urgent prayer and sacrificial generosity” in response to two great humanitarian crises.
Here are the Anglican Aid links:
Iraq appeal info –Donation page
South Sudan appeal info – Donation page
Archbishop Davies writes:
“I am calling on all Sydney Anglicans and our friends across Australia representing many Christian traditions and denominations to urgent prayer and sacrificial generosity for two terrifying humanitarian crises unfolding in our world today. Read more
Murder of Iraqi Christians — second appeal for prayer from Archbishop Glenn Davies
Here is a second appeal for prayer from Archbishop of Sydney Dr Glenn Davies:
“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, says fervent prayer and urgent action is needed as the persecution of Iraqi Christians escalates towards genocide.”
“Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Media Release, August 9, 2014
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, says fervent prayer and urgent action is needed as the persecution of Iraqi Christians escalates towards genocide.
ISIS militants, who have already forced many Iraqis from their homes in Christian towns and villages, are now reported to be systematically executing Christians, including children, some by decapitation.
“The reports coming from reliable Anglican sources in Iraq are horrifying” Dr Davies said.
In the last 24 hours, Canon Andrew White, the Anglican Vicar of St George’s, Baghdad reported that the five-year-old son of a founding member of the parish was attacked and cut in half by the insurgents in the Christian town of Qaraqosh.
“Not content with dispossessing Christians of their homes, unspeakable acts are now being carried out on those who refuse to recant their faith” Dr Davies said.
“Australia should be in the forefront of offering help, asylum and immediately agitating for protection of this ancient Christian community which is so desperately vulnerable.”
“Our brothers and sisters in Iraq urgently need our prayers and I hope all Australian Christians would join us in asking God to guide them to safety and restrain those who will do them harm.”
This is the second appeal issued by the Archbishop of Sydney on the turmoil in Iraq.
A week ago, after the attack on the Northern town of Mosul (near the ruins of the biblical town of Nineveh), Dr Davies said “In the same area where God sent the prophet Jonah to turn back the people of Nineveh from their evil ways, we pray for a turning back of the evil which has come upon the Christians of Mosul.”
France has already offered asylum to Iraqi Christians forced to flee Mosul and other towns.”
– Source, SydneyAnglicans.net.
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has launched an emergency relief appeal to help those fleeing their homes.
See also: Killings escalate in Iraq. – SydneyAnglicans.net
(Photo: UNHCR/ACNUR Américas via SydneyAnglicans.net.)
Abp of Canterbury statement on N Iraq
“The horrific events in Iraq rightly call our attention and sorrow yet again. Christians and other religious minorities are being killed and face terrible suffering.
“What we are seeing in Iraq violates brutally people’s right to freedom of religion and belief, as set out under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is extremely important that aid efforts are supported and that those who have been displaced are able to find safety. I believe that, like France, the United Kingdom’s doors should be open to refugees, as they have been throughout history.
“The international community must document human rights abuses being committed in northern Iraq so that future prosecutions can take place. It is important and necessary for the international community to challenge the culture of impunity which has allowed these atrocities to take place.
“With the world’s attention on the plight of those in Iraq, we must not forget that this is part of an evil pattern around the world where Christians and other minorities are being killed and persecuted for their faith. Only this week I received an email from a friend in Northern Nigeria about an appalling attack on a village, where Christians were killed because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Such horrific stories have become depressingly familiar in countries around the world, including Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
“We must continue to cry to God for peace and justice and security throughout the world. Those suffering such appalling treatment in Iraq are especially in my prayers at this time.”
– Re-posted from The Archbishop of Canterbury’s website.
Vicar of Baghdad: ‘Child I baptised cut in half by ISIS’
“The five-year-old son of a founding member of Baghdad’s Anglican church was cut in half during an attack by the Islamic State on the Christian town of Qaraqosh.
In an interview today, an emotional Canon Andrew White told ACNS that he christened the boy several years ago, and that the child’s parents had named the lad Andrew after him.
‘I’m almost in tears because I’ve just had somebody in my room whose little child was cut in half,’ he said. ‘I baptised his child in my church in Baghdad2. This little boy, they named him after me – he was called Andrew.‘…”
– Though very distressing, read the full report from The Anglican Communion News Service, and pray.
Thousands of Yazidis facing death in Iraq mountains; largest Christian town falls
“Thousands of members of an Iraqi minority are stranded in the mountains of northern Iraq after fleeing militant group Islamic State (IS), which is leaving a trail of death as it attempts to form an Islamic caliphate. …
On Thursday the militants from the group formerly known as ISIS took over Iraq’s largest Christian town, Qaraqosh, and surrounding areas. That sent tens of thousands of panicked residents fleeing towards autonomous Kurdistan, officials and witnesses said. …
Qaraqosh is an entirely Christian town which lies between Mosul, the jihadists’ main hub in Iraq, and Arbil, the Kurdish region’s capital. It usually has a population of around 50,000.”
– more tragic news from Iraq, via ABC News.
Second Ebola Patient arrives in the U.S.
“A grey Gulfstream III carrying Nancy Writebol, an American aid worker diagnosed with Ebola, landed at Dobbins Air Force Base north of Atlanta Tuesday morning. … She now joins Kent Brantly, a doctor who’d been volunteering in Liberia with with the Christian aid organizations Samaritan’s Purse and SIM USA when he, too, became infected with the deadly virus.”
– Story from Wired. Photo: SIM.
Famine in South Sudan ‘worst in the world’
“An escalating civil war is preventing humanitarian aid from reaching those most affected by famine in South Sudan, says a senior International Mission Board strategy leader for sub-Saharan Africa…”
– report from Baptist Press.
Bishops demand UK Government offer asylum to Iraqi Christians
“From Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad: ‘We have just had terrible news that Baghdad International Airport has been shut down because of security risks. Without it we cannot go North to do the relief work or even leave the country. Please pray that we can get out.’
As the Islamic State continues its programme of bloody executions and forced conversion, Canon White bears witness to the suffering…”
– Blogger “Cranmer” on the deterirotaing situation in Iraq. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
Related: Iraqi Christians ‘should be offered asylum in UK’ – bishop. – BBC News.
Samaritan’s Purse doctor infected with Ebola now in US hospital
“Samaritan’s Purse doctor Kent Brantly, who contracted the Ebola virus while treating patients in Liberia, is now back home in the United States.
A medical evacuation plane equipped with a special containment unit arrived at Dobbins Air Force Base in Atlanta today…”
– Dr. Kent Brantly was serving as medical director for the Samaritan’s Purse Ebola Consolidated Case Management Center in Monrovia, Liberia, when he fell ill.
Archbishop of Sydney calls for an end to Iraqi persecution
Public Statement
July 30, 2014
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has joined calls for prayer and international assistance for Iraqi Christians facing severe persecution, even death, for their faith.
“It is an outrage that a community established in the early centuries of the Christian era should face expulsion from their own land, simply for their faith.” Dr Davies said.
In Mosul, near the ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh, the militant Islamic group ISIS gave Christians an ultimatum: convert to Islam, pay a “protection tax” or face death.
Churches have been looted, burned or occupied. Christian homes have been marked with the Arabic letter “N” (for the word ‘Nasrani’ which translates to ‘Nazarene’, a follower of Jesus).
Thousands of Christian families have been driven from the city.
“In the same area where God sent the prophet Jonah to turn back the people of Nineveh from their evil ways, we pray for a turning back of the evil which has come upon the Christians of Mosul, stripped of their livelihood, property and possessions.”
“The Australian government, the international community and the UN must not stand by while such persecution continues unabated.” Dr Davies said.
The Archbishop called on churches to pray for peace and justice in Iraq and also for Palestinian Christians caught in the conflict on the West Bank and the Gaza.
“We have entered a period of significant suffering for Christians around the world: from Iraq to Syria and from Egypt to Sudan.” the Archbishop said. “While the Cross is the symbol of suffering for all who are followers of Jesus of Nazareth, we have a responsibility to stand with our brothers and sisters in the face of such unmitigated persecution.”
– from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Related:
Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
The silence is deafening – Catholic Herald.
‘Isis militants blow up Jonah’s tomb’
“Islamic State (Isis) militants have blown up a revered Muslim shrine traditionally said to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah in Mosul, residents of the city said.”
– report from The Guardian. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…