Displaying items by tag: Religion

Bishop Efraim Tendero, secretary-general of the World Evangelical Alliance, says he wants evangelicals across the world to read the Bible and reflect more, invest in the translation and publication of it, and ensure people in all walks of life can engage with it. Addressing thousands at a Global Youth Day in Manila, he said, ‘Properly understood, the Bible points us to the Creator whose Word is true, righteous and endures for ever. We will highlight the importance of the Bible as the enduring foundation for fostering unity, freedom, development and quality of life today and for the years to come.’ The year-long initiative will launch formally at the newly-built Museum of the Bible in Washington, with the backing of ministries such as Wycliffe Bible Translators, YWAM, American Bible Society, and Call2All.

As we come into agreement with God’s word to ‘trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding’, we decree and declare that every connection concerning government, trade, justice, security, and communication not set according to Heaven’s perfect plan will shift in the Name of Jesus, that the United Kingdom will be positioned and related for His destiny in the days ahead (Proverbs 3:5). As Jesus said, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for the catch’, we declare that networks and relationships across God’s people in this nation that have not carried life will be replaced and renewed, that the capacity to bring in the fullness of revival and Kingdom transformation that He is opening before us will be established. We declare that those Kingdom nets will be extended into other lands, preparing the way in which other nations will be blessed with His salvation, His love and His power, in Jesus’ name.

Thousands will meet in the SSE Arena at Wembley on 31 August to worship, praise and pray for the Glory of God to fall on Great Britain. The Levites led Israel into battle with music, so praise and worship will set hearts on fire and prayer will bring the Glory of God and release the power of the Holy Spirit, inspiring prayers of faith for His Church and our nation to be revived, restored and renewed. For more information click the ‘More’ button.

Boris Johnson describes himself as a ‘passionate Zionist’ and recently said that wild horses wouldn’t keep him away from visiting Israel as Britain’s prime minister. His own Jewish ancestry reflects a legacy that he is immensely proud of. His great-grandfather was the Moscow-born son of a schmutter merchant (clothes trader). From refusing to boycott Israeli goods as Mayor of London through to his role as foreign secretary in the Balfour Declaration celebrations, Boris is a friend of Israel. But with new challenges ahead and Britain’s longstanding foreign policy not always in its favour, the Jewish state needs not only friends but courageous advocates, prepared to stand with Israel in a world that is increasingly volatile towards it. The Iran deal, the protection of Jews in Britain, Palestinian terrorism, and strengthening bilateral ties with Israel are all matters of importance in Mr Johnson’s inherited in-tray.

In the last hours of Theresa May's administration, the Government appointed Imam Qari Asim as an adviser on Islamophobia. Earlier this year he indicated that he would support laws banning speech that Muslims find offensive. He argued that although Muslims should obey the law of the land most of the time, he would like the law to accommodate Islamic ideas. For example, he would like to see polygamy legalised, and inheritance to favour male heirs in line with sharia principles. He also supports Islamic finance with its radical view that interest should be banned, and has backed Pakistani radical cleric Khadim Rizvi who supported the death penalty for Aasia Bibi. Although the government has ruled out adopting the Islamophobia definition, many believe his appointment raises even more concerns for free speech.

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) is a Catholic charity providing support for prisoners and their families, by helping people make a fresh start and minimising the harm caused by imprisonment. It removes barriers between prisoners and the outside world, and influences policy and legislation in most prisons in England and Wales. In a bid to crack down on crime, Boris Johnson wants to create 10,000 extra prison places and end automatic early releases of prisoners before they finish their sentences. However Pact believes that the key for successful rehabilitation comes from connections with faith communities. It says the PM's solution is a plaster for a bullet wound: ‘If young people carry knives, because they're frightened and others are carrying knives, they're not going to stop carrying a knife, because the sentence is going to be longer. They’ll stop carrying a knife if they feel safe in their communities.’ See 

In seven months over 500 congregations have left the Russian-affiliated church to join a newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine. As a result, the Russian church has lost almost 5% of its congregations, a relatively small fraction of the total but significant given how much resistance the Moscow patriarchate has sought to orchestrate against this movement. The map of the changes is also significant, with most recent changes in the centre and south of the country, not just in the west as was the case at first. Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, seen as ‘first among equals’ in the Orthodox Church, agreed to allow the creation of an independent church in Ukraine, which many had requested in response to Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine. President Trump’s administration supports the new Ukrainian church.

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has called on Algerian authorities to guarantee freedom of worship to churches and religious institutions, and to allow all closed churches to re-open. A press release on 12 August states, ‘We deeply regret that in May and in August 2019 two churches were forcibly closed in the city of Boudjima. This brings the number of forcibly closed churches to six, including one house church. Five of them belong to the Protestant Church of Algeria, a WEA member. Many more churches are threatened with closure, amid denial of formal registration and recognition by authorities. We also call on the Algerian authorities to suspend and revise the February 2006 ordinance setting out the conditions and rules for the exercise of non-Muslim religions. This ordinance is cited in each of the decisions to close churches.’

Officials are harassing founders of religious communities, possibly trying to block applications to exist. In May police began harassing Oskemen's New Life Protestant Church as it sought re-registration after changing its name. Officers visited parishioners late at night, threatening one woman in her late 70s. People who give their names as founders of religious organisations applying for legal status continue to face harassment and intrusive questioning. Against international law, Kazakhstan bans all exercise of freedom of religion and belief without state permission. The UN Human Rights Committee states, ‘No one can be compelled to reveal his thoughts or adherence to a religion or belief.’ A church member said, ‘At present the founders do not think that their rights are being protected by the law or its representatives. We are being subjected to pressure, which cannot help but arouse concern about the right to freedom of conscience in Kazakhstan.’

Malawi has been in a week of repentance and prayer for peace ( 5 – 11 August) in response to ongoing post-election unrest and riots over allegedly rigged presidential elections. As intercessors pray for their country, peaceful protesters took to the streets of the nation’s four main cities in a call for the resignation of the embattled electoral commission chairperson. However commentators are calling for deep soul-searching to bring back sanity in the streets as criminal elements are taking advantage of the demonstrations to burn tyres, clash with police, loot shops, and torch government premises and property. They blame Pastor Dr Jane Ansah for alleged election fraud involving doctoring election papers with Tippex. Ansah maintains her innocence and says she will not bow to ‘mob justice’. The Constitutional Court in Lilongwe started a case on 8 August in which opposition parties have applied for the nullification of the election results and a rerun of the elections. The hearing is expected to last for 24 days. See