Outspoken Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was convicted of “inciting subversion” by a Beijing court after he reportedly entered a mysterious “guilty” plea. Human rights advocacy groups in China and sources with AsiaNews questioned the legitimacy of the plea because Gao’s family and attorney were not informed of the trial until it was completed. During the one-day trial, Gao was instead represented by two government-appointed lawyers. The conviction could result in prison sentences of more than five years. Gao was initially detained in August while visiting his sister and was formally arrested on Sept. 21. Authorities claimed the case involved “state secrets” and would not allow Gao to meet with his defense council until a formal indictment was made. Authorities threatened Gao’s family, saying it was “useless to hire a lawyer.” After Gao’s arrest, Chinese house church historian Zhang Yinan wrote an open letter asking Christians worldwide to pray for Gao, his wife and two children who have been under house arrest since August. (Compass Direct News)

TANZANIAN ANGLICANS REFUSE MONEY FROM U.S. EPISCOPALS

The Anglican Church of Tanzania cut ties with the Episcopal Church in the U.S. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, saying they would refuse to accept any assistance from Episcopal bishops, institutions or individuals that condone homosexuality. Tanzanian Anglicans accused the U.S. Episcopals at their general convention in June of failing to “register honest repentance for their actions that were contrary to the dictates of the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Anglican Church . . . thereby indicating that they were deliberately choosing to walk apart from the rest of the Anglican Communion.” The Tanzanian church affirmed its desire to maintain communion with conservative Episcopals in the U.S., many of whom are also at odds within the denomination regarding the election of openly gay leadership. Members of a conservative Anglican consortium, Global South, said they are ready to work with conservative Episcopals to set up an alternative structure in the U.S. (WorldWide Religious News/Associated Press)

* Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., have worked with local churches, the Lutheran Radio Center and Trans World Radio to put FM radio stations on the air in three Tanzanian cities. HCJB World Radio is also working with Radio Africa Network, a ministry of partner CCFm in South Africa, to build a radio network based in the capital city of Dar es Salaam. The first of these stations went on the air in 2002.

UPDATE: BEHEADED GIRLS’ FAMILIES FORGIVE MUSLIM MURDERERS

Family members of three Christian girls in Indonesia who were beheaded last year by Muslim militants shook hands with the suspects who are currently on trial as a “sign of forgiveness.” Open Doors staff members have visited the families of Theresia Morangke, aged 15, Alfita Poliwo, 17, Yarni Sambue, 15 and Noviana Malewa, then 15, who were attacked as they walked to their Christian school last year. Only Malewa survived, but suffered serious, disfiguring injuries. “The families of the three martyred schoolgirls shook hands with the suspects who are on trial in Poso -- Hasanuddin, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano -- as a sign of forgiveness.” Some have praised the action, but others have criticized the families, voicing fears the forgiveness could affect the outcome of the ongoing trial. The families, however, are hoping their actions can begin peace and reconciliation in the religiously charged tensions of the region. “It was hard for all of us,” said Novianna’s older brother, David Malewa. “But as believers, we must forgive those who persecute us. By holding on to Jesus’ teachings, we were able to forgive. We really hope this will mark the beginning of peace restoration in Poso.” (BosNewsLife)

STUDY: RELIGIOUS DEPICTIONS ON TV NETWORKS DOWN THIS YEAR

A recent study of the six major commercial television networks by the Parents Television Council (PTC) covering programming from Sept. 1, 2005, to Aug. 31, 2006, found the latest TV season to have 39 percent fewer depictions of religion than the previous year. In addition, the PTC study showed portrayals of religion during that time were 35 percent negative, 34 percent positive and 27 percent neutral or mixed. The remaining 4 percent chose not to respond. The programming types chosen by the six networks in the study (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Warner Brothers and UPN) also determined their depictions of religion. For example, reality shows such as “The Amazing Race” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” were much more positive in their treatment of religion than scripted dramas and comedies. Reality shows contained 58 percent of the positive portrayals of religion on the networks. Scripted programs had 96 percent of the negative depictions. Fox dominated negative religious portrayals while CBS led in positive portrayals. ABC led in most portrayals overall with an average of about one per hour. (Baptist Press/Evangelical News)

‘SMILING SPUD’ AUCTIONED FOR $153 FOR RELIEF EFFORTS IN SUDAN

When Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, N.C., hosted a baked potato event to raise money for relief efforts in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region they raised $2,280. During the preparations a high school youth group member discovered a potato with the likeness of a human smile. After the dinner, someone suggested the smiling spud be auctioned off on eBay. The winning bid on the Nov. 10 auction was for $153.51 by the church’s own choir which ended up giving $245 for the potato. In all, the potato brought in an additional $1,045 for the cause after many people outside the auction heard about the potato, dubbed “Smiley,” and decided to donate. “These past weeks have reminded me, once again, how hungry people are to see and use their power in ways that make a difference,” said Rev. Aimee Wallis Buchanan, associate pastor for Christian education and youth ministries at the church. (Presbyterian News Service)

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The Christian population in the birthplace of Christ is dwindling, and there is lots of room in the inns there today. Bethlehem’s Christian population has dropped from more than 85 percent in 1948 to around 12 percent of its 60,000 inhabitants in 2006. In a story about the city, a U.K. website (www.thisislondon.co.uk) says that the situation has become so desperate that British church leaders are to lead a joint delegation to Bethlehem this week to express their solidarity with the beleaguered Christian populace. The influence of Islamic fundamentalism now surrounds what is one of the most sacred sites in Christendom. The story states, “There are reports of religious persecution, in the form of murders, beatings and land grabs.” The years of unrest in the West Bank have also taken a toll. “The breakdown in security is putting off tourists, leading to economic hardship for Christians, who own most of the town’s hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops.” Violence against Christians has increased, and last year’s security measures required tourists to wait in long lines, affecting the Christians’ main source of income. Hotel owners say tourist numbers have dropped from 91,276 each month for the millennium celebrations in 2000 to little more than 1,500 a month now. (Assist News Service)

IMPACT OF ‘PROJECT PEARL’ IN CHINA CONTINUES DECADES LATER

Shortly after the funeral of Ed Neteland, executive director of the Christian Association of Senior Adults (CASA) and former director of Open Doors USA who played a key role in the massive delivery of Bibles to China in 1981 called “Project Pearl,” more word of the impact of the operation has surfaced. Neteland died Sunday, Dec. 3, at age 74 following complications from an accident at his home. Under Neteland’s direction, Project Pearl delivered 232 tons of Bibles to China, reaching nearly every Chinese province. Open Doors reported that those Bibles contributed to “unprecedented growth of Christianity in communist China.” At least one of the Bibles ended up with a man who had “prayed for three years to receive a Bible.” He went on to read the Scriptures “three times in just three weeks” and later became an evangelist and leader of a house church organization now with some 400,000 members. This is just one house church started as a direct result of the Bibles, and Open Doors estimates there are 80 million Christians in China. Open Doors Netherlands spokesman Jeno Sebok suggested Neteland would have been pleased with the results. “It is amazing to see how big the impact has been of these Bibles. That’s not only because of the huge number, but because God has given His blessings over most of these Bibles,” Sebok explained. (BosNewsLife)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra broadcasts 16.5 hours of Mandarin and 14 hours of Cantonese programming each week.

PENTECOSTALS SURPASS METHODISTS IN DENOMINATION’S HOMELAND

Pentecostals now outnumber Methodists in the homeland of the Methodist denomination. According to Dr. David Voas, a senior researcher at Manchester University, “Methodism is dying in Britain.” Meanwhile, African immigrants have numbers of Pentecostal worshipers increasing in the island nation. A recent survey conducted by the independent charity, Christian Research, indicates that Methodists’ average Sunday attendance dropped to about 278,700 this year while Pentecostal attendance exceeds 288,000. “Black churchgoers in inner London, where they outnumber white attendees, are an important source of growth in the context of the national decline in church attendance,” said Voas. “So it is significant that 40 percent of Pentecostals, but only 4 percent of Methodists, are black. It remains to be seen if Pentecostals can make significant inroads into the white population.” Rev. Jonathan Kerry, coordinating secretary for worship and learning for the Methodist Church in Great Britain, added, “It’s always good news to hear of growth amongst Christians, regardless of denomination -- we are not in competition.” However, Kerry did admit, “the Methodist Church now struggles to respond to new movements of God’s Spirit without feeling that it is betraying the past.” (WorldWide Religious News)

8 EPISCOPAL CHURCHES IN VIRGINIA JOIN NIGERIAN CONSERVATIVES

A group of eight Episcopal parishes in Virginia, including two of the state’s largest, have voted to leave the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) and associate themselves instead with conservative Anglican groups in Africa. The votes, which affect about 10 percent of the 90,000 Episcopalians in the Diocese of Virginia, came in response to the denomination’s growing acceptance of homosexual relationships. Leaders of Truro Church in Fairfax and The Falls Church in Falls Church, which have roots dating back to the 1700s, have led the way in establishing a conservative alternative to ECUSA. More than 90 percent of the membership voted to sever ties with the ECUSA and form the core of a Virginia-based mission of the Episcopal Church of Nigeria whose archbishop has called ECUSA’s homosexual acceptance a “satanic attack.” A possible legal battle over millions of dollars in church property is expected to follow the churches’ separation. (Agape Press)

76-YAR-OLD PASTOR OVERCOMES OBSTACLES, EARNS DOCTORATE

After five difficult years, 76-year-old Pastor William Rogers earned his doctoral degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., on Friday, Dec. 8. Rodgers enrolled in the program 42 years after earning a master of divinity degree. He has served as senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church near downtown New Orleans for the past 30 years. Since enrolling, Rogers lost his wife of more than 50 years to a heart attack. The loss was devastating, and Rogers lost 30 pounds and considered giving up his pursuit of a degree. Buoyed by the support of his congregation, however, he decided to press on. Then Hurricane Katrina hit, leaving many in his congregation with 15 feet of water in their houses. The necessary evacuations threatened to tear apart the church, but members connected with each other through the church’s website which was created just three weeks prior to the hurricane. Rogers’ studies were again placed on hold. Despite all the adversity, Rogers’ doctoral supervisor, J.D. Payne said, “He has shown the most Christ-like spirit that I’ve seen in some time. I never heard him complain.” (Baptist Press)

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BRITISH AIRLINE WORKER BANNED FROM CARRYING BIBLE ON SAUDI ROUTE

A second British Airline is going through a religious conflict this year after a stewardess was not allowed to bring a Bible with her on flights to Saudi Arabia. The unnamed stewardess, whose deep religious convictions are said to require her to carry a Bible with her at all times, is claiming discrimination because of her faith. British airliner BMI is the only U.K.-based carrier currently flying to the country since British Airways pulled out of that route while struggling with its own dispute involving a check-in worker who was banned from wearing a cross necklace on duty. A BMI spokesman said the airline was merely complying with Saudi law, banning any religious literature other than the Koran and added the stewardess had been offered short-haul routes as alternate duty. Comparable long-haul rosters could not be altered to accommodate her. Saudi authorities confiscate and don’t return Bibles brought into the country. A spokesman for Christian Solidarity Worldwide said, “It is worrying that a British company should be instructing its staff to conform to practices which are in violation of international standards on religious freedom.” (WorldWide Religious News)

ISLAND INHABITANTS IN INDIA SAVED BY 2-STORY CHURCH DURING FLOOD

An evangelist supported by India Partners is making inroads on Royal Island in the middle of the Krishna River in India’s Andhra Pradesh state. The 1,500 island inhabitants were antagonistic to Christian when India Partners evangelist Brent Hample first arrived on the island. “They ran him off the village and said, ‘Don’t come back or we will kill you.’” But he prayed and persisted until finally he convinced village elders to allow India Partners to come in. “Over the course of the past four years we’ve sent some teams there to do medical and dental work, build a community center there that is used as a church, and hopefully in the future, as a school,” said Hample. This community center did more for outreach than anything else during a recent flood. “(The) Krishna River flooded, and the villagers were able to save themselves and their families in the church because it’s two stories and it’s strong,” he added. “They really were saved physically by the church.” The people’s gratitude has opened the doors for ministry. The majority of the islanders still are not Christians, but they are no longer opposing the pastor at every turn. India Partners also has projects in place to help with the communities’ physical needs after the flood. (Mission Network News)

EVANGELIST: IRANIAN PERSECUTION INDICATES CHURCH GROWTH

In the midst of what many are calling a crackdown on Iranian Christians and the house church movement in that country, some Christians believe the nation is trying to get a handle on the growing Christian population. American evangelist Sammy Tippit who sends Christian TV programs via satellite to Iran said, “We estimate that there’s probably been, this year, 100 people who have been arrested, who’ve been interrogated and released. Just in the last week or so it has increased even more.” Tippit believes the government is trying to discover the scope and depth of the house church movement. “The government doesn’t know and they’re trying to get a handle on how big the house church movement is, because it’s growing so rapidly and God is doing great things. It seems as though these arrests are taking place all over the country,” he said. Despite tight government controls, people are hearing the gospel through national Christians, satellite television and the Internet. Tippit added, “One Iranian told me, ‘Here in the Persian world, we’ve had a form of Islam forced on us. We know what Islam really is and we’ve rejected it.’” (Mission Network News)

CATHOLICS ADOPT PROTESTANT HUNGER STRIKE TACTICS IN BELARUS

A second church in Belarus has successfully resorted to high-publicity hunger strikes after exhausting other negotiation methods with the state. Catholics in the north western Belarus city of Grodno halted their six-day hunger strike on Wednesday, Dec. 6 after receiving the city’s permission to build a new church. Although nothing will happen until the paperwork is signed by the President, the paperwork indicates the Governor and city officials endorse the construction. The Catholics were inspired by the example of the charismatic Protestant New Life Church in Minsk and displayed a banner saying of the church “We are praying for you.” On New Life’s website, Catholic priest Fr. Aleksandr Shemet wrote, “We are grateful to the Protestants for giving us courage. We prayed for the hunger-strikers every day during their protest.” New Life’s hunger strike successfully pressured Minsk officials and resulted in the cancellation of previous court rulings and a new hearing of the case. New Life members plan to fast and pray for three days prior to the court’s final decision about their new building slated for Dec. 22. (Forum 18 News Service)

STUDY: MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVE HAD PREMARITAL SEX

A new study indicates that more than nine out of 10 Americans have had premarital sex. The new study by author Lawrence Finer with private New York think tank Guttmacher Institute examined how sexual behavior before marriage has changed over time by interviewing more than 38,000 people, about 33,000 of them women, during the years of 1982, 1988, 1985 and 2002. Finer concluded, “Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, and has been for decades.” Additionally, the study found women as likely as men to engage in premarital sex -- even those born as early as the 1940s. Finer and the Guttmacher Institute have used the numbers to criticize abstinence education programs which have received hundreds of millions of dollars under the Bush administration. Wade Horn, assistant secretary for children and families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, did not question the survey’s numbers, but defended the abstinence-only approach for teenagers. “One of its values is to help young people delay the onset of sexual activity,” he said. However, Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group which strongly supports abstinence-only education, said she was skeptical of the findings.” Any time I see numbers that high, I’m a little suspicious,” she said. (Associated Press)

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