Zprávy HCJB 8.4.2008

 Pohřbu iráckého kněze se zúčastnili věřící všech denominací
   Podle mnohých je atmosféra „plná strachu,“ irácká křesťanská komunita v Bagdádu však v neděli 6. dubna uspořádala pohřeb zavražděnému pravoslavnému knězi Youssef Adelovi, den po vraždě. Pohřební obřad byl v kostele sv. Petra a Pavla blízko Karrady a vedl jej asyrský pravoslavný arcibiskup Bagdádu a Basry, Severius Jamil Hawa. Byla tam řada členů sborů a církví ze všech křesťanských denominací. Youssef Adel byl ženatý, bezdětný, ve svých 40 letech byl ředitelem smíšeného gymnázia navštěvovaného jak muslimy, tak křesťany, chlapci i děvčaty. Byl zavražděn skupinou neznámých osob. V minulosti dostal řadu výhrůžných dopisů. Soustrast vyjádřili irácký viceprezident sunita Tarek al-Hašemi a asyrský pravoslavný arcibiskup v Damašku. Poslední vražda zastihla křesťanskou komunitu dosud otřesenou vraždou chaldejského arcibiskupa v Mosulu, Faraj Rahho, jehož tělo bylo nalezeno 13. března, 2 týdny po únosu a zadržování. Zdroj: WorldWide Religious News, AsiaNews
 
 Všechny zprávy v angličtině
   SURVEY: UNCHURCHED PREFER TRADITIONAL CHURCH BUILDINGS

Source: Baptist Press
New research showed that people who don't go to church may be turned off by a recent trend toward more utilitarian church buildings. By a nearly 2-to-1 ratio over any other option, unchurched Americans prefer churches that look more like a medieval cathedral than what most think of as a more contemporary church building. When given an assortment of four photos of church exteriors and given 100 “preference points” to allocate between them, the unchurched used an average of 47.7 points on the most traditional and Gothic options. The three other options ranged from an average of 18.5 points to 15.9 points. “Quite honestly, this research surprised us,” said Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research and LifeWay Christian Resource's missiologist in residence. “We expected they’d choose the more contemporary options, but they were clearly more drawn to the aesthetics of the Gothic building than the run-of-the-mill, modern church building.” Stetzer suggested that the unchurched may prefer the more aesthetically pleasing look of the Gothic cathedral because it speaks to a connectedness to the past. Research showed that younger unchurched people, between the ages of 25 to 34, were particularly drawn to the Gothic look.

CHRISTIAN EVANGELISTS STILL ON TRIAL FOR ‘INSULTING TURKISHNESS’

Source: Mission Network News
In Turkey, Christianity remains in the forefront during “this trial against these two men who, by witnessing for Christ, have now been accused of insulting Turkish-ness--as if the idea of a Turkish Christian is somehow an insult,” said Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs. The trial has lasted for about seven months. Nettleton says, “It seems to be going on strictly for the purpose of pressuring Christians, trying to set a precedent that public witness for Jesus Christ is not appropriate in Turkey.” Last year, the state prosecutor called for the case to be dropped because of a lack of evidence and conflicting stories from the witnesses. However, the judge continued the trial saying that they’d find more witnesses. Nevertheless, the two accused men, Turan Topal and Hakan Tastan, have not lost their passion for evangelism. “One of them, during a delay in the trial, was able to talk to some of the policemen and witness to them. So they have maintained good spirits. I think we can pray for them. We can pray for a just verdict in this trial,” said Nettleton.

SUDAN CHRISTIANS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR PLACE TO BURY THEIR DEAD

Source: World Council of Churches
In Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, it is hard for Christians to have their own place - even after death. The city’s Christian cemetery, which has been turned into a used car lot, illustrates well the challenges faced by the minority Christian community in the northern, predominantly Muslim part of the country. The only Christian cemetery for the city of about 8 million inhabitants occupies about 4 acres of land given to the Khartoum churches for that purpose in 1975. The property was initially divided in two halves for more efficient usage, and graves were allowed only in one of them. But in November 2007, the vacant part of the cemetery was occupied by intruders who set up shop and started to operate a livestock market. “Can you imagine?” asks Rev. Peter Tibi, the general secretary of the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC). “Animals were being sold at a venue which by nature is a holy ground.” After strong protest by church leadership, the livestock market was removed, soon to be replaced by used cars. The wide, flat area seemed to the traders to make an excellent venue for both car exhibition and test driving.

UZBEKISTAN POLICE ARREST ONE AFTER RAID OF CHRISTIAN GATHERING

Source: BosNewsLife, Barnabas Fund
Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians facing difficulties in predominantly Muslim nations, said a group of believers in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan was arrested Thursday, April 3, while meeting in a believer’s home. “The police confiscated all books, note-books and a laptop which they found in the house,” Barnabas Fund said. “The Christians present were severely beaten and then all were released except one,” a Christian identified only as Bobur. “He is being held at the [local] police station while [they] are apparently trying to find evidence to incriminate him on charges of inciting religious hatred,” Barnabas Fund added. No formal charges have been filed against the man. A person can only be held for three days without formal charges being made. Barnabas Fund said, adding that it had urged supporters to pray that God “will change the hearts” of authorities. The latest incident has underscored international concerns about a reported government-backed crackdown on churches, which have been growing in the in the central Asian nation of Uzbekistan. Apartments and churches have been raided more frequently by police and Christian literature is confiscated, according to local Christians.

UPDATE: IRAQI PRIEST’S FUNERAL ATTENDED BY ALL DENOMINATIONS

Sources: WorldWide Religious News, AsiaNews
Amidst what many are calling a climate of “great fear,” the Iraqi Christian community in Baghdad held the funeral for murdered Orthodox priest Youssef Adel on Sunday, April 6, just one day after his murder. The funeral, in the church of Saints Peter and Paul in the neighborhood of Karrada, was celebrated by the Assyrian Orthodox archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, Saverius Jamil Hawa. Various members of the faithful and religious representatives from all the Christian denominations were present. Youssef Adel, who was married but had no children, was about 40 years old and was the director of a mixed high school, attended by Christians and Muslims, young men and young women. He was assassinated by a group of unknown persons. In the past, he had received a number of death threats. Condemnation of the attack has been expressed by the Iraqi vice president, the Sunni Tareq al-Hashemi, and by the Assyrian Orthodox patriarch of Damascus. The latest murder strikes at a community still in shock from the killing of the Chaldean archbishop of Mosul, Faraj Rahho, found dead on March 13 after 14 days in captivity.

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