Christians' future in secular Europe
Christians have been told they must find a framework for promoting their beliefs if they are to confront the challenge of aggressive secularisation and the erosion of Christian values across all spheres of life. Opening the Beyond Individualism conference on Friday, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said it was ‘amazing’ that a Christian nurse in Britain today could be suspended for offering to pray for a patient, when it was Christians who had set in place many of the institutions and public services now taken for granted. He warned that the Christian values inherent in Europe’s heritage have been eroded by a process of ‘aggressive secularisation’ that Christians must understand if they are to challenge it. While politicians offer ‘thin’ values like respect and tolerance, the bishop said such ‘political mantras’ were ‘not enough for society to be cohesive’.
Pray: that the Church will take its rightful place in Europe and not give way to aggressive secularism. (Ep.3:16)
EU urged to take control of Kosovo problem
Sweden has said the EU should put pressure on Pristina to improve relations with Serbs in north Kosovo following three months of escalating violence. Foreign minister Carl Bildt sent a letter to EU institutions on 17 November after visiting the Serb-controlled town of north Mitrovica, which he described as ‘more tense and more divided today than it has been for a very long time.’ The letter - seen by EUobserver - says the European External Action Service and the European Commission should ‘launch a structured dialogue with Pristina on the issue of the north.’ He added: ‘While we must be firm in rejecting any notion of partition, we should also be realistic enough to admit that there will be no easy solution to overcoming an existing division that is currently growing stronger and more hostile by the day.’ For its part, the commission has invited Pristina to put forward a ‘comprehensive agenda’ to pacify the region.
Pray: that there would be a breakthrough leading to peace and reconciliation. (Ps.85:8)
EU urged to take control of Kosovo problem
Sweden has said the EU should put pressure on Pristina to improve relations with Serbs in north Kosovo following three months of escalating violence. Foreign minister Carl Bildt sent a letter to EU institutions on 17 November after visiting the Serb-controlled town of north Mitrovica, which he described as ‘more tense and more divided today than it has been for a very long time.’ The letter - seen by EUobserver - says the European External Action Service and the European Commission should ‘launch a structured dialogue with Pristina on the issue of the north.’ He added: ‘While we must be firm in rejecting any notion of partition, we should also be realistic enough to admit that there will be no easy solution to overcoming an existing division that is currently growing stronger and more hostile by the day.’ For its part, the commission has invited Pristina to put forward a ‘comprehensive agenda’ to pacify the region.
Pray: that there would be a breakthrough leading to peace and reconciliation. (Ps.85:8)
India: Pastor arrested for baptising seven Muslims
Kashmir region’s grand mufti used a video from YouTube showing Rev Khanna baptising seven young Muslim men and women to have the Reverend arrested. The video was linked by other online platforms provoking an avalanche of verbal attacks against the clergyman. In early November the grand mufti summoned Rev Khanna of All Saints Church to appear before a Sharia Court accused of converting Muslims in exchange for money. The grand mufti called the police who then arrested him and later arrested the seven men and women who were in the video. According to witnesses, police beat the seven in order to testify against the pastor. The Jammu Christian Federation called on the government to release the pastor since administering the baptism on consenting adults is his prerogative. ‘The rights of Christians are being sacrificed on the altar of political expediency and convenience,’ said the Global Council of Indian Christians.
Pray: for Indian Christians to continue to be entitled to minority rights and that Sharia Courts would not enforce laws on Christians. (Pr.3:27)
More: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir-pastor-arrested-for-baptising-seven-Muslims-23237.html
