Religion Today Summaries – Jan. 5, 2007
Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- ICC Ranks World's Worst Persecutors of Christians
- Rosalyn Carter Ordained as Baptist Deacon
- Iran Still Holding House Church Leader
- Another State in India Passes Anti-Conversion Bill
ICC Ranks World's Worst Persecutors of Christians
DC-based human rights group International Christian Concern (ICC) has just released its annual Hall of Shame Awards, detailing the world's top ten worst persecutors of Christians. The report calls attention to a growing trend that shows the source of Christian persecution shifting from nations with Communist governments to Islamic nations. One example is Iraq, where an unintended consequence of the war has been to bring more pressure on Christian communities in that country. ICC has ranked that nation as the second-worst persecutor of Christians in the world, with only North Korea standing higher on the Hall of Shame list, AgapePress reports. The rest of the list includes, in order: Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iran, Eritrea, China, Vietnam, and Pakistan.
Rosalyn Carter Ordained as Baptist Deacon
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has reportedly been ordained a deacon at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, according to AgapePress. Associated Baptist Press reports that she was ordained last month at the church where her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, has been a deacon and Sunday school teacher for years. The role of women in church leadership has divided many Baptist groups. The Southern Baptist Convention believes women should not serve as pastors. Many churches aligned with the convention also bar women from serving as deacons. Congregations aligned with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which split with the Southern Baptists after the conservative takeover of the denomination, and the American Baptist Churches, a separate denomination, allow a greater role for women leaders.
Iran Still Holding House Church Leader
Compass Direct News reports that all but one Iranian house church leader arrested for “evangelization” in a coordinated sweep of four cities last month were released by last week. Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani is in police custody in Tehran, where officials are holding him on the pretext that he must pay an outstanding debt, one source said. Iranian police had begun arresting the house church leaders from their homes in the early morning hours of December 10, accusing them of evangelization and actions against the national security of Iran. Tehran leader Hamid Reza Toluinia was reportedly freed on Christmas Day after his father presented officials with the title deed to a house. While several of the group’s leaders were still in jail, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a rare acknowledgement of Iran’s Christian community on Christmas Eve, wishing them “joy, health and a year full of blessings and love.”
Another State in India Passes Anti-Conversion Bill
The Congress Party has passed an anti-conversion bill in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, where only 8,000 of the more than 6 million people are Christian. According to Compass Direct News, under the bill, any person found forcibly converting another person could be imprisoned for up to two years and/or fined up to 25,000 rupees (US$565). Anyone wishing to convert to another religion must give prior notice of at least 30 days to the district government or be fined up to 1,000 rupees (US$23). Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council, termed the move a “cruel joke.”
Originally published January 05, 2007.
