But Poland’s nationalist shift has been especially polarizing and, its critics say, dangerous.
CHR Comment: The article describes the affects of the Law and Justice Party, which is strongly influenced by Polish Roman Catholics. It also describes the atheist mayor of Wadowice, where Pope John Paul II was born.
The AME Church is holding its convention this week in Philadelphia. Members react to the deaths of five police officers, after a spate of police-related violence rocked Minneapolis and Baton Rouge.
CHR Comment: The article briefly describes the history of the convention and its on-going relationship with Democratic nominees.
Source: Hillary Clinton Addresses Recent Shootings At African Methodist Episcopal Church Convention : NPR
Free Hill, Tenn., was around long before the Civil War but those who live there now worry it won’t last much longer.
CHR Comment: The Free Hill black community was established when a slave owner freed her slaves in Tennessee. This remote community lived freely, though in poverty, while the rest of the nation fought over the issues of slavery and states’ rights. The article describes the local Church of Christ as the cornerstone of the community.
A Vatican court declared Thursday it had no jurisdiction to prosecute or convict two journalists for having published confidential information, ending an eight-month trial that drew scorn from media rights groups around the world.
CHR Comment: The leaks scandal ends with not too much scandal, at least not from a legal perspective.
Source: Vatican convicts 2 in leaks scandal; journalists cleared
Christianity is growing so fast and so noisily in parts of Nigeria that the authorities are actually having to shut churches down – to secure peace and quiet for local residents.
CHR Comment: 70 churches were shut down for not complying with local ordinances that are trying to address noise pollution in the city. Mosques and clubs have also been shut down. But the rapid growth of numerous, small local churches alongside large churches like the one pictured above are contributing to overwhelming noise pollution. The article notes the large number of Anglicans in Nigeria and the fact that the population of the country is projected to double by 2050.
The article also mentions a conservative Anglican organization called Gafcon, which stands for Global Anglican Future. For more on Gafcon, see second link below.
Source: Churches forced to shut in Nigeria – for being too noisy | Christian News on Christian Today
When Jacqueline Montero takes her seat in Congress next month, she will bring not only an unusual past but an unconventional agenda for change in this socially conservative Caribbean country.
CHR Comment: This is a complex and sad story. The end of the article describes the role of Jacqueline’s beliefs, her denominational background, and Universidad Cristiana where she studied theology in the Dominican Republic.
Source: A former prostitute hopes to shake up Dominican Congress – The Washington Post
Iraq’s Christian population, which before 2003 numbered as many as 1.4 million, is now under 250,000, according to a report by MRG and other rights organisations.
CHR Comment: The article also reports on the plight of the Yazidis and other non-Christian minorities. Lord, have mercy.
Source: Iraq’s minorities ‘on verge of disappearance’ say rights groups | Christian News on Christian Today
A mass wave of Christian girls and women are being kidnapped and raped by Muslim men in Upper Egypt, a persecution watchdog group has warned.
CHR Comment: The article details the experience of one girl while referring to reports of numerous other incidents. It also refers to the destruction of historic churches in Egypt. In 2015 Al-Our was the proposed site for a new church dedicated to recent Coptic martyrs. However, the proposed project brought violent protests from Muslims. See second link below.
I’ve added a third story below about Al-Our.
Source: Christian Girl Reveals Horrors of Muslim Mob in Egypt Kidnapping, Raping Women
https://churchhistoryreview.org/2015/04/06/al-our-copts-harassed-about-new-church/
Anti racist actions happened across London during rush hour – organised by London Citizens – which is made up of churches and other civil society groups.
CHR Comment: The end of the article mentions particular denominations involved in Citizens UK.
Source: Churches at the forefront as Londoners say no to racism | Christian News on Christian Today
A Christian woman in Pakistan was beaten and gang-raped in front of her five children by a Muslim man seeking to avenge his family’s “honor,” because the woman’s sister fell in love and fled with the man’s brother.
Source: Christian Woman Gang Raped in Front of 5 Children in ‘Honor’ Attack in Pakistan
church history review 