CHR Comment: Germany’s Protestant Churches in Hesse and Nassau will no longer invest in fossil fuel companies. The article also includes a statement from Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. An Oxford study says the divestment movement is the fastest growing in history.
Source: World’s Cities Join Growing Push to Divest From Fossil Fuels
The front cover of New York’s ‘Daily News’ for Thursday takes a strong stance against how some politicians are reacting to the San Bernardino shooting with calls for prayer instead of tighter gun control laws.
CHR Comment: Christians may too easily say, “I am praying about it” or “I will pray for you” instead of “fixing” things, as the front cover of New York Daily News complains (see second link below). Yet ruling out prayer as part of the solution is also unhelpful. Underneath the headlines are differing views about the problems of gun violence and mass shootings in America. One group sees gun laws as the source of the problem or part of the solution. Another group sees mental health care as the trigger to the problem. By faith, Christians may view prayer as sincere action and seek God’s guidance on what they should do to address this very real issue in modern life.
Source: ‘Daily News’ provokes with cover on Calif. shooting: ‘God isn’t fixing this’
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/gop-candidates-call-prayers-calf-massacre-article-1.2453261
The integration of Syrian and Iraqi refugees in rural Austria is facing a terrifying challenge this holiday season.
CHR Comment: Sometime in the medieval era the Christian feast for St. Nicholas, a historical fourth century bishop, was mixed with pagan folklore about a humanlike beast that punished naughty children. This is the Austrian version of the “naughty or nice” element in modern Christmas celebrations. This a good example of syncretism in European Christianity.
Source: Austrian Villagers to Refugees: Please Don’t Fear Krampus – NBC News
The ISIS-inspired attack thwarted Tuesday was not the first time Pope Francis has been targeted by extremists.
CHR Comment: Four men from Kosovo were arrested for planning an attack. There were also statements from ISIS that the Vatican would be attacked.
In February 2013, as she prepared to re-open a Wichita women’s health clinic shuttered since the 2009 shooting death of Dr. George Tiller, Julie Burkhart looked out the window of her home and saw protesters.
CHR Comment: The article opens by referring to the shooting of Tiller, an abortion provider, who was an active member of his church. The latest violence against Planned Parenthood was not purely religious but seems to have come in part from the shooter’s mental illness. Christians differ on whether abortion is about health care for women (liberal view) or a violation of the commandment, “You shall not kill/murder” (conservative view). Conservatives Christians condemn violent acts against abortion providers, though the article lists some exceptional cases where people with religious motives have attacked.
Source: Threat of violence ever-present at abortion clinics, advocates say
Donald Trump sounded enthusiastic following a meeting with black pastors in New York on Monday amid controversy over whether they plan to endorse the billionaire businessman’s presidential bid.
CHR Comment: African American Christian leaders have sharply different views of presidential candidate, Donald Trump. The conservative-liberal divide so far focuses on things that Trump says rather than on specific decisions or treatment of minorities, such as questioning his fairness in business dealings or philanthropy.
Source: Donald Trump enthused after meeting with black pastors – CNNPolitics.com
The Islamic State released 10 Assyrian Christian hostages Tuesday night in the Tel Temir town in Hasakah province, northeastern Syria, but over 150 remain captured and threatened with death.
CHR Comment: Those released seem to be persons who could not easily be held in captivity (sick and elderly). The captors seek millions of dollars in ransom money. Terrorist groups use these methods as a form of fundraising.
Source: ISIS Releases 10 Assyrian Christian Hostages; Over 150 Remain Captured
This Ohio church’s random act of kindness snowballed into something huge.
CHR Comment: A similar event took place in October (see second link below) with Pastor Markle of Sycamore Creek Church in Pickerington, OH. This more recent event was with Pastor Wright of Life Point Church in Mentor, OH. As noted earlier, these acts appear to be publicity stunts rather than simple acts of kindness. It is not yet clear whether the churches are related to one another or whether the Mentor church is borrowing the practice from the Pickerington church.
Source: Pizza guy tipped $700; church learns later how it helped
https://churchhistoryreview.org/2015/10/17/church-tips-driver-1000-for-5-99-pizza/
Single letter lists names of priests in and around the city of Rangpur, saying that they will be killed one by one.
CHR Comment: The threat was received by Pastor Barnabas Hemron of Rangpur Baptist Church. (The writer apparently incorrectly titles Baptist ministers as “priests.”) The person who sent the threat wrote that Muslim laws would be applied in Bangladesh. According to Rev. John Sagor Karmakar, about 30 ministers and others have restricted their activities in view of threats. Recently, an Italian medical missionary, Piero Parolari, was shot; Pastor Luke Sarkar escaped an attempted murder.
Source: Ten priests receive death threats in Bangladesh – Al Jazeera English
Pope Francis traveled to Uganda’s holiest shrine on Saturday, paying tribute to 19th century Christian martyrs killed for their faith.
CHR Comment: The 47 Ugandan martyrs were burned by King Buganda Mwanga II. One issue was the king’s homosexual advances toward boy pages in his court. Martyr Charles Lwanga was killed for trying to protect these boys. The story of this martyr intersects with current issues of homosexuality. Uganda has passed strong laws against homosexual acts, though western officials have regarded such laws as repressive.
Source: Pope Francis Visits Ugandan Shrine Amid Gay Rights Debate – NBC News
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