Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Historians have uncovered evidence that St Mary’s Chapel (pictured) at the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen was used as a prison for 24 witches during the Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597.

CHR Comment: The witch hunt was conducted by Protestants and meticulously described in official records. Historians have recently discovered the role of St. Mary’s Chapel in the East Church, which served as the holding sell before someone was taken to be burned. The Scottish witch hunt was part of a broader phenomenon in Europe at this time. The Salem Witch Trials in New England occurred about 100 years later. This article includes numerous photographs of the church.

Source: Witch prison found in Scotland’s St Mary’s Chapel at the Kirk of St Nicholas | Daily Mail Online

Thousands of Muslims in Bangladesh Reportedly Converting to Christianity

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Christian persecution in Bangladesh hasn’t waned, but surprisingly, the number of Muslims converting to Christianity in the South Asian country has been increasing over the years.

CHR Comment: The increasing number of Christians occurs in opposition to persecution. The article describes how new Christians meet in house churches that are not marked as churches due to the possibility of persecution. There are also reports out of Europe that Muslim immigrants are seeking Baptism.  Missionaries used to describe the challenge of reaching Muslims with the Gospel. Today it appears that more Muslims are welcoming the Gospel.

Source: Thousands of Muslims in Bangladesh reportedly converting to Christianity | Christian News on Christian Today

Armageddon News Says World to End July 29

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

But the polar flip that those folks base it on is real.

CHR Comment: Armageddon News is a YouTube channel that releases predictions based on their interpretation of biblical texts. The article lists a number of examples of failed prophecies from this group, which would mark them as false prophets according to Deuteronomy 18.

Armageddon News describes itself simply as “A Christian Channel, bringing you the truth about the Last Days.”

Source: World to end July 29, says group that’s always wrong

Conscience and the Legal Fight over Religious Liberty

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

The religious right of conscience was once a powerful legal idea. But when weighed against the right for equal treatment in recent gay rights cases, it has consistently lost ground. Part 3 of seven.

CHR Comment: This is an interesting reflection upon current inconsistencies in American law and its application with respect to religious liberty and the right not to violate one’s conscience. It illustrates why this issue continues to be discussed and must be sorted out.

Source: Behind legal fight over religious liberty, a question of conscience – CSMonitor.com

Christian Mother of 7 Hacked to Death in Nigeria While Preaching

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

A Christian mother of seven was hacked to death by suspected Muslim radicals in Nigeria and her mutilated body was discovered in a pool of blood along with a Bible and megaphone she used to preach every morning.

CHR Comment: This is a strange story. Would it be normal for someone to preach with a megaphone at 5 AM? Could the motive for the killing extend to anger over the noise so early in the morning?

Eunice Olawale was a minister at Redeemed Christian Church.

Source: Christian Mother of 7 Hacked to Death in Nigeria While Preaching

Pakistani Christian Accused of Blasphemy for Online Poem

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

The man is accused of sending a poem that insults Islam to a friend online.

CHR Comment: Pakistan has strict blasphemy laws. The article describes several examples of the law used against Christians, some of which may be based on false charges. However, a Muslim sect in Pakistan has suffered most from accusations of blasphemy.

Source: Police in Pakistan hunt Christian accused of blasphemy for online poem – The Washington Post

Pentecostal Pastor in Zimbabwe Is Arrested

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

The activism of the Rev. Evan Mawarire, who organized the country’s largest protests in a decade, has galvanized public outrage over the president’s rule.

CHR Comment: Pres. Mugabe, a longstanding controversial figure, is 92 years old and near the end of his career. Rev. Mawarire was making an effort to hasten the end.

Source: Pastor in Zimbabwe Is Arrested as Anger Toward Robert Mugabe Builds – The New York Times