Pope and Russian Orthodox leader to hold historic encounter in Cuba

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The meeting seeks to bridge a nearly 1,000-year divide between East and West.

CHR Comment: Although popes have met with Orthodox patriarchs in the past, they have not met with the Russian Orthodox patriarch, which makes this brief, symbolic meeting significant. The article explores the historic lack of relations between the two church bodies and potential reasons for it (one might mention the long virtually physical separation in modern times caused by east-west divide in governance).

Source: Pope and Russian Orthodox leader to hold historic encounter in Cuba – The Washington Post

Australian Anglicans Offer Asylum to Migrants

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Australian Anglican and United churches offer sanctuary to asylum seekers who face deportation to Nauru after a High Court ruling.

CHR Comment: The article cites the historic Christian practice of offering asylum to persecuted or untried persons. The custom goes back to the cities of refuge described in the Old Testament where a person accused of a crime could flee for protection from blood feuds. Amazing how modern problems can mirror ancient ones.

Source: Australian churches offer to take in asylum seekers – BBC News

Chinese Pastor Arrested after Opposing Removal of Crosses

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The pastor of China’s largest Protestant church has been accused of embezzling church funds and detained in a so-called ‘black jail’.

CHR Comment: The Chinese government has removed 1,800 crosses from church buildings throughout China. Pastor Gu Yuese began speaking out against the removal of the crosses but now has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement. His ministry team at Chongyi Church, the largest Protestant church in China, has been dismissed and a state selected pastor has begun to preach at the congregation. These events illustrate how the state run church system is managed in Communist China where persecution of Christians is common, especially for house churches that are not part of the state approved system.

Source: China: Pastor who protested cross removals is detained, accused of fraud | Christian News on Christian Today

Second Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35457150

John Kevin Wood Sues to Protect Daughter’s Religious Freedom in School

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The Woods are suing Maryland’s Charles County Public Schools, the Board of Education, and La Plata High School’s principal and vice principal.

CHR Comment: Wood sought the help of The Thomas More Law Center, a non-profit that pursues cases of discrimination against Christians (see second link below). The law center describes itself as the Christian response to the American Civil Liberties Union. An effort to prevent discrimination against Islam can result in discrimination against Christianity according to the law suit described here. The situation illustrates how difficult it can be to discuss religion in an American public school classroom under current law. Nevertheless, religion remains one of the most influential topics in people’s lives, making it an important topic of discussion.

An additional article illustrates a similar problem in Austria where a teacher altered a Christian hymn so as not to offend Muslims in the classroom.

Source: Dad Sues to Protect Daughter’s Religious Freedom in School

https://www.thomasmore.org/about-the-thomas-more-law-center/

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/school.teacher.changes.god.to.allah.in.christian.hymn.to.avoid.offending.muslims/78102.htm

1,700-Year-Old Jewish Inscriptions Unearthed in Galilee

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“The wealth of inscriptions from the cemeteries attests to the strong Jewish presence and the city’s social elite in the Late Roman period,” says archaeologist.

CHR Comment: The inscriptions illustrate the ongoing use of Aramaic alongside Greek during the era of the late Roman Empire, about the time that Christianity became a recognized religion under Constantine. The latest tomb inscriptions found at Tzipori use the term “rabbi,” though archaeologists are still discussing just what that term means in this era. Tzipori is ancient Sepphoris, a Hellenized city in Galilee near Nazareth.

Source: 1,700-year-old inscriptions linked to ‘rabbis’ unearthed in Galilee – Israel News – Jerusalem Post

A Rabbi’s Quest to Show Christians the Jewishness of Jesus

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Rabbi Evan Moffic explores the cultural and religious world of Jesus the Jew, offering Christians (and Jews) a new perspective on Jesus’ life and teachings in his book, ‘What Every Christian Needs to Know About The Jewishness of Jesus.’

CHR Comment: The interview with Rabbi Moffic explores why he wrote this book about Jesus as a Jew. Moffic likens the Jewishness of Jesus to Rabbinic, Talmudic Judaism rather than the Judaism described in the Old Testament.

An issue with Moffic’s thesis is that the Talmud was written down several centuries after the time of Jesus though it likely includes comments from Rabbis of an earlier era. A Jewish text that is closer in time to the ministry of Jesus is the Mishnah, written down in the early third century AD. The Babylonian Talmud and Jerusalem Talmud act like commentaries on the Mishnah. The Rabbinic tradition likely reflects the religious views of the Pharisees and their legacy.

Source: A Rabbi’s Quest to Show Christians the Jewishness of Jesus

Paul Smith’s Typewriter Art

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No one else in the world can do this.

CHR Comment: Fascinating personal interest story about an artist with cerebral palsy. He overcame his tremors by choosing a medium that allows him to apply ink to paper—a clever solution to a vexing problem. The video highlights Paul Smith’s faith, which he expresses through his art.

Source: You think that it’s a picture of a squirrel! But zoom a bit closer. What the devil?!?

Oxford University Will Keep Statue of Cecil Rhodes

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Oriel College, one of 38 largely self-governing colleges at Oxford, said it would keep the statue of the man regarded by many as an architect of apartheid.

CHR Comment: Cecil Rhodes, namesake of the Rhodes Scholars, was the son of an Anglican pastor. Rhodes studied briefly at Oriel College and later developed white supremacist views. He practiced colonialism, which has tarnished his business accomplishments in the mining trade. Oriel College has deep connections to Christian history from its medieval foundation to the modern Oxford Movement. The story illustrates issues of legacy and power due to the large donation Rhodes left to the school.

Source: Oxford University Will Keep Statue of Cecil Rhodes – The New York Times

Morocco Declaration: Muslim Nations Should Protect Christians from Persecution

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In Marrakesh, hundreds of Muslim leaders release modern update to Muhammad’s Charter of Medina.

CHR Comment: One may be grateful that Imams are rejecting the extremism of groups such as ISIS. However, this declaration does not address the traditional practices of Islam such as requiring non-Muslims to pay a special tax (Jizyah), which has disadvantaged non-Muslims and has served as a tool for urging conversions to Islam. Another common view in traditional Islam was that Christians and Jews were like children who had to be managed by the Muslim state. This likewise put restrictions on what non-Muslims could do under an Islamic state. One wonders whether the statement that Muslim nations should “protect” Christians is different from this dominating view used in the past.

Source: Morocco Declaration: Muslim Nations Should Protect Christians from Persecution | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com

Wife of Pastor Freed from Iran Details Marriage Conflict

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Pastor Saeed Abedini was imprisoned in Iran for 3 ½ years.

CHR Comment: The unusual running story of Saeed Abedini, who was arrested and held in Iraq for proselytizing, continues to be confusing and unclear. Pastor Abedini was released in the prisoner exchange between Iran and the U.S. but is returning home to a household in distress since his wife has describe him as abusive. I usually do not post about stories like this but it keeps appearing in the news so I decided to record it. Lord, have mercy.

Source: Wife of pastor freed from Iran details marriage conflict