(RNS) “I believe Karl Marx could have subscribed to the Sermon on the Mount,” Castro once said.
CHR Comment: Castro was also known for propagandizing his way to power. It is very difficult to discern the beliefs of such a person. Lord, have mercy. Below I’ve added a link to a USA Today story about potential new Catholic efforts in Cuba.
Source: Fidel Castro, Jesuit-influenced Marxist revolutionary | Religion News Service
The Catholic Church in Albania says the Vatican has set Nov. 5 as the day of beatification of 38 Albanian religious martyrs killed by the former communist regime.
CHR Comment: A brief explanation of how these church leaders became martyrs and the recent religious history of Albania.
Source: Vatican sets Nov. 5 Albania’s beatification of 38 martyrs – The Washington Post
China Aid has reported in its 2015 Annual Report of Religious and Human Rights Persecution in China that as many as 20,000 people suffered religious persecution by the Communist Party throughout the year.
CHR Comment: The main cause of persecution is a beautification project that has resulted in the removal of numerous crosses from churches and the demolition of church buildings.
Source: China’s Persecution of Believers Swells to 20,000 in ‘Barbaric’ Round Ups, Report Finds
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.
Second Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35457150
In this TED Talk, Kim describes her teaching stint at a university founded and operated by Christian missionaries. The university uses outside professors who train elite North Korean students, future leaders of the regime. The missionaries are not supposed to proselytize the students.
Suki Kim: This is what its like to teach in North Korea | TED Talk | TED.com.
church history review 