Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Evangelical Leaders: Jews Need Jesus Christ
- Wales: Church to Decide if Women Can become Bishops
- Ted Turner Teams with Christian Groups to Fight Malaria in Africa
- History Teacher Tells Students Christianity Causes Rape, Murder
Evangelical Leaders: Jews Need Jesus Christ
ASSIST News Service reports that dozens of prominent evangelical leaders have endorsed a statement declaring a fact that many Christians already hold to be true – that Jewish people need the Gospel and Jesus Christ to receive eternal life. A story posted on christiantoday.com says that the statement, sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), expressed friendship and love for the Jewish people, but unapologetically declared that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. “We want to make it clear that, as evangelical Christians, we do not wish to offend our Jewish friends by the above statements; but we are compelled by our faith and commitment to the Scriptures to stand by these principles,” read the evangelical statement on “The Gospel and the Jewish People”. The story goes onto say that an ad with the statement appeared in the New York Times on March 28 and will appear in other major secular newspapers and several Christian magazines throughout April and May.
Wales: Church to Decide if Women Can become Bishops
According to ic Wales, the governing body of the Church in Wales was to gather Thursday to decide whether or not to allow women priests to become bishops. Opponents were demanding the appointment of a male bishop who will minister to parishes that decide they cannot accept the leadership of a woman. The Bill to admit women to the episcopate has been proposed by the six diocesan bishops of the church. If it is passed it will become effective immediately.
Ted Turner Teams with Christian Groups to Fight Malaria in Africa
ASSIST News Service reports that U.S. media mogul Ted Turner, who once called Christianity a "religion for losers," has announced he is joining forces with two Christian organizations to combat malaria in Africa. According to Reuters, Turner's United Nations Foundation will team with the United Methodist Church and Lutheran World Relief to raise $200 million to fight the disease. "Together, we are announcing a new initiative to contribute to the internationally agreed goal of eliminating malaria death," Turner said in remarks prepared for delivery at a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. "Stopping malaria will go a long way toward giving people all countries new hope and confidence that we can succeed in the fight against poverty." Asked why he had decided to team up with the churches, Turner said, "I don't know. As I get older... I get, you know, more tolerant."
History Teacher Tells Students Christianity Causes Rape, Murder
FOX News reports that a student and his family have filed a federal lawsuit demanding that a teacher at California's Capistrano Valley High School be fired for what they say were anti-Christian remarks he made in the classroom. 16-year-old sophomore Chad Farnan recorded the teacher, James Corbett, telling students in class: “What country has the highest murder rate? The South! What part of the country has the highest rape rate? The South! What part of the country has the highest rate of church attendance? The South!” The Farnan family's federal lawsuit claims Corbett's remarks violated the First Amendment, which prohibits laws "respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." They are demanding that Corbett be fired.
