Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- New Anglicans Split on Women in the Pulpit
- Bible Translator Looks to Fill Its Ranks
- Egyptian Court Grants Custody of Sons to Coptic Mother
- Pakistan Rights Activist Condemns Anti-Christian Violence
New Anglicans Split on Women in the Pulpit
The Washington Times reports that the new Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is largely united in doctrine, but still has some unresolved questions among its members. Currently 22 of the 28 dioceses do not allow female priests, although about 10 percent of the church's clergy are female. The church has female ordination written into its constitution via "dual integrity," stating that dioceses may disagree on biblical interpretation of passages supporting and negating female priests. Still, women may not become bishops in the new province. The Rev. Travis Boline, a female priest who was close to Archbishop Duncan at the province's inaugural meeting two weeks ago, agreed with the stance. "Bishops serve the whole church, and if the church is not of one mind, then it's not appropriate for women to be bishops," she said.
Bible Translator Looks to Fill Its Ranks
The Christian Post reports that Wycliffe Bible Translators is actually hiring people in a down economy, looking for thousands of workers to fulfill its final translation efforts. “Of course, a large number will go into translation,” said Chuck Michaels of Wycliffe to Mission Network News. “But for every translator team we send out we need three support personnel: people who are pilots, IT personnel, teachers that will teach missionary children, managers that will help us in our administrative work, government relations officers, and a whole host of other areas.” The organization hopes to fulfill its goal of starting a Bible translation in every known language by 2025, and will need 25,000 people over the next 10 years.
Egyptian Court Grants Custody of Sons to Coptic Mother
Compass Direct News reports a Christian mother in Egypt has won custody of her twin sons from her estranged husband, who had converted to Islam and claimed them according to Islamic legal precepts. Kamilia Gaballah will be allowed to keep her 15-year-old twin sons with her, although they will still be considered Muslims despite their desire to remain Christian. The decision overturns a September 2008 ruling by the Alexandria Appeals court that had granted custody of the twins to their father, Medhat Ramses Labib, due solely to his conversion. During this time Gaballah lived in constant fear police would take away her sons. If the court does not allow them to return to Christianity, the family will open up another court case, said their older brother George Medhat Ramses.
Pakistan Rights Activist Condemns Anti-Christian Violence
ASSIST News Service reports that Sohail Johnson, chief coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan, has vehemently condemned the torching of some 50 Christian homes June 30. More than 500 people joined an angry Muslim mob to voice blasphemy accusations. "They [the Muslims] set many houses of Christians on fire, looted their money and valuables, tortured Christian men and women of the village and fled from the scene," he said. The incident began the day before, when a Christian man was beaten by Muslims to "teach him a lesson." A Muslim cleric at the local mosque the announced that the Christians of the village had committed blasphemy and allegedly incited Muslims to avenge it.
