Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Episcopal House Affirms Commitment to Remain with Anglican Communion
- Religious Activity Leads to Baptist’s Deportation in Turkmenistan
- Hindu Extremists Beat Pastor in Karnataka State, India
- U.S. Catholic Bishops Approve New Mass Translation
Episcopal House Affirms Commitment to Remain with Anglican Communion
A Christian Post reports states: "The Episcopal Church's top policymaking body was wrestling Friday with demands from fellow Anglicans to bar gays from the office of bishop for now. A committee shepherding the General Convention response was considering whether it should revise a proposal that stops short of a moratorium. The legislation asks dioceses only to 'exercise very considerable caution' when choosing their leaders. Supporters of gay clergy have pleaded with Episcopalians not to create new barriers for homosexuals to maintain the church's role as the U.S. arm of the global Anglican Communion. However, convention delegates have been coming under pressure from leading Anglican officials to toughen their legislation. Archbishop of York John Sentamu, the second-highest ranking cleric in the Church of England, is observing the meeting and has told Episcopal leaders that the measure does not go far enough toward healing Anglican divisions. The 77 million-member communion is a loose association of churches that trace their roots to the Church of England."
Religious Activity Leads to Baptist’s Deportation in Turkmenistan
According to ASSIST News, a Russian citizen has been deported from Turkmenistan because of his religious activity. Turkmenistan is located in Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan. Aleksandr Frolov was reportedly deported on June 10 because of his activities within the Baptist faith community, Forum 18 News Service reported. Frolov's deportation separates him from his family. After being given the details of the case, an official of the Consular Department, who did not give her name, refused to say what, if anything, the Embassy would do to help Frolov.
Hindu Extremists Beat Pastor in Karnataka State, India
Hindu extremists on Sunday (June 11) dragged an independent pastor to a police station in Karnataka state, accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity, Compass Direct reports. They beat Pastor Sundar Rao severely both inside the police station and after he was released on Monday (June 12). The pastor has since been hospitalized. The police were mute spectators to the beatings, a local Christian who requested anonymity told Compass. “The extremists forced Rao to sign a piece of blank paper inside the police station,” the source added. “They also told him the land he had bought for a church would instead be used for constructing a temple.”
U.S. Catholic Bishops Approve New Mass Translation
The Christian Post reports that America's Roman Catholic bishops approved a new English translation for Mass that would change key prayers spoken for decades by millions of parishioners. However, this new version must be approved by the Holy See, a process that could take years. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted 173-29 Thursday for a new translation after a debate over several small changes in wording. The vote was aimed at satisfying Vatican calls for a translation that's closer to the Latin version. Bishop Donald Trautman, chairman of the conference's Committee on Liturgy, said the vote marked the biggest changes since the Second Vatican Council, when the Latin Mass was replaced by the vernacular languages in each country.
