Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Iran: Anti-Western Talk Could Harm Religious Minorities
- Breakaway Anglicans Approve Constitution for New Church
- Mission Group Responds to Famine in Kenya
- College Democrats Embrace New LU Policy
Iran: Anti-Western Talk Could Harm Religious Minorities
ASSIST News Service reports that a human rights group is worried about the safety of non-Muslim religious minorities in Iran as post-election protests continue. “Recent comments by the Iranian Government and Ayatollah Khamenei apportioning blame on foreign elements for the mass demonstrations is a worrying development," said Alexa Papadouris, Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s advocacy director. "The linking of national unrest with international interference has, in the past, been associated with increased targeting of non-Muslim religious minorities, deemed by the regime to be sympathizers with a Western agenda.” CSW expressed specific concern for non-Muslim religious minorities such as Baha'is and certain Christian denominations singled out during Ahmadinejad's previous term of presidency.
Breakaway Anglicans Approve Constitution for New Church
The Washington Times reports that members of the new Anglican Church in North America took the next big step in organizing the province on Monday by ratifying a church constitution. The group, led by Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, represents about 100,000 breakaway Episcopalians and Church of Canada members. "There is no one here who would go back," Bishop Duncan said during a Communion service. "Though the journey took its toll, we know that we have been delivered, and have found that deliverance very sweet, indeed." The new constitution delineates key doctrinal agreements, besides ceding property ownership to individual churches and not the diocesan bishop. The conservative new province broke fellowship with the national church last year over issues of church authority and Scriptural orthodoxy.
Mission Group Responds to Famine in Kenya
Christian News Wire reports that World Gospel Mission (WGM) is working to aid more than 10 million people in Kenya who face starvation. "Today, about a third of Kenyans are hungry," said Tim Rickel, vice president of Development at WGM, a missionary-sending agency based in Marion, Indiana. "Right now, they need food, and WGM has the infrastructure and the people on the ground to distribute it and make sure it gets to those who need it." Years of droughts that yielded poor harvests, political violence that displaced thousands of people in 2008, and skyrocketing fuel and food prices have led to the current crisis in Kenya. Only 18 percent of Kenya's land is suitable for farming, and unstable rain patterns have resulted in Kenya being unable to feed all of its 37 million people.
College Democrats Embrace New LU Policy
The Associated Press reports that Liberty University and its unofficial College Democrats club have reached a compromise solution. The club will remain unofficial and will not receive school funds, but will be allowed to use the Liberty name and school facilities for unendorsed meetings and events. The school's Republican club was also relegated to unofficial status through the talks. The Lynchburg, Va.-based college reneged the College Democrats' official status last month because the club had supported pro-choice and pro-gay candidates, which Liberty officials said clashed with the university's principles. College Democrats' secretary Jan Dervish says he's satisfied with the compromise, but club president Brian Diaz announced his resignation Friday.
