مدونة ام النور omelnor jesus

  .. Brotherhood distribute their platform inside the packages of medicines in pharmacies .. Detection Monitor the situation of democracy .. Written by Ahmad Mustafa   Revealed by Ahmad Fawzi lawyer Director of the Observatory situation of democracy to the Muslim Brotherhood has resorted to devise a new way for propaganda, and through pharmacies, where citizens go to the pharmacy to buy the treatment and once open "the package" surprised by the citizen that the instruction sheet that came with have been replaced by the electoral program Special group the Muslim Brotherhood. watchers had Egyptian coalition to monitor the elections, which includes 3 NGOs, in addition to dozens of associations scattered in the governorates and observing the elections through a project funded by the European Union, had spotted dozens of pharmaceutical packaging that was found inside the program of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Facebook  News of the death of a third person of the victims of the Church Urban   Some members passed the Social Network Facebook News confirms the death of a third person at the age of 31 years who are victims of the events of the Church Urban   This may also said unconfirmed reports of the death of a baby and a pregnant woman to abort   All details will be published shortly after the observation of events during a press conference held today for the dead and wounded and detainees

Algeria trial of four Christians on charges of opening a place of worship Algeria: Sunday begins the trial of four Algerian Christian converts accused of "open place of worship without a license" before the Court of Misdemeanors in Ravae Nath Ahiratn tribal area (east of Algiers) on said one of the accused's lawyer told AFP.   Said Mohamed Ben Belgacem, "The prosecuted people aged between 35 and 45 years old accused of opening a Protestant temple without prior permission from the authorities."   He explained that "one of them also accused of harboring a priest French illegally came to Algeria to deliver a lecture before members of a group of Christians in the region."   After the trial was expected on the tenth of October was postponed at the request of the court requested the attendance of witnesses.   2006. The subject of religious practices in Algeria, whether Islamic or other authorization to specify the place and overseen by...

Witnesses Copts: security dealt in physical events such as the Israeli soldiers with the Palestinians Nada El Kholy Details and certificates of live events from the heart of the Church Urban listed on Saturday, some witnesses told a news conference organized by the Youth Front Coptic entitled: "War of the streets .. the student massacre." ن. Participants in the conference all the Copts in Egypt not to elect NDP candidates in the People's Assembly, also called for officials to allow them to complete the building of the church, and the immediate release of people detained in hospitals and disclosure of the remaining places of detention.   He described political activist, Rami Kamel, church events, saying: "The live scene has moved from Palestine to the student," likening the security men in the central Israeli troops clashed with Palestinians. He pointed out that the entire Coptic citizens after the bloody events which lasted throughout the d...

Church of the Seal of the Prophets D. Azazi on Azazi   (Seal of the Prophets) is the name of the main street, which mediates the District Urban Giza, located where the Church (Virgin), which launched the people it (the Church of Seal of the Prophets)!, Although, as reflected in the label of the paradox of verbal and ideological, but it confirms the vision the popular Egyptian national, as well as religious, as an expression of a special on Coherence stunning fabric of the Egyptian, so no surprise when he joined Muslims for Christians after the events of physical recently, and chanted together for national unity, without the intervention of the State or the elite and without cameras, prefabricated, which is what I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears, the same thing happened in Nag Hammadi, in the wake of the latest massacre, when I saw myself, Muslims flocked to the funeral for the victims of Christians, in spite of the acute sectarian tensions after t...

Witnesses tell of events "invasion" of urban   Preparation and presentation of: Emad Thomas   Coptic youth systems front a press conference on Saturday afternoon, revealed the details of what they called the street fighting and attacks on Copts Urban Security.   Mr. Sameh Said lawyer asks: Why the media is prejudiced against the Copts of Egypt? ؟ If we applied a license for "cabaret" in the street Pyramid Are we going to have a license or not? When was the use of live ammunition from the police at over 30 years? Is there are demonstrated at five in the morning? .. Young human rights activist / Bishoy Fawzi .. Security broke into the church at six o'clock am and looted fund Vows The number of injured at least 600 and martyrs increase for three Muslim parents have shown solidarity with us in the beginning, then turned their destination at the end and took part in the police beat Witness: Ms. / Esther Veiled woman lifted th...

  Lakah, the Egyptian government demanded the immediate release of all detainees in the events of urban unconditionally . Lakah: what happened in Giza affect the unity of the whole of Egypt. Mr. Badawi: Do you have the National Party to announce the cause and one for non-inclusion of the common law places of worship which promised 5 years ago? Taher Abou Zeid: Do not change without a vote   Student Lakah - Wafd Party candidate by the Department of Shubra and marginalized, the Egyptian government to immediately release all detainees in the events of urban unconditionally, he said, adding that what happened in the urban out of our national unity, and a student of the Egyptian masses - Christians and Muslims - to restore calm to Giza because What is happening with prejudice the unit the whole of Egypt, demanding that the people of Giza to preserve national unity, and reminding people of Shubra war of 1973 and cited by the 753 martyr Muslim and Chris...

Pope Shenouda demanding citizens to participate and vote .. the Department of the coast ..   Wished to reflect the new Council of the will of voters Cairo - ASHA His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Episcopate Sunday he wants to be the new People's Assembly, expressing the will of the pain Atunain and provides them sustenance and the supervisory and legislative role to the fullest. This came in a statement the Pope said after voting in parliamentary elections on Sunday morning before school, Mohamed Farid in the Department of the coast - Shubra. . He called Pope Shenouda citizens to political participation and interest to vote and choose qualified deputies. Pope Shenouda was accompanied by a senior delegation of senior bishops of the Coptic Church and was welcomed by priests of churches Shubra and a number of candidates in the constituency, has gathered a large number of people of the region to meet with Pope

Two men accused of Afghan convert to Christianity and possibly sentenced to death (AFP) (AFP)   KABUL (AFP) - charged with two Afghans, two, from two employees in the Red Cross, to convert to Christianity could face the death penalty, according to a lawyer for the prosecution Sunday.   The lawyer said prosecutors in charge of the west of Kabul cleric Mohammed Qureshi told Agence France Presse that Mr. Moses (45 years), Ahmad Shah (50 years) are being held in the Afghan capital, awaiting trial.   He said they were "accused of apostasy for their religion, which is a crime under Islamic law. If found guilty, two face the death penalty or life imprisonment master, who works for the International Committee of the Red Cross, admitted the charge against him, as there is evidence against the Shah. 1995. A spokesman for the Red Cross in Kabul Bijan Fredrid Varnaudi arrest, Lord, and said he was working in the organization since 1995. . He said, "Dur...

Ghali raises the Koran and the Bible in Shubra Youssef Boutros Ghali, Minister of Finance and National Party candidate in the elections of the People's Assembly seat categories, the Department of Technical Institute in Shubra, raising the Koran and the Bible, during his election campaign by the third day in a row within the neighborhood of Shubra, Cairo, November . Contract «Ghali» part of his electoral conference of the Islamic Society Gardens Shubra, which confirmed that the Egyptians are one nation and should not be something that sets them apart.

Children, Muslims and Christians in Jordan shooting campaign together for the poor Amman - Reuters, - fired dozens of children, Muslims and Christians in Jordan on Saturday (Nov. 27) Campaign to help the needy in the capital Amman, they called the campaign "a bag of love." The campaign was launched on the occasion of World Day of Prayer and Action for Children. Organisers said the campaign, said religious leaders, Muslims and Christians participated in the launch of the campaign, which lasted one day to express solidarity with the children around the globe. The preacher Muslim Hamdi Murad, who works at the Ministry of Awqaf Jordan that God urged solidarity between Muslims and Christians to help each other. He added: "When we see such initiatives which encourage the child care, child care and child feeding and clothing the child care and upbringing and morals and his level and then building the fabric of the family one of the Muslims and Christians .. T...

Egyptian censorship rejects "the palm of Mary," for fear of the anger of the Copts - mbc.net Ahmed Noor, the Commission - mbc.net   Mr. President's speech censorship in Egypt, the impossibility of accepting the film "Stop Mary," directed by Inas El, which discusses the issue of "Christian extremism," especially after the recent clashes between Copts and security forces because of the license to build a church.   At the same time, he noted that the approval letter to the movie "incest" by itself subject to the response to the observations of family film censorship work, which includes sex scenes, obscene, abrasive.   He also said, in a statement mbc.net: "It is impossible to be approved on the movie" the palm of Mary, "which discusses Christian extremism in the light of these events taking place in Egypt recently, especially after the events of architectural and building the pyramid on the canon."

Anglican Head Has No Ill Feeling as Bishops 'Jump Ship' to Catholic Church Williams, the spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, is in Rome where he attended the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity on Wednesday. In an interview with Vatican Radio, Williams responded to the departure of five Anglican bishops who plan to join the new ordinariate to be established under the Roman Catholic Church for disaffected Anglicans seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. He said there was no "ill feeling" between him and the five bishops who left over the ordination of women. “Obviously my reactions to the resignations is one of regret but respect. I know the considerations they’ve been through, particularly the two who were my suffragans," Williams told the radio. "We’ve talked about it, we’ve worked through it and parted with prayers and blessings so there’s no ill feeling there." "I t...

Christian Earthkeeping – Social Justice Over Climate Change Since an announcement in May, the evangelical seminary located in Portland, Ore., has welcomed its first 15 students into the program and started them on their first course in Christian Earthkeeping. The course is part of a concentration in sustainability. Admissions officer Sheila Bartlett says the concentration is about more than the three R’s (recycle, reuse and reduce). “This is not about recycling … this is about good stewardship,” explained Bartlett. On the website, the seminary notes that the evangelical church has long been silent about environmental issues. However, it cites the Bible as the anchor for Godly concern. The site quotes Genesis 2 :15, which states, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Evangelical leadership has historically challenged environmentalism because of theories such as global warming and climate change. In March 2007, Focus on...

Israel and the church by Maria Mackay Posted: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 9:49 (BST) The London School of Theology was the setting for a recent discussion among theologians who feel that the time has come for a different kind of debate on the question of Israel and the Jewish people. Among them was Calvin L Smith, Principal of King’s Evangelical Divinity School, who is alarmed by the “vociferous” tone with which some Christians are speaking out against Jews and the modern state of Israel. Of particular concern to him is the emergence in recent decades of an especially politicised form of supercessionism actively campaigning against Israel. 'New supercessionists' hold the belief that the church has replaced Israel as God’s people and that God therefore no longer has a purpose or plan for the Jewish people. He said that some Christian anti-Israelists had gone as far as to say that Zionists were deviants of the faith and were contributing to the “current demonisatio...

Free Church of Scotland allows singing by Christian Today reporter Posted: Saturday, November 20, 2010, 8:39 (GMT) The Free Church of Scotland has overturned more than a hundred years of tradition by moving to allow music and singing during. The decision was made following two days of discussion in Edinburgh. Ministers voted 98 to 84 to allow congregations to choose whether or not to incorporate hymns and musical instruments into their services. Until now, Free Church congregations were only allowed to sing the Psalms but without the accompaniment of musical instruments. The vote made during the first plenary meeting to be held since the Free Church split from the Church of Scotland in 1843. It came in spite of some opposition from traditionalists who wanted the Free Church to continue to worship without any instruments

Church Season of growth for Hillsong Church by Elena Garcia, Christian Post Posted: Monday, November 15, 2010, 16:06 (GMT) Hillsong Church has been expanding its locations at home and abroad. The Australian-based megachurch recently announced a new extension site for one of its main campuses and began holding gatherings for its first church location in the United States. The Pentecostal church has four main campuses across Sydney and international branches in London, Kiev, Cape Town, Stockholm, Paris, Moscow, and now New York City. Hillsong NYC launched last month and the response has been overwhelming. The church has already expanded to three services due to the growing number of attendees. On their homeland, Hillsong will be taking over Noosa Life Church on November 29, according to an announcement on the departing church's website. Hillsong spokeswoman Karalee Fielding told The Courier Mail that the congregation will become an extension of Hillsong's Bri...

Catholic Church outlines details of Ordinariate Posted: Saturday, November 20, 2010, 8:00 (GMT) The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, left, from the Anglican church listens as Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols from the Roman Catholic Church. PA The Catholic Church has confirmed that its Ordinariate for disaffected Anglicans will be launched in January. Five former Anglican bishops are to be ordained to the Catholic diaconate and priesthood prior to Lent. They will be responsible for helping other former Anglican clergy to prepare for full communion with the Catholic Church. The Church plans to put defecting clergy through a “period of intense formation” for ordination as Catholic priests. Those seeking to join the Ordinariate are expected to be received into the Catholic Church and confirmed at Easter, followed by the ordination of former Anglican priests at Easter. The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams told Vatican Radio earlier this...

Methodist church attacked near Bradford by Brian Hutt Posted: Sunday, October 31, 2010, 22:09 (GMT) A Methodist church in a village near Bradford was badly damaged in an attack by vandals last week. Police confirmed that the vandals had not stolen anything in the attack on Birkenshaw Methodist Church, which took place sometime between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon. According to the Christian Institute, Bibles were burned, chairs and hymnbooks were slashed, a large crucifix had been torn from an inside wall, and keyboard and speaker cables had been cut. The cost of repairing the damage has been estimated at £2,000. The church, which has a congregation of around 60, has been left shaken by the attack. The Rev Graham Edwards, the church’s minister, said: “Everyone is very upset and it is very sad to go to the effort of refurbishing the whole place to find somebody will break in and, for what seems like no reason at all, will destroy and ruin things. “What is upsetting p...

Elevation Church Launches Fourth Campus Elevation Blakeney is Elevation Church's second permanent location and part of the church's ongoing strategy to reach the city for Christ. "The local church is the hope of the world," Pastor Steven Furtick said, borrowing the famous phrase proclaimed by Willow Creek Community Church's Bill Hybels. "We have the opportunity now to advance the Kingdom like we've never had it before." Constructed in less than a year, the Blakeney campus launched with thousands of people, and live streaming allowed attendees at all four locations to worship as one. Elevation Church was founded just four years ago after the Furtick family moved out to Charlotte. Their strategy at that time was to simply invite people, according to Holly Furtick, wife of the pastor. Since then, the church has experienced over 8,000 professions of faith and over 2,000 baptisms. In an earlier interview with 316 Networks, Pastor Furtick sai...

LifeChurch.tv: YouVersion Bible App Users  Grow to 10.7 Million ouVersion began as a simple and small dream to make the Bible more accessible and get the younger generation to be more Bible literate. Leaders of Oklahoma-based LifeChurch.tv launched the smartphone app in 2008 with the hope that it would have 60,000 to 80,000 users over the course of a year. But in three years, YouVersion has exploded to be one of the world’s most popular apps with over 10 million users. Every 2.8 seconds someone new installs the app and during that same period 12 other people are using it to read the Bible. “Could we be a generation that actually turns the curve and says, ‘We don’t just want to express we love the Bible and think the Bible is something we should read, but we actually want to be a generation that engages the Bible as part of our everyday lives,’” asked Bobby Gruenewald, innovation leader at LifeChurch.tv, in a webcast Tuesday. Just over the past weekend alo...

Christians and Muslims issue joint statement condemning Iraqi church attack by Michelle A Vu, Christian Post Posted: Friday, November 5, 2010, 7:18 (GMT) (l-r)Dr Farid Esack, professor in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, and Dr Aref Ali Nayed, director of the Kalam Research and Media Center in Dubai Photo: WCC/Mark Beach High-level Christian and Muslim leaders meeting in Geneva to build a “common future” together have issued a joint statement condemning the deadly attack against a Catholic church in Baghdad. In the statement, they “condemn this inhumane act that contradicts all religious teachings, and Middle Eastern culture that enabled people to coexist peacefully for many centuries”. The joint statemnt was undersigned by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan; Dr Muhammad Ahmed Al-Sharif, general secretary of the World Islamic Call Society; the World Council of Churches; and representatives of the Roman Catholic, ...

Graham Festival brings over 3,000 to Christ in Latvia Every country is different but the questions people are asking are the same, says Franklin Graham. by Ethan Cole, Christian Post Posted: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 7:13 (GMT) Over 3,000 people made commitments to Christ during the Festival of Hope event led by Franklin Graham this past weekend in Latvia. Graham preached about the story of Zacchaeus from the book of Luke and the story of the rich young ruler in the book of Mark in the capital city Riga. He told thousands of people that everyone faces problems, but only God can solve the problem of sin. “Only Jesus Christ can solve the problems of the human heart,” said Graham Sunday night, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. One person who committed her life to Christ during the festival shared that she was at a desperate point in her life when she came to the Festival of Hope. The young woman had lost custody of two of her three daughters, accordin...

Christians ‘on verge of extinction’ in Iraq, Muslim leader warns by Brian Hutt Posted: Saturday, November 6, 2010, 13:02 (GMT) Iraqi security forces stand guard outside the National Evangelical church in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city. Iraq's Christian churches are under heavy security following last Sunday's siege on Our... AP A Muslim leader is calling on the Iraqi government and US-led forces to step up their efforts to protect the Christian minority in Iraq from extinction. Navaid Hamid, Secretary of the South Asian Council for Minorities (SACM) and a Muslim, said the deadly attack last weekend on a church in Baghdad was a heinous crime that should be strongly condemned by the international community. “With the murderous attack, the safety of Iraq’s Christian minority has become critical and it is the prime responsibility not only of the regime in Baghdad but also that of the allied forces led by [the] US to restore confidence and provide ...

World awaits release of Aung San Suu Kyi Posted: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 8:20 (GMT) A girl holds portrait of Myanmar's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi while supporters gather at the headquarters of her National League for Democracy (NLD) Saturday, November 13, 2010 AP Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is believed to be just hours away from being freed after spending the last seven years under house arrest. There are unconfirmed reports that the country’s military rulers have signed an order authorising her release from house arrest, where she has spent 15 out of the last 21 years. It is suspected that the military junta are releasing the 65-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner to divert attention from last week’s elections, which were condemned as a sham by pro-democracy and human rights groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Supporters believe Suu Kyi will ignore a ban on engaging in political activity and meet with ...

by Nathan Black, Christian Post Posted: Monday, November 15, 2010, 15:44 (GMT) Cholera has claimed nearly 1,000 deaths in Haiti and the outbreak continues to devastate the Caribbean nation that is still recovering from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake from early this year. According to the Haitian Ministry of Health, 917 people have died from cholera and more than 14,000 have been hospitalised. "First the earthquake, then the cholera outbreak, and now ... severe weather here. All of it is testing the limits of Haiti," said Sabrina Pourmand-Nolen, World Vision's emergency programme director in Haiti, in an earlier statement. Cholera, caused by a particular bacterial infection, is most likely to occur in places where there is limited access to clean water or sanitation is poor. Flooding from Hurricane Tomas earlier this month exacerbated sanitary conditions in Haiti. Aid groups have largely been focusing on prevention through hygiene education and soap distribut...

Iraqi Christians living in fear after latest attack in Baghdad by Michelle A Vu, Christian Post Posted: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 22:05 (GMT) A woman lights a candle for the siege victims at Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010. AP Extremists are behind a “religion-cide” in Iraq, said a ministry leader Wednesday after receiving news that five more people were killed in Iraq’s Christian neighbourhoods. Less than two weeks after the deadliest attack against Christians, when 56 believers were killed, local police reported that at least 11 roadside bombs exploded within an hour in three Christian neighbourhoods in Baghdad Wednesday. Five people, who have not been identified yet but are thought to be Christians, were killed in the coordinated attacks. “Baghdad right now is just gripped by terrorism against the Christian community and there is no other way to put it,” said Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors USA. “I’m using the ...

U.K. Christians Urged to Have Robust Faith By Charles Boyd|Christian Today Reporter LONDON – The Archbishop of York has called on Christians to have a robust faith and stand up for what they believe in. Related     * T.V. Actor Says Christianity is Being Marginalized in Britain     * Religion Being Marginalized in Name of Tolerance, Warns Anglican Leader     * Christians: 'Illiberal Secularism' Prevailing in UK     * U.K.'s New Equality Laws Come Into Force     * U.K. High Court Weighs Whether Christian Couple Can Foster Writing in the latest edition of UCB’s Prayer for Today magazine, Dr. John Sentamu said people in Britain should “celebrate what makes us a Christian nation” and “reclaim the symbols and emblems of our nation from those that abuse them for their own ends.” He urged Christians to have “robustness” in their national identity as well as their faith. “We need to stand up for what we b...

Much Violence ahead of Day of Prayer for Persecuted Church By Michelle A. Vu|Christian Post Reporter This year marks the most violence against the Christian community leading up to the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church within the past seven years, said an advocate for persecuted Christians. Related     * Saddleback Church to Host Forum on Persecuted Church     * Millions to Pray for Persecuted Christians on Sunday     * Baghdad is Gripped with Anti-Christian Terrorism, Says Moeller “I would say candidly that in my whole tenure at Open Doors this is a year when more is taking place on the weekend of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church than at any other time,” said Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors USA. This Sunday marks the 15th year of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church – one of the largest prayer events in the world. Half a million churches in 150 countries are ...

Early church inspires 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by Charlie Boyd Posted: Friday, October 8, 2010, 9:26 (BST) Resources for next year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity are inspired by the early church in Acts. Photo: Christian Today Jerusalem churches have taken their inspiration from the unity of the early church in materials for the 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Churches from across the denominations in the Holy City were tasked with drawing up resources for the week of prayer, which falls next year on January 18 to 25 for churches in the northern hemisphere. They selected as the theme for this year’s resources, “One in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer,” based on Acts 2.42. As today’s global church seeks to build unity in spite of its huge diversity, the resources encourage believers to turn their attention to the values and practices that united the believers of the early church in Jerusalem. T...

Caste-based discrimination is a sin, say Indian churches by Brian Hutt Posted: Saturday, October 30, 2010, 2:36 (BST) Churches in India have committed themselves to being “zero tolerance zones” for caste-based discrimination. At a conference convened by the National Council of Churches in India and the World Council of Churches last weekend, 31 churches condemned the concept of “untouchability”, which is still practiced in India today, despite being abolished from India’s constitution in 1950. In a joint affirmation of faith, the churches described casteism as a “sin, apostasy and rebellion against God”, and a “crime against human beings”. They hit out at the treatment of Dalits, who rank lowest in the caste system and are often given only manual labour work to do, including the removal of human faeces from dry latrines. “We are ashamed that we as Christians have remained silent while our brothers and sisters have been violated and killed,” the church leaders state. They...

Early church inspires 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by Charlie Boyd Posted: Friday, October 8, 2010, 9:26 (BST) Resources for next year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity are inspired by the early church in Acts. Photo: Christian Today Jerusalem churches have taken their inspiration from the unity of the early church in materials for the 2011 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Churches from across the denominations in the Holy City were tasked with drawing up resources for the week of prayer, which falls next year on January 18 to 25 for churches in the northern hemisphere. They selected as the theme for this year’s resources, “One in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer,” based on Acts 2.42. As today’s global church seeks to build unity in spite of its huge diversity, the resources encourage believers to turn their attention to the values and practices that united the believers of the early church in Jerusalem. T...

Prosperity gospel treads fine line between blessing and materialism, say theologians by Michelle A Vu, Christian Post Posted: Sunday, October 31, 2010, 1:34 (GMT) There needs to be a clear distinction between true biblical prosperity and the gospel of materialism, two African theologians have said. The message that God blesses those who give crosses the line from biblical into prosperity gospel when it becomes self-serving and is used to support the preacher’s extravagant lifestyle, said Kwabena Asamoah, the academic dean and associate professor of Religion and Pentecostal Theology at Trinity Theological Seminary in Legon, Ghana, at the recent Lausanne III conference. Asamoah, who also served as senior research fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religion at Harvard Divinity School in 2004, defines prosperity gospel as “preaching, interpreting, teaching the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord in a self-serving manner that places its emphasis on cons...

Methodist church attacked near Bradford by Brian Hutt Posted: Sunday, October 31, 2010, 22:09 (GMT) A Methodist church in a village near Bradford was badly damaged in an attack by vandals last week. Police confirmed that the vandals had not stolen anything in the attack on Birkenshaw Methodist Church, which took place sometime between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon. According to the Christian Institute, Bibles were burned, chairs and hymnbooks were slashed, a large crucifix had been torn from an inside wall, and keyboard and speaker cables had been cut. The cost of repairing the damage has been estimated at £2,000. The church, which has a congregation of around 60, has been left shaken by the attack. The Rev Graham Edwards, the church’s minister, said: “Everyone is very upset and it is very sad to go to the effort of refurbishing the whole place to find somebody will break in and, for what seems like no reason at all, will destroy and ruin things. “What is upsetting p...

Gay bishop’s retirement ‘doesn’t change anything’, say orthodox Anglicans by Jenna Lyle Posted: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 19:59 (GMT) The US Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop has announced his retirement but it does not change the fact that the Church has chosen to “walk apart”, say Orthodox Anglicans in the UK. V Gene Robinson announced on Saturday that he will retire as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2013 in part because of the strain that the controversy over his role has placed on him and his family. In an address to the Diocese of New Hampshire’s annual convention, Robinson said: “Death threats and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop have been a constant strain, not just on me but on my beloved husband Mark, who has faithfully stood with me every minute of the last seven years, and in some ways, you,” he said. “While I believe that these attitudes, mostly outside the diocese, have not distracted me from my service to you, I wo...

Controversy surrounds bishop’s ‘warfare’ comments on women in the episcopate by Jenna Lyle Posted: Friday, November 5, 2010, 15:27 (GMT) The Bishop of Lewes’ comments over the consecration of women bishops has upset supporters. The Rt Rev Wallace Benn told the recent Reform conference of conservative Anglicans that opponents of women bishops were faced with a similar situation to Europe in 1939. He said: “I’m about to use an analogy and I use it quite deliberately and carefully. “I feel very much increasingly that we’re in January of 1939. “What we must not do is create a phoney war, but we need to be aware that there is real serious warfare just around the corner.” Women bishop’s advocate Christina Rees was quoted by the BBC as calling his comments “demeaning”. “There is a sense of desperation, a fear, and an unwillingness to believe that this is what the Church of England should be doing,” she said. A statement from the bishop’s diocesan office refuted headlines suggestin...

Anglican head to visit Vatican for unity celebration Posted: Friday, November 12, 2010, 9:38 (GMT) The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams and Pope Benedict XVI hold a Celebration of Evening Prayer at Westminster Abbey in central London on the second day of his State Visit. AP Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams will join in the anniversary celebration of a unity council at the Vatican next week. The visit follows the announcement from five Church of England bishops of their decision to join the Roman Catholic Church. Dr Williams, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, will visit the Vatican on November 17 in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. The council aims, in part, to develop dialogue and collaboration with other churches and world communions. Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Archbishop Kurt Koch, president of the council, will also...