Tag: Churches

Monk stokes religious tension in Myanmar

June 8, 2016 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Cardinal Bo, Catholics, Churches, Hlaingbwe, Karen, Myanmar, Religious freedom

An influential Myanmar monk looks set to continue his controversial plan of building Buddhist temples on or close to the grounds of churches, says . On 6 June, Myaing Kyee Ngu and his supporters arrived near St Mark’s church in Hlaingbwe – one of the largest townships in Karen State, . . . Read More

Egypt Parliament to discuss easing restrictions on church-building

May 20, 2016 Egypt Churches, Copts

On May 12, the makeshift church of Esmaelia al-Bahreia, Minya, was burned down by ‘extremists’ as the proper church has since 2009 been awaiting government permit to function.Courtesy of www.wataninet.com Once again the Egyptian Parliament is considering a proposal on the construction of churches that Christians hope will narrow . . . Read More

Charity clears mines from Jordan River path

May 17, 2016 Israel Armenians, Churches, Israel, Jordan River, Palestinian Territories

Seven historic churches near the Jordan River site of Jesus’ baptism are to be cleared of mines, making way for more pilgrimages and furthering inter-communal reconciliation. A British charity, the Halo Trust, is undertaking the work on the Israeli side, west of the river, in an area unsafe since the . . . Read More

Third church in four months burnt down in N. Tanzania

May 5, 2016 Tanzania Bukoba, Catholics, Churches, Kagera, Pentecostals

Another church in Tanzania’s extreme north-west corner was burned to the ground on 2 May in a suspected arson attack. No group has claimed responsibility for the fire that destroyed the Roman Catholic church in Nyarwele, in the Kagera region which borders Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. It is the third . . . Read More

Algerian churches still fighting for freedom of worship

April 29, 2016 Algeria Algeria, Algiers, Churches, Kabylie, Mâatkas, Protestant Church of Algeria

Churches in Algeria are facing intimidation and harassment, despite constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of worship in the country. On Sunday 24 April, 2016, a church in Mâatkas, in the north-eastern region of Kabylie, was ordered to cease all religious activities on the grounds that it was in breach of a . . . Read More

Myanmar monk builds pagoda on church grounds

April 28, 2016 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Churches, Karen, Myanmar

A Myanmar Christian leader appealed for calm Wednesday after an influential Buddhist monk built pagodas within the compound of a church in a country beset with religious tensions, . Supporters of the monk Myaing Kyee Ngu erected a religious statue and planted a Buddhist flag on a church’s grounds in . . . Read More

Indonesian laws thwart new church plans

April 28, 2016 Indonesia Aceh, Churches, Indonesia, Sharia

Protestant church leaders in Aceh, Indonesia are pushing for consistent application of Islamic law in the province, after the destruction of 10 churches in the last nine months, . Last August, a mob burned down the Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church, killing one person and forcing thousands of Christians to . . . Read More

Hate speech fuels violence vs. Turkish non-Muslims

April 22, 2016 Turkey Armenians, Churches, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kurds, Minorities, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Sunni, Turkey

A new report analysing freedom of religion or belief in Turkey faults both strong nationalism and the Erdogan government’s public endorsement of a Sunni Muslim identity for rising levels of hate speech against the nation’s religious minorities. According to studies cited in the April report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “religious . . . Read More

Uganda churches opposed to registration plan

April 6, 2016 Uganda Churches, Uganda

Uganda’s government intends to follow Kenya’s lead in demanding the registration of so-called FBOs (Faith-Based Organisations), a plan strongly contested by various Christian denominations. “If what we are doing is good, then why should we be registered? Why should a faith that has been in existence for centuries need an . . . Read More

Turkey backs down on closing Bursa’s only church

February 24, 2016 Turkey Bursa, Churches, Converts, Greek Orthodox, Protestants, Sunni, Turkey

The local government of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa ordered that its only church, which serves four congregations, be vacated by Friday (26 Feb.) before rescinding the order on Tuesday. Ismail Kulakcioglu, the pastor of the Protestant congregation, said they were given less than a week to vacate the . . . Read More

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