China passes new religious regulations ‘to prevent extremism’

China passes new religious regulations ‘to prevent extremism’
China has passed a new set of rules regulating religious affairs, a year after the proposed amendments were released to the public for the first time. The new rules, announced yesterday, show no significant alterations to last year’s proposals, though there is noticeably less detail given regarding those who will be . . . Read More

Christian children in Iran told: ‘study Islam or leave school’

Christian children in Iran told: ‘study Islam or leave school’
Christian children in two large Iranian cities have been told to either study Shia Islam or leave school. The children are members of the non-Trinitarian ‘Church of Iran’ denomination in the northern city of Rasht, near the Caspian Sea, and the historical southern city of Shiraz, respectively. Until recently the . . . Read More

Muslim asylum seekers find shelter in Germany’s churches

A church in Germany. (Photo: Paul Frankenstein via Flickr; CC 2.0).
Refugees at risk of deportation from Germany are finding shelter in Germany’s churches, and many are becoming Christians in the process, reports The Washington Post. More than a million refugees travelled to Germany in 2015, in the midst of Europe’s so-called “migrant crisis”, because it was known for its open . . . Read More

Malaysia withdraws law clause that could have ‘resolved inter-faith child custody conflicts’

A Muslim family in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: Open Doors International)
Malaysia’s government has removed a clause from the new Marriage and Divorce Law that would have prohibited the conversion of children to Islam with consent of just one parent after conservative Muslims protested against it, reports the Malay Mail Online. The new Article 88 (A) had stated that should a non-Muslim . . . Read More

Kenyan Christians killed for refusing to recite Islamic Shahada

Kenya coast
Three Kenyan Christians were hacked to death by Al-Shabaab militants on Friday night (18 August) after they refused to recite the Islamic prayer of faith. A fourth Christian – the mentally challenged older brother of one of the three – was also killed. At around 9pm, Changawa Muthemba, who was . . . Read More

Iran’s clerics concerned by spread of Christianity among youth

Despite the efforts of Iran’s government to promote Islam among young people and a crackdown on newly converted Christians, many young Iranians continue to convert, saying they are willing to face the consequences. (Photo: Open Doors International)
Christianity is spreading fast among young people in some of Iran’s most religiously conservative cities, causing concern among leading Islamic clerics, who blame foreign influence, according to Mohabat News. One high profile cleric, Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi, said recently that “accurate reports indicate that the youth are becoming Christians in Qom . . . Read More

Pakistan: illiterate Christian boy, 16, forced to confess ‘blasphemy’ to escape mob violence

Pakistan: illiterate Christian boy, 16, forced to confess ‘blasphemy’ to escape mob violence
An angry Pakistani mob almost killed a 16­-year-old Christian boy – who is completely illiterate and also slightly mentally challenged – for allegedly burning the pages of a Quran. He was then apparently forced to confess to the alleged crime, and is now in custody – despite apparent inconsistencies in . . . Read More