What Is Gleanings?

At Christianity Today, we’re constantly tracking important developments in the church and the world. Often we use our network of reporters around the world (and for that, visit our main site). But we also monitor other news outlets, bloggers, newsmakers’ social media feeds, and countless other information streams. Gleanings compiles the most urgent and interesting items we’ve found, explains why you need to know about them, and gives you the background you need to understand them. It’s our snapshot of what God is doing in the world, hour by hour.

Free Newsletters

« Yep, Evangelicals Prefer Clinton to Obama | Main | 'A Gated Community of the Soul' »

February 11, 2008

Muslim converts win case, but there's a catch

Egyptian judge allows converts to Islam to 'reconvert' back to Christianity.

Timothy C. Morgan

Religious freedom in the Middle East moves three steps forward, two steps back in a judicial ruling in Egypt on Saturday.

Compass Direct News Service reports:


Egypt's top administrative court has ruled in favor of 12 converts to Islam seeking to return to Christianity but has left the group vulnerable to discrimination by mandating their former religion be noted on official documents. In his ruling Saturday (February 9), Judge El-Sayeed Noufal ordered Egypt's Interior Ministry to issue the converts "Christian documents" noting their "ex-Muslim" status. Human rights activists heralded the decision as a breakthrough for religious freedom in Egypt, where conversion away from Islam, though not illegal, has been forbidden in practice. But human rights advocates remained wary, saying that listing the converts' former religion on their documents would make them vulnerable to discrimination. "It's obviously a stigmatization to have ["ex-Muslim"] on your ID card," a representative for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights told Compass.

Look here for the full story.


posted by Tim Morgan | Comments (4)

Share thisShare this post

Comments

I have just read the small article about Egypt. "Converts to Islam seeking to return to Christianity" I did not know this about Egypt; enshrined in Article 2 of Egypt’s constitution, clearly forbids conversion away from Islam.

A very interesting article. I am alway interested in the religions of the World,the Countries of the World and the Constitutions of other countries. Thank you for the information.

ROSE ETTA WATKINS
WATKINS 2008

Posted By: Rose Watkins | February 12, 2008 1:26 PM

This was quite a move of God, seeing as how it is against their constitution in Egypt to allow such a conversion.It is very intriguing to learn about the conditions for followers of Christ in other places. Thank you

Posted By: shani ward | February 12, 2008 2:28 PM

I think have your "former life" on record is a testimony that you have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Real believers will not fear what men may do to us because we love Christ. In England they now want to make everyone's school records available to the public. Who knows what the new American ID card will bring to us? Whatever it is, it will be an occasion for Rev 2:10, "Be faithful to the point of death." (My literal Greek translation.)

Posted By: The G | February 15, 2008 1:12 PM

I think have your "former life" on record is a testimony that you have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Real believers will not fear what men may do to us because we love Christ. In England they now want to make everyone's school records available to the public. Who knows what the new American ID card will bring to us? Whatever it is, it will be an occasion for Rev 2:10, "Be faithful to the point of death." (My literal Greek translation.)

Posted By: The G | February 15, 2008 1:12 PM