This New Year's holiday, remember the Church of Egypt. The 'Two Saints' church bombing took the lives of 23 people in total.

Correspondent Jayson Casper for the Cairo-based Arab-West report observes:

It has been a difficult spell for Egypt as a whole, and for its Christians in particular. This year opened with a revolution holding great promise of Muslim-Christian unity, but has been largely displaced with liberal-Islamist political competition and attacks on Copts in Atfih, Imbabah, Maspero, and elsewhere. The nation is trembling, but some hopeful Copts see connections, in which God intervenes to avenge his children.

Click here for his full report.

Posted by Tim Morgan at December 31, 2011 5:07PM

Christmas Day was marred for Nigerian Christians after a series of church bombings killed at least 35 and wounded dozens more. In a suburb of Nigeria's capital, Abuja, more than 30 worshipers died at St. Theresa Catholic Church as they left Christmas mass.

Analysts largely agree that the bombings were an attempt by Boko Haram, a radical Islamist group in northern Nigeria, to stoke simmering tensions between Muslims and Christians, which evenly divide Africa's most populous nation of 160 million. Last year, dozens died in Christmas Eve bombings around Jos.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) warned that such attacks might provoke a "religious war."

"Enough is enough," said CAN secretary general Saidu Dogo. "We shall henceforth in the midst of these provocations and wanton destruction of innocent lives and property be compelled to make our own efforts and arrangements to protect the lives of innocent Christians and peace-loving citizens of this country."

CT reported on more Nigerian Christians abandoning the practice of "turning the other cheek" earlier this December, and has extensively covered Nigeria's long-standing religious conflict.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 27, 2011 3:40PM

A Letter from Nazareth

Arab Christians approach Christmas this year with feelings of intense fear just like the shepherds were as the angel appeared to them 2000 years ago.

Christmas intersects this year with the first anniversary of the Arab spring that swept the Arab world, bringing enormous change across North Africa and the Middle East.

Only one of the Arab countries, where regime changed occurred, has regained substantial stability and some measure of freedom after elections (Tunisia). Others are in the labor of the change (Egypt, Libya, and Yemen) and another is struggling with a bloody conflict with daily killings (Syria).

Are there any signs of joy that will cast out fear for Arab Christians living in the Middle East?

In the short term, fear has the upper hand.

The term “Arab Christian” is viewed by some as an enigma. However, Arabs were represented in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11). Arabs accepted the new faith from the beginning and Arab Christian tribes thrived in the Middle East from the earliest days of Christianity.

What about Christians today in the city of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Jerusalem), the land of his refuge as a baby (Egypt), the place of Paul’s conversion (Damascus), or the land from where the Israelites’ passed to the promised land (Jordan)?

Arab Christians have been living in the Middle East among Muslims and Jews as a struggling minority of second class citizens for generations.

The new Pew survey of global Christianity reveals what Arab Christians experience every day. North Africa and the Middle East, a region that was once majority Christian, now has 1 percent of the world’s 2.18 billion Christians. The survey counts 12.8 million Christians in total, 4 percent of the overall regional population.

The Arab Spring has not changed this basic fact of life for Christians here.

The struggle has led multitudes of Arab Christians to migrate from the troubled region to the four corners of the earth, bringing the cradle of Christianity to the brink of being emptied of Christians.

Initially, the Arab spring promised positive change for all. Arab Christians cautiously supported the upheavals hoping for genuine democracy to establish justice, equality, and bring an end to persecution and oppression.

What Christian would not support freedom for deprived human beings since the desire for freedom is biblical and divinely given?

The problem was a perception that democracy is merely free elections. But important elements of democracy, such as the rule of law and basic human rights, including religious freedom, are essential.

Unfortunately, one election cannot fully institute democracy in these Arab countries, or any country, overnight.

In light of this political reality, Arab Christians have become even more vulnerable to attacks or caught in the crossfire.

Under the old regimes, stability brought status quo and a certain degree of freedom. The transition period brought uncertainty. Minorities were exposed to becoming targets of violent mobs, frustrated army forces, or fanatic Islamic groups.

The power vacuum that emerged as a result of the fall of dictators had to be filled. The only political parties that could get organized in the transition were Islamic groups (Muslim Brotherhood, for example).

They had the infrastructure of the Muslim community life surrounding the mosques. They had their dream of retrieval of the great Islamic empire. They also had the inspiration of Muslim fundamental parties in other countries.

As a result, we have seen success for the Islamist movements in the Arab countries, first in Tunisia and recently in Egypt. This development overshadows any evaluation of the Arab spring.

But the good news is that the democratic process is still gathering momentum in the Arab world. This will in time lead to reform across the board. It will also lead to evolving secular parties that will call for freedom of religion.

I believe a new culture of democracy and freedom will eventually arrive. But the questions remain: What will the cost to Arab Christians be? Will they have the strength to stand steadfast as living witnesses until the Arab countries exercise true democracy?

In the midst of the darkness, the angel asked the shepherds not to fear. After meeting the baby Jesus in the manger, the shepherds who had feared earlier rejoiced and glorified God.

Will Arab Christians do the same and by focusing on Jesus so their fear be transformed to joy?

They will, but hopefully not alone. At Christmas, the whole earth rejoices.

Botrus Mansour, author of "When Your Neighbor is The Savior," is general director of the Nazareth Baptist School.

Posted by Tim Morgan at December 23, 2011 9:14AM | Comments (7)

Calvin College’s presidential search committee has recommended Michael Le Roy as the next president of the Christian Reformed school.

Le Roy, currently provost and executive vice president at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, will replace outgoing president Gaylen Byker, who is stepping down after 16 years at the helm. The board will vote on Le Roy’s nomination on February 9.

If approved, Le Roy would be the first Calvin president in 60 years who is not a member of the Christian Reformed Church, as well as the first president who did not attend the college. Le Roy is an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Le Roy, a Whitworth alumnus, returned to his alma mater in 2002 as a professor of political science. In 2005, he was named vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty; he was promoted to his current position in 2010. During his time at Whitworth, Le Roy has been instrumental in developing Whitworth’s first international education center in Costa Rica. He also played a key role in building the new Robinson Science Hall, part of Whitworth’s efforts to reinvigorate science research and learning. Whitworth, affiliated with the PC(USA), has nearly 3,000 students enrolled in its 60 undergraduate and graduate programs.

Prior to his time at Whitworth, Le Roy was an associate professor of political science and international relations at Wheaton College and served as the department chair.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 21, 2011 3:24PM

Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean dictator who helped the country become a nuclear power after he took over in 1994, died of a heart attack on Saturday, state-run media announced on Monday. He was 69.

For nine years, North Korea has held the top spot on the Open Doors World Watch List, which ranks the world’s worst persecutors of Christians. It is expected that the 2012 list, which will be revealed on January 4, will continue the tradition. At least 480,000 Christians live in North Korea as of 2010, according to recent Pew research.

Of the more than 150,000 people that the U.S. State Department estimates are currently in North Korean labor camps, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 are Christians imprisoned because of their faith, said Paul Estabrooks, senior communications specialist for Open Doors International. Any form of worship to anyone other than Jong-Il or his father, Kim Il-Sung, is regarded as treason. Jong-Il’s death could mark a new opportunity for Christians in the country, Estabrooks said.

“Any kind of change is an opportunity for hope,” he told CT. “We are hopeful that the changes may bring a new season of opportunity for worship and witness in North Korea. Those who are long-time observers of the country are not so optimistic, but we are asking people to pray that this may be the point in which we see God answer our prayers for these people.”

Jong-Il chose his youngest son, Kim Jong-Eun, to be his successor last year after naming Jong-Eun a four-star general. Reports currently indicate the country is accepting Jong-Eun as a leader, but his youth and inexperience could lead to a struggle for power.

When Jong-Eun was named Jong-Il’s successor last year, Sam Kim, executive director of the Korean Church Coalition for North Korea Freedom, told CT that Christians in North Korea would likely not see a decrease in persecution.

“Kim Jong-Eun has not earned the true respect from North Korea’s communist party leaders to effectively govern North Korea. As such, he will be nothing more than a figurehead and his uncle, Chan Sung Taek, will be the person who is really in control,” Kim said. “Unfortunately, Chan Sung Taek is just as ruthless as Kim Jong-Il. As such, Christians can expect to face the same level of persecution.”

CT has previously reported on many events in North Korea, including the arrest and release of missionary Robert Park and a first-hand report on Christian outreach to those starving in the country.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at December 19, 2011 2:46PM

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's activities have been suspended at the University at Buffalo in New York until further notice. The school's senate has also formed an investigative committee to determine the legality of the InterVarsity's club’s constitution.

The university's Student Association issued the suspension after campus newspaper The Spectrum reported that the InterVarsity chapter’s treasurer Steven Jackson was pressured to resign from his leadership role because his sexual orientation. InterVarsity explained Jackson resigned because he no longer agreed with the statement of faith InterVarsity requires its student leaders to sign. It affirms several basic Christian beliefs, including the authority of the Bible.

The suspension means InterVarsity cannot host scheduled events or access funds provided by the student association. Jackson, who is still an InterVarsity member, asked the senate to reconsider its decision in a written statement. Though he verified The Spectrum’s report, he did not blame InterVarsity for its leadership requirement.

"If [the requirement] is illegal, I do not blame InterVarsity. I blame the Student Association for failing to properly review club constitutions and inform clubs of their legality,” he said. The senate upheld its decision.

InterVarsity's University at Buffalo chapter is the latest Christian student group to be charged with discrimination because of its faith-based leadership requirements. Last year, Christian Legal Society lost a similar high-profile case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In December, CT reported how similar allegations are handled by Christian groups at private universities vs. public schools.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 15, 2011 10:00AM | Comments (10)

A Denver-area pastor clarified earlier comments to a TMZ reporter, saying news outlets have wrongly portrayed him as Tim Tebow's pastor who believes God plays favorites.

Tebow has long been outspoken about his Christian faith, but his late-game wins have attracted even more attention this season as he began starting as the Broncos' quarterback, making him one of the most hot button athletes this year. Earlier this week, TMZ quoted a Colorado pastor suggesting God might favor Tebow.

Pastor Wayne Hanson -- who runs Summit Church in Castle Rock, CO where Tim's dad often speaks -- tells TMZ God is actively intervening in Denver Broncos football games ... and aiding Tim on the field because of his strong faith.

Hanson tells us, "It's not luck. Luck isn't winning 6 games in a row. It's favor. God's favor."

However, he told the Denver Post that he is not Tim Tebow's pastor and he does not believe God plays favorites with the Broncos.

For starters, he is not Tim Tebow's pastor. He has met the Broncos' quarterback and visited his home, but Tebow has never attended his church. And for good measure - no, Hanson does not believe God is choosing the Broncos over opponents because of Tebow's presence on the field.

..."I don't think God cares about who wins a football game," he said. "I do think he cares about people and people care about football. I think Tim has favor from God in his life, but that is there win or lose," he said.

Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner recently suggested that Tebow might consider toning down. CT interviewed Tebow earlier this year about his public expressions of faith.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at December 14, 2011 10:52PM | Comments (3)

The border between North and South Korea has a new source of light this holiday season: three Christmas trees. The steel trees -- adorned with lights and topped with crosses -- stand on South Korea’s Aegibong Peak, less than two miles from North Korea, as well as two other border observatories.

A long-standing project by local Christians since 1954, the Aegibong Christmas tree had not been lit since 2004 when both countries agreed to end propaganda activities near the border. The tree was considered a type of propaganda.

However, after an exchange of artillery fire at South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island that killed two soldiers in 2010, the South Korean government allowed the tree to be reinstated, despite heated protests from North Korea.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 12, 2011 3:02PM

Cardinals first baseman and well-known Christian athlete Albert Pujols signed a 10-year, $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, ESPN reports. Earlier this year, observers discussed how Christians should handle big-dollar contracts.

"I do think it will hurt what people perceive to be his Christian testimony," said Scott Lamb, co-author of Pujols: More Than a Game. "I’m not saying it’s the way it should be, but I think it will."

Pujols, who led the Cardinals to its World Series win in October, has been outspoken about his faith.

"My life's goal is to bring glory to Jesus. My life is not mostly dedicated to the Lord, it is 100% committed to Jesus Christ and His will. God has given me the ability to succeed in the game of baseball," Pujols writes on his website. "But baseball is not the end; baseball is the means by which my wife, Dee Dee, and I glorify God. Baseball is simply my platform to elevate Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior."

Pujols, who has a daughter with Down syndrome, dedicated his family foundation to their "commitment to faith, family and others," giving to many causes in the St. Louis community. Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults with Down Syndrome opened in 2009.

Lamb expects St. Louis fans to make comparisons to LeBron James, the NBA athlete who left Cleveland for the Miami Heat. While it's good to remain loyal to a team that helped give him his fame, Lamb said, it's not necessarily a moral issue.

"So much of his mission is based in St. Louis," Lamb said. "Maybe that’s the point. He did the Midwest thing and now he can do the West coast thing."

Lamb said he heard Pujols speak about his faith in a public gathering, but he wonders whether the move to Los Angeles will allow him more opportunities with the larger Latino population.

"When he spoke about Jesus, it was short and stilted. You get the sense that if you turn him loose and took the yoke of English off of him, he could speak more in his native tongue," Lamb said. "[The deal] sure seems like it’s just about the money, but I’m hoping it’s more than that and time will tell. "

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at December 8, 2011 9:43AM | Comments (25)

Debate over a pro-life bill currently before the Ohio state legislature highlights the growing rift among pro-life groups, according to The New York Times.

Dubbed the "heartbeat bill," the legislation would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detectable, generally six to eight weeks into the pregnancy. Proponents hope the inevitable legal fight over the bill will be a stepping stone to overturning Roe v. Wade, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court is ready to reconsider the matter.

The state’s Catholic conference and Ohio Right to Life have voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would potentially prompt a legal setback for pro-life advocacy. If the case eventually reached the Supreme Court, they argue, it would likely result in the affirmation of a woman's right to have an abortion.

Six county chapters of Ohio Right to Life, including the state’s oldest and largest chapter in Cincinnati, have withdrawn their membership because of the organization's opposition to the bill, according to the NYT. National Right to Life has taken a neutral position on the bill.

CT highlighted the pro-life debate over personhood laws back in October 2010, and recently reported on Mississippi's failed attempt at a personhood amendment in November.

In June, CT reported on this year's record amount of pro-life legislation in state legislatures across the country.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 7, 2011 11:35AM

Atlanta-based megachurch pastor Eddie Long will take time off to focus on his family after his wife filed for divorce.

"I'm going to take a little time off to work with my family," Long told his congregation at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday. "I do want you to know that this is, for me and my family, especially with me, one of the most difficult times and things I've had to face, and only because my strength, other than God, is in Miss Vanessa."

The decision came after Vanessa Long announced she had filed for divorce on December 1. An attributed statement released by Eddie Long’s church indicated she was planning on withdrawing the petition for divorce, but an attorney confirmed Vanessa Long was proceeding with the divorce as of late Friday.

The Longs were married in 1990 and have three children. Vanessa Long said her initial decision to file for divorce was prompted after “years of attacks in the media” against her and her husband. In September of 2010, four men accused Long of coercing them into sexual relationships by using his influence and giving them gifts, trips, and jobs while they were teens. Long denied the claims. The lawsuits were settled out of court in May with a non-disclosure policy.

Long’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1985 after Dabara Houston claimed that Long had a “vicious and violent temper,” and that she feared for the safety for her and her son.  

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey at December 6, 2011 11:35AM | Comments (4)

Today the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review an evangelical church’s appeal of a New York City ban on worship services in public schools. The decision means that 60 NYC churches have one month to find new places to worship.

The Bronx Household of Faith had been meeting at a public K-8 school in New York City since 2002, but was recently turned down when it applied for another permit. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in June that the NYC Department of Education had the legal right to bar churches from renting school facilities for worship services. The decision overturned a 2002 ruling that had allowed the congregation and nearly 60 other churches (as of 2009) to conduct worship services in NYC school buildings.

The Supreme Court’s refusal to review the case means the Second Circuit’s decision stands.

CT previously covered the Second Circuit’s decision in the case and reactions from church-state experts, as well as other notable decisions throughout the long-running case’s progression.

Posted by Jeremy Weber at December 5, 2011 3:10PM | Comments (8)