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Subject: The Underground -- Egypt’s Coptic pope ignores calls for divorce rights
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The Underground -- Egypt’s Coptic pope ignores calls for divorce rights

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• Egypt’s Coptic pope ignores calls for divorce rights
• Apostle’s tomb discovered by archeologists in Turkey
• South Korean court allows refugee status to three Iranian converts
• Crystal Cathedral mulls $50 million offer from Roman Catholic church
• John Stott, architect of Christian Evangelism, passes away
• Refugee status sought for Pakistani Christians
• Question of the week: Lost books of the Bible?

Egypt’s Coptic pope ignores calls for divorce rights Posted: 29 Jul 2011 02:48 AM PDT Egypt’s Coptic Pope Shenouda III ignored recently calls by believers for the church to allow divorce and remarriage within the church during his weekly sermon recently. Instead, Pope Shenouda, who heads what many view to be among the most conservative Christian churches in the world, focused his sermon on infidelity and family devotion. In the 1930s Coptic law permitted divorce on a range of reasons including mental disabilities, impotence and cruelty. Three years ago Pope Shenouda narrowed the borders, saying divorce could only be allowed in cases of adultery or conversion. This past month Christians have taken to the streets and gathered together in Cairo at the city’s papal office, calling for a wider berth regarding divorce. Under Egyptian law, religious authorities hold sole power to end Coptic marriages. According to human rights advocates, this can be harmful to the couple and their children. “It’s a violation of personal rights,” Abdel Tawab of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies told We News. “It adds psychological pressure … which could lead to the destruction of the fundamental essence of the family itself,” Tawab told We News. “So of course it has a negative effect on the person.” Coptic Couples who wish to have a divorce under the church are required to go through a trial in the presence of church officials where they must present witnesses and sworn statements. In some cases Copts go to court to file for a civil marriage, which will enable divorce and remarriage. This practice, however, rarely takes place as Egyptian authorities usually will not implement such court rulings, if granted. At the same time, if the ruling is implemented, the marriage is still not recognized by the church. Earlier in the month some 120 Copts gathered at the Clerical Council of Saint Mark’s Cathedral to lobby for the right to remarry. The protesters hindered Bishop Paul and other priests from leaving the building. They also sought the removal of Bishop Paul for his lack of support for divorce and remarriage. One protestor, Michael Hanna told Al-Masry Al-Youm, “[Bishop Paul] allows divorces and marriage for people with power and influence, but not to the poor. We have raised many complaints against him, which the pope does not consider.” At that time a source from the Clerical Council told Al-Masry Al-Youm, “The Church does not discriminate between its disciples and has trust in Bishop Paul.” Michael Malek, 28, who was not at the rally, told We News, “The pope has addressed this issue many, many times in his meetings. He frequently gets this question: ‘Will you allow divorce in the Orthodox faith?’ He says: ‘It’s in the Bible and there is no divorce. If you can’t live with it, you can go to another church that allows it. But don’t ask to remain [a Copt] and get a divorce.”

Apostle’s tomb discovered by archeologists in Turkey Posted: 29 Jul 2011 01:15 AM PDT The tomb of one of the original apostles of Jesus Christ was discovered recently in a southwestern province in Turkey. The tomb of St. Philip the apostle, who is mentioned as one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, was found by a team of archaeologists led by Francesco D’Andria, an Italian professor and archaeologist. St. Philip by Reubens D’Andria and his team were unearthing the ruins of a newly-discovered church in Hieropolis, in the province Denizli, when they came across the tomb. D’Andria said experts confirmed the tomb belonged to St. Philip as indicated by its structure and writings on it. He said they had been trying to locate the tomb for years. St.Philip the apostle is considered a martyr in the Christian faith, having been killed by the Romans some 2000 years ago. He traveled to Hierapolis to spread the gospel. According to ancient tradition, he died in 80 A.D. He had preached in Phrygia, Syria and Greece before he was martyred. Legend states that he was either crucified upside down, or beheaded. After his death, an octagonal shaped tomb, named The Martryium, was built for him on the spot where he died. D’Andria had been the head of excavations in the area for some 32 years. He told Dogan News Agency, “Until recently, we thought the grave of St. Philip was on Martyrs’ Hill, but we discovered no traces of him in the geophysical research conducted in that area. A month ago, we discovered the remnants of an unknown church, 40 meters away from the St. Philip Church on Martyrs’ Hill. And in that church we discovered the grave of St. Philip.” So far, the grave has not been opened, but the team plans to do so in due time. D’Andria told Dogan News Agency, “St. Philip is considered a martyr. In fact, the church built in his name on the Martyrs’ Hill is, for this reason, also called Martyrion, despite the fact there were no traces of the grave of St. Philip. As we were cleaning out the new church we discovered a month ago, we finally found the grave. With close examination, we determined that the grave had been removed from its previous location in the St. Philip Church to this new church in the fifth century, during the Byzantine era. We are extremely happy and proud to have discovered the grave of a saint whose name appears in the Bible-this surely is an important discovery for religious tourism, archaeology and Christendom.” With the discovery it is expected that Hierapolis, which means “sacred city,” may become a Christian pilgrimage place and tourist destination. It is located beside Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is also renowned for its hot springs which had served, since the second century, as a spa.

South Korean court allows refugee status to three Iranian converts Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT A court in Seoul, Korea granted recently refugee status to three Iranians who had converted from Islam to Christianity while they were living in the country. The Seoul Administrative Court determined in its ruling that the three Iranians would face strong persecution if they returned to their home country. For this reason, the SAC made an unprecedented move by reversing a previous decision of the Justice Ministry to deny asylum to the three Iranians, who filed their lawsuits individually in protest of the Justice Ministry decision. Many nationals of Islamic countries have sought—and received—refugee status after fleeing their nations to escape harsh persecution for apostasy, or changing religions in their home countries. Expatriates, under the United Nations convention, are allowed to get refugee status in another country if the person fears persecution in his own country because of his religion, race, or political view. However, the case of the three Iranians is precedent setting because the Muslims converted to Christianity after they had arrived in South Korea. Included among the complainants is R (pseudonym), a 40-year-old man, who arrived in South Korea in 2000. He began to attend a Christian church, and two years after, in 2008, was baptized. That year, he applied for refugee status on the grounds that he would be oppressed if he returned to his home country. His request was declined two years later. The SAC determined that there was strong evidence that R would be persecuted severely in his home country, “given that R’s family and friends are expressing strong reluctance to accept his religious conversion,” Yonhap News reported. The SAC said in its decision, “For the past years, persecution against Christians has worsened in Iran and the criminal law was revised in 2008 to allow capital punishment on those who convert to Christianity from Islam,” according to Yonhap News. Sources: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/07/27/41/0302000000AEN20110727005700315F.HTML

Crystal Cathedral mulls $50 million offer from Roman Catholic church Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT The Roman Catholic Church Diocese of Orange County is interested in purchasing the Evangelical Crystal Cathedral, and they are willing to pay $50 million for it. The offer is appealing to the bankrupt megachurch.  Its board is weighing a number of other offers along with that of the Catholic Church for its 40-acre campus along with its glass-paned cathedral. An outside view of the Crystal Cathedral If the Diocese of Orange lands the property, it hopes to renovate the interiors to include Catholic elements including an altar, holy water bowls, and others. However the exterior, which is the work of designer Philip Johnson, will remain unchanged. “We want to make a transition to a Catholic ministry that is appropriate and respectful of what they have created,” Alan Martin, lawyer for the diocese, told The New York Times. The Crystal Cathedral board is planning to convene on Thursday, where it will mull over a number of other options aside from that of the Catholic diocese. It will hold bankruptcy hearings in court on Monday. Other options At least three other bodies have bid for the property. One of them is Chapman University, which would like to convert the grounds into a satellite campus for the health sciences. Initially, Chapman offered $46 million, but recently it raised the amount to $50 million plus an option for Crystal Cathedral to buy back its Cathedral. Another offer was given by My Father’s House Church International, which is willing to pay $50 million. Rev. Mark A. Thomas told the LA Times that he plans to “honor the history” of the Crystal Cathedral if his bid is accepted. Finally Greenlaw Partners, a realty investment group in Orange County, has offered $46 million. In exchange, Crystal Cathedral may lease back its core buildings and build apartments on the land. Crystal Cathedral was founded in 1955 by Rev. Robert H. Schuller and is viewed as the first megachurch in the country. In the 1980s some two million viewed its weekly TV program, “Hour of Power,” and over 10,000 worshiped at the Cathedral. However, after Schuller retired in 2006 there was a succession battle among the children which alienated a number of churchgoers. Today, more worshippers attend the Spanish-language Sunday service that those in English led by Schuller’s daughter. Last year the ministry filed for bankruptcy with some $46 million owed to creditors. The Roman Catholic diocese promised to pay the debt by the end of the year, and still have money left over for the ministry. Of concern, however, is how the Catholic diocese will raise the funds. In 2004 it paid some $100 million in settlement of a clergy sex abuse case, causing layoffs and budget cuts. Stephen R. Bohannon, spokesman of the diocese, told The NY Times in an email that they will raise the money through loans and fund raising. Whatever choice Crystal Cathedral makes, definitely it has a strong interest in being able to continue to worship there. John Charles, spokesman for Crystal Cathedral, told The NY Times, “I think the majority of the board and all of the members of the church would like to see an opportunity to continue the ministry at the location. But, it remains to be seen how this will proceed in the court system.” Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/us/28crystal.html http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/crystal-cathedral-board-schuller-voting-member.html http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/crystal-cathedral-bankruptcy.html

John Stott, architect of Christian Evangelism, passes away Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT John Stott, 90, a key figure in the resurgence of 20th century British evangelism, died on July 27, 2011, from complications of old age. Stott, who was ill for many weeks, died in the presence of family and close friends while listening to Handel’s Messiah. He was a lifelong bachelor who played a pioneer role in refashioning evangelicalism in the 20th century. He authored the bestseller, Basic Christianity, which was translated into some 60 languages. Of 40 books that he wrote, others are Issues Facing Christians Today (1984), and The Contemporary Christian (1992). He was committed to “[relating] the ancient Word to the modern world,” Baptist Press said. Stott is a founder of the Lausanne Covenant. Stott, who graduated with highest honors in Cambridge in French and theology, is known for his special gift for grasping the meaning of the Bible and explaining the scriptures clearly to all types of people. From the start he was passionate about evangelism, and even in University ran Scripture Union camps during the holidays which were strongly evangelistic in nature. In 1945 he was ordained in the Church of England, and became rector in 1950 even as the church was damaged by the war. He distinguished himself as a Bible teacher and expositor, and built a reputation as an evangelist. In 1950 evangelicalism had little influence in the Christian world, but Stott spurred its growth globally. In his church, All Souls, he led many to Jesus Christ and taught church members how to evangelize. All Souls, an inner city church, had a mix of indigent and wealthy church members. Stott unified both sides through evangelism. In time he became a popular speaker at Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship evangelistic campaigns in many British universities, especially Oxford and Cambridge; and later, North America and the Commonwealth. Stott fostered organizations that encouraged young evangelical priests, and organized many evangelical conferences. His skill in clearly explaining the Bible with great depth was a tool in his success. Stott was passionate about the Bible and how it could shape life. Through his works, a generation gained renewed faith from Scripture. He showed that simple Christianity could appeal to everyone, and transformed British evangelism into a major movement. Stott came to know Billy Graham when the latter first came to England in 1946 and through the years their friendship grew and was pivotal to the founding of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974.   Stott chaired the drafting committee and is recognized as its chief architect. That year, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association convened an International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland. The congress was significant in showing that churches around the world can work together. It also helped leaders to recognize that social concern and preaching the gospel could not be done separately. Stott said, “The Great Commission neither explains, nor exhausts, nor supersedes the Great Commandment. What it does is to add to the command of neighbor-love and neighbor-service a new and urgent Christian dimension. If we truly love our neighbor, we shall without doubt tell him the Good News of Jesus. But equally, if we truly love our neighbor, we shall not stop there,” Christianity Today reported. “[Stott] imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior,” Benjamin Homan, president of John Stott Ministries, told Christianity Today. A spokesman for Billy Graham told Christianity Today, “The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisers. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to heaven.” R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary told Baptist Press, “You cannot explain English-speaking evangelicalism in the 20th century without crucial reference to the massive influence of John Stott. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church told BP, “I flew to the U.K.recently just to pray for him and sit by his bed. What a giant! [He was] one of my closest mentors.” <iframe src=”http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&npa=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=christedout-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&asins=0830834036″ style=”width:120px;height:240px;” scrolling=”no” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ frameborder=”0″></iframe>

Refugee status sought for Pakistani Christians Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT The head of a Christian congress in Pakistan announced recently that he will send an appeal to the United Nations to allow refugee status for Pakistani Christians because they do not feel safe in their own country. Dr. Nazir S. Bhatti, chief of Pakistan Christian Congress, said the PCC is demanding that the Pakistani government opens its borders so that Christians may flee to bordering countries such as Afghanistan, India and China. “The Christians in Pakistan do not feel safe, and they want to flee for the safety of their lives. We are asking that they be given refugee status,” Bhatti told the Pakistan Christian Post. Bhatti said this will continue to be necessary unless the blasphemy law is repealed. He also said the Federal Minority Ministry must be restored, and there should be an end to kidnapping and enforced conversion of Christian women to Islam so that they can be married to influential Muslims against their will. Kidnapping, forced conversion The number of kidnappings, forced conversion to Islam and gang rape of Christian women has doubled in the year 2010-2011. An example is the incident of nursing student Farah Hatim, 24, a Catholic girl who was kidnapped last May 7, by Muslim Zeeshan Iliyas and his brothers, Gulfam and and Ulran. Hatim, who lives in south Punjab where most incidents of Christian persecution occur, was forced to convert to Islam so that she could forcibly marry her abductor. Hatim’s abductors threatened to kill her family if she failed to cooperate. When her family tried to file a report of her abduction before Superintendent Police Ashfaq Guijar and SHO city Nazir Shah, they were threatened and the police refused to file the case. The case was only registered after some 400 Christians protested in front of the police office. As the Justice and Peace Commission brought the case to court, the police constantly threatened Hatim’s family. The case was then raised to the Supreme Court. On July 20, for the first time, Hatim saw her family. When she was asked if she went with her Muslim abductor freely, she wept and said, “Of my own will,” to protect her family. After the proceedings she was granted a few minutes to meet with her family. Her brother told Asia News, “I am shocked … she was threatened … Why us? Why do we have to deal with it? Just because we are Christians?” The Committee for Justice and Peace told Asia News, “Farah has become a victim of the prostitution racket. Zeeshan Iiyas tried to push her into prostitution when she was still a student at Sheikh Zaid Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, but she refused. Zeehan Iiyas then took revenge.” Farah is also fearful because she became pregnant after she was raped and she fears that if she tries to return to her community she will be rejected and her family will be killed. Sisters kidnapped In a separate incident, two Christian siblings were kidnapped by a band hired by a wealthy Muslim, and forced to convert to Islam. One of them was then forced to marry the rich Muslim. Rebecca Masih and her sister Saima Masih were abducted by businessman Muhammad Wassem last May 24 in Faisalabad district. Waseem then forced Saima to marry him. Extremist group leader Muhammad Zubair Qasim was present. His band, Sip-e-Sahaba, specializes in kidnapping and forced conversions. According to the Justice and Peace Commission, “thousands of girls from minority communities are kidnapped and forced to marry Muslims. We are fighting against the cancer of abductions and forced marriages,” Asia News reported. The Catholic church has also condemned such acts, as have human rights organizations. Hatim’s family is appealing for action, or laws against the practice of abduction, forced conversion and marriage. However, such acts prevail largely because of the blasphemy law which is often abused as pretext for this, as well as destruction of Christian homes, arrest and murder of Christians including women and children. Courts are not mediums for true justice for Christians. Even government officials are not spared, including Shahbaz Bhatti, Christian Federal Minister who was gunned down in Islamabad. The Federal Minority Ministry has also been dissolved. Dr. Nazir S. Bhatti of the PCC said because equal rights for minorities is not possible in Pakistan, the alternative he seeks is refugee status for its Christians.

Question of the week: Lost books of the Bible? Posted: 27 Jul 2011 10:31 PM PDT Question: “What are the lost books of the Bible?” Answer: There are no “lost books” of the Bible, or books that were taken out of the Bible, or books missing from the Bible. Every book that God intended and inspired to be in the Bible is in the Bible. There are many legends and rumors of lost books, but there is no truth whatsoever to these stories. There are literally hundreds of religious books that were written in the same time period as the books of the Bible. Some of these books contain true accounts of things that actually occurred (1 Maccabees, for example). Some contain good spiritual teaching (the Wisdom of Solomon, for example). However, these books are not inspired by God. If we read any of these books, the Apocrypha as an example, we have to treat them as fallible historical books, not as the inspired, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The gospel of Thomas, for example, was a forgery written in the 3rd or 4th century A.D., claiming to have been written by the apostle Thomas. It was not written by Thomas. The early church fathers almost universally rejected the gospel of Thomas as heretical. It contains many false and heretical things that Jesus supposedly said and did. None of it (or at best very little of it) is true. The epistle of Barnabas was not written by the biblical Barnabas, but by an imposter. The same can be said of the gospel of Philip, the apocalypse of Peter, etc. There is one God. The Bible has one Creator. It is one book. It has one plan of grace, recorded from initiation, through execution, to consummation. From predestination to glorification, the Bible is the story of God redeeming His chosen people for the praise of His glory. As God’s redemptive purposes and plan unfold in Scripture, the recurring themes constantly emphasized are the character of God, the judgment for sin and disobedience, the blessing for faith and obedience, the Lord Savior and sacrifice for sin, and the coming kingdom and glory. It is God’s intention that we know and understand these five themes because our lives and eternal destinies depend upon them. It is therefore unthinkable that God would allow some of this vital information to be “lost” in any way. The Bible is complete, in order that we who read and understand it might also be “complete, and equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Recommended Resource: The Missing Gospels: Unearthing the Truth Behind Alternative Christianities by Darrell Bock.

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