Birthright For Christian Millennials Worried that young Evangelicals are skeptical of Israel, Christian Zionists offer immersion trips.
Delaney Thull, 21, grew up with positive feelings about Israel, based on stories she heard from family members who had visited. But when she arrived on campus at Princeton as a freshman two years ago and witnessed anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) demonstrations, she was shocked and upset. “I realized I had the sentiment [for Israel] but no actual political understanding.” She later took advantage of an opportunity to join a 10-day group tour to Israel and came away spiritually moved and “more able to engage in the conversation.” Ariel Heinsius Bryant, a 23-year-old law school student in Virginia, acknowledges she was not well-versed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before visiting Israel for the first time last summer on a similar 10-day group tour. She came back feeling supportive of the Jewish state, and at the same time more aware that the political situation is complex. She described the learning process as “like peeling the layers of an onion.” The trips that Thull and Bryant participated in were part of Passages, a program designed to show Christian college students in the U.S. — many from Christian campuses — the roots of their faith in the Holy Land and help them better understand the complexity of modern Israel. Modeled in part after Birthright Israel, the tours are sponsored by the Museum of the Bible Foundation in Washington, D.C., and the Philos Project, a New York-based nonprofit promoting “positive Christian engagement in the Middle East.” Though Passages, a Philos program, is not a “pro-Israel organization per se,” according to Philos executive director Robert Nicholson, one of its core objectives is to “defend the sovereign existence of the Jewish
people.” The project is also committed to advancing “the well-being of Christians” in the Mideast, educating Christian leaders about the region, and empowering and defending Muslims “who support liberty and justice for all peoples.” Explained Nicholson: “We are tying in the issue of Jews in Israel to defending minorities in the Middle East.” Passages is aimed at Christian college students with leadership potential in the ministry or in other professions where they can spread “the spiritual and moral message of Israel on campus and beyond,” according to the program’s website. Nicholson noted that while Evangelical Christians have long been among Israel’s most ardent supporters, that deep connection may be loosening for millennials. He said that young Christians, like other Americans of their generation across the religious denominations, are less religiously observant, more resistant to views imposed on them and increasingly skeptical of American foreign policy, due to reasons that hark back to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. “Our college students today might say they’re not sure if they support Israel, or even
the U.S.,” when it comes to political decisions that appear to conflict with their moral and religious values, he said. “Most of our young people know little about modern Israel, and part of our mission is to reach current and future leaders on why Israel matters to Christians.” The project, which was launched in 2015, is supported by both Christian and Jewish groups. One donor is the Paul E. Singer Foundation, whose board member, Terry Kassel, explained: “The Philos Project is connecting young Christians with the Middle East in exceptionally thoughtful and creative ways. We’ve been very impressed with Robert’s leadership and the team he has built.”
More Ambivalent Today About Israel Nicholson, 35, who describes his work as “more religious and cultural than political,” is a uniquely qualified observer of Christian and Jewish views on the Jewish state. A former U.S. Marine and law school graduate, he was one of the few Christian fellows chosen for the Tikvah Fund program for advanced study about Israel and its intellectual and religious life. Baptized Catholic in upstate New York, he majored in Hebrew at SUNY Binghamton so he could read the Bible in the original language. Nicholson cited studies that have shown a strong correlation between religious observance and positive attitudes toward Israel. Some Christian leaders believe today’s college students are less connected to their faith, and less sympathetic to Israel. In an effort to offset that trend, Passages is one of several national programs that offer heavily subsidized Israel trips for Christian college students with leadership potential, combining visits to Christian holy sites with encounters with a wide range of Israelis — Jewish, Christian and Muslim. “Young Christians are more ambivalent about Israel today,” observed Gary Bauer, director of CUFI Action, the legislative arm of
Christians United for Israel, founded by Pastor John Hagee and described on its website as the nation’s largest pro-Israel organization. Bauer noted that “young people are more ambivalent about their faith” and about their support for Israel. He attributed this to several factors, including the distance in time from “the miracle” of Israel becoming a state in 1948, critical media coverage of Israel and the perception that Israel has become “Goliath now,” no longer David, the underdog. Others suggest that millennials interested in social justice are drawn to the Palestinian cause. Rev. Joel Hunter, who leads a 20,000-member megachurch in Orlando, told The Jewish Week in a 2014 interview that while loyalty to Israel remains strong, more Christians are expressing empathy with Palestinians and want to “see the other side of the story.” He said they want to learn more about the “legitimate and significant sufferings of those who have been limited for the sake of security. We want to include them.” Bauer said CUFI’s extensive program of trips to Israel for college students succeed in inspiring them. “They see how small the country is, and how good and decent the people are. They get a full picture of the miracle of Israel.” Scott Phillips, 34, a former pastor who lived in Jerusalem for three years and is now executive director of Passages, says the program makes clear its belief that “Israel is a force for good in the region and in the world. But we want our young people to think for themselves.” Students pay $500 for the 10-day trip. The program began last summer with 1,000 participants. This year there were 2,000, and organizers hope to bring 3,000 next summer. Passages is one of a number of programs operated by the Philos Project, which offers a range of Israel tours, including those designed for journalists and strategic leaders. It also publishes a thought journal and has an activist arm, raising awareness and funds for
Christians facing persecution in the Middle the children. “As an American, I found it hard to understand the residents’ ties to the land. I East. wondered why they don’t just pack up and leave. But I came to understand their sincere ‘Israel’s Story Is Your Story’ passion for the land.” She was also impressed that Passages In an interview at his midtown office, Nicholson said “it’s important for Jews who offered speakers like the Palestinian who care about Israel to see Christians become spoke of checkpoints and the difficulties of daily more Christian,” and for Christians to learn how life. In an eloquent email, Tyler MacQueen, a Israel protects the rights of its religious minorities. For example, the Passages 20-year-old junior at Ashland University in students are told how, after the Six-Day War of Ohio, wrote that initially he was afraid to visit 1967, Israel chose to preserve mosques and Israel, thinking of it as part of a “war-torn” region Arab culture, in contrast to the Jordanians who, “swimming in carnage and despair.” But he was upon taking control of Jerusalem in 1948, drawn by the low cost of the trip — and the prohibited Jews from praying at the Western opportunity to visit Christian sites in a land Wall and used ancient Jewish tombstones to “soaked in the spirit of God.” He came away impressed by the “miracle” of Israel, where pave streets. “We tell our students, ‘this place, Israel, Jews who have “overcome so many obstacles” throughout history have their own state. He matters to you; Israel’s story is your story.’” While there are numerous Christian tours recalled a mother telling him that she chose to to Israel, many of them are so focused on visits live in a community near the Gaza border to churches and holy sites that participants because she saw herself as “a soldier without a encounter modern Israeli life only peripherally. gun,” doing her bit to defend her land and her Passages offers the present as well as the country. MacQueen, a political science major past, bringing in a wide range of speakers, from government officials and IDF officers to interested in a career in politics, has been to the annual AIPAC conference in Washington and observant Christians, Arabs and Jews. Rivka Kidron, a former adviser to Israeli has worked on a resolution for the campus Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a senate to condemn the BDS movement. He, Thull and Heinsius Bryant were back founding board member of Passages and helps plan the itinerary for the Israel trip. “We in Israel this summer — a year after their first invest a lot in content,” said Kidron, who is trip — this time as Passage Fellows, the based in Tel Aviv. “Some of the students have recipients of a free trip as counselors for new never met Jewish people. They don’t know participants in the Passages program. To what to expect. Some think Israel is a war zone become a fellow, post-trip students must take a or that they’ll see camels everywhere. They’re six-week online course with both biblical and surprised it’s a modern country.” She said the modern-day Israel tracks. They read from the most popular event is Friday night dinner at Old and New Testaments to deepen their understanding of Christianity’s Jewish roots, homes in Jerusalem. For Heinsius Bryant, the Virginia law and watched a video series on Israel advocacy school student, one highlight was a visit to created by Jerusalem U, an educational Sderot, the Jewish community close to the program to inspire support for Israel. Gaza border that has often been the target of Hamas rockets. She was moved by seeing underground bomb shelters with play areas for
‘A Good Place’ All three fellows interviewed asserted that their understanding and appreciation of Israel increased dramatically as a result of visiting Israel twice. “The first trip was more about my own spiritual experience, and it blessed my Christian faith,” said Thull. “The second trip was more about my facilitating the experience for others, and it helped me see the complexity” of Israeli life. “I felt I grew so much, and it solidified for me that Israel is a good place I can get behind with more political understanding.” Aware of Birthright Israel’s struggles to engage participants after their Israel trips, Passages has built-in pre-trip orientation and post-trip program requirements. Students back from Israel must choose at least three Passages Now program options, which include a book club, blogging about their experience, writing for other outlets, an essay contest, photo and video contests and engaging fellow students by speaking at an event or joining (or starting) an Israel awareness club on campus. Assessing the impact of the Israel trip through evaluations, Phillips, the executive director of Passages, said that prior to being in Israel, students think of it as a war zone and wonder why Israelis can’t make peace with the Palestinians. Only one out of five expresses a willingness to speak out for Israel. “They’re unsure, neutral,” Phillips said. “But when they come back, their willingness to speak out for Israel more than doubles,” and their understanding of the Israel-Palestinian conflict has greatly increased. Nicholson is pleased with the progress Philos has made in only two years. “We’re helping young people navigate a complicated region, pointing out that Jews and Christians have shared values, shared texts, a shared world view,” he said. “We’re building friendships among Christians, Jews and other minorities, and we hope to see it expand.”
Bauer of CUFI worries that “an increasingly secular America will be more problematic for Israel, and for maintaining the U.S.-Israel alliance. We need a revival among Christians and Jews,” he concluded, calling for a return to church and synagogue attendance figures of half a century ago. Not likely to happen among the great majority of American Jews, who get nervous from such talk. But if they are passionate about Israel, they may come to recognize and appreciate that deep religious faith among Christians corresponds to deep commitment to the Jewish state.
The rise and fall of the Christian bookstore Back in the 1990s, it often seemed that every city and town in America had a strip mall with a Christian bookstore where you could purchase WWJD bracelets and enough devotional books to fill up the Ark of the Covenant. But today, these Christian bookstores are a dying breed. Indeed, it seems we are fast approaching an America where this particular brand of religious retailer will be no more than a memory. Over the last decade, Christian bookstores across the nation have been shuttering. In some cases, consumers are just less interested in the stores' God-blessed inventory. But plenty of others are just opting to purchase religious items from online retailers, with Christian bookstores humbled before the same digital market forces that felled secular mom-and-pop bookstores. The flailing Christian bookstore industry reached code red status earlier this year when Family Christian Stores, touted as "the world's largest retailer of Christian-themed merchandise," declared it would shutter all of its 240 stores across America and lay off 3,000 employees. The 85-year-old chain said that "changing consumer behavior and declining sales" left it no choice. Given the state of the industry and larger retailing trends, Family Christian Stores' closure is seen by many as a harbinger of things to come. If trends persist, Christian bookstores may well be destined for the history books. But Christian consumers should not let their hearts go troubled. This trend may turn out to be good news for the faithful. Christian publishing has long been a presence in American life. But it was a renewed desire to evangelize the world following World War II that fueled the modern rise of Christian publishing, which focused mostly on Bibles and
gospel tracts at the time. In 1950, the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) formed in response to the growing need to connect and equip Christian product providers in the marketplace. As time passed, religious retailers slowly spread across America and expanded their offerings. Then the industry truly exploded during the 1970s, and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) was formed in 1974 to help give these new religious storeowners a chance to network and strategize. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly which cultural trend triggered the renewed interest in Christian content, but the American cultural revolution in the '60s and '70s seems like a plausible candidate. A perfect storm of progressive social change movements — from civil rights to feminism, anti-war protesting to environmentalism — swept across America. Many traditionalist Christians felt as if their religious values were under siege. In response, these believers mobilized and became more visible and vocal. The cultural unrest created an opportunity for printed content that spoke to these Christians' concerns and anxieties. In 1970, Hal Lindsay's The Late Great Planet Earth rocked the marketplace with claims that the biblical end of the world was fast approaching. Bantam picked up the title in 1973, making it the first Christian prophecy book released by a secular publisher, and it went on to sell more than 30 million copies. The
Living Bible was the bestselling non-fiction title of 1972 and 1973, and Billy Graham's Angels was the bestselling non-fiction title of 1975. The mainstream success of books like these proved that a hungry market of religious readers existed in America. The trend continued to build. In December 1983, an Associated Press article titled "Christian book sales are booming" relayed that Christian booksellers had grown by 20 to 25 percent over the past decade. As Sue Smith, president of CBA notes, industry growth continued into the '90s thanks to several breakout bestsellers. "People who would never walk into a Christian store suddenly would come in for The Prayer of Jabez, The Purpose Driven Life, and the Left Behind series," she says. Each of these titles became #1 New York Times bestsellers. In the late '90s, however, the advent of the digital age began to transform the way Americans shopped and consumed media. The rise of online retailers created stiff competition for brick-and-mortar stores. The absence of rent, real estate, and large staffs allowed these emerging distributors to offer deep discounts that traditional booksellers simply could not match. The internet also created options for authors to affordably selfpublish their work and distribute it straight to consumers. This, combined with a sharp decline in book sales generally and the rise of reduced price e-books, ate into publishers' profits. These converging trends decimated the print publishing industry. And retailers, which form the industry's front line, bore the brunt of it. Many prominent chains, such as Borders, B. Dalton, and Waldenbooks, floundered and eventually folded. Others, including industry giant Barnes & Noble, teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Religious chains faced even more harrowing circumstances than their larger secular cousins. In addition to the transformation of media, the American
religious landscape was shifting rapidly. According to Gallup, church attendance and religiosity declined during the '90s and early 2000s. Americans identifying as non-religious rose during this period. As younger Christians came of age, they found themselves less interested in the American Christian subculture and its institutions. Demand for religious books fell, and the once healthy Christian marketplace hemorrhaged. By the earliest part of the 21st century, the Christian publishing industry was in major trouble. Christian publishers struggled to stay afloat, and religious retailers were taking on water. The once-booming CBA, which boasted 3,000 members and approximately 4,000 Christian retail stores in the mid-'80s, had dwindled to 1,813 members and 2,800 stores by 2008. More than 300 Christian retailers closed in 2005 alone. With the shuttering of Family Christian Stores this year, only a couple of sizeable chains and a smattering of independents remain. We may be witnessing the dawning of the last days for these once vibrant institutions. But here's the real shocker: The demise of Christian bookstores may actually be good news for American Christianity itself. If you've visited a Christian bookstore lately, you might have noticed that they traffic in much more than just books. As the market contracted, the diversity of inventory expanded to include products with higher profit margins. Shelves are filled to overflow with a range of religious home décor, toys, music, and clothing designed to appeal to spiritual shoppers. You'll find inspirational figurines, Bible-themed Monopoly-style board games, automobile decals, and even religious breath mints. Christian kitsch can help retailers pay the rent. But the "trinketization of Christianity" has plastered a cheap face onto a rich religious movement with a more than 2,000-year history. Purging these items from the marketplace helps strip the consumerist veneer off the faith. The disappearance of Christian retailers
will also likely improve the quality of religious books. Christian authors can no longer be the strongest voice in their small religious pond. Beating out the quarter's best niche devotional will no longer suffice. Authors will now have to compete with Chabon and Patchett, Franzen and Friedman. "We're seeing that the stiff competition in the general market requires that you publish Christian books with quality writing," as Stan Jantz, head of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, notes. "Because the bar is being raised, there is a real desire among Christian publishers to find quality writing right now." Competing in a broader marketplace will also require a broader diversity of religious content. Christian retailers have often curated their inventory based on their theological leanings. For example, Lifeway Christian Stores requires authors to adhere to the beliefs of the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination that owns the chain. If an author supports gay marriage, doesn't interpret the Bible in strictly literal ways, or supports the equality of women in church leadership, they will be banned from Lifeway's shelves. As these retailers disappear, there will no longer be gatekeepers policing the market with the same rigor. And this may plow the ground for fresh and even risky theological reflections. These three developments — the purging of religious kitsch, better quality prose, and a greater diversity of ideas — means the loss for retailers is a gain for readers. Hallelujah.
More than 150 evangelical religious leaders sign 'Christian manifesto' on human sexuality A nationwide coalition of more than 150 conservative Christian leaders signed a statement, released Tuesday, affirming their beliefs on human sexuality, including that marriage is between one man and one woman and approval of "homosexual immorality" is sinful. The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's list of 14 beliefs, referred to as the Nashville Statement, is a response to an increasingly post-Christian, Western culture that thinks it can change God's design for humans, according to the statement. "Our true identity, as male and female persons, is given by God. It is not only foolish, but hopeless, to try to make ourselves what God did not create us to be," the statement from the coalition members reads. The Council on Biblical Manhood and Wo m a n h o o d c o n v e n e d a m e e t i n g o f evangelical leaders, pastors and scholars Friday at the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission's annual conference in Nashville. The coalition discussed and endorsed the statement.
conviction, gospel compassion, cultural relevance, and practical helpfulness," Piper said. "It will prove to be, I believe, enormously helpful for thousands of pastors and leaders hoping to give wise, biblical, and gracious guidance to their people." Among the signers who have been involved in national politics: James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council in the District of Columbia.
► July 17: Students at religious universities worry about access to birth control ► Aug. 21: Trump loses pastor from ► May 24: Christian school defends e v a n g e l i c a l a d v i s o r y b o a r d a f t e r decision to deny pregnant teen graduation Charlottesville ‘walk’ ► Aug. 4: 'Mark of the beast?' Microchipping employees raises Dobson and four others — Senior Pastor apocalyptic questions Ronnie Floyd of Cross Church, which has four campuses in northwest Arkansas and In a press release, John Piper, co- southwest Missouri; Pastor Jack Graham of founder of The Council on Biblical Manhood Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas; and Womanhood, called the Nashville President Richard Land of the Southern Statement a "Christian manifesto" on human Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, N.C.; sexuality. televangelist James Robison, founder of Fort "It speaks with forthright clarity, biblical Worth-based Life Outreach International —
also are members of President Trump's evangelical advisory board. In a series of tweets, Pastor Brandan Robertson of MissionGathering Christian Church in San Diego, an LGBT activist who helped organize a protest at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission conference, called the statement an affront to God's creative design. "When your theology breeds death, your theology is not of God," he tweeted. ► May 22: Churches mobilize to protect the environment ► April 15: You know the religious right. Here's the religious left (and it's fired up) Christian author Jen Hatmaker of Austin, Texas, who come out in favor of same-sex marriage and whose books have been removed from the Southern Baptist Convention's LifeWay Christian Stores because of that philosophy, called the timing of the statement callous because of the Aug. 12 Unite the Right white supremacists' rally in Charlottesville, Va., and protester Heather Heyer's death. "If the fruit of doctrine regularly & consistently creates shame, self-harm, suicide, & broken hearts, families, & churches, we shld listen," she tweeted. Each of the Nashville Statement's 14 beliefs include one sentiment the signers affirm and one they deny. They cover a range of topics from a prohibition on sex outside of marriage to the connection between biological sex and gender identity. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who as a councilwoman officiated some of the city's first same-sex marriages when they became legal in Tennessee, took issue with the statement's moniker. In a tweet, she called it "poorly named." Its name is derived from the meeting location. The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's founding document — the
Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood — was signed about 30 years ago during a summit at a resort in Danvers, Mass. ► March 14: Baptist leaders unite in wake of controversy over Trump ► Feb. 24: Scorecard on international religious freedom rates members of Congress Founded in 1987 and based in Louisville, Ky., the council's website said it has helped several religious groups, including the 15 million-member Southern Baptist Convention, promote "gospel-driven gender roles." Some members of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention that played host to the coalition last week, signed the statement. In the news release, the commission's president, Russell Moore, said it is "urgently needed." ► Feb. 2: How Neil Gorsuch could impact current and future Supreme Court cases ► Oct. 28: Mom cites religious freedom in beating son, pleads guilty "The sexual revolution cannot keep its promises, and the church must stand ready to receive with compassion the many who are in need of a better hope," Moore said. "The Nashville Statement is part of that mission, and my prayer is that it will help anchor churches and Christians to the gospel of Jesus Christ for years to come." This year, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission's annual conference focused on parenting, including how to talk to your kids about their biblical view of sex, samesex attraction and gender identity.
Christian marriage equality group urge Australians to vote yes Religious freedom and gender identity are issues that are muddying what should be a simple debate, a group of Christian same-sex marriage advocates say. St John's Anglican Cathedral Dean Dr Peter Catt, who is part of an interdenominational advocacy group called Australian Christians for Marriage Equality, said today that extending the availability of marriage would only "strengthen society". "Gender debates in schools and all those other issues are simply being introduced to muddy the water," Dr Catt said. "This is a very simple concept that we extend the marriage act so that it applies equally to all persons." This comes less than a day after the first anti same-sex marriage television ad aired across the country last night. The ad, created by the Coalition for Marriage, links marriage equality to sex education in schools and features three purportedly concerned mothers.
"It is in the spirit of Jesus that we say yes to marriage," Reverend Dr Keith Mascord said at the Christians for Marriage Equality press conference this morning. Related Articles Mother's claim that boys could wear dresses to school is fake, principal says. Turnbull relaxed about postal vote returns. How to make sure you can vote in the marriage equality postal survey. "It is not in spite of our faith, but because of our faith that we say yes to marriage equality." The controversial ad, which has sparked backlash across the country, claims problems may arise in schools if same-sex marriage legislation is passed. At one point, text is flashed onto the screen which reads: “In countries with gay marriage, parents have lost their rights to choose.” The ad offers no evidence of its claims. The airing of the ad comes after two prestigious Catholic schools, Xavier College in Melbourne and Sydney's Saint Ignatius College, wrote to parents defending gay marriage, arguing the sacrament must evolve with the times and that the Catholic Church understands marriage stretches beyond procreation.
Church in India remembers 2008 anti-Christian riots on ‘Kandhamal Day’ On August 25, Christians around India w i l l b e m a r k i n g K a n d h a m a l D a y, commemorating the 9th anniversary of the worst anti-Christian attacks in India’s history, and some of the worst anywhere in the world. Kandhamal is a district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha, formerly known as Orissa, where an orgy of violence descended upon the impoverished Christian minority in August 2008. A series of riots led by radical Hindus left roughly 100 people dead, thousands injured, 300 churches and 6,000 homes destroyed, and 50,000 people displaced, many forced to hide in nearby forests where more died of hunger and snakebites. “More than ten thousand people will gather in solidarity in Kandhamal,” said Archbishop John Barwa of CuttackBhubaneswar. Barwa’s own niece, a Servite nun by the name of Sister Meena Barwa, was gang-raped during the violence and then paraded naked through the village in a final act of humiliation. A local priest, Father Thomas Chellan, who served along with her in Kandhamal, was savagely beaten. The archbishop told Crux those gathering for Kandhamal Day are not there just to pray for the sacrifices of those who died and those who still struggle and suffer for their faith in the region, but to support the demands of the victims and survivors for justice. In August 2016, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to re-investigate 315 cases of violence reported during the riots, where police did not follow up on reported crimes, or the perpetrators were not
prosecuted. The 315 cases concerned are instances in which reports were made to the police but were not followed through or did not result in prosecution of the offenders. The court also said the compensations that were paid to some of the victims were inadequate, and ordered restitution to be paid to anyone injured during the riots. The archbishop said he and other Christian leaders want the judgement to be implemented. O n W e d n e s d a y, B a r w a l e d a n ecumenical delegation to see Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who recently won the 2017 Outlook Speakout Award for Best Administrator in India. The archbishop did not comment on their conversation, but did say he gave Patnaik a framed image of Jesus Christ. Since 2014, India has been ruled by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has strong links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militant Hindu nationalist organization.
Incidents of harassment against Christians have increased over the past few months across India, with various Christians being detained or arrested for “attempted conversion,” and places of worship being vandalized. More recently, a spate of killings related to “cow vigilantism” have happened around the country. The slaughter of cows - which are sacred in Hinduism - is illegal in most parts of India, although beef is often eaten by some Dalits (low-caste Hindus previously called “untouchables”) and members of some religious minorities, such as Muslims and Christians. Odisha is ruled by Biju Janata Dal (BJD), a secular party that has often joined in electoral alliances with the BJP. It is one of several states in India that has anti-conversion laws, which are often used to harass Christian ministers, teachers, or social workers. Kandhamal has a population of around 730,000, about 80 percent of whom are “Tribals,” meaning members of one of India’s indigenous groups, and 20 percent “Dalits,” meaning the “untouchables” under the ancient caste system. Both Tribals and Dalits have long been at the bottom of society in terms of income, literacy, and life opportunities, and, in one of the typical pathologies of poverty, tensions between the two groups are common. The Christian population of the area is almost entirely Tribal and Dalit, and still suffers discrimination and harassment to this day. Sister Meena, Barwa’s niece, has been a leading voice for justice for Christians in the area since her assault. She released a statement marking the 9th anniversary of the attacks, saying, “Life is not easy yet. “On August 25, 2008, Father Chellan and I were attacked, how can I forget that day?” she said. “I remember this day with gratitude to God, who allowed me once again to live. My admiration, regards and solidarity [is] with all the people of Kandhamal who are victims, I
believe, but who dare to move on.” The religious sister said that although sexual assault victims are often stigmatized in Indian culture, she has experienced nothing but concern, admiration, understanding and respect. “I met recently one of my friends after many years who said, ‘it is a completely new person I see.’ I experience more concern, understanding, love of my parents, my siblings, sisters in congregation, friends and all those who know me,” she wrote. The nun says she remembers her brothers and sisters in Kandhamal every day. “My wish and prayer is in the midst of suffering and pain may they grow into positive attitude and see God in everything,” she said. ____________________________________
Pope Francis’ Visit
to Myanmar Raises Hopes, Concerns “So I think he would speak of love, the country here as a whole, they value love a lot, like metta [loving-kindness] in Burmese Buddhism also. Love is something very special for us. So his message, I think, he will try to emphasize this aspect of love, which will bring us to peace and harmony in the country,” he said. Myanmar established diplomatic relations with the Vatican in May. The pope is expected to travel to Myanmar from Nov. 27 When Pope Francis comes to Myanmar to 30. He will visit Yangon and Naypyitaw, later this year for the first papal visit to this and proceed to Bangladesh for a similar visit. largely Buddhist country, he will be arriving in a Rohingya crisis land in need of healing. Discussion around his visit has Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has been beset by ethnic and civil strife, inevitably landed on the Rohingya crisis. The decades of military dictatorship and, since pope has mentioned their plight several 2011, an uneasy transition to democracy that times in sermons, most recently in the wake culminated in election victory for Nobel of new clashes. Numbering around 1.1 million, the Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2015. Myanmar’s peace process has stalled as Rohingya are the largest stateless group in fighting continues between the military and the world, and more than 120,000 live in IDP armed ethnic groups in the north. In the west, camps in Rakhine State following religiously tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have motivated violence in 2012. The crisis worsened last year when the fled to Bangladesh as security forces battle a new Rohingya insurgency, which struck anew Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a relatively unknown group, attacked police border Aug. 25. posts, killing nine. The military launched “clearance operations” that rights groups A challenge for the pope So can Francis, who has made his voice have said could amount to crimes against k n o w n o n , a m o n g o t h e r i s s u e s , t h e humanity. The government has denied the environment, immigration and the migrant claims. Pope Francis’ vocal support for the crisis, help ease tensions in Myanmar? Or will Rohingya has created the impression that he his presence further inflame them? “The motto of his visit is love and peace,” is speaking for their rights alone, not the said Father Mariano Soe Naing, a spokesman Rakhine Buddhists involved in the conflict. Radical monk Wirathu was quoted in for the pope’s trip who works with the Catholic an interview as saying the trip was “political Bishops Conference of Myanmar.
instigation,” but there has been little But given the historic nature of the pope’s trip, substantive pushback from religious leaders in and the way other popes have been able to general. influence positive change, there is still optimism. Christians are a small minority in Myanmar “A visit by the pope is always very One obstacle may be in the numbers. significant, politically and spiritually, and The pope’s upcoming visit to Colombia in a few especially so when it is an historic first visit and weeks could have more sway because of its to a country emerging from decades of sizeable Catholic population, but Myanmar is dictatorship but still torn apart by conflict,” almost 90 percent Buddhist and only 6 percent Benedict Rogers, author of three books on Christian, not all of them part of the Catholic Myanmar and East Asia Team Leader at Church. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said in an And because the pontiff only makes the email. news in Myanmar when talking about the “One only has to think of John Paul II’s conflict, his image has been distorted, Father visit to Poland early on in his pontificate, which Mariano said. is credited with sparking the Solidarity “The reactions that we see in Facebook movement that ultimately led to freedom under the news of the arrival of the pope. Many across Eastern Europe.” would comment that they think the pope is the activist for the rights of those people, and some even do not even see that he is the head of the Catholic Church,” he said. “Most of the time when they speak of the pope this issue is always in the media of Myanmar. So they really distort the image of the pope because the people in Myanmar know always the association is made with him and this case.” The attacks have killed 11 police officers, one soldier and a civil servant, while a counteroffensive has caused the deaths of scores of Rohingya militants, according to state media. A number of ethnic minorities have also been killed. But on the Sunday following the violence, Francis spoke only about the persecution of the Rohingya. “Maybe some people who brought the message to him did not give the complete message,” Father Mariano said. “That is the reason he prayed only for those people, but not those who were slain, not those who were brutally killed, the people who have to leave their house and run away, he did not mention those things.” History of papal visits
Pope Francis is becoming the voice of compassion for the world's refugees M o n d a y t h e Va t i c a n r e l e a s e d a comprehensive policy document urging countries around the world to ban “arbitrary and collective expulsions” of refugees or migrants, and to expand the number of “safe and legal pathways” for migration. The policy document, “Responding to Refugees and Migrants: Twenty Action Points,” was released by the Vatican’s section on Migrants and Refugees, a small department within the Vatican that Francis directly oversees. The document comes in anticipation of talks on immigration and migration at the United Nations scheduled for next year. The memo also highlighted the importance of social and economic justice for those who have already migrated, including guaranteeing equal access to education for children. It also calls to prohibit “exploitation, forced labor, or trafficking” and guaranteeing the rights of undocumented workers who need to report abusive employers. Such stipulations reflect Francis’s well documented concern for workers’ issues more broadly. Francis delivered a message with the document’s release last week. "Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ,” the pope said. "This solidarity must be concretely expressed at every stage of the migratory experience — from departure through journey to arrival and return.” He was also critical of anti-migration policies enacted in the name of wider security concerns. "The principle of the centrality of the human person, firmly stated by my beloved predecessor, Benedict XVI, obliges us to always prioritize personal safety over national security,” Francis said. Graham Gordon, head of policy at
Catholic aid agency CAFOD, said in a statement: “The Holy Father is making clear that all countries must step up to the plate and pull their weight. ... This is one of the greatest crises of the century so far. Not for the first time, the Pope is reminding politicians that history will judge whether they rise to the challenge or abdicate their responsibilities.” While the pope did not call out any politicians by name, it’s difficult to imagine that he was not referring, at least in part, to the strongly isolationist tendencies of Donald Trump. The two clashed earlier this year during Trump’s visit to the Vatican and while Trump was on the campaign trail. This summer, shortly after receiving a pointedly given copy of the Pope’s 2015 encyclical on climate change, Laudato Si’, Trump withdrew from the Paris climate accords. In taking on the plight of migrants so visibly, the Pope may be repeating his previous strategy on environmental issues: a strategy that — with the exception of Trump’s response — has been largely successful in shaping global discourse. Laudato Si’ proved enormously
influential in raising political goodwill for environmental initiatives, including the Paris accords. The United Nations’ chief climate change official, Christiana Figueres, referred to it as a "clarion call" for change, and Catholics — including CAFOD’s UK news officer Liam Finn, celebrated it as a sign of Francis’s ability to make Vatican documents the subject of international media coverage. Francis’s media popularity — and savvy — render his public policy positions far more visible than those of, say, his predecessor Benedict XIV. But it remains to be seen how well Francis shapes the political discourse this time.
Evangelical Christian clergy are MIA As evidenced by Jerry Falwell Jr.’s appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Christian conservative clergy have done much to undercut their standing, within their own community as well as with the public at large. The Washington Post reports: “In response to Falwell’s unwavering support of [President] Trump, Liberty University graduates are calling on fellow alumni to take a stand by returning their diplomas. They are also writing letters to Falwell’s office and to the board of trustees, calling for his removal.” Nearly 600 people have joined a Facebook group titled “Return your diploma to LU.” Falwell is the rule, not the exception, unfortunately, among evangelical Christian leaders who backed Trump. As Emma Green reports, “In an interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Texas pastor and evangelical advisory council member Robert Jeffress used some of the very same phrases [as Falwell]. ‘They have painted — the media has painted, the liberals have painted — a false narrative that the president is a racist. And any time he tries to break out of that box, liberals aren’t going to allow him to do it,’ he said. Trump ‘was very honest in what he said. He refused to be politically correct. . . . There is not a racist bone in his body.’ Blame the media, deny what the president actually said, and give him brownie points for defying political correctness. This is hardly what one would expect of those who claim to speak for ‘values voters.’” It shouldn’t surprise us then when ordinary Americans who describe themselves as evangelical Christians imbibe the message of elevation of white grievance and minimization of racial offenses. We’ve seen in polling that white evangelicals remain among Trump’s most loyal followers. These voters, unlike virtually every other religious group, are skeptical that African Americans face discrimination. “Six in 10 white evangelicals say black Americans do not experience discrimination, while other white Christian groups, including white mainline Protestants and white Catholics, are divided,” the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit polling group, found in polling earlier this year. Likewise only 43 percent of evangelical Protestants think gay, lesbian and transgender people face a lot of discrimination. One can see why Trump’s appeal to white grievance and affection for Confederate monuments finds such favor among white evangelical voters. That may explain in large part why their “leaders” aren’t
leading from a moral or religious perspective, but are following their flock, acting as tribal defenders of this segment of the population. This would not be the first time white, largely Southern clergy took the side of white nationalism and veneration of the Confederacy or were resistant to pleas for respect from minorities. In the 1960s, white clergy urged the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to go slow and to avoid confrontation with white authorities. In his letter from a Birmingham, Ala., jail, King replied in words equally applicable today. He wrote he was “greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership.” He wrote: “There was a time when the church was very powerful — in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. ... Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s silent — and often even vocal — sanction of things as they are. “But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.” Sadly, today the successors to the go-slow white clergy mirror and magnify the moral feebleness of Republicans, bringing disgrace on them both. Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Washington Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective.