Coptics — adherents of an Egyptian sectof Christianity that observes Christmas Day on January 7 — were leaving mass at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday in Naga Hammadi City when they were attacked, the government told CNN. … ”

It’s interesting that this report has not received much coverage in the international news; and, the second point is that CNN would call the largest Christian group in Egypt- a ‘sect’.  Although, the word ‘sect’ has a generalised meaning (which can be used in this case); in some western countries, the meaning has tended to become narrow, such that it often indicates a group which is not part of the mainstream and also has a strong adherence to their own set of rules.

The Coptic Church of Egypt is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

Whatever words you use, the killing of six people outside their church, in any country - is a sad event.

However, the Episcopal Church in America has recently decided to ignore the advice of their peers and they’re in the process of electing another gay person to a position of authority. [Reference - this article  ... ]

I have no more of an interest in homosexuality, than I do, in: adultery, sex outside of marriage, theft, murder, dishonor of family, lies and dishonesty, etc, etc  - they are all examples of rebellion against God’s love, and  a general failure to love those ‘around us’. The current attitude of the Episcopal Church in USA - demonstrates a breakdown of  loyalty to God and His church, and a failure of true social justice. 

The question then is – can any person who follows Jesus – follow their example?

What are your views?

For example, I recently read this report: “Islamic extremists controlling part of the Somali capital of Mogadishu this month executed a young Christian they accused of trying to convert a 15-year-old Muslim to Christianity.
 
Members of the Islamic extremist group al Shabaab had taken 23-year-old Mumin Abdikarim Yusuf into custody on Oct. 28 after a 15-year-old boy reported him to the militants … Yusuf’s body was found on Nov. 14.  Before Yusuf was executed by two shots to the head, … there are reports that Yusuf’s body showed signs of torture; all of his front teeth were gone, and some of his fingers were broken. … “

Somali is a  country where the normal government procedures  used to maintain law and order,  have collapsed.

What is the western world’s answer to this type of situation?

Here are the titles of some of the current articles, on their site: 

1. Leaving a church badly
2. Baptise those Babies!
3. Too many ministry apprenticeships?
4. The Gentleness of Scripture
5. Jumping on the secular bandwagon
6. Jingle all the pay!
7. 30 web apps to do ministry on the cheap

Given the season – we are approaching – I just sometimes wonder about the priorities some people appear to have adopted. Have you read or seen anything of interest that may help us – rediscover Jesus, for Christmas?

An interesting statistic was the number of unique visits that the JAAL website recorded – close to 150,000.  Personally, I think the number of visits would have been higher if there was more activity on the site - that is, better coverage of events and some reporting on various individual’s  reactions to the TV advertisements or church activities.

It’s good to know that the vast majority of people were positive about the campaign’s message. Yet, it’s somewhat sad that many churches appear to have returned to a ‘business, as usual’ stage – and work in the harvest field has resumed its ‘normal’ pace.

In particular, I think this point (10) should be prayerfully re-considered by other ‘orthodox’ Archbishops and Bishops who are currently not going to this conference:

“10. CONSIDERED the need to provide strong active participation in the discussion and debate on the acceptance and adoption of the proposed Anglican Covenant at Lambeth 2008, and thereafter, to expeditiously and definitively conclude the task of defining and explicating publicly the common standard of faith and order, proper accountability and discipline within the Anglican Communion; ”

What do you think?

Filipino Devotees Honor Jesus Statue, By HRVOJE HRANJSKI, Associated Press Writer, Full story here, January 9, 2007

Here is an extract: “MANILA, Philippines – Tens of thousands (of) barefoot Filipino Catholic devotees jostled for a chance to touch a black statue of Jesus in an annual procession Wednesday, seeking blessings or forgiveness for their sins.  …

Many believe the life-sized wooden figure, brought by Spanish missionaries from Mexico in 1606, holds mystical powers that can wash away sins or cure illnesses. The missionaries’ ship caught fire and the statue was burned but survived as a testament to the Philippines’ unique brand of Catholicism that combines folk superstitions in Asia’s most populous Christian nation.”

The isssue is that Jesus, our God, has already washed away sin. This problem must be dealt with by Catholic teachers, there can be no doubt that folk superstitions are a form of idolatry, and must never be combined with the way, and the truth. There can be no compromise – just as the bronze serpent was smashed, so too black statues of Jesus must also be smashed – for the same reason.

What do you think?

Which reports: “The Church of England is not being honest about the issue of homosexuality, US Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has told the BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.

The failure of other Anglican Churches to be honest about the non-celibate homosexual bishops and clergy active in their churches was ‘certainly a difficulty in our context’ in the US, she said. “There’s certainly a double standard.” Bishop Schori urged the Anglican Communion to follow America’s moral high road. “The Episcopal Church lives in a society that values transparency,” she said, and others should follow the its lead and not be ashamed to question Scripture and the Church’s historic teachings.

Bishop Jefferts Schori goes on to say, (we should) ‘bring these issues out into the public sphere where we can do public theologizing about them.

It was unfair to single out the American Church for permitting same-sex blessings, when other churches were turning a blind eye to the practice, Bishop Schori said. “Those services are happening in various places, including in the Church of England, where my understanding is that there are far more of them happening than there are in the Episcopal Church,” she said. ‘

These are interesting claims made by the US Presiding Bishop.  I would think that there has been endless public-theologizing about these issues.  In addition, there are many (& have been many in the past) who unashamedly question Scripture and the Church’s historic teachings - however, some may say that the American Church is perhaps a few centuries behind those who were first active in this area.

One comment which jumps off the screen is that the Bishop ‘urged the Anglican Communion to follow America’s moral high road.’  The issue which the Bishop needs to address is, that outside of the USA and Canada, there would be little in the way of support for this somewhat humorous statement.

In summary, if you believe that the Bible represents unchanging spiritual truths. If you believe that God actually knows the future and what He wrote through His prophets and apostles reflects His perfect knowledge of all things – past, present and future.  Then the US Presiding Bishop must develop a new gospel and new theology to match the moral high ground upon which the American Church is building its future. It is indeed a different standard – but one of countless many, which have gone before and fallen.

A pro-gay website contains this wonderful quote: “GAFCON is an event for the like-minded. A gathering of the like-minded is very specifically not a Christian ideal nor part of the teaching of Jesus Christ.”

Depending on the subject of the ‘like-mindedness’  – it could be a core teaching of Jesus – such is the problem of these catchy generalisations – they are usually exceptionally wrong.