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Religion Today Summaries a glimpse at news articles from around the world http://www.crosswalk.com/news/

Thursday, October 10, 2002

In Today’s Edition:

Bush Administration Recognizes Jerusalem as Israeli Capital Jordanian Christian Widow Given Five Days To Surrender Her Children Church Secretaries Use Gifts to Impact the Mission Field House Vote Will Aid Persecuted Christians in Sudan

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Bush Administration Recognizes Jerusalem as Israeli Capital

(Agape Press) The Bush Administration has decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a step that is causing an uncomfortable stir in an already unstable area. But the recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital is not a big thing, says Tony Nassif of the Politics and Faith Institute. Nassif says for all intents and purposes, what the president would be doing is formalizing a policy, which has always been understood. Nassif says although there will be an initial outcry about this, he thinks it will be “short-lived.” Nassif says the decision will not change the dynamic in the region. However, Fred Gedrich, senior policy analyst at the Freedom Alliance is not so sure about that view. Gedrich feels it is going to create quite a controversy because the Palestinians also stake claim to the Holy City as their capital, noting that that is what the Palestinians have been holding out for in the peace negotiations.

Jordanian Christian Widow Given Five Days To Surrender Her Children Michael Ireland – ASSIST News Service

A Jordanian Christian widow has been forced back into hiding after being ordered to surrender her children to an estranged Muslim relative. According to Middle East Concern, Siham Qandah was told by the Ministry of Justice on October 7 that she had less than a week to hand over her daughter, Rawan, 14, and son, Fadi, 12, to her Muslim brother. The order came eight months after Jordan’s Supreme Court upheld earlier rulings granting legal custody of the children to the brother. Mrs. Qandah was told that if she failed to comply with this order, the children would be taken by force. The family is threatened with separation because she is bringing them up as Christians rather than Muslims. A lower court ruled that she had proved herself to be “unfit to be a custodian of her children” by “distancing them from Islamic rituals and doctrine”.

Church Secretaries Use Gifts to Impact the Mission Field Linda Lawson, Baptist Press

Lana Rose, the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s annuities and church secretaries specialist, wanted to link her work with partnership missions. “We say that whatever you do at home you can do on the mission field, so I began wondering why church secretaries couldn’t do that,” Rose said. Leading a group of 24 to the Canadian province of Alberta to help churches with needed office tasks was the initial result of Rose’s efforts. In what is believed to be the first international project of its kind, participants set up membership databases, organized filing systems, catalogued books and videos, created templates for church newsletters, answered telephones, worked on promotional mailings, along with handling numerous requests for help. In addition to benefiting the churches, Rose said the secretaries have seen they can use their skills outside their churches. “This project has helped them to stretch themselves and step outside their comfort zones to explain how they do things. It allows them to feel a part of ministry from the spiritual realm as they encourage and minister,” she said.

House Vote Will Aid Persecuted Christians in Sudan

(Agape Press) The House has overwhelmingly passed the Sudan Peace Act, which authorizes $300 million in aid to parts of the African country that are not controlled by its Islamic regime. The bill also pressures the Sudanese government to pursue peace with rebels who control predominantly Christian areas in southern Sudan. It accuses Sudan’s rulers of trying to starve people in the areas it does not control and of organizing and utilizing militias to enslave them. The State Department reported yesterday that Sudan’s government continues to bomb villages and kidnap women and children.

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