eni-summary list Ecumenical News International News Highlights 29 May 2003

Christians urge Palestinian Authority not to make Islam official religion

Jerusalem (ENI). Christian leaders in the Holy Land have called on the Palestinian Authority not to make Islam the official religion of a future independent Palestinian state. The leaders oppose an article of a draft constitution prepared by the Constitution Committee of the Palestinian Authority which states: “Islam shall be the official religion of the state. The monotheistic religions shall be respected.” [466 words, ENI-03-0239]

‘Kirchentag’ draws thousands of Christians to Berlin in sign of unity

Berlin (ENI). Tens of thousands of Christians from Germany and beyond are gathering in Berlin for what organizers believe may be the biggest ecumenical gathering to have taken place in Europe. About 200 000 people are expected for the five-day event, called the Ecumenical Kirchentag, or church congress, sponsored by Germany’s Protestant and Roman Catholic denominations, which claim the loyalty of roughly 26 million members each. [462 words, ENI-03-0240]

Solomon Islander held in connection with murder of Adventist missionary

Sydney (ENI). A member of one of the Solomon Islands’ last remaining pagan hill tribes was being held in connection with the slaying of Seventh Day Adventist missionary Lance Gersbach. Eddie Lesilamo was taken into police custody in connection with the beheading of Gersbach while the missionary was working on a building site at Ato’ifi Mission on the coast of Malaita Island, about 130 kilometres east of the capital, Honiara, earlier this month. [260 words, ENI-03-0241]

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