All Ryan Arneson wanted to do was peacefully share his faith on campus. He hoped to hand out literature and speak with willing passers-by—just like he had been doing for the previous two years without incident.
Nigeria (MNN) ― Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in parts of the country following attacks from the Islamist group Boko Haram.
Boko Haram means “Western education is a sin.” The group is pushing to establish Sharia law and has been the source of explosive discontent over the last few years. They have been carrying out increasingly deadly attacks throughout 2011, including an August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja and Christmas violence that triggered fear and anger.
Christians in India celebrated Christmas under the threat of violence. While there were isolated incidents reported, nothing on the scale of the Orissa pogrom of 2008 emerged.
A judge’s decision this month to indefinitely postpone the appeal of a Christian sentenced under Algeria’s defamation and anti-proselytizing laws shows how the judicial system keeps Christians locked up without officially punishing or acquitting them, according to sources.
Almost a year ago a wave of revolutions started in the Middle East, with Tunisia the central country where the first regime tumbled. Called the “Arab Spring,” repressive governments crumpled like dominoes, changing the landscape of the Middle East and North Africa forever and sending shock waves around the world.
The work of Japanese Christians is ongoing. Their continual care to the disaster victims in the region is nothing short of amazing. This hard work may be what propels the church into future outreach.
