TANZANIA COVID-19 LAB HEAD SUSPENDED, PRESIDENT QUESTIONS DATA
The president of Tanzania, John Magufuli, has suspended the head scientist in charge of coronavirus testing after samples from non-human sources came back positive. A 10-person task force was appointed to investigate the laboratory, citing compromised methods of testing samples. Mr Magufuli has faced criticism for downplaying the effect of COVID-19 in Tanzania. Opposition chairman,…
ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES SEE DRAMATIC GROWTH DURING LOCKDOWN
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was closed this Easter, for the first time since 1349. For Christians around the world, Easter 2020 was celebrated under unusual circumstances – instead of mass celebrations, processions and pilgrimages, Christians gathered in their homes, some ventured to ‘drive-in’ services, while millions gathered ‘virtually’ online. In Germany…
WEEK 9: Love is unity
1 Corinthians 12:12 “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” (NIV) God is Triune – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is what we as Christians believe. Three Persons in perfect Unity – One, inseparable. Strong. Forever. Are we as…
BURKINA FASO’S DISPLACEMENT CRISIS WORSENS IN FACE OF VIOLENT ATTACKS
By Alex Pollock At least 24 people were killed after unidentified gunmen attacked a church in northern Burkina Faso in the latest assault against places of worship in the West African nation. The attack took place on Sunday [16 February] during a weekly service at a Protestant church in the village of Pansi in Yagha,…
LEBANESE STAGE EXTRAORDINARY REVOLT AGAINST THEIR POLITICIANS
By Donnelly McCleland Lebanon has passed a series of major economic reforms, including the slashing of officials’ salaries and the scrapping of austerity measures, after a weekend of mass nationwide protests over a deteriorating economy. The announcement of the 17-point economic program was met with a mixture of cheers and jeers at protests in downtown…
SYRIA – CHAOS UNLEASHED; CHRISTIANS IMPERILLED, BUT STEADFAST
Adapted from the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin, by *Elizabeth Kendal [1]&[2] Turkey and Russia have agreed what they say is a “historic” deal aimed at keeping Kurdish forces away from Syria’s border with Turkey. It comes during a pause in Turkey’s offensive to drive Kurdish forces out, creating a “safe zone” in the area. Under…
JUST A MINUTE: TODAY’S CHURCH – ANTICIPATING OR SURPRISED?
Today’s Church: Anticipating or Surprised? – By Gustav Krös, incoming director In June 2013, INcontext hosted world-renowned journalist and author, Dr David Aikman in South Africa for a few speaking engagements. Dr Aikman’s illustrious career included 23-years at TIME Magazine where he served as senior foreign correspondent, and thus had a front row seat to most…
INTENSIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS ‘CLAMPDOWN’ IN CHINA
By Andrew Richards Under President Xi Jinping, China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, believers are seeing their freedoms shrink dramatically even as the country undergoes a religious revival. Experts and activists say that as he consolidates his power, Mr Xi is waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious…
ISLAMIC STATE CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ATTACK ON COPTIC CHRISTIANS
Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a bus loaded with Coptic Christians the day before near the southern city of Minya, which officials said killed 29 people. “A security team of caliphate soldiers set up an ambush for dozens of Christians as they headed to the church of St. Samuel,” the militant group…