Real Madrid Logo looses Cross to Please Muslim Supporters

-
0
Real Madrid Logo looses Cross to Please Muslim Supporters

A cross which is part of the Real Madrid club crest is being removed in an apparent move to appease Muslim supporters.

The European Champions, from the Spanish capital have signed a new lucrative sponsorship deal with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

Local newspaper reports suggest the change of the badge was brought in to make sure no offence was taken in the Islamic United Arab Emirates, where a marketing drive will take place.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez called the deal a “strategic alliance with one of the most prestigious institutions in the world”.

The change in design hasn’t formally been announced but it was seen at the launch of the new deal where a number of the club’s stars, including Welsh international Gareth Bale, were in attendance.

Premier has contacted Real Madrid but is yet to receive a response.

Source and Original Content by Premier Christianity

US Church Commences ‘Drive-Thru’ prayers

-
0
US Church Commences ‘Drive-Thru’ prayers

Busy drivers in California can now be blessed by a pastor through their car window.

The first drive-thru service at the car park of the Holy Spirit Church in Fremont was held on 17th November.

Around 35 cars arrived within the first hour.

It’s proven so popular that it will now be repeated every weekday evening, during the ‘rush hour’ period.

The church itself is one of the oldest in the area, having been founded in 1886, but Pastor Rev Matthew Vellankal was keen that they should adapt to fit around modern, busy lifestyles.

He said he was inspired after hearing about a similar scheme in Florida, as well as Pope Francis’s comments that ‘we should go where the people are’.

They don’t spend any money on advertising, as a parishioner simply holds a sign saying ‘Drive Thru Prayer’ at the intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Central Avenue during rush hour.

The aim of the scheme, Rev. Vellankal says, is to offer comfort and solace to people who are very busy.

He adds: “We live in a fast-paced society and if people don’t have an hour to pray, they might have a few minutes”.

Each driver spends a few minutes with the pastor.

Services are between 5 – 6pm every weekday evening.

Source and Original Content by Premier Christianity

Bishop Advises the Use of Koran at Charles’ Coronation

-
0
Bishop Advises the Use of Koran at Charles’ Coronation

A senior Church of England bishop has said a passage from the Islamic Holy Book should be read out at the coronation of Prince Charles.

Speaking in the House of Lords the former Bishop of Oxford Lord Harries said it would be a ‘creative act of accommodation’ to use the Koran.

Normally at a coronation of a British King or Queen Christianity is the only religion involved in the service with readings from the Bible only.

Lord Harries, who’s now serving as an assistant bishop in the diocese of Southwark, told peers the Church should use ‘its historic position in a hospitable way’.

He raised a service at Bristol Cathedral last year where a passage of the Koran was read before the Christian service.

“It was a brilliant creative act of accommodation that made the Muslim high sheriff feel, as she said, warmly embraced but did not alienate the core congregation. That principle of hospitality can and should be reflected in many public ceremonies, including the next coronation service,” he said.

In the past Charles has spoken about his relationship with other faiths.

He once said he wanted to be known as ‘Defender of Faith’ rather than the current ‘Defender of the Faith’ title.

The bishop’s speech has been criticised by the Christian Institute.

Simon Calvert from the organisation told the Daily Mail: “Most people will be amazed at the idea that a Christian leader would consider the use of the Koran at a Christian service in a Christian abbey.

“People are just so disappointed when senior Church of England figures lose confidence in the claims of the Christian faith.”

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian Radio

Pope Urges Muslims to Openly Condemn IS

-
0
Pope Urges Muslims to Openly Condemn IS

Pope Francis will hold talks with senior Muslims today where he’s expected to reiterate calls for them to openly condemn the actions of Islamic State.

The Pontiff is on a trip to predominantly Muslim country Turkey and is due to visit a mosque in Istanbul.

He’ll also say mass at the city’s cathedral.

Yesterday he urged Muslim leaders to condemn the “barbaric violence” committed in Iraq and Syria in the name of Islam.

The Holy Father is in the country to improve inter faith relations but has taken the opportunity to raise the problem of Islamic State.

The extremist group has forced the majority of Christians in many parts of the Middle East to flee their homes.

In some places it offered an ultimatum to believers to pay a tax or face death.

Speaking yesterday at Turkey’s government-run Religious Affairs Directorate the Pope said: “As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations against human dignity and human rights.

“As such, any violence which seeks religious justification warrants the strongest condemnation because the omnipotent is the God of life and peace.”

He also reaffirmed his belief that military action was justified to stop the extremists.

Mehmet Gormez, Turkey’s top cleric, said: “Those who veer away from the message of Islam – which is a call for peace – and spread violence and savagery are in a state of rebellion against Allah no matter what they call themselves.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Islamophobia in the West was a factor in the rise of Islamic State.

“Those who feel defeated, wronged, oppressed and abandoned … can become open to being exploited by terror organisations,” he said.

The Pope is due to visit Sultan Ahmet mosque, Turkey’s most important place of Muslim worship, before saying mass at Istanbul Cathedral.

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian News

17 Arrested over Christian school attack In Bangladesh

-
0
17 Arrested over Christian school attack In Bangladesh

It’s claimed a Christian school in Bangladesh has come under attack by around 200 extremist Islamists.

Steve Kim Mission School, which is funded by a South Korean Christian, was accused of forcing Muslim children to convert to Christianity. Pupils of all faiths attend classes.

The incident is said to have took place earlier this month, but is only just coming to light.

World Watch Monitor says the attackers vandalised classrooms, destroyed the bakery and stole several items including computers and projectors. They also reportedly set fire to the library, burnt Bibles, hymnals and chairs; then cut the electricity lines of the school and destroyed a generator.

No students were harmed but it’s believed 12 of the 14 staff members at the school were attacked.

Local police say 17 people have been arrested.

Source and Original Content by Christianity News

Pope Francis Urges Turkey to Spearhead Building Peace in Middle East

-
0
Pope Francis Urges Turkey to Spearhead Building Peace in Middle East

Pope Francis has said Turkey has a “great responsibility” in today’s world because of its location next to the war-stricken countries of the Middle East and its role as a bridge between East and West.

He lamented the “fratricidal wars”, “terrorist violence” and “grave persecutions” that plagued the region. “How much longer must the Middle East suffer the consequences of this lack of peace? We must not resign ourselves to ongoing conflicts as if the situation can never change for the better,” the Pope said.

But he praised Turkey for “generously” welcoming refugees and said the problems could not be solved by a military response alone.

Speaking to Turkey’s leaders at the presidential palace in Ankara, the Pope said: “What is required is a concerted commitment on the part of all, based on mutual trust, which can pave the way to lasting peace, and enable resources to be directed, not to weaponry, but to the other noble battles worthy of man: the fight against hunger and sickness, the promotion of sustainable development and the protection of creation, and the relief of the many forms of poverty and marginalisation of which there is no shortage in the world today.

“Turkey, by virtue of its history, geographical position and regional influence, has a great responsibility: the choices which Turkey makes and its example are especially significant and can be of considerable help in promoting an encounter of civilizations and in identifying viable paths of peace and authentic progress.”

In his address the Pope said Turkey was “precious to every Christian” for its role in Church history, noting that it was the birthplace of St Paul, that it hosted early Councils and, according to tradition, has within its borders the home of the Virgin Mary.

The Pope touched down at Ankara airport at 11am UK time before visiting the mausoleum of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He was then welcomed at the country’s new presidential palace, built at a reported cost of $350m (£220m), by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Source and Original Content by Catholic Herald

Pope makes Historic visit to Turkey

-
0
Pope makes Historic visit to Turkey

Pope Francis has begun a visit to Turkey today with the aim of strengthening ties with Muslim leaders while condemning violence against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.

His three-day trip comes as Islamic State militants have captured swathes of Iraq and Syria just over Turkey’s southern borders, declaring an Islamic caliphate and killing or driving out Shi’ite Muslims, Christians and others who do not share their ultra-radical brand of Sunni Islam. The Pope has repeatedly highlighted the plight of persecuted Christians in the region.

Officials said religious tolerance and fighting extremism would be high on the agenda during the visit. Francis is due to meet President Tayyip Erdogan and Mehmet Gormez, who is the top cleric in the majority-Muslim but constitutionally secular nation.
Turkey is sheltering an estimated 2 million refugees from Syria.

In Istanbul, Francis will meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is the spiritual head of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. This comes as part of an effort to develop closer ties between the ancient western and eastern wings of Christianity.
They will issue joint calls on human rights and religious freedom as well as raising fears that Christianity is disappearing from its birthplaces in the Middle East, according to Rev. Dositheos Anagnostopoulos, spokesman for the patriarchate.

Syria’s total Christian minority made up around 10 percent of the population of 22 million before its civil war began in 2011, while Iraq’s Christian population has fallen by nearly 70 percent since the start of its 2003 war.

Francis said this week that while it was “almost impossible” to have a dialogue with Islamic State insurgents, the door should not be shut.

The Turkey trip will be the third by Francis to a mainly Muslim nation, after previous visits to Jordan and Albania.

Anagnostopoulos said Francis may pray inside Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, which was one of Christendom’s greatest cathedrals for 900 years, one of Islam’s greatest mosques for another 500, and is now officially a museum.

Such a move could upset some Muslims in Turkey, who would like to see it revived as a mosque.

There is controversy over the venue for his meeting with Erdogan. Francis, renowned for his humble lifestyle, will be the first guest in the president’s lavish new 1,000-room palace.

Source and Original Content by Christian Today

Schools Win Battle with Government Over Keeping Faith Curriculum

-
0
Schools Win Battle with Government Over Keeping Faith Curriculum

America isn’t the only country battling to save their schoolchildren from being cheated out of learning about their Christian heritage. In Scotland, one government leader, MSP John Finnie, recently introduced a bill to reduce the role of Christianity in the nation’s educational system.

According to a Scottish law passed in 1973, three religious figures were supposed to be included on local school authority boards—one from the Church of Scotland, one from the Roman Catholic Church, and a third from another religious organization.

Finnie’s bill would have removed that requirement, thus preventing a significant Christian vote on educational matters.

Following a huge outcry, in which less than a fifth of the people responding to the move agreed with Finnie, the bill was dropped.

Said Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, “Clearly, the Church was not alone in recognizing the added value which religious representatives bring to their participation in education committees.”

David Robertson, a Free Church minister, agreed. Saying churches have a valuable role to play in Scotland, he added, “We hope to continue to have a major input into Scotland’s education system—for the sake of Scotland’s children…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCN

‘Black Friday’ : Churches Urge Members to Serve Homeless, Instead of Shopping

-
0
‘Black Friday’ : Churches Urge Members to Serve Homeless, Instead of Shopping

Some churches are countering the trend of Black Friday shopping and materialism by promoting “Bless Friday,” an observance promoting charity work that seeks to bless the less fortunate.

Eva Kaminski, associate director of Communications at Memorial Drive Presbyterian in Houston, told The Christian Post that Bless Friday is “an encouragement for people to shift their focus from shopping to serving.”

“Bless Friday is something that our congregation and staff have embraced. The beauty is in the soul-building that occurs when we focus on others instead of self, and serve in Christ’s Name,” she said.

The observance has been taking place annually since 2010, starting with churches in the Houston, Texas area.

Chuck Fox, founder of Bless Friday, told CP that for this year’s Bless Friday, the range of congregations involved has increased. “This year we added West University Baptist Church and Crosspoint Church in Houston, and for the first time we are able to announce that a Catholic church, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Seattle is participating too.”

We have had participation from large, upper income, predominantly white, suburban churches; small, lower income, black, urban churches and churches serving the immigrant Hispanic community.”

Participating churches oversee various charitable efforts for Bless Friday, including serving lunch to the needy, packing supplies for a local food pantry, picking up trash at a local park, and volunteering at a homeless shelter.

One of the churches that has taken part in Bless Friday in past years is The Church of St. John the Divine of Houston. Andrea Meier, director of Publications at St. John the Divine, told CP…Read More

Source and Original Content by Christian Post

Polish Priest Abducted by Rebels in Central African Republic gains Freedom

-
0
Polish Priest Abducted by Rebels in Central African Republic gains Freedom

Fr Mateusz Dziedzic, a Polish priest who was abducted by rebels in the Central African Republic last month, has been freed along with 15 other hostages.

In a statement the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC), a Muslim militia, said it had voluntarily handed over the hostages following the intervention of former Central African minister Karim Meckassoua.

The FDPC has been in conflict with the government of the CAR for a decade and was at one point in alliance with the main anti-government militia, Seleka, before they fell out. Their leader, Abdoulaye Miskine, fled to Cameroon last year where he was arrested.

The rebels abducted Fr Dziedzic on October 12 in the west of the country, along with 15 Cameroonians, with the aim of securing the release of their own leader.

However this week the hostages were released in two groups, in the towns of Baboua and Beloko, to Cameroonian soldiers.

In its statement the group said the release was a gesture of good faith in a step towards political talks.

Source and Original Content by Catholic Herald

1...3,7763,7773,778...3,893Page 3,777 of 3,893