Pope Francis Urges Turkey to Spearhead Building Peace in Middle East

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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

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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

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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

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‘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

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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

Healing by Design by; Dr. Scott Hannen

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Healing by Design by; Dr. Scott Hannen

HEALING BY DESIGN by; DR. SCOTT HANNEN
Is it possible to live a life free from sickness and disease? If you are sick, can you heal yourself without going to the hospital or take any drugs? Do God and science stand on the same page when it comes to divine healing? These questions and more are answered in this great book ‘HEALING BY DESIGN’ BY Dr. SCOTT HANNEN

Also, in the book you will learn how to take personal responsibility for your wellbeing; you will learn how to avoid stress and how to use faith backed up with the word of God to receive healing. Reading the book gave him the insight to see the science side of God, Dr. Scott said “God equipped our bodies to live in the environment that He provided, and He even gave us the capability of adapting to changes in that environment.”

Who needs to read this book? Obviously, people who are looking for healing in different parts of their body and most especially if you have a perfect body system, I will also advise you to get a copy of this ’HEALING BY DESIGN’ to understand how to help sick people around you and also to gain full understanding of who God is.

I will also advise everybody in the medical world to get a copy of this book; it will not only help you but help you when faced with difficult cases in your professional field.

Source and Original Content by ToluBooks

Christian University Finally drops Cosby as Speaker of Fundraising Event due to Pressure

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Christian University Finally drops Cosby as Speaker of Fundraising Event due to Pressure

Bill Cosby’s appearance at a Christian university’s fundraising event has been cancelled following controversy over his alleged predatory sexual behaviour.

Freed-Hardeman University (FHU) had booked Cosby to speak at its Annual Benefit Dinner and attempted to tough out calls for him to be dropped amid a storm of publicity.

Cosby has long been one of the best-loved figures in American entertainment. However, at least 16 women have come forward to say that the actor, 77, had sexually assaulted them. Some of the allegations date back more than 30 years.

A FHU statement said: “As recent developments have overshadowed the FHU Benefit Dinner’s mission of helping students, Freed-Hardeman University has canceled Dr Bill Cosby’s appearance and received confirmation that Dr Ben Carson will speak at the dinner.”

FHU President Joe Wiley said: “As important as this event is to our students, we know that names we have seen in the media represent real people who will be affected long after FHU’s dinner has passed. Please join us in praying for healing and peace for those involved.”

Protesters had planned to demonstrate at FHU if Cosby took part in the fundraiser. The fallout from the allegations against Cosby has included Netflix cancelling his comedy special and NBC dropping plans for a new television series.

Allegations about Cosby’s behaviour date back many years, but came to a head in February with a Newsweek article about alleged assaults. A string of women came forward to accuse him of molesting them.

In an indication of how far “America’s Dad” has fallen in the public’s estimation, he has slipped from third place in a list of most trusted celebrities compiled by The Marketing Arm, from joint third to 2,615.

“The list changes weekly with celebrities that are well-known and some not as well-known moving up or down a spot or two based on their new data,” said The Marketing Arm spokesman Billy Embody. “It almost changes weekly, but we rarely see a drop like Cosby’s.”

Source and Original Content by Christian Today

Chinese Government Reportedly Intensifies Persecution of Christians

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Chinese Government Reportedly Intensifies Persecution of Christians

“We shouldn’t get our hopes up. I don’t see any sign of an immediate improvement in China-Holy See relations.” Thus commented Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, reflecting on a symposium on mainland China held at the the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome.

The Nov. 18 event was sponsored by AsiaNews.

Now 82, the bishop told international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need that “as in every relationship, (progress) depends on both sides,” adding that it’s not possible to expect any improvement until the Chinese government changes its policy on religion.

“The Pope knows the situation – he is patient and ready to work hard to improve the relationship and the situation of the Chinese Church. However, he is also aware that the process can be long,” the prelate said.

Speaking about the situation of the Catholics in China, Cardinal Zen criticized Beijing: “The Chinese government has intensified persecution recently. We have seen demolished churches and crosses taken off buildings. There’s not much we can hope for immediately. The Church is still enslaved to the government.”

Cardinal Zen does not think that now is a propitious time for the Pope to visit China. “I would strongly recommend he not go, because the current circumstances are not the right ones.”

According to the cardinal, the Chinese government isn’t making any efforts to improve the Chinese Church’s situation nor improve its relationship with the Vatican. He believes a papal trip would probably be stage-managed by Beijing.

“They would not let the Pope meet the people he would like to meet and they will try to force Francis to meet the people they want him to meet. The only outcome of such a visit will be good people suffering and the Pope’s good will being misused,” the cardinal argued.

The cardinal also commented on the situation in Hong Kong, where protests against China’s new plan for Hong Kong’s 2017 general elections are still ongoing. Protests started as authorities tried to mar the elections by limiting the list of candidates to figures who would be “acceptable” to Beijing. Cardinal Zen strongly supports the so-called Occupy Central protests…Read More

Source and Original Content by CNA

10 Things to Be Thankful for at Thanksgiving

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10 Things to Be Thankful for at Thanksgiving

Feel free to adapt, delete or custom design the following questions, or to use them as a springboard for some great interaction in a short devotional time before or after eating or while enjoying that scrumptious meal.

1. Thank God for sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life and then died the death we deserved. Why does this matter? What does it mean to you?

2. Thank God for the gift of freedom upon which America was uniquely founded. Ours is the only nation in history ever established on the principle that “all men are created equal” and enjoy certain rights that do not come from a dictator, king or government, but rather from the living God.

3. Thank God for all the bountiful varieties of food we enjoy every single day. Hunger is the No. 1 cause of death in the world. Fifteen million children die yearly, and 21,000 die daily because of this. One-third of the world is starving, while another one-third is underfed. Imagine if we had to search garbage cans for specks of nourishment to feed us.

4. Thank God for our health, medical technology and the personnel who keep us healthy. In the ’90s, more than 100 million children died from illness and starvation alone. Yearly, more than 1 million children die from preventable diseases, such as diarrhea and pneumonia, because they lack treatment we easily take for granted. Does this matter?

5. Thank God for our eyes and the phenomenal gift of sight. Jesus called the eye “the lamp of the body,” and it has more than 2,000 components! Cover your eyes for a moment and imagine what it would be like to live in darkness as some do. Would you take $1 million in exchange for your eyes?

6. Thank God for our parents and the promise that God gives: “Honor your father and your mother … that your days may be prolonged, and it may go well with you” (Deut. 5:16). Why is this important?

7. Thank God for clean running water available in our sinks, washing machines, dishwashers and toilets. More than 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, which yields sickness and complex problems. How would you feel if this was our situation?

8. Thank God for police officers, firefighters, garbage collectors, 911 operators and others who protect us—especially men and women in the military. Can you picture what our life would be like without these public servants?

9. Thank God for the wonderful gift of electricity. More than one-quarter of the human population does not have access to any electricity. Name some items in your home powered by electricity. What would life be like without them?

10. Thank God for our teachers and education, whether it’s public, private or done at home. One out of every four children in America grows up without the ability to read. Sixty percent of inmates in prison are illiterate. Are we thankful for our teachers and the gift of learning?

Source and Original Content by Bcnn1

US Church Approves Openly Homosexual Deacon

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US Church Approves Openly Homosexual Deacon

A flagship Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregation in Atlanta voted Nov. 23 to approve a slate of deacons including an openly gay man in a committed, same-sex relationship.

The vote followed a three-week sermon series on the Bible and homosexuality by Senior Pastor Julie Pennington-Russell. In Part 1 delivered Nov. 9, she said the messages had “about a 35-year gestation period,” as she interacted with gay Christians at previous churches in California and Texas and since 2007 at First Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga.

In the final installment Nov. 23, Pennington-Russell said over time she has come to believe that welcoming LGBT people into full inclusion and participation in congregational life “is simply a matter of the church being the church. No more. No less.”

Pennington-Russell said in an email interview that she hadn’t planned to address the topic until a nominating team presented a slate of new deacon candidates for 2015 in October. One of the nominees was Theron Stuart, research project coordinator at Emory’s School of Medicine and School of Public Health, who with his same-sex partner joined First Baptist about four years ago.

A former chaplain and Christian school administrator, Stuart has gotten involved at First Baptist through teaching Sunday Bible study, leading in worship, co-facilitating Bible study groups for men and counseling.

Pennington-Russell said she began praying about how to lead the church, which has welcomed gay members “mostly in a don’t-ask-don’t-tell kind of way” for many years, in thinking about the upcoming vote.

Pennington-Russell said there are “perhaps 40 LGBT folk at First Baptist,” including couples with children, and many have joined as members. She said there has been at least one gay deacon in the past, but she doesn’t believe his sexual orientation was widely known.

“Electing an openly gay believer in a covenant relationship with his partner would be a first for our church,” she said. “Since we were asking the congregation to discern how to respond, I decided to offer some ‘handles’ from the pulpit that people could reach for in their own discernment process…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCNN1

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