WorldWide Religious News
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Africa:
"Christianity vs. the old gods of Nigeria"
(AP, September 4, 2007)
Achina, Nigeria - Born in a family of traditional priests in southeastern Nigeria, 52-year-old Ibe Nwigwe converted to Christianity as a boy. Under the sway of born-again fervor as a man, he gathered the paraphernalia of ancestral worship — a centuries old stool, a metal staff with a carved wooden handle and a carved god figure — and burned them as his pastor watched.
"Students burn 'witch' women alive"
(Reuters, September 05, 2007)
Johannesburg, South Africa - TWO South African women were burnt to death by a group of students who suspected the victims had bewitched their high school with evil spirits, the South African Press Association reported today.
"African Anglicans try to transform US church"
by Michael Paulson ("Boston Globe," September 5, 2007)
Nairobi, Kenya - The subject of Sunday's sermon at St. Stephen's Anglican Church was repentance, and the preacher found an obvious example of the sinfulness of contemporary culture within the branch of his own denomination an ocean away in the United States.
Asia/Pacific:
"Airline sacrifices goats to appease sky god"
(Reuters, September 4, 2007)
Kathmandu, Nepal - Officials at Nepal's state-run airline have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday.
Europe:
"Swedish Muslim group plans to sue newspaper for Prophet Muhammad drawing"
(AP, September 5, 2007)
Stockholm, Sweden - A Swedish Muslim group on Tuesday said it plans to sue a local newspaper for publishing a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad with a dog's body.
"Cardinal calls to rein in Poland's radical cleric"
by Natalia Reiter (Reuters, September 5, 2007)
Warsaw, Poland - Poland's most prominent Cardinal called on the Church to take immediate action against a radical priest who is accused of spreading anti-Semitism and meddling in politics.
"Pope marks anniversary of Mother Teresa's death, calls her 'real disciple of Christ'"
(AP, September 5, 2007)
Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, calling her a "real disciple of Christ" and urging her fellow missionaries to continue her work among the world's poor.
North America:
"U.S. churches find financial transparency"
by Ed Stoddard (Reuters, September 4, 2007)
Dallas, USA - The growth of megachurches in the United States has spawned mega revenues, leading many to find the financial light and embrace transparency to assure their congregations that their offerings are well spent.
"U.S. churches go high tech to raise cash"
by Ed Stoddard (Reuters, September 4, 2007)
Grapevine, USA - While many U.S. churches still raise funds through time-honored methods like bake sales and bingo nights, increasingly, they are going high-tech.
"Muslim sues O.C. over right to wear head scarf"
by H.G. Reza ("LA Times," September 5, 2007)
Los Angeles, USA - A Muslim whose religious practice requires that she cover her head in public sued the Orange County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday, alleging her rights were violated when jail officials forced her to remove a head scarf while locked up for about eight hours.
"Megachurch leader D. James Kennedy dies"
by Kelli Kennedy (AP, September 5, 2007)
Fort Lauderdale, USA - The Rev. D. James Kennedy, a pioneering megachurch pastor who became one of the nation's most prominent Christian broadcasters and a key figure in the rise of the religious right, died Wednesday, a church spokesman said. He was 76.
Russia and the CIS:
"UZBEKISTAN: Spies and videotape"
by Felix Corley ("Forum 18," September 5, 2007)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - "Two secret police officers sit in each church across the country – but not just churches, they are there in mosques and in other places of worship," one Protestant who preferred not to be identified for fear of reprisals told Forum 18 News Service. "I'm not worried, but it makes us think about everything we do."
South America
"Not even the dead are safe in Caracas"
by Chris Kraul ("LA Times," September 5, 2007)
Caracas, Venezuela - Skulking in the dead of night in the remote and overgrown Las Pavas section of the Southern Municipal Cemetery, robbers armed with crowbars and sledgehammers first shattered the tomb's concrete vault and the granite marker that read, "To our dear wife and mother in heaven, Maria de la Cruz Aguero."