, 14 Apr. 2018
BOSNIAN SERBS TO INTRODUCE MANDATORY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
from: Balkan Insight
(12 Apr.) Starting from September, when the new school year begins, pupils in high schools in Republika Srpska will have mandatory religion classes. Over the next few months, officials from Republika Srpska and the Serbian Orthodox Church will work on a detailed plan for the classes.
"This will be done, for sure, there is no reason to doubt it… the Serbian Orthodox Church is a very important part of our national identity, here in Republika Srpska and in Serbia, and we must work together," Republika Srpska's President Milorad Dodik told media at an Easter reception on Sunday.
However public opinion in Republika Srpska is divided between those who strongly support the idea and those who do not see the purpose of such classes. "There are so many problems with education here… we have high school where pupils do not learn anything useful and now this with religion… We should teach them how to be able to work and produce," Sasa Trivic, vice-president of the Association of Employers of Republika Srpska, told BIRN.
Supporters of mandatory religious education believe however that it will benefit pupils. "Ethics are something that is not in focus at the moment and our pupils can only benefit from this, and I am sure that most of the directors agree about this," Dusko Djuric, director of a high school in the north-eastern town of Bijeljina, told SRNA News Agency. [read more...]
KAZAKHSTAN: STATE DEMANDS YOUNG WORSHIPPERS' PERSONAL DATA
by Felix Corley: Forum 18 News Service
(11 Apr.) A Kazakh regional Religious Affairs Department has demanded the personal data of everyone under 18 who attends Christian meetings for worship. "It was not sent to Muslims, for example, just to Christians, and selectively," an official stated. She refused to explain what "selectively" means.
A research institute attached to the Religious Affairs Department of West Kazakhstan Region instructed some local registered religious communities to submit by 10 April full names, ages, place of study and personal state-assigned numbers of all people under the age of 18 who come to meetings for worship. The official who sent the letter claimed to Forum 18 the information is needed for "monitoring." Kazakh human rights defenders have expressed concern about the move.
After the deadline expired, the official who issued the instruction told Forum 18 that five religious leaders who replied had all refused to supply the personal data. "We accepted this," he claimed. He added that he would apologise to them "verbally," but defended his original instruction seeking the information. A Deputy Head of the Religious Affairs Committee in the capital Astana, Balgabek Myrzayev, claimed to Forum 18 he knew nothing about the letter. He refused to say whether such a demand for personal data on people under 18 without their parents' or guardians' permission is legal or not. [read more...]
PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE MET WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW
from: Religious Information Service of Ukraine
(10 Apr.) During his visit to Turkey, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. "It is symbolic that our meeting takes place on these holidays, when millions of Ukrainians go to the Church. It is a great honor for me to greet you with the words 'Christ is Risen!'" the President noted.
The Ecumenical Patriarch congratulated the Ukrainian people on Easter. "We pray for peace in Ukraine," he said. The President of Ukraine told about his trip to Mariupol and Volnovakha on the eve of Easter, where people need peace and termination of Russian aggression.
Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Petro Poroshenko for his peacekeeping activity, in particular for the call for peace during his Easter greetings. The President of Ukraine also noted the importance of the introduction of a united local Orthodox Church in Ukraine. [read more...]
PATRIARCH KIRILL ADDRESSED RUSSIAN MILITARY IN SYRIA ON ORTHODOX EASTER DAY
from: Interfax-Religion
(9 Apr.) Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia offered Easter greetings to the Russian troops at Hmeimim airbase in Syria on Sunday. "That Russia made such a decision to fight international terrorism and stop terrorism on remote approaches to the Russian borders is very courageous," the Patriarch said.
"Without this decision, Syria would have perished, the Christians would have left their historical home but the main thing is that the enemy would have come close to our borders and started threatening our people directly. So what you do is of huge historical importance," Patriarch Kirill said.
The Russian military in Syria are on a "historical mission," he said. "You are helping save the people from terror, from international terrorism, from a massive loss of life, and of course you are preserving the country for peaceful life," the Patriarch said. "The importance of your war exploits is not just political and humanitarian but also spiritual, especially, for our young people," he said. [read more...]
RUSSIA TRIES TO DRIVE UKRAINIAN CHURCH OUT OF CRIMEA
from: Kyiv Post
(11 Apr.) While it is Crimean Muslims who are in ever-increasing numbers facing imprisonment for their faith in Russian-occupied Crimea, it was the Orthodox Church under the Kyiv Patriarchate that first came under fire following annexation, and that remains under relentless pressure. It is also only a matter of time before Russia begins imprisoning Crimean Jehovah's Witnesses, as in Soviet times, either directly for their religious worship which Russia has banned, or because they refuse to renounce their faith in order to be allowed to do alternative military service.
After four years of occupation, it is increasingly clear that only those who show political loyalty to Moscow can hope to enjoy religious freedom. Russia's religious persecution in occupied Crimea, the similar tactics used by the Kremlin's proxy 'republics' in Donbas, as well as Moscow's treatment of its own citizens, makes it difficult to understand why the US State Department refused to designate Russia a Country of Particular Concern in 2017.
By October 2014, Ukrainian religious leaders and human rights groups were warning of a witch hunt in occupied Crimea against all but one faith, the Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate. Most faiths reported intimidation, attempts to discredit them, to destroy their property, etc. Already in 2014, Russia had demanded that all religious organizations and communities in Crimea re-register under Russian legislation. The latter is more restrictive than Ukrainian law with respect to believers, imposing far more onerous demands on bodies wishing to function as a legal entity. One of the requirements is that the religious organization adds words to its association papers that Crimea is part of Russia, which many are not prepared to do.
Russia is using these restrictions as a form of pressure on religious groups, but also as a method of brazen robbery, especially directed against the Orthodox Church under the Kyiv Patriarchate. The latter has refused to re-register, seeing this as effectively suggesting legitimacy of Russia's occupation. Priests from the Church have rejected Russian citizenship. All of this makes it impossible for the Church to pay for communal services, with this then being used to enable confiscation of the property. [read more...]
KAZAKHSTAN: RAID, FILMING, FINGERPRINTING, INSULTS, CRIMINAL CASE
by Felix Corley: Forum 18 News Service
(26 Mar.) "Anti-extremism" police raided Kyzylorda's New Life Church, halted Sunday worship, filmed those present, and forced them to state why they attend. Teachers from a Special School questioned adult former students why they were present and insulted their faith. Pastor Serik Bisembayev faces criminal investigation for "inciting discord." The authorities often use prosecutions for "inciting discord" under the broadly-framed Criminal Code Article 174 against those they dislike.
During the raid - which halted the Kyzylorda Church's 25 February Sunday meeting for worship - police filmed all those present against their wishes. They forced all those present at the service to write statements explaining why they came to church and when they had started coming, whether anyone had forced them to do so and whether they read any religious literature. About 20 were taken to the police station.
During the raid, police summoned as witnesses two teachers from Kyzylorda's Special School No. 6 for Hearing Impaired Children. They questioned adults who used to attend the school why they were present at the service and insulted their faith, church members complain. Police searched for and seized religious and other literature from Pastor Bisembayev and his family, even though they had no search warrant. Police have sent this to the capital Astana for "expert analysis." [read more...]
LUTHERANS IN RUSSIA ASSIST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OSCE REPRESENTATIVE IN CONTACT GROUP ON UKRAINE IN MINSK CALLED FOR TOTAL EASTER CEASEFIRE PUTIN THANKS PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE FOR SUPPORTING UNITY OF THE ORTHODOX WORLD - KREMLIN PROTESTANT CHURCHES HAVE DIFFICULTIES REGARDING THEIR HOUSES OF WORSHIP ARCHBISHOP YEVLOGIY OF SUMY HAS SENT LETTER TO UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT OVER THREAT TO SEIZE SUMY CATHEDRAL OF THE TRINITY PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH CONDEMNS TRUMP’S HASTY SYRIA TWEETS HOLY SMOKE! BULGARIAN CHURCH EMBRACES MACEDONIAN BRETHREN
from Lutheran World Federation
from Religious Information Service of Ukraine
from Interfax-Religion
from Religiia i Pravo
from Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate
from Orthodox Christianity
from Transitions Online
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Two Sets of Grave Clothes
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Orthodox Christians continue celebrating Pascha (Easter) for the seven weeks up to Pentecost. If you've followed the Scriptural narrative leading up to Palm Sunday and Passion Week, you know that in John ch. 11, just before Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He goes with His disciples to Bethany because His friend Lazarus is sick, as his sisters Mary and Martha inform Him. He tells the disciples, "Lazarus is asleep, let's go wake him up!" (v.11).
Of course, with the wonderful gift of hindsight, we know that actually Lazarus was as dead as a doornail… or so everybody thought. They arrive in Bethany and He asks, "Where have you put him?" (v. 34). Have you ever heard of someone being "put away" because they act so strange? "By now he stinks really bad! It's been four days since he died!" (v. 39). Is there anyone you'd rather not be near because they stink really bad?
But that doesn't bother Jesus one bit: "Lazarus, come forth!" (v. 43). And everyone's eyes pop out: here comes Lazarus, he can barely walk because he's bound head to toe with grave clothes… but he's alive and well! "Loose him and let him go!" (v. 43). So they unwind all those rags that bound him up – can you imagine all those people coming one by one, at first afraid to come near because they think he stinks? But no, he's perfectly fine, no smell at all! I can see Lazarus spinning around and around as they pull the grave clothes off him. Many believed on Jesus, but others went to tell the Pharisees, who said – "This guy Jesus is rocking the boat: we've got to get rid of Him!" (vv. 45-50).
In the Gospel reading for Palm Sunday, John 12:1-18, Mary and Martha say – "Let's have a party with Lazarus and Jesus!" Martha busies herself fixing the food and serving it, but Mary… remember Mary, the one who sat at Christ's feet listening to Him while her sister Martha was fixing food? (Luke 10:38-42). This same sort of thing happens again with Mary! She breaks open a bottle of expensive perfume made from a very aromatic plant, sumbul as the Persians called it or jatamansi as the Hindus called it (TSK), with it she anoints Christ's feet and wipes them with her hair, in preparation for His burial, as He explains to greedy Judas, who would later betray Him for money.
[As an aside, was this the very same woman who, just before Passover in the home of the Pharisee Simon, a leper, anoints Christ's head with myrrh (Mat. 26:6; Mk. 14:3)? Like Matthew and Mark, Luke in ch. 7:37 describes it as taking place in a Pharisee's home, but puts it earlier in His ministry and records the Pharisee saying that she was a sinful woman, a harlot. For those who hold to the verbal inspiration of Scripture, this poses a big problem: too many details are the same for it to be different events, but too many details differ. But it's no problem for the Orthodox, who believe in the Bible's overall sense. We worship the living Word of God Who became flesh and dwelt among us, not just a printed Book.]
Now the plot thickens: not only do the Pharisees feel they need to get rid of Jesus, now they also feel they need to kill Lazarus because too many people are believing in Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 12:9-11). Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the crowds go wild over Him: they cut off palm branches, waved them and said – "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Ps. 118 [117 LXX]:26) – a prophecy of the Messiah. And He's riding in like a newly-anointed King on a donkey's colt, as prophesied in Zech. 9:9 – very ominous threats to the Pharisees' authority. Again, John emphasizes the point that the people who saw Lazarus raised from the dead are instigating the crowds to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, 'You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!'" (v. 19).
The interesting thing about all this is that it appears to be coming together like in a script, as if Christ has it all stage-managed from the start: He knows Lazarus is dead but heads out to Bethany to raise him up, knowing that it will excite the crowds. He lets Mary anoint His feet, knowing that it will provoke Judas' greed and later cause Judas to betray Him. He sends a few of His disciples to find a donkey colt and it turns out that the owners were quite willing to let the colt be taken. He rides into Jerusalem with the crowds hailing Him as Lord and the anointed King, knowing that in just a few days the crowds will be turned against Him. He has told His disciples three times that He will be betrayed, beaten, mocked, crucified and raised from death, knowing that they don't understand, they will forsake Him in spite of their false bravado, and only after His resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will they begin to comprehend the enormity of these events. All of these mistaken ideas and wrong but free choices of men are woven together by the foreknowledge and sovereignty of God to fulfill His eternal plan.
How quickly the tides changed, from His coming into Jerusalem as the newly-anointed King, to be tried, condemned to death, and nailed to the Cross like a traitor against Rome and a blasphemer. What an anticlimax for this story! Imagine how the disciples felt: crushed, depressed and afraid for their lives. But two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, stepped up to the plate, took Christ's Body, "bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby" (Jn.19:40-42).
Then early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, an explosion of energy blasted the stone off the mouth of the tomb, the earth trembled and shook, and the Roman soldiers fell over like dead men. The women came, found the tomb empty, and reported it to the disciples. Peter and John ran to the tomb and found only the grave clothes and the handkerchief that had been wrapped around His head folded neatly. Those grave clothes and the handkerchief would be treasured by the Church for centuries. Is the Shroud of Turin that same handkerchief with an impression of Christ's face etched into it? It doesn't really matter to me – I don't know and I don't worry about it. The real plaschanitsa – the blood-stained grave clothes folded neatly, not unwound in a heap – testify to the fact that Christ died and rose again.
Now, you're probably wondering how I'm going to tie together the grave clothes Lazarus was wrapped up in with the grave clothes Christ was wrapped up in. I'm not going to! No, Lazarus' raising was just a stage rehearsal for Christ's real resurrection. The first set of grave clothes go back 33 years earlier: "And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Lk. 2:7b). Those "swaddling cloths" were actually strips of burial cloths, the first set, indicating God's plan from eternity past.
In the beginning, in Genesis, we read that "for Adam and his wife the Lord God made garments of skin, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). Jesus is that garment of skin, "God with skin on." As Isaiah prophesied – "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garment of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Is. 61:10, NOABA). John in Revelation wrote that Christ is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8b), and "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God" (Rev. 19:13).
As St. Athanasius wrote, "Without the Incarnation, there is no Salvation." Only if God would take on our weak and sin-stained human nature, could we become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). For this very reason, some people celebrate Christmas or Easter all year long. They are not the ones who are sort of strange, the rest of us are.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Christ is among us! He is and ever shall be!
______________
Sources:
NOABA = New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha
OSB = Orthodox Study Bible (used throughout except where otherwise noted)
TSK = Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (e-Sword)
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Prayer and Praise: For a daily reminder to pray for the items below, go to My Daily Prayer Guide and click on the "H-N pr." link! For our Daily News & Views, click HERE!
Sun. - Thank the Lord that the Republika Srpska sees the need to begin religious and moral education in their high schools this autumn.
Mon. - Pray against the misuse of Christian children's personal data by the Religious Affairs Department and government of Kazakhstan.
Tue. - Ask God that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will bear the desired fruit.
Wed. - Pray for peace in Syria, as Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and Western countries' leaders have conflicting views on how to do it.
Thu. - Ask God that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (KP) will be allowed to retain their parishes in Crimea that is occupied by Russia.
Fri. - Pray for the Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan New Life Church whose 25 February Sunday worship was raided by "Anti-extremism" police.
Sat. - Ask the Lord that Christians will comprehend the eternal "Two Sets of Grave Clothes" worn by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Please remember to pray for Christians in socialist countries, and for...
Your fellow-servants,
Bob & Cheryl
p.s. Democracy can only survive until the people find their way to the public purse. - Plato
Socialism can only survive until it finally runs out of other people's money. - M. Thatcher