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A new survey of adults in the US showed that 3% of evangelical Christians intended to donate toward helping AIDS education and prevention internationally, compared to 89% of non-Christians. The survey of 1,003 adults by Barna Research Group found that while evangelicals (who comprise 7% of the total adult population) were twice as likely as adults overall to support disadvantaged children overseas, they were less likely to support children orphaned by AIDS. African Americans were the most likely of any segment to say they would definitely support either AIDS education (19%) or AIDS orphans (20%). Hispanics also showed above-average support, as did unmarried adults and those under age 36. Seniors, married individuals and mainline church attendees were among the least likely groups to support AIDS-related programs. – Evangelical Press News Service
Dyan Cannon, an actress currently best known for her role in the TV comedy Three Sisters, hosts a twice-monthly outreach. “God’s Party with Dyan Cannon and You” draws a wide spectrum of guests – from Hollywood executives and celebrities to gang members. She started the outreach in her home, but received permission to move it to a CBS facility in Studio City, Calif. when it became too large. Cannon, who was born Samile Diane Friesen, recently told CNN’s Larry King that she didn’t always believe that God can heal people, but now has changed her mind. “I just know that God can do anything,” she said. “If somebody limps up there . . . and can’t walk, and dances out . . . the love of God has touched them. I’ve seen it.” Cannon said a turning point in her walk with God came during a Benny Hinn meeting nine years ago. Cannon, who was once married to Cary Grant, said she fasts and prays on the day before her outreach. “I get myself out of the way,” she said. “I just watch God’s love work.” – EPNS
CNN founder Ted Turner says he was suicidal last year after splitting up with his wife Jane Fonda, who had converted to Christianity. In an article in New Yorker magazine, Turner said he had no warning about Fonda’s conversion and that before her declaration she was not a religious person. Turner is an atheist who has criticized Christianity as a “religion for losers”. Fonda told the magazine that, in spite of his claims to be an atheist, Turner’s philanthropy is spiritually motivated and he ends his speeches with “God bless you”. – EPNS
The Muslim population in Germany increased by 200,000 during 2000, according to the Central Islam Institute of Germany. It recorded about 300 conversions to Islam last year. The remainder of the increase is believed to be the result of immigration and a higher-than-average birth rate. Religious activity among Muslims is also increasing, up 6% from last year. – EPNS
Over 3,000 students in 28 countries currently receive an education thanks to sponsors of Mennonite Central Committee’s Global Family program. Last year, MCC set a goal of doubling that number in five years. This year, the program will be expanded to include five new countries: Mexico, Burundi, South Africa, Syria and Ukraine. Global Family funds support a wide variety of institutions and individuals worldwide, including a vocational training school for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, a school for deaf children in Jamaica and over 1,000 students in India. New sponsorships in South Africa will help 14 rural communities to purchase supplies, books and furniture for new pre-schools and help cover teachers’ salaries. According to a World Vision report, one-third of the world’s population is under age 15, and 85% of these live in the developing world. The annual cost of sponsoring one child through the Global Family program is $264. – Mennonite Central Committee
A Listening Team for Africa Revisioning visited 10 African countries in fall 2000 to evaluate Mennonite Central Committee’s work there. The 115-page report released by the six-member team gives MCC 28 recommendations, including a recommendation that MCC emphasize “capacity building”, an approach that builds on communities’ own strengths, resources and skills rather than imposing an outside model of development. The team’s report is the first step in a major review of MCC’s work in Africa. The report also recommends that MCC strengthen relationships and accountability between African MCC workers and African churches and that MCC document lessons learned in Africa, including contributions by Africans to the MCC experience. Among MCC’s strengths noted in the report were volunteers’ willingness to live simply and build relationships, and MCC’s long history of peace work. The report also examines differences (in hiring standards, salary, benefits and treatment) between MCC workers from North America and locally hired African workers; the problem of African young people not returning to their home countries after completing exchange programs in North America; the impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa and the desirability of MCC addressing this issue primarily through African Mennonite and Brethren in Christ congregations; MCC’s apparent separation of missions and service, a split inconsistent with holistic African spirituality; tensions between various North American missions/service agencies working in Africa and the negative impact these tensions have had on local communities; and the lack of North American people of colour working with MCC in Africa. MCC has reviewed its Africa program in the past, but never on such a large scale. The program review stems from a request from MCC personnel in Africa for greater clarity of vision, concern expressed by both North American and African workers about unequal treatment, and several documents examining MCC’s history in Africa. The team interviewed nearly 700 people, including African MCC workers, community members and church leaders, as well as members of MCC’s North American constituency and personnel. – MCC
The Public Security Bureau of China has stepped up its efforts to close outlawed house churches. Churches have been raided and shut down in three different provinces in China, according to Voice of the Martyrs, and reports of persecution have been received from other areas as well. It is believed the crackdown is in anticipation of changing leadership within the Chinese government. The latest campaign, first started in April, has resulted in almost 500 executions, according to Agence France-Press. – EPNS
Twenty-six students from Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg are spending up to one year in practicum placements ranging from church work to community agencies. Eleven CMU students are doing such things as youth and music ministry in Mennonite Brethren, Mennonite and other churches from Ontario to British Columbia. Other placements, in locations in Canada, the US and Jamaica, include a shelter for abused women; summer camps; work with refugees, homeless people and children/family needs; teaching and peace making. Most CMU degree programs require that students complete a six-credit-hour practicum of off-campus work related to the student’s interests and program. During the 2000-01 school year, practicum placements covered a variety of fields such as chaplaincy, counselling, graphic arts, economics and art. Menno Simons College, a member of CMU, currently has 10 of its students in international development studies and conflict transformation studies working in Africa and the South Pacific, and has students working with agencies in Manitoba that support the poor, female prisoners and people with AIDS. – Canadian Mennonite University
Three Roman Catholic priests were gunned down on the night of May 15 by ethnic separatist fighters in Ngarian, Manipur state, northeastern India. The armed men reportedly demanded protection money from the Catholic school’s director, Father Pali Akara Raphael, 43. He, Father Andreas Kindo, 31, and Brother Shinu Joseph Valliparampil, 23, died of multiple bullet wounds from AK 47 assault rifles. The gunmen, who fled the scene, are suspected of belonging to the People’s Liberation Army, a local insurgency group. Christians in northeastern India are being blamed by Hindu fundamentalist groups for supporting ethnic insurgency in the region, but over the past 10 years, three Catholic priests, including two school principals, have been shot dead by insurgents, and two others narrowly survived assassination bids. The Roman Catholic Church runs over 80 educational institutions in Manipur, with an estimated 30,000 students. Manipur has a population of 2 million; about 70,000 are Catholic. There are more evangelical Christians than Catholics in the state, and many evangelicals attend the Catholic schools. Established in 1978, the People’s Liberation Army (one of 17 major guerrilla groups in the area) wants to unite all ethnic groups in northeastern India and lead a revolution to gain independence for Manipur. Manipur shares a border with Burma. – Compass Direct
The French parliament has passed an “anti-sect bill” that will restrict minority religious groups. First introduced in the National Assembly in June 2000, the bill was approved by a vote of 20-3 by the French senate on May 3 and by the National Assembly on May 31. “Anti-sect” fervour in France began in 1996 with the publication of a government list of 173 organizations it classified as undesirable “sects”. The French government says the new law is aimed at groups that practice “mental manipulation”. However, the bill does not define what a sect is, and some Christians fear it will be used to outlaw evangelism. The list of undesirable groups includes Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists and Baptists. There are fears that the new law could be used as a model for similar laws in Hong Kong, Eastern Europe and other places. – EPNS
The World Evangelical Fellowship, a Christian organization representing 116 national evangelical alliances, will be changing its name in 2002 to the World Evangelical Alliance. The name change was approved by delegates at the 11th General Assembly of the WEF, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 4-10. – EPNS
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Last modified July 10, 2001.
© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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