Fortnightly Edition - Volume - 1 Issue - 11 Bhopal 13.04.2017 to 27.04.2017 Title code: RNI:MPENG/2016/70216 `5 /-

PERSECUTION RELIEFAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE

SUPPORT TO THE PERSECUTED CHURCH IN INDIA

Sub Editor’s Note

For Private Circulation, within the Church

voice of the christians

AshaIf you want a copy of ‘voice of the Christians’ (votC) news paper, write to us at votc@persecutionrelief.org

Christian persecution in parts of India is now so bad that believers are being prevented from burying their dead.

On 31st March, 55-year-old Bro. Dineshwar Lal Sahu, who had been very sickly, quietly died at home, leaving behind his grieving wife and children. The family made arrangements to take the mortal remains to his village, as was the custom, since most of his relatives were there. Bro Dineshwar was a native of Village Sundra, District Raj Nand Gaon, Chhattisgarh state.

Unfortunately, after they reached the village, the reception was far from friendly! The family members and the local community objected very strongly as to whether he should be cremated or buried. In spite of his wife expressing her husband’s personal faith and preference, the relatives insisted that the deceased be cremated as per their rites. Bro. Dineshwar Sahu’s family belongs to the Sahu Samaj community.

As the believers gathered, for what they assumed was to pay their last respects to Bro. Dineshwar’s, a hostile mob of religious fanatics surrounded them and savagely beat them up, without exception. As people fled in all directions, a shocking crime was being perpetrated - the body of Bro. Dineshwar was set alight and burned to ashes.

It is heartbreaking that the hostile mob did not stop there. They misbehaved and molested the widow and her daughter and insisted that their heads be tonsured. By the grace of God, they managed to flee from that place, before things went totally out of hand.The son in-law of Bro. Dineshwar, Vinay Sahu had lodged a police complaint against this hate crime against his family and fellow Christians. However, while this report was going to Press, Police are yet to make any arrest till date.

‘Invest today for a better tomorrow’; ‘Invest without a crystal ball’; ‘Own your tomorrow’!!

These were some of the headlines that screamed out at me as I sat with my coffee and newspaper pondering on how to invest my yearly bonus – Children’s education fund, Mutual funds, Bonds, vacation, emer-gency funds, retirement corpus. Leading financial counselors offered conflicting ad-vise on how to invest– they did not appear to agree among themselves, then how will the rest of us know what to do?

With that, the Holy Spirit directed my thoughts to Jesus’ words: “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back.” (Luke 19:12-13), the popular parable of the minas and drachmas. Sounds like words coming out from the trading house of India’s Mercantile Exchange! It means “use your money to make more money.” Invest it! Don’t sit on it! That’s not heresy; that’s sound biblical advice.

That’s the same choice we have with our money. This world won’t last. God’s world, God’s plan, God’s people, and God’s salvation will last forever. That’s our motivation to give to the church and other Kingdom causes. We want to help people become ‘friends of Jesus’ through experiencing His love and His forgiveness. When you give your offering in church, it’s not about that offering plate. It’s about those who will be reached through that gift. God gives so that we can invest in His Kingdom. And so, I did just that – heed His voice.

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal”. Matthew 6:20

Where are you investing your resources – in what will last or what won’t?

Pastor attacked with sword

By VoTC Correspondent

Christians are being stopped from using public Christian minority feel unwelcome in their own country. The religious fanatics continue to instigate and encourage people to harass the minorities. Who is to blame for this malady?

On 05th April, Pastor Sikandar (India Mission) from Hajipur, Vaishali District, Bihar, was attacked with a sword, without provocation. At the time of this incident, around 6 pm, he was at home with his family. A visitor came to his home and called out to him. As soon as he stepped out, a mob of religious fundamentalists attacked him with a sword, causing grievous injuries on this head and all over his body. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. The attackers remain unidentified. Police are investigating the matter and have promised immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Pr. Sikandar is married with 4 children. His family members managed to escape to safety.

Christian Cremated

2 13 april to 27 april 2017Volume-1 Issue-11

Good Friday 2017: Seven Last Words That Jesus Uttered On the Cross, Messages and Bible Verses

By julie Brown Patton Mar 25, 2016

As Christians around the world focus during this Easter weekend on how Jesus Christ died on the Cross to redeem mankind and to save sinners, some will be contemplating the final lessons the Savior’s last imparted.

Following are the last seven expressions recorded in Scripture

of Jesus Christ on the Cross.“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” -- Gospel of Luke 23:34

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” -- Gospel of Luke 23:43

“Jesus said to his mother: “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple: “This is your mother.” -- Gospel of John 19:26-27

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” -- Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

“I thirst.” -- Gospel of John 19:28

“They put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished;” and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit. -- Gospel of John 19:29-30

“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” -- Gospel of Luke 23:46

Jesus was obedient to His Father to the end, and his final word before his death on the Cross was a prayer to His Father.

As recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ was mocked, scorned and tortured in the praetorian. He carried his cross up the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem to Calvary, was nailed to the Cross and hung between two common criminals. He suffered an indescribable end, recalled by the Church on Good Friday of Holy Week.

Some Christians reference meditations about the Passion of Christ as the Way of the Cross.

When religious pilgrimages to the Holy Land ended with the military occupation of Jerusalem in the middle Ages, a popular devotion known as the Way of the Cross arose during Lent retracing the Passion, Crucifixion, and Death of Jesus.

The 14 Stations of the Cross are (1) Pilate

condemns Jesus to death; (2) Jesus takes up his Cross; (3) He falls the first time; (4) Jesus meets his sorrowful mother Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica cleans his face; (7) He falls the second time; (8) Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem; (9) He falls the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of his garments; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus Christ dies on the cross; (13) He is taken down from the cross; (14) Christ is laid in the tomb.

By - Anna GreenAaron Burden/Unsplash

John 19:30 (KJV) “It is finished.”Matthew 28:6 (KJV) “He has risen.”

I want to take a moment and use this Christ’s Corner to truly honor the sacrifice Jesus Christ did for us. This time of season is when believers celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Saviour. I chose these two verses because to me, these three little words speak volumes.

Have you ever stopped to think about what all Jesus went through? I know that growing up we are taught that Jesus died, was buried, and arose again on the third day but then that is simply followed with a dismissal prayer and off families go to rush home and have their dinners, egg hunts, and other various traditions that were brought in over time. For some, its hugging after the dismissal prayer and going into the fellowship hall to have breakfast after Sunrise Service. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those things like everyone else, but my point here is to shed light on this essential event that happened thousands of years ago.

Honoring Christ’s sacrifice: These three words will change your life foreverMost of us have read the four gospels where it tells of Jesus’s life. There have also been many movies to come out depicting what it might have looked like throughout the crucifixion process. Through that, we have a better understanding as to the sorrow Jesus felt as He prayed there in the garden of Gethsemane about what He was going to endure for the salvation of the world. Those visionary examples show the suffering from the beatings and degradation our Lord went through just before He was nailed to the cross, and as He hung there.

Our Saviour was betrayed, mocked, degraded, and beaten. Think of your own life as I give a brief run down on some of the events leading up to Christ’s death. Jesus was obeying God, doing all the things our Father would have Him do. Christ worked miracles and changed lives all the while teaching and building up people to continue His ministry for after His sacrifice. Judas Iscariot was the one who betrayed our Lord (Matthew 26:47-50, Mark 14:43-46, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:1-11) that night. Many say he was driven by greed stating that in John 12:6 it

showed Judas as a thief. They have also said that he could have been motivated by a hunger for power, thinking Jesus would take a political stand and bring Judas up with Him. After He was arrested, the others fled to keep out of trouble but Peter came close enough to hear, only to deny his Messiah (Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-62, John 18:16-17; 18:25-27). And that was just the beginning of what Jesus did to solidify our grafting in.

With our God being a methodical God, He always has a plan. He has a strategic outline so that things will work out for the good. As we read in the scriptures, God wanted to start a new covenant in the world so He sent His son to be the ultimate sacrifice to break the barrier between Heaven and Earth that there would be no separation (Matthew 27:51 ‘…..the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom’) and praise God, He arose on the third day (Matthew 28:6). We serve a living God that cares for us. The Bible says He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7).

In a world, as today, it’s hard to trust that even your family truly cares for

you, much less friends or people in your inner circle. But there is always a love that is unwavering. A love that is unconditional. An agape love that transcends anything our earthly mind could ever try to comprehend. He did it for me. He did it for you. He did it for all. The verse most of us were taught as children says, ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16.

It’s amazing how three simple words can change the course of history. ‘It is finished.’ ‘He has risen.’ ‘I love you.’ Remember, He thought you, me, all of us - were worth all that He went though. Anna Green is a member of a non-denominational church in the United States and is also the writer and editor of Christ’s Corner Ministries founded by her father, the late Dr. Walter D. Hill. Christ’s Corner is a weekly devotional sent out to uplift, inspire, and share the word of the Lord. She is on Twitter @AnnaGreen2017

313 april to 27 april 2017Volume-1 Issue-11

By Julie Brown Patton

Dr. C. Truman Davis/ New Wine Association

Crucifixion, a method of slow and painful fatal execution in which a victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden beam and left to hang for several days until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation, was thought to be invented by the Persians in 300 B.C., and perfected by the Romans in 100 BC. Millions of Christians this Easter weekend will be thinking about the pain to Jesus Christ from dying on the Cross.

The following details about crucifixion were assembled Dr. C. Truman Davis, and published previously in New Wine Magazine.

1. It is the most painful death ever invented by man and is where we get our term “excruciating.”

2. It was reserved primarily for the most vicious of male criminals. Jesus refused the anesthetic wine which was offered to Him by the Roman soldiers because of His promise in Matthew 26: 29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

3. Jesus was stripped naked and His clothing divided by the Roman guards. This was in fulfillment of Psalm 22:18, “They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

4. The Crucifixion of Jesus guaranteed a horrific, slow, painful death. Having been nailed the Cross, Jesus now had an impossible anatomical position to maintain.

5. Jesus’ knees were flexed at about 45 degrees, and He was forced to bear His weight with the muscles of His thigh, which is not an anatomical position which is possible to maintain for more than a few minutes without severe cramp in the muscles of the thigh and calf.

6. Jesus’ weight was borne on His feet, with nails driven through them. As the strength of the muscles of Jesus’ lower limbs tired, the weight of His body had to be transferred to His wrists, His arms, and His shoulders.

7. Within a few minutes of being placed on the Cross, Jesus’ shoulders were dislocated. Minutes later Jesus’ elbows and wrists became dislocated.

8. The result of these upper limb dislocations is that His arms were 9 inches longer than normal, as shown on the Shroud.

9. In addition prophecy was fulfilled in Psalm 22:14, “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint.”

10. After Jesus’ wrists, elbows and shoulders were dislocated, the weight of His body on his upper limbs caused traction forces on the Pectoralis Major muscles of His chest wall.

11. These traction forces caused His rib cage to be pulled upwards and outwards, in a most unnatural state. His chest wall was permanently in a position of maximal respiratory inspiration. To exhale, Jesus was physiologically required to force His body.

12. To breathe out, Jesus had to push down on the nails in His feet to raise His body, and allow His rib cage to move

Crucifixion Death Like Jesus Experienced is ‘Medical Catastrophe,’ Says Physician

downwards and inwards to expire air from His lungs.

13. His lungs were in a resting position of constant maximum inspiration. Crucifixion is a medical catastrophe.

Related: Good Friday 2016: When Jesus Christ Was Crucified, Meaning of His Death

14. The problem was that Jesus could not easily push down on the nails in His feet because the muscles of His legs, bent at 45 degrees, were extremely fatigued, in severe cramp, and in an anatomically compromised position.

15. Unlike all Hollywood movies about the Crucifixion, the victim was extremely active. The crucified victim was physiologically forced to move up and down the cross, a distance of about 12 inches, in order to breathe.

16. The process of respiration caused excruciating pain, mixed with the absolute terror of asphyxiation.

17. As the six hours of the Crucifixion wore on, Jesus was less and less able to bear His weight on His legs, as His thigh and calf muscles became increasingly exhausted. There was increasing dislocation of His wrists, elbows and shoulders, and further elevation of His chest wall, making His breathing more and more difficult Within minutes of crucifixion Jesus became severely dyspnoeic (short of breath).

18. His movements up and down the Cross to breathe caused excruciating pain in His wrist, His feet, and His dislocated elbows and shoulders.

19. The movements became less frequent as Jesus became increasingly exhausted, but the terror of imminent death by asphyxiation forced Him to continue in His efforts to breathe.

20. Jesus’ lower limb muscles developed excruciating cramp from the effort of pushing down on His legs, to raise His body, so that He could breathe out, in their anatomically compromised position.

21. The pain from His two shattered median nerves in His wrists exploded with every movement.

22. Jesus was covered in blood and sweat.

23. The blood was a result of the Scourging that nearly killed Him, and the sweat as a result of His violent involuntary attempts to effort to expire air from His lungs. Throughout all this,

He was completely naked, and the leaders of the Jews, the crowds, and the thieves on both sides of Him were jeering, swearing and laughing at Him. In addition, Jesus’ own mother was watching.

24. Physiologically, Jesus’ body was undergoing a series of catastrophic and terminal events.

25. Because Jesus could not maintain adequate ventilation of His lungs, He was now in a state of hypoventilation (inadequate ventilation).

26. His blood oxygen level began to fall, and He developed Hypoxia (low blood oxygen). In addition, because of His restricted respiratory movements, His blood carbon dioxide (CO2) level began to rise, a condition known as Hypercapnia.

27. This rising CO2 level stimulated His heart to beat faster to increase the delivery of oxygen, and the removal of CO2.

28. The respiratory center in Jesus’ brain sent urgent messages to his lungs to breathe faster, and Jesus began to pant.

Related: Seven Last Words That Jesus Uttered On the Cross

29. Jesus’ physiological reflexes demanded that He took deeper breaths, and He involuntarily moved up and down the Cross much faster, despite the excruciating pain. The agonizing movements spontaneously started several times a minute, to the delight of the crowd who jeered Him, the Roman soldiers, and the Sanhedrin.

30. However, due to the nailing of Jesus to the Cross and His increasing exhaustion, He was unable to provide more oxygen to His oxygen-starved body.

31. The twin forces of Hypoxia (too little oxygen) and Hypercapnia (too much CO2) caused His heart to beat faster and faster, and Jesus developed Tachycardia.

32. Jesus’ heart beat faster and faster, and His pulse rate was probably about 220 beats/ minute, the maximum normally sustainable.

33. Jesus had drunk nothing for 15 hours, since 6 p.m. the previous evening. Jesus had endured a scourging, which nearly killed Him.

34. He was bleeding from all over His body following the scourging, the crown of thorns, the nails in His wrists

and feet, and the lacerations following His beatings and falls.

35. Jesus was already very dehydrated, and His blood pressure fell alarmingly.

36. His blood pressure was probably about 80/50.

37. He was in First Degree Shock, with Hypovolaemia (low blood volume), Tachycardia (excessively fast Heart Rate), Tachypnoea (excessively fast Respiratory Rate), and Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

38. By about noon, Jesus’ heart probably began to fail.

39. Jesus’ lungs probably began to fill up with Pulmonary Oedema.

40. This only served to exacerbate His breathing, which was already severely compromised.

41. Jesus was in Heart Failure and Respiratory Failure.

42. Jesus said, “I thirst” because His body was crying out for fluids.

43. Jesus was in desperate need of an intravenous infusion of blood and plasma to save His life.

44. Jesus could not breathe properly and was slowly suffocating to death.

45. At this stage, Jesus probably developed a Haemopericardium.

Related: 10 Christian Favorite Scriptures About Resurrection of Jesus

46. Plasma and blood gathered in the space around His heart, called the Pericardium.

47. This fluid around His heart caused Cardiac Tamponade (fluid around His heart, which prevented Jesus’ heart from beating properly).

48. Because of the increasing physiological demands on Jesus’ heart, and the advanced state of Haemopericardium, Jesus probably eventually sustained Cardiac Rupture. His heart literally burst. This was probably the cause of His death.

49. To slow the process of death the soldiers put a small wooden seat on the Cross, which would allow Jesus the “privilege” of bearing His weight on his sacrum.

50. The effect of this was that it could take up to nine days to die on a Cross.

51. When the Romans wanted to expedite death they would simply break the legs of the victim, causing the victim to suffocate in a matter of minutes. This was called Crucifragrum.

52. At three o’clock in the afternoon Jesus said, “Tetelastai,” meaning, “It is finished.” At that moment, He gave up His Spirit, and He died.

53. When the soldiers came to Jesus to break His legs, He was already dead. Not a bone of His body was broken, in fulfillment of prophecy.

54. Jesus died after six hours of the most excruciating and terrifying torture ever invented.

55. Jesus died so that ordinary people could go to Heaven.

4 13 april to 27 april 2017Volume-1 Issue-11

Priest Seized By Terrorists in Yemen Remains Missing Among Rumors He Will be Crucified on Good Friday

By JULIE BROWN PATTON

Father Tom Uzhunnalil, the Salesian priest seized by during a terrorist attack in Yemen on March 4, remains in the custody of Islamic extremists.

Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a Salesian priest who was seized during a terrorist attack in Yemen on March 4, remains in the custody of unknown group who are likely Islamic extremists, his Salesian superiors announced. He was the chaplain of the nursing home in Aden run by the Missionaries of Charity. Four Sisters of Mother Teresa nuns were killed in the terrorist raid; the priest was kidnapped. Unconfirmed rumors spreading throughout the Internet claim he will be crucified on Good Friday, which is March 25.

“We hope the social media that gave the news, we hope it is really wrong. We hope it is not true. We hope and pray that because really it

is not confirmed there’s still no body who’s claimed responsibility so we are not sure what is happening,” Father Mike Pampara of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Gothenburg, Neb., told KNOP-TV. Pampara said he grew up with Uzhunnalil.

With Uzhunnalil still in Jihadi hands

For Holy Week, in particular, the Rector Major posted a video message on the Salesian website about praying for Uzhunnalil, along with the four sisters of Mother Teresa and 12 other people who were massacred in Aden during that raid, reports AsiaNews. An “intense moment of prayer on the evening of Holy Thursday, when we join with Jesus in the pain and loneliness of Gethsemane” was encouraged.

Uzhunnalil was born in Ramapuram, near Pala (Kottayam, Kerala) into a deeply Catholic family, cites AsiaNews. His uncle Matthew, who died last year, was also a Salesian, and the founder of the mission in Yemen. Father Tom has been in Yemen for four years.

Uzhunnalil is a 56-year-old priest from India. He was one of two Salesian priests who minister in Yemen. They are the only Catholic priests working in the country. They volunteered to serve after three others left at the advice of the Indian government due to the continued chaos in the country, Catholic sources indicate.

“People are willing to give even their life for a cause,” said Father C.P. Varghese of Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Nebraska, who said he worked in the same province with Uzhunnalil until he came to the United States.

and nothing certain known about his fate, the Salesian Family asked for prayers for the victims of sectarian violence.

Vatican sources report they are “working toward a release.”

However, the Salesian order dismissed as “baseless” the rumors that Uzhunnalil is being tortured, and that he would be crucified on Good Friday. “Nothing indicates that this is true,” the order said. In fact, “nothing is known about his fate,” reports Catholic World News on Monday.

Published on: April 6, 2017 by: mattersindia.com

Kochi, Kerala: For 37-year-old Shaju, from Nilamel in Kollam district, it is a second birth, thanks to Sister Merrin Paul, a retired headmistress of Infant Jesus High School, Aranattukara in Thrissur district .

Sister Merrin Paul donated her kidney to Shaju, who was suffering from kidney ailments for the past 17 years. The kidney was successfully harvested and transplanted into Shaju at VPS Lakeshore hospital , Kochi on Wednesday, April 5. He was selected as the recipient from those who were registered with the Kidney Federation of India, founded by Fr. Davis Chiramel.

It was during the time of her retirement Sister Merrin Paul took the decision to donate one of her kidneys to give a message of compassion to fellow beings to her students. This led her to register with the Kidney Federation of India.

Shaju’s one kidney was removed 16 years back. Shaju who works in a cushion manufacturing unit, later found that the second kidney was also damaged. He then registered with the Kidney Federation seeking a donor, five years ago. A bank account was opened in Shaju’s name to find the amount to meet the surgery and post -surgery expenses. Both the donor and recipient are in good condition, according to the hospital.

Sr Merin Shaju

Nun’s kidney donation saves a life

Archbishop walks 3 km with 1.600 Christians By AdOLF WAShINGTON

Bengaluru: 1600 Christians from 13 Christian denominations clad in t-shirts marked “I belong to Christ’ joined a 5 and 3 kilometer marathon in the southern city of Bengaluru April 8.

at St. Francis Xaviers Cathedral in the presence of Rt Rev PK Samuel Bishop KCD CSI, (Karnataka Central Diocese, Church of South India), Rt Rev Jesu Prasad Believers Church, Rev Shyam P Thomas Vicar Marthoma Church, Rev Samson, Karnataka Baptist Convention, Rev Samuel Rajkumar, Lutheran Church. Pastor Harry Pereira, Pentecostal Church and religious leaders from the Assemblies of God. Former Bangalore City Police Commissioner and former Member of Parliament HT Sangliana took the 3 km marathon route.

Archbishop Moras who heads more than 4 million Catholics in the southern Indian city before beginning a 3 km walk, at the launch in a brief but motivational speech said “Youth are the pillars of the Church. Give top-priority to your Faith-life and you will see how God leads you. Remain close to Christ and become witnesses to that Faith wherever you are. Your life of Faith and discipline will bring many people closer to Christ”. The Prelate emphasized on reflecting on the price Christ has paid for our Salvation. While 90 percent of the participants were youth, there were also participants even 70 years old.

Along the marathon, 65-year old Selvanathan told our MATTERS INDIA correspondent (who also joined the Marathon) “It feels great to be part of this Marathon. I have never been in a marathon before. My son urged me to join in. I feel young”.

Elvis Joseph (L) with Fr. Adolf Washington (PC: Shishir Rattan)

The run is the brainchild of Elvis Joseph, a former state athlete and sports management professional who wants leaders of all denominations to endorse and engage in a faith-motivated sports and healthy lifestyle. This in turn he says “will create a thrill of competition, the sense of community and fellowship”. “I was taken by surprise when we had about 1000 online registrations and 1600 turned up. We feel it is God’s purpose. I feel thrilled and I hope young people realize that if they want to face the storms of life, thye need to be firmly founded on Christ and His word. Nothing else matters, this the concept behind the Salvation Run” Elvis told MATTERS INDIA.

Elvis is scheduling plans to take the Salvation Run to other cities in India and make it an annual feature that will “bring all Christians together with a sense of serious commitment to live the Christian discipline”.

Elvis, a Catholic, holds with conviction “Sports activities help people express their emotions and foster integrity, character and values in them. People will understand and respect one another and protect environment. A sporting culture brings hope to children, youth and the community at large”.

The 1600 participants received med-als (their participation certifications accessible online) as they entered the finishing line at the Cathedral. Par-ticipants were enthralled by ‘Drum-mers India Group’ a group of drum-mers from Africa headed by drummer Shyam when they were encouraged to use the scores of drums and ‘bon-jos’ made available to them

A couple with their 7-month child in a pram also caught the attention of the organizers and participants. Several participants were seen excitedly taking ‘selfies’ and photographs against the many hoardings at the venue.

The inter-denominational event with a focus on ‘sports, discipline and the Christian life’ is the first of its kind in the country.

Soccer player Nihal Colaco (21) and Badminton player Shalini Jugya(22) also preparing for India’s top Civil Service Examinations (Indian Admin-istrative Service) joined Archbishop Moras as ‘ambassadors’ of the Sal-vation Run in flagging-of the Mara-thon 2017. Olympian hockey player Jude Felix and Athlete Kenneth Pow-ell and film-choreographer Danny joined the marathon to boost the spir-its of participants by their presence and participation.

The marathon was flagged-off at 6.32 am by Archbishop Bernard Moras

513 april to 27 april 2017Volume-1 Issue-11

U.S lawmakers urge Rajnath Singh to lift curbs on Christian charityVarghese K George

The U.S lawmakers said they were “longtime supporters of U.S –India partnership” but the Indian government’s treatment of CI has “caused serious concern within the U.S Congress.”

A group of 107 members of U.S Congress have written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to temporarily lift the restrictions on American Christian charity Compassion International (CI) until a permanent solution can be found. The union government has ordered banks in India to stop processing wire transfers from CI to its Indian partners, bringing the charity’s operations to halt. CI supports 145000 children in India with donations raised in the U.S.

The U.S lawmakers said they were “longtime supporters of U.S –India partnership” but the Indian government’s treatment of CI has “caused serious concern within the U.S Congress.”

“It is with this in mind that we write to express our deep concern over the lack of transparency and consistency

in your government’s enforcement of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act,” the members wrote.The Indian government has put CI on a priority watch list, accusing it of carrying out religious conversion in the country. No case has been filed against the organization. American

lawmakers, most of them staunch supporters of India, have raised the issue with the Prime Minister’s Office earlier, but the Indian government has not budged.

The letter to the Home Minister has been organized by the Republican Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce and Democrat Ranking Member Eliot Engel.

“As long time supporters of the U.S.-India partnership, we have worked diligently to deepen ties between our two countries. As the largest and old-est democracies in the world, India and the United States share bonds rooted in political pluralism and re-spect for the rule of law. It is with this in mind that we write to express our deep concern over the lack of trans-parency and consistency in your gov-

ernment’s enforcement of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act.

The ongoing case of U.S.-based Compassion International, which will have harmful consequences for many Indian children, has caused serious concern within the U.S. Congress.

As you may know, Compassion International has worked in India since 1968, and today, its programs support over 145,000 Indian children, providing critical tutoring, health and nutrition, and medical services,” they said in the letter to Mr. Singh.

The members of Congress said: “Tragically, Compassion will soon be forced to terminate its service to India after nearly 50 years of working in your country. We are writing because we believe the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an inter-bank circular preventing all commercial banks in India from processing CI’s wire transfers without prior Ministry approval. As a result, Compassion is unable to process the funds it needs to continue, and will be forced to close its sponsorship programs on March 15th, to the detriment of the hundreds of thousands of children Compassion serves in India. Many of our constituents, who have built emotional attachments through years of building relationships with these kids, are devastated by this wrenching cutoff.”

‘Respect the Indian law’

Requesting Mr. Singh’s urgent attention into the matter, the U.S lawmakers said: “We want to be clear with you that we expect all American entities operating within India to respect India’s laws,

including Compassion. Having seen the important poverty alleviation work being done by CI, it is our sincere hope that this situation can be resolved quickly by your issuing a temporary reprieve. This would allow Compassion International to process their wire transfers and keep their programs serving the Indian people operating until a more permanent solution can be found in accord with India’s laws.”

John Prabhudoss, President of Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations said in statement that the CI programme “helps break the cycle of poverty and indignity these children have experienced.”

“We believe that this action by Modi government against Christian aid agencies is an attempt by the political-Hinduism to hijack the rich religious traditions of religious Hinduism and the people of India,” he said. “The hardline approach of the Hindu nationalist government under Modi has the potential to cause serious damage to the US-India relationship,” said Mr. Prabhudoss.

Veronica Neffinger | Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com | Wednesday, March 8, 2017

A human rights lawyer in China has revealed that he is being subjected to torture by Chinese government officials in their attempt to extract a confession of guilt from him.

Human Rights Lawyer Facing Torture in China By Suzette Gutierrez-Cachila

A member of a royal family in the Middle East is now in prison and facing a death sentence because of his faith in Christ.

High-ranking authorities reportedly ordered the man to give up his faith, but he would not do it. Instead, he clung to Jesus and even gave his support to Christian ministries that were doing evangelism work in the country, according to Bibles4Mideast.

Bibles4Mideast is a ministry that plants churches and distributes Bibles in the most restricted countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It is led by Pastor Paul Siniraj, a former Muslim from India whose eyes were opened to the gospel many years ago and has committed himself to the underground work of reaching out to people of other faith.

“The topmost people asked him to give up that faith. But he did not want to leave his faith. And he gave encouragement for Christian ministries,” the ministry reported.

The man’s refusal to give up Christianity led the authorities to dig up a crime he committed many years ago, one that he had already confessed and repented of. They used it to file a criminal case against him, making sure he would land in prison and be given the capital punishment.

They also hid the truth about his conversion. Bibles4Mideast likened the man’s case to that of Christ himself, who was crucified even

Member of Royal Family Sentenced to Death for Believing In Jesus

though the authorities could not find any fault in him. Like Pilate who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion because he feared the crowd and did not want to risk cutting off his ties with Caesar, officials in the country where the man lived acted the same way: they chose to please the people and to hold on to their positions.

Apparently, the man was not the only member of the royal family who had turned his back on Islam to follow Jesus. There were also others, some of whom had been martyred for their faith. Just recently, another male member of the family was thrown into prison for embracing Christianity and leaving Islam. Others had received death threats.

Bibles4Mideast said they had been praying about the man’s case for months, but they took precautions and did not let the word out for security reasons. However, believing that “the blood of Jesus is the seed of the church,” they finally posted the story about him on their website so others would also pray for him.

Bibles4Mideast asked believers all over the world to pray for the man and other members of the royal family who had become targets of persecution because of their conversion to Christianity.

“Pray for the victims that our Lord Jesus may protect them in His Mighty Hands,” Bibles4Mideast said. They also asked for prayers for those involved in the ministry and the work that they are doing in the region.

China Aid, an organization that moni-tors Christian persecution and human rights abuses in China, reports that Xie Yang has been imprisoned since July 11, 2015 for defending human rights and thus allegedly presenting a threat to China’s government.

In a letter, Xie Yang wrote:Today I met with my attorney, Chen Jiangang, again. All my statements here are completely true and out of a free heart. I want to declare that I am completely innocent.

I have been suffering from all kinds of severe abuse and torture since I was arrested on July 11, 2015. Nevertheless, I have never pled

guilty, because I am not guilty.

If someday I admit any guilt, whether in written form or voice recording, it would definitely not be out of my own will. It would be either caused by continued torture or to get a chance to be bailed out and reunited with my family. Both my family and I are under immense pressure now

suffocation. Authorities have also reportedly threatened him, although China’s government denies any allegations that Xie has been tortured.

as the officials ask me to confess and stop talking about my torture.

Xie Yang has reportedly been subjected to torture such as beatings, lack of water, and

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Kochurani Abraham (Photo Philip Mathew)By Philip Mathew

Kottayam: Kochurani Abraham, a feminist theologian, left a congregation of women religious to lead an independent religious life in her home state of Kerala, southern India.

Her name, “Kochurani,” means “little princess.” Although born in a traditional Catholic family, she said religion did not attract her when she studied in Catholic schools in Kerala. However, a Catholic youth program she organized made her rethink her values. She said it awakened a dormant spirituality in her life that made her sensitive to the marginalized.

The 57-year-old scholar has a doctorate in feminist theology from the University of Madras in southern India. She completed her bachelor’s degree in theology from St. Pius College in Mumbai, western India, and licentiate in systematic theology from Comillas University in Madrid.

After receiving a master’s degree in child development, Abraham went for a diploma in special education at an institute managed by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Mumbai. By then, “spirituality, discernment and mission became significant aspects of my life,” she said. A year later, in 1983, she joined the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but she left it after 22 years “with a heavy heart.”

She talked with Global Sisters Report about her views on feminist theology and Catholic religious life.

GSR: Why did you leave religious life?

Abraham: As years passed, an ideological gap began building up in me with regard to religious life. The critical feminist sensibilities I had developed over the years made me see God, human relations, the church and mission in a different light.

When I took a feminist stand vis-à-vis the church, others cautioned and reminded me that I was a sister. It was as though my congregation’s leaders had to answer for my stand. It reached a stage where I had to either conform or take a stand. I took the stand that justified my convictions.

Deciding to leave was not easy because I had developed deep emotional bonding with the congregation. The congregation loved me much and gave me many opportunities to know its mission in different contexts. I know many sisters personally. I had also spent a year in Chile and three years in Spain. With all this, quitting was a home-leaving experience, painful for me as well as for the sisters.

I should admit I have a grown a lot because of the opportunities and exposures the congregation offered me. At the same time, I too gave my best to the congregation through various responsibilities it had entrusted to me.

What have you done since you left religious life?

After leaving, I registered for Ph.D. in the Department of Christian Studies at the University of Madras, India.

On finishing it, I joined a team that coordinated a project on leadership training for sisters. I also taught as guest faculty in the same department that did my doctorate. Later, I worked as a senior fellow of the Indian Council of Social Science Research for a project on gender education.

When asked, I teach feminism, feminist spirituality and feminist theology in some institutes of priestly or religious formation. I am also involved in some grassroots campaigns with women and youth.

I have been active in some national and international organizations related to gender justice, liberation theology

of the gendered ecclesiology on which the hierarchy is founded. This ecclesiology identifies men with Christ, the head, and women as the body that is subordinate and dependent. Such a system allows men only to exercise leadership at all levels. What changes would you like to see in the church?

First, I would want the church declericalized. The church needs leadership, but the current hierarchical structure based on “priestly” ordination contradicts the spirit of the Gospel and model of Christian leadership. It is time for a serious rethinking on what it means to be the church today.

It is time we rethought the ecclesiastical traditions that support male priesthood and hierarchy. The transformation of the church with new structures of participation has become necessary if we want a new ekklesia that transmits the energies of the Spirit to the world today.

I want the church to be more democratic. Its worship and other matters should be led by people, who are imbued by the Spirit with sufficient preparation. Their gender — male, female or transgender — should not a hindrance. I also want the church freed of caste, class and gender politics to share power in mutuality so that it can truly be ushering in the reign of God.

Is ordination of women the answer?

This question presumes that I consider women’s ordination to priesthood important. True, at one time, I did think women’s ordination was important to make male-female relations in the church more egalitarian. But I do not share that view now. I don’t believe ordaining women as priests will make a difference.

Anyone who has studied church history knows priesthood as we have in the churches today is a historical development. The Gospels show that Jesus did not envision a leadership founded on priesthood. In fact, he vehemently opposed the Jewish priestly tradition and the manner in which Jewish priests exercised power.

Pope Francis has promised a commission to study the diaconate for women. What is your response?

It is doubtful if the Vatican commission will come up with anything new. There has been a lot of work on this matter from the perspective of the Bible and the church tradition. Women, especially religious, already do many things that come under permanent diaconate without label attached to it.

Permanent diaconate is basically a ministry of service. It is a compliant ministry of service, where obedience is its hallmark. Our patriarchal system views service as essentially a woman’s duty. As long as the current gender norms govern the church, female diaconate, if it ever happens, will only uphold a gendered ecclesiology in theology and praxis. What is needed is not the incorporation of women into the lowest strata of the hierarchy, but the transformation of the whole church into diakonia

Service name. Service is the heart of Christian spirituality and the eschatological hope for a society transformed in and through love.

Should the Vatican appoint women to its highest decision-making bodies?

Surely. It is high time the church evolved as a community that witnessed to gender justice and egalitarian relationships. If the church has to become a sacrament of the reign of God, it should have women, men and transgender persons sharing responsibilities at all levels. This means that women along with men should be at all levels of decision-making and in every aspect of ministry.

A mere token representation of women is not enough. It is important to have women at all levels of leadership for a healthy church. Women can bring their wisdom born of their experiences of life for the well-being of the church and its mission.

how do you view religious life today?

The present apostolic model of institutionalized religious life that began almost 500 years ago is breaking down. It will either die off or emerge in new forms. There have been clear signs of this transition in the West during the past few decades. It does not mean the institutional religious life has no future, but it will have a witness value only if it becomes prophetic.

We see individual religious and small groups who maintain their commitment through networking and participation in the struggle for justice, human rights and environment. These are new expressions of religious life. For example, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious of the United States. It stands for justice in the church and society. It promotes women’s spiritual and theological assertions as expression of a prophetic religious commitment, despite coming under the church hierarchy scanner.

Such prophetic witnessing would take a few more decades to come to India and other countries in the global south, where institutional religious life still thrives. However, even in India, many live a committed life without congregational support or community life. Women like me with a feminist theological worldview are preparing the way for new forms of consecrated life. New expressions of consecrated life that respond to the current concerns and challenges will be prophetic and mystical. It may not be visible through powerful institution but will become a transforming presence like a leaven.[Philip Mathew is a journalist based in Bangalore, southern India. This article appeared in Global Sisters Report on April 6.This article is part of an ongoing collaboration between GSR and Matters India)

Woman Theologian Examines New forms of Religious Life

and feminist theology. They are Indian Association for Women’s Studies, Indian Women Theologians’ Forum, Ecclesia of Women in Asia, World Forum on Theology and Liberation and Asian Lay Leadership Forum. I also work with ecumenical groups in Kerala on gender and environmental concerns.

I also work on my first book based on my doctoral research. I hope to complete it in a few months. I also plan on writing a couple more books, particularly related to gender and feminist theology in the Indian context.

What is feminism and feminist theology? Please explain.

Feminism is the assertion that women are fully humans. This signifies that women have capabilities, feelings, needs and desires like other humans. They need equal opportunities for realizing their intellectual and spiritual capabilities. A feminist consciousness that affirms women’s full humanity confronts all forms of gender or sexual violence women face.

Feminist theology is liberative. It corrects and completes the mainstream theology. It also critically examines and challenges the male-centered mainstream theology that sees the divine only in the form of male bodies or teaches that only such bodies can mediate with the divine for humans. It questions the legitimization of women’s subordination by religion’s hegemonic codes. It redefines Christian theology so that every aspect of Christian life and knowledge — Christian anthropology, ecclesiology, spirituality, sacraments, religious vows and the rest — is perceived and interpreted as inclusive, egalitarian and liberative. It advocates a liberative knowledge of God in all its implications for women and other marginalized groups.

how has the church hierarchy reacted to such views? do you have any theological differences with it?

Yes, I do. My theological differences with the church are mainly because

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Day 1God, raise up godly men who will stand before Your face and hear Your voice daily

Day 2God, raise up godly men who have no desire in their heart for anyone or anything other than God Himself

Day 3God, raise up godly men who fear God so greatly that they hate sin in every form and love righteous-ness and truth.

Day 4God, raise up godly men who have overcome anger and sexually sinful thoughts

Day 5God, raise up godly men who have a lifestyle of daily taking up the cross and pressing on to perfec-tion

Day 6God, raise up godly men who are full of the Holy Spirit

Day 7God, raise up godly men who are rooted and grounded in love that no provocation can ever move them into an unloving attitude towards another person

Day 8God, raise up godly men who are so rooted and grounded in humility

Day 9God, raise up godly men who have an understand-ing of God’s nature and purpose through His word

Day 10God, raise up godly men who tremble at Your word and will not disobey even the smallest command-ment or neglect to teach it to others

Day 11God, raise up godly men who will proclaim the whole counsel of God and expose religious harlotry and unscriptural human traditions

Day 12God, raise up godly men who have revelation from the Holy Spirit on the secret of godli-ness,

Day 13God, raise up godly men who are not ascetics, but at the same time live a disciplined life and are not afraid of hardships

Day 14God, raise up godly men who have no interest in expensive clothing or sight-seeing

Day 15God, raise up godly men who will not waste their time in unprofitable activities or their money in unnecessary purchases

Day 16God, raise up godly men who have been genuinely baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire by Christ Himself

Day 17God, raise up godly men who in spite of abuse, tribulations, false ac-cusation, will always be faithful to You.

Day 18God, raise up godly men who are full of mercy and can sympathize with the worst of sinners

Day 19God, raise up godly men who have a living faith, having no confidence in themselves or their natural abilities

Day 20God, raise up godly men who have complete confidence in God as their unfailing Helper in all situations

Day 21God, raise up godly men who live, not by the promptings of their own reason, but by the leading of the Holy Spirit

Day 22God, raise up godly men who have been genuinely baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire by Christ Himself

Day 23God, raise up godly men who live constantly under the anointing of the Spirit, endowed with the super-natural gifts that He has given them

Day 24God, raise up godly men who have revelation of the church as the body of Christ and not a congregation

Day 25God, raise up godly men who have learnt to bridle their tongues through the help of the Holy Spirit and aflame with the divine Word

Day 26God, raise up godly men who have forsaken all, and are not attracted any more to money or mate-rial things, and desire no gifts from others

Day 27God, raise up godly men who do not boast about their labors, either in their conversation or through letters and reports

Day 28God, raise up godly men who are not stubborn, but gentle, and open to criticism and eager for correction from older and wiser brothers

Day 29God, raise up godly men who have no longing to be considered as ‘elder’ brothers, or leaders, but only desire to be ordinary brothers and servants of all

Day 30God, raise up godly men who have spiritual authority and spiritual dignity.

Pray to raiSE uP DEDiCatED anD goDLy MEn LikE PauL anD tiMothy – to bE LEaDErS in inDia

PERSECUTION RELIEF PRayER CaLENDER

2017 aPRIL