Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: China detains Christians for resisting an anti-cross campaign, an archpriest is named the new head of a Crimean museum, and faith groups embrace a new clean power plan.
AROUND THE WORLD
China Detains Seven Christians Opposed to Cross Demolition
New York Times/Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/08/04/world/asia/04reuters-china-rights.html
Chinese police have detained seven members of a Christian church after they resisted a government campaign to take down their church's cross. The group was detained in Zhejiang province, where local Christians say authorities have been taking down crosses on churches in the area since last year.
Ethiopia Hands Lengthy Prison Terms to Muslim Activists
New York Times/Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/08/03/world/africa/03reuters-ethiopia-arrests.html
An Ethiopian court sentenced 17 Muslim activists to prison sentences of up to 22 years, charging that they plotted to create an Islamic state in the majority Christian country. The sentencing comes as Ethiopia faces increasing scrutiny from human rights groups that have accused the government of arresting activists and journalists to stamp out dissent.
In Egypt, Disaffected Youth Increasingly Drawn to Extremism
by Brian Rohan
Washington Post/AP
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/egypts-disaffected-youth-increasingly-calling-for-violence/2015/08/04/64c7d94c-3a6e-11e5-8993-0b783c1d6d37_story.html
Frustrated by the police crackdown since the military ousted President Mohammed Morsi in 2013, Egyptian youths are growing increasingly open in their calls for violence and extremism. Some want to avenge friends and family killed or abused by police in the crackdown, while others resent Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood as weak and ineffectual.
Is This The Beginning of the End of China’s ‘CEO Monk’?
by Isaac Stone Fish
Foreign Policy
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/08/03/china_shaolin_temple_kung_fu_monk_corruption_scandal/
The Shaolin Temple--which combines housing for thousands of monks with restaurants, shops, and martial arts demonstrations for tourists--has become notorious for the scandals surrounding its abbot, Shi Yongxin. With his reputation for extravagant spending and his renowned business acumen, Shi may be the new target of China's anti-corruption campaign.
Tracing Liberty's Decline
by Erasmus blog
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/08/free-speech-religion-and-europe
Several incidents of terror in Europe at the beginning of this year prompted solemn pledges from politicians--vowing to uphold the right of European citizens to express all manner of opinions, including rough-edged ones, as well as people's liberty to follow or reject any religious or philosophical belief. Yet some believe these promises have already been broken, arguing that European nations are moving in the wrong direction when it comes to dealing with extremism.
A Museum Survives in Crimea
by Masha Lipman
New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-museum-survives-in-crimea
Last week--in a move that enraged museum staffers--Archpriest Sergey Khalyuta was appointed as the new director of Chersonesus Archaeological Museum in Crimea. The governor who appointed the archpriest hopes his decision will help turn the museum into “a sacred place for the whole of Russia."
DOMESTIC
EPA Unveils Clean Power Plan, as Faith Groups Quick to Embrace
by Brian Roewe
National Catholic Reporter
http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/epa-unveils-clean-power-plan-faith-groups-quick-embrace
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the final version of the first-ever national standards to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, and a number of faith-based groups--including the U.S. bishops--were quick to embrace the plan.
The Freakishness of Christianity
by Emma Green
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/russell-moore-christian-freaks/400265/
In 2013, Russell Moore was named head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission--the organization which is essentially the political nerve center of the Southern Baptist Convention. Distinguishing himself from many of today's evangelical leaders, Moore has embarked on a mission to embrace a sense of Christian "strangeness"--trying to stand against American culture rather than win it over.
China Detains Seven Christians Opposed to Cross Demolition
New York Times/Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/08/04/world/asia/04reuters-china-rights.html
Chinese police have detained seven members of a Christian church after they resisted a government campaign to take down their church's cross. The group was detained in Zhejiang province, where local Christians say authorities have been taking down crosses on churches in the area since last year.
Ethiopia Hands Lengthy Prison Terms to Muslim Activists
New York Times/Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/08/03/world/africa/03reuters-ethiopia-arrests.html
An Ethiopian court sentenced 17 Muslim activists to prison sentences of up to 22 years, charging that they plotted to create an Islamic state in the majority Christian country. The sentencing comes as Ethiopia faces increasing scrutiny from human rights groups that have accused the government of arresting activists and journalists to stamp out dissent.
In Egypt, Disaffected Youth Increasingly Drawn to Extremism
by Brian Rohan
Washington Post/AP
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/egypts-disaffected-youth-increasingly-calling-for-violence/2015/08/04/64c7d94c-3a6e-11e5-8993-0b783c1d6d37_story.html
Frustrated by the police crackdown since the military ousted President Mohammed Morsi in 2013, Egyptian youths are growing increasingly open in their calls for violence and extremism. Some want to avenge friends and family killed or abused by police in the crackdown, while others resent Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood as weak and ineffectual.
Is This The Beginning of the End of China’s ‘CEO Monk’?
by Isaac Stone Fish
Foreign Policy
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/08/03/china_shaolin_temple_kung_fu_monk_corruption_scandal/
The Shaolin Temple--which combines housing for thousands of monks with restaurants, shops, and martial arts demonstrations for tourists--has become notorious for the scandals surrounding its abbot, Shi Yongxin. With his reputation for extravagant spending and his renowned business acumen, Shi may be the new target of China's anti-corruption campaign.
Tracing Liberty's Decline
by Erasmus blog
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/08/free-speech-religion-and-europe
Several incidents of terror in Europe at the beginning of this year prompted solemn pledges from politicians--vowing to uphold the right of European citizens to express all manner of opinions, including rough-edged ones, as well as people's liberty to follow or reject any religious or philosophical belief. Yet some believe these promises have already been broken, arguing that European nations are moving in the wrong direction when it comes to dealing with extremism.
A Museum Survives in Crimea
by Masha Lipman
New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-museum-survives-in-crimea
Last week--in a move that enraged museum staffers--Archpriest Sergey Khalyuta was appointed as the new director of Chersonesus Archaeological Museum in Crimea. The governor who appointed the archpriest hopes his decision will help turn the museum into “a sacred place for the whole of Russia."
DOMESTIC
EPA Unveils Clean Power Plan, as Faith Groups Quick to Embrace
by Brian Roewe
National Catholic Reporter
http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/epa-unveils-clean-power-plan-faith-groups-quick-embrace
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the final version of the first-ever national standards to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, and a number of faith-based groups--including the U.S. bishops--were quick to embrace the plan.
The Freakishness of Christianity
by Emma Green
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/russell-moore-christian-freaks/400265/
In 2013, Russell Moore was named head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission--the organization which is essentially the political nerve center of the Southern Baptist Convention. Distinguishing himself from many of today's evangelical leaders, Moore has embarked on a mission to embrace a sense of Christian "strangeness"--trying to stand against American culture rather than win it over.
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