The practical atheism of those who say they are Christian but live as if God does not exist is more destructive than actual atheism, Pope Benedict XVI has said. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 7000 in Rome, he presented three ways to more fully discover God and combat indifference towards faith. Continue reading
Posts Tagged ‘Christian’
Outside Europe, growth of Christianity is fastest
Friday, November 16th, 2012
What is the fastest growing religion? Worldwide, it is Islam. But outside Europe, the growth of Christianity is still ahead. This is the conclusion of Philip Jenkins, a distinguished scholar at Baylor University in Texas, who specialises in religious history. He points particularly to phenomenal growth of Christianity in Africa. “During the twentieth century,” Jenkins Read more
Rimutaka Prison’s Faith Based Unit to close soon
Friday, November 2nd, 2012
A new agreement between Prison Fellowship New Zealand and Corrections will mean the Rimutaka Prisons’ Faith Based Unit (FBU) will close, making way for new reintegration activities which will reach prisoners at more sites. Prison Fellowship New Zealand has run the Christian-based rehabilitation programme at Rimutaka Prison’s FBU since October 2003. Gregory Fortuin, Executive Chairman of PFNZ, Read more
Faithless Britain is still a country of compassion and principles
Friday, November 2nd, 2012
It is harder than ever to claim, as the Britain’s Prime Minister does, that Britain is still a Christian country. It was at the time when Baroness Thatcher stood outside No 10 and recited the prayer of St Francis of Assisi, to offer reassurance about her intentions. Two thirds of Brits were Christian then, and Read more
Playing politics with the global war on Christians
Tuesday, September 11th, 2012
Most people, most of the time, are fundamentally decent. Hence if they knew that there’s a minority facing an epidemic of persecution — a staggering total of 150,000 martyrs every year, meaning 17 deaths every hour — there would almost certainly be a groundswell of moral and political outrage. There is such a minority in Read more
Plan to make free Christian TV available in NZ
Friday, September 7th, 2012
A United States Christian web-based television service known as Sky Angel may soon be available for free in New Zealand. James Cope is negotiating with several New Zealand broadband providers to offer the service for free rather than for a monthly subscription of about $17. “This is a great opportunity for people here in New Read more
Judge decides Jewish girl may be baptised
Tuesday, August 7th, 2012
An English judge has ruled that a 10-year-old Jewish girl may choose to be baptised a Christian despite her mother’s opposition. The Romford County Court in Essex was told that the girl’s parents divorced in 2010 and her father subsequently converted to Christianity. After attending an evangelical Christian festival with her father, the girl said Read more
Pastor took Kahui in because he was in need – innocent or guilty – that’s my job
Friday, July 27th, 2012
Before and during his trial Chris Kahui was taken in and cared for by Pastor Tom and Magaret Ngapera at the at the Faith Family Baptist Centre in Panmure. “I just came to support a broken family going through hell. That’s what my job is. To show the compassion and love of Christ to someone Read more
It’s out with the old as Christian values fall away
Friday, July 20th, 2012
Given the Judeo-Christian origins of our long-held tradition of caring for the frail, census data indicating the demise of Christianity and the ageing of Australia’s population could herald a perfect social storm. The 2011 census makes clear that Christian affiliation is diminishing, falling 7 per cent over the past decade to 61 per cent. The Read more
Real war on religion and a ticking Vatican PR bomb
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
America’s annual celebration of Independence Day was accompanied this year by the U.S. bishops’ Fortnight for Freedom, a round of prayer and advocacy dedicated to the preservation of religious liberty. The exercise renewed debate over whether there is or isn’t a war on religion in America, fueled, of course, by the politics of the 2012 Read more