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One can name plenty of faults in the Sri Lankan church. As a matter of fact, these flaws were on the mind of almost every church leader I met.

But, as Lalani's example shows, this tiny church has much to offer in the world of clashing ethnicities and cultures.

Tim Stafford is senior writer for Christianity Today. The longer version of this article as well as companion articles can be found at www.christianitytoday.com/go/srilanka.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related articles appearing on our web site today include:

A Man of Peace | While other monks march against peace, this fierce-looking cleric seeks accord.

Being the Leaven | Why only a handful of Sri Lankan Christians wage peace via the difficult political process.

Indigenous and Evangelistic | Isolated from the infusion of foreign missionaries by Sri Lankan laws, the island's church knows that to survive, it must focus on evangelism.

More reports on religious freedom in Sri Lanka are available from the U.S. State Department, Open Doors International, and International Christian Concern.

The Sunday Leader, an English newspaper based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, recently reported on a "new wave of Christianity" in the country (second item) and an increase in attacks on churches.

Earlier Christianity Today articles on Sri Lanka include:

Violence Erupts in Sri Lanka as Churches Look to New PM to Bring Peace | The island nation reels from an ethnic conflict which has claimed more than 64,000 lives since 1983 (Dec. 19, 2001)

The Hard-Won Lessons of Terror and Persecution | Overseas Christians reflect on painful experiences (Sept. 26, 2001)

Christians and Buddhists Build Bridges for Peace in Sri Lanka | Religious officials secret meeting with Tamil Tigers draws criticism (Mar. 7, 2001)

Sri Lanka to Investigate Attack on Evangelical Church | Buddhist fervor for tradition and anger at Christian evangelism boils over in church assault (Feb. 28, 2001)

Christians Mediate for Peace | Sri Lanka churches try to reconcile Sinhalese Buddhists and Hindu Tamils. (Apr. 10, 2001)

Sri Lanka's Churches Pray for Peace as War Rages Around Jaffna | Country's Protestants to unify in prayer June 16. (June 5, 2000)

In Sri Lanka's No Man's Land, Churches Provide Some Hope for Refugees | Christians mobilize to help nearly a million left homeless by Tamil conflict (Apr. 18, 2000)

Sri Lanka's People Are Not Divided, Just the Politicians, says Archbishop | Churches call for peaceful end to Tamil fighting (Feb. 28, 2000)

Dispatch From Sri Lanka: Bombs Away | How Western military actions affect the work of the church (June 14, 1999)

Sri Lanka: A Light in Buddha's Shadow | "With no end in sight to the war, we persevere in seeking to be faithful to God." (Nov. 16, 1998)

Dalai Lama, Evangelical Leader Talk | The discussion focused on the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka by Buddhists (Aug. 10, 1998)

Assemblies of God Church Attacked | There has been a 230 percent increase in anti-Christian incidents on the island nation south of India in the past year (Feb. 9, 1998)

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October 2003, Vol. 47, No. 10