Related articles and links |  1 of 6

Anti-Christian violence returns to Poso
The area around the town of Poso, in the Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi, has seen about a year of relative calm after years of a deadly anti-Christian campaign by Islamic extremists. But there had been little cause for celebration: as Christianity Todayreported earlier, the reason for the letup was that the militants had succeeded in ridding much of the area of Christians. About 600,000 Christians had been displaced around Indonesia, more than 600 churches razed in the provinces of Maluku and Sulawesi, and thousands in the area were killed in the religious violence between 2000 and 2001.

In recent months, more Christians have been cautiously returning to the Poso area. Over the weekend, apparently so did the Islamic extremists. At least 10 Christians were killed in raids by masked gunmen on four villages. Others say the death toll may be as high as 15—some shot, others hacked to death by machetes. Several others were injured in the attacks, which also left 30 homes and a church destroyed.

The national government sent in thousands of troops to ensure that the violence did not spread, and that Christians did not retaliate against their Muslim neighbors, who make up about 85 percent of the country and 75 percent of Sulawesi's population.

"We are afraid that it will bring back the horrifying experience of fighting among ourselves, just as it was before," local Muslim leader Sulaiman Mamar told The Jakarta Post.

Likewise, the Central Sulawesi Protestant Church Crisis Center's Ferry Naray told The Sydney Morning Herald, "Christian communities here are frightened. … There have been many victims from our side." The paper quotes speculation that the attack may have been connected to commemorations of last year's nightclub attack on the Indonesian island of Bali.

After plagiarism charges, National City Christian Church pastor takes leave
Alvin Jackson, the most prominent pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which he also serves as moderator, is taking a leave of absence to "regain strength—emotionally, physically and spiritually," The Washington Post reported Saturday.

The announcement came as The Washington Post and Disciples World, a denominational magazine, uncovered several instances of plagiarized sermons—including one published in an anthology. This week, the denomination is holding its general convention; Jackson was due to preach at the opening worship service and preside at all business meetings.

Disciples World says Jackson plans to resume his church duties in January, but he has asked the church to discern "whether the vision of a diverse and multi-cultural congregation is God's vision for National City Christian Church at this time, if we are really ready to embrace that vision, and if I am the person to lead us in claiming that vision."

Due to technical difficulties, the links below were not posted Friday, as planned. We apologize for the delay.

Politics and law:

• Judge faults Marsh for citing Bible | A day after attorneys in a sex abuse case agreed that Common Pleas Court Judge Melba Marsh's devout religious beliefs wouldn't affect her presiding over the case, a federal court ruled the judge's religious beliefs were improperly used in 1998 to send a child rapist to prison for 51 years (The Cincinnati Post)
  
  
• Also: Marsh says religion important part of life | While Judge Melba Marsh wouldn't talk Wednesday about a federal court reversing a ruling in which she used the Bible to sentence a child rapist, she has weighed in on the issue before (The Cincinnati Post)
  
  

next page... |  1 of 6

October (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47