Upset with Jesus Statue Indian Villages Start Banning Conversions

Plus: Seeking an end to the death penalty, Peter Deyneka dead at 69, and other stories from around the world.

Christianity Today December 1, 2000

Indian villages ban conversions Eight villages in Orissa, India (the eastern state where Australian missionary Graham Staines and his sons were killed in early 1999), have called meetings to ban religious conversions and the construction of churches, chapels, and Christian statues. Apparently the move comes after some Christian groups tried to build a Jesus statue near a Hindu temple. Meanwhile, Hindu fundamentalists in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh are threatening anyone who celebrates New Year’s Day January 1 with “punishment.” The “Christian New Year,” they say, is a “systematic attempt by multinational companies to corrupt our youth.”

United Nations presented with massive petition for execution moratorium Italian journalist Mario Marazziti, presented U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan with a petition for a moratorium on executions. Signers, according to The New York Times, include Elie Wiesel; the Dalai Lama, Vaclav Havel, Abdurrahman Wahid, George Carey, and “several high Vatican officials.” Oh, and 3.2 million other people from 145 countries.

Peter Deyneka dies of lymphoma at 69 Peter Deyneka Jr., head of Peter Deyneka Russian Ministries, and former president of the Slavic Gospel Association, died at his Wheaton, Illinois, home December 23 after battling lymphoma for six months. Peter Deyneka Russian Ministries has put out a press release, but hasn’t posted it on its Web site yet. Other sites that will likely have information eventually are the Slavic Gospel Association and RIPNet.

Indianapolis Baptist Temple seeks pardon from Clinton Remember that church that back in mid-November expected the U.S. Marshals to blow down its doors? The Marshals are still biding their time, and every night about 30 folks sleep in the church in case they do. U.S. Marshal Frank Anderson says he’s just biding his time. “We will enforce that court order,” he tells The Indianapolis Star. Meanwhile, Indianapolis Baptist Temple pastor Gregory A. Dixon is appealing to President Clinton for help: “We hope that as he leaves office, as he pardons dozens of other people—convicts, drug lords—that he would want to do this.” Dixon has also written to President-elect Bush for assistance. No word from either.

New York’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese vs. Brunei royalty in battle for millions “It is a rent fight for the ages,” reports The New York Times. “The Archdiocese of New York is battling with the royal family of Brunei over the rent for the land under the 54-story Palace Hotel, which sits across Madison Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.” The rent has stayed at $1 million a year since 1979. The archdiocese wants about $9 million, the royal family of Brunei wants to pay half that. They’ll see each other in court.

More articles of interest:

Related Elsewhere

See our past Weblog updates:

December 28 | 27

December 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18

December 15 | 14 | 13 | 12

December 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4

December 1 | November 30 | 29 | 28 | 27

November 22 | 21 | 20

November 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13

November 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6

November | 3 | 2 | 1 October 31 | 30

Our Latest

News

Space Force Hymn Lifts Prayer to the Heavens

Southern Baptist chaplain says God prompted him to write song for the newest branch of the US military. 

Beijing, Let My Daughter Come Home

Power Without Integrity Destroys Us

Evangelicals helped elect Trump. Can evangelicals also hold him accountable?

The Bulletin

Sultan of Swing

The Bulletin addresses the election of Donald Trump.

What Another Trump Presidency Means To Evangelicals Around the World

Christian leaders from Nepal to Turkey greet the US election results with joy, grief, and indifference.

Our Faith’s Future Depends on Discipleship

The Lausanne Movement’s State of the Great Commission report details where and how Christianity is growing. 

News

Trump’s Promised Mass Deportations Put Immigrant Churches on Edge

Some of the president-elect’s proposals seem unlikely, but he has threatened to remove millions of both undocumented and legal immigrants.

God Is Faithful in Triumph and Despair

I voted for Kamala Harris and mourn her loss. But I want to keep politics in its proper place, subordinate to Jesus.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube