American Christian Stabbed to Death in China

Teacher in China stabbed to death at Christian meeting Bruce Emerson Morrison, an instructor at the Hubei Institute of Technology in central China’s Wuhan city, was stabbed to death by a mentally ill friend at a church youth meeting early Saturday afternoon. The New Orleans native had been teaching at the school for the past seven years, and lived in Wuhan with his pregnant wife and six daughters. “Gong [Zhili, Morrison’s attacker,] has mental problems,” says an official at the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of Protestant Churches of Wuhan. “They had frequent contacts at church initially. But later Morrison said maybe he did not want to talk to him as often as before, so their friendship was estranged.”

Christianity and the Internet: More news on the Christian Internet front: Gaylord Entertainment, which shut down its Gaylord Digital operations in December, announced that it found a buyer for Lightsource.com, the Christian content partner for Yahoo!’s streaming media site Broadcast.com. (The AP emphasizes the site’s Christian music aspect, but it’s more focused on programs like Focus on the Family and other radio broadcasts.) It will now be run by the similar LifeAudio.com, which has recently been focusing on getting local church sermons online in streaming audio. Meanwhile, in a profile of Christianity.com, CEO David Davenport tells UPI, “We expect to turn a profit in the first quarter of next year.” Read more on the for-profit Christian boom and bust this Friday at ChristianityToday.com in our story “Is God.com Dead?”

Religion and politics:

Bush the believer | Will the president put his faith into action? The country is watching. (The Miami Herald)
Bush adds religion to ‘bully pulpit’ (Associated Press)
Religion quotes from Bush (Associated Press)
Welcome to the White House revival | It’s easy to tell the difference between President Bush and the evangelicals. The evangelicals show some interest in secular issues. (David Shapiro, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Religion’s lobbying influence remains untapped (Las Vegas Sun)

Three groups cite religious-protection law to defend homeless shelter plan (Associated Press/Freedom Forum)
Defiance County, Ohio, courthouse removes Jesus painting (Associated Press/The Plain Dealer)

Pentecostal roots can guide Ashcroft well (Donald E. Miller, Los Angeles Times)
Big response to Queen’s TV ‘faith’ broadcast (The Telegraph, London)
End in sight for priest ban law | British Parliament is to take another step toward reforming an ancient law preventing a former Catholic priest becoming an MP. (BBC)

Religion and the schools:

North Dakota legislators debate religion in schools (Associated Press/Freedom Forum)
School ties to religion reviewed by judge (The Evansville Courier & Press)
Federal court examines ties between Indiana school district, religious program (Associated Press/Freedom Forum)
Religion program, school system targeted in suit (The Indianapolis Star)

Homosexuality:

Cayman churches want anti-gay law (Associated Press)
Court ruling didn’t end scout debate | Towns, schools facing questions of inclusion (Chicago Tribune)

Orlando’s The Holy Land Experience:

Holy Land exceeds expectations | Nearly 5,000 people (but few Jews) have visited since Monday (The Miami Herald)
Holy Land opens to a crowd (The Orlando Sentinel)
Critics oppose Christian theme park (Associated Press)

India minister’s earthquake remark:

BJP condemns Chief Minister’s `condolence’ visit | Hindus angry at support for minister who resigned after saying earthquake was God’s judgment. (The Times of India)
Sacked Karnataka minister to sue BJP for defamation (The Times of India)

Nigeria:

Lagos archbishop offers pope’s chair for bidding | Nigeria’s Catholic leader offers seat to parishes while condemning “commercialisation of church property” (Post Express, Lagos, Nigeria)
Archbishop of Canterbury condemns Shari’ah punishments in Zamfara (Vanguard Daily, Lagos, Nigeria)

Scientology and the Cruise-Kidman split:

Did Scientology cause Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to split? (Jeannette Walls, MSNBC)
Scientology urges Kidman and Cruise to reconsider (WENN/Beliefnet)

Jay Bakker:

RE: Jay Bakker | Joanna Rakoff talks to Jim and Tammy Faye’s son about growing up in the shadow of the PTL scandal, starting his own ministry, and being the child of a gay icon. (Feed)
The Rock Minister | His parents’ scandal ruined his early life and led him to drugs and rage. But now, with a new book and a ministry aimed at helping young people through music, Jay Bakker is a happy man. (Newsday, New York)
Earlier: Semi-Amazing Grace | Jay Bakker (yes, Jim and Tammy Faye’s son) describes his continuing recovery from church-inflicted wounds. (Christianity Today, Jan. 23, 2001)

Other stories of interest:

Virginia approves limits on abortion | Assembly conservatives affirm 24-hour delay (The Washington Post)
1977 Graham crusade touched lives | Evangelist may return in summer 2002 (The Cincinnati Post)
Virtual reality brings time of Jesus back to life on BBC TV | £1.5 million documentary will attempt to recreate first-century architecture, people (The Telegraph, London)
German tattooist fined over sacrilegious crucifix (Ananova)
Worship, weight-loss program popular but controversial | More on the Weigh Down Workshop criticisms (The Denver Post)
Earlier: The Weigh Is Narrow | As former employees claim they were pressured to join Shamblin’s church, the Weigh Down Workshop leader attempts to clarify her stance on the Trinity. (Christianity Today, Sept. 15, 2000)
Archeologists work to save Chinese site with Christian traces | Studies show Christian monks lived, prayed and died in Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes—one of Buddhism’s most hallowed sanctuaries (Chicago Tribune)
Polish priest condemns Harry Potter as pagan (Agence France Presse)
Bell-ringer stable after church bell falls on him (The Irish Times)