Presbyterians to rule on Seoul megachurch’s father-son succession
At its general assembly in September, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK-TongHap) is expected to finally decide whether a recent case of father-son pastoral succession at its largest congregation complies with denominational guidelines. Myungsung Presbyterian Church, a Seoul megachurch whose 100,000 members make it the largest Presbyterian church in the world, named its founder’s son as senior pastor in 2017. Defenders have argued that Kim Ha-na was elected in accordance with the church’s laws, but critics point to Article 28.6 of the PCK-TongHap constitution, which prohibits the transference of pastor or elder positions to family members.
PCA, SBC vote against gay ‘self-conception’
After months of controversy surrounding Revoice—a conference featuring same-sex attracted Christians with traditional beliefs on marriage—the Presbyterian Church in American (PCA) voted at its general assembly in June to affirm the Nashville Statement and launch its own study committee on sexuality. One point in the statement, released by the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in 2017, opposes “adopting a homosexual or transgender self-conception,” in contrast to some Revoice participants who continue to identify as gay as they pursue celibacy. The Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution at its annual meeting criticizing the “gay Christian” label on grounds that it “is open to misinterpretation” and “affirms a sinful desire as a marker of personal identity.”
Christian book targeted in Amazon fraud
More than 15,000 counterfeit copies of Liturgy of the Ordinary, a bestselling book from InterVarsity Press (IVP) and the 2018 CT Book of the Year, were sold on Amazon over a nine-month period ending in July—totaling $240,000, according to the publisher. Though Amazon bars sales of illicit merchandise, counterfeiters posing as third-party sellers have done the same to books across genres; this was the first major case among Christian titles. The fake copies, printed on lower-quality paper with slight typographical errors, also mixed with Amazon’s own stock of the book. Author Tish Harrison Warren and IVP encourage readers to report and replace all fake copies.
Bible publishers oppose China tariff hike
Major Christian publishers, who rely on China for most of their Bible printing, say the Trump administration’s proposed 25 percent tariff hike could spike the cost of Scriptures and even discontinue some versions altogether. Over the summer, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, responsible for the New International Version and the King James Version, and Tyndale House, owner of the New Living Translation, urged the trade commission against imposing a “Bible tax” as the US considered tariffs against China. The country is the world’s largest Bible publisher, thanks to Nanjing-based Amity Press, which has printed almost 200 million Bibles since 1988 in partnership with the United Bible Societies.
Japanese school for MKs investigates past abuse
The Christian Academy in Japan, a boarding school for missionary kids in suburban Tokyo, is looking into dozens of reports of sexual misconduct and “severe beatings” by faculty spanning from the 1950s to the 1990s, according to Religion News Service. In the midst of the #MeToo movement, the school’s alumni network brought forward 66 abuse allegations. Multiple missions agencies have partnered with Telios Law to investigate the claims, while others launched independent investigations. The school acknowledged missteps in a statement released this summer and said, “We renounce a culture of silence that suppressed the truth, which prohibited children from being heard in their suffering.”
CBD changes its name
After 40 years going by the initials CBD, Christian Book Distributors has rebranded to Christianbook, citing confusion with cannabidiol, the cannabis product that now uses the same three letters. “In the past, a Google search for ‘CBD’ would place our company at the top of the results page,” the Massachusetts-based retailer stated. “Now ‘our CBD’ is nowhere to be found in the search results, only sites for the cannabis product are listed, and paid ads are no longer allowed.” The web address CBD.com still redirects to Christianbook.com, where the company stocks a half-million books, study materials, and church supplies.
