An Extraordinary Orthodox Christmas and Other News

Recent stories in the mainstream and religious presses about Christians and Christianity

Christianity Today January 1, 2000

Orthodox meeting is first meeting of leaders in 60 years

Fourteen of the world’s 15 Orthodox Patriarchs meet despite ancient and personal rivalries. The only one who missed was too ill to attend. Today is the Christmas for the Orthodox, who follow the Julian calendar.

Split between Ted Turner and Jane Fonda because Fonda is now a Christian, reports Web site “What will Jane become next?” asked the Washington Post

Wednesday, after Ted Turner and Jane Fonda announced they were separating. Apparently, she is becoming a Christian. Conservative Web site WorldNetDaily reported yesterday that Jane Fonda has become “born again” and that her conversion in part prompted the couple’s marital strife.

Britain launches secular baptisms

Supporters claim government-backed “naming ceremonies” are “merely providing a service,” according to Catholic news site EWTN. But Catholics charge the program is meant to lure people away from the church.

Franklin Graham tells Sydney Morning Herald he feels sorry for Prince Charles

It’s about the only new revelation an otherwise standard “prodigal returns” profile of Billy’s “reluctant heir.”

Evangelical coalition calls for “Project Megiddo” investigation

In a short Washington Post piece, religion writer Hanna Rosin reports that Christian organizations groups are lobbying Congress to investigate the FBI’s “overblown” warnings that Christians may become violent on New Year’s Day. (See the report in PDF format on the FBI Web site or in HTML on a myriad of other sites .)

Montreal church goes through nasty split—to court and press

After being fired by the Eglise Evangelique Baptiste Eben-Ezer (Eben-Ezer Baptist Evangelical Church), pastor Fils-Aime Jean changed the church locks and took direct control of the church’s finances. Board members tell the Montreal Gazette, “Jean’s behaviour and attitude the past six months have alienated parishioners, which has resulted in a substantial drop in the weekly collection—the church’s only source of income.”

Related Elsewhere

See our Weblogs earlier this week, from January 5 , 4 , and 3 , and from December 30 and 29 .

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