Brother Andrew ‘God’s Smuggler’ dies aged 94
Brother Andrew, who smuggled bibles behind the iron curtain, has died aged 94. Born Andrew van der Bijl in the Netherlands, he was converted while in the army and trained as a missionary in Scotland. From there, he travelled to Poland in 1955 to participate in a Communist youth rally, with a suitcase full of Christian tracts and his ministry began. His autobiography “God’s Smuggler” published in 1967, sold millions of copies in 35 languages. It told stories of how he smuggled Christian tracts and bibles into communist countries in a bright blue Volkswagen Beetle, or into China via a custom built barge. He founded Open Doors more than 50 years ago, to support persecuted Christians around the world. His obituary is here
Patriarch Kirill once more insists that Holy Russia should be re-united
Russian Orthodox leader, Patriarch Kirill, has once more spoken of the sacred obligation of keeping Ukraine as part of Russia. The day after President Putin announced the partial mobilisation of 300,000 Russian reservists, Kirill led a service commemorating the birth of the Virgin Mary, a date that coincides with the battle of Kulikovo in 1380 when Russians defeated the Moguls. Religion Dispatches reports that in his sermon, Kirill recalled the birth of the Fatherland at that battle and said it was impossible to retreat from faith. People should pray that “Holy Russia would be reunited”, a reference to his view that Ukraine is not an independent nation, but a rogue territory within Russia.
Dispute over “damaging” prayer vigils outside abortion clinics
The Scottish Catholic church has criticised the Scottish government’s chief legal officer for saying that prayer vigils outside abortion clinics could be far more damaging than verbal protest. Dorothy Bain KC was addressing the UK’s Supreme Court on excluding prayer vigils from areas near clinics in Northern Ireland. Peter Kearny, spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Scotland, told Premier Christian News that to tell people they can’t stand silently in prayer, is “chilling and extremely worrying”. Scotland is also considering plans for buffer zones around clinics.
Theology student wins prize for matching trauma of abuse to Hebrews
A competition to find a compelling theologian and speaker has been won by Amanda Higgin, a Baptist theology student, who wrote about her emergence from an abusive relationship. Theology Slam invites people aged between 18 – 35 to write 500 words on contemporary issues and present their address to a panel of judges. The Church Times reports that Amanda Higgin compared her own post- traumatic stress disorder following an abusive relationship, to the uncertainty and trauma underpinning the Letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament.
Global Anglican communion has a new leader
Bishop Anthony Poggo, from south Sudan, has been commissioned as secretary-general of the Anglican Communion. He will lead the team running the Anglican Communion Office in St Andrew’s House, Notting Hill. The communion is split over same sex marriage with three countries refusing to attend the Lambeth conference in July in protest at progressive change. The Church Times reports that in the commissioning service, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said the bishop would need “the patience of Job” in his new post.
Call for Friday mosque sermons to be dedicated to climate change
The Muslim Charities Forum is partnering with the Muslim Council of Britain to call on UK mosques to make tomorrow’s Friday sermon (khutba) dedicated to climate change. It falls within the Great Big Green Week, when a coalition of organisations are putting on special events and campaigns for climate change.
India survey discovers Buddhist structures going back 2,000 years
Heritage Daily reports that the Archaeological Survey of India has uncovered lost temples, Buddhist structures, mural inscriptions and caves in the Bandhavgarh forest reserve, located in the central India Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. The area includes a tiger reserve and is being explored for the first time since 1938. The survey has found remains of Buddhist structures in the region where a Hindu dynasty ruled, suggesting religious harmony. The inscriptions have been dated as from the 2nd to 5th century AD
Buddhist monk from Nottinghamshire jailed for indecent assault
A Buddhist monk in Nottinghamshire has been jailed for two years after admitting indecently assaulting two 12-year-old girls in the 1970s and 1980s. The BBC reports that Buddha Maitreya, aged 82, who was born Koji Takeuchi, is the owner of the Pure Land meditation centre and Japanese garden in North Clifton, Nottinghamshire, and had featured in a number of television programmes prior to his arrest. He pleaded guilty to charges relating to offences in Nottinghamshire and Brighton.
