Category: News affecting the Church

Christians denied burial in native villages after conversion in India

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ANTHONY ANDERSON

Christian families in India’s Chhattisgarh state have been denied burial grounds in their native villages in two separate incidents, with authorities unable to secure relief despite intervention.

Manoj Nishad, 25, died Nov. 5 during treatment in Raipur, the state capital, local media reports. When his family attempted to bury him in Kodekurse village in Kanker district, residents refused permission, citing his conversion to Christianity months earlier. Villagers barred burial even on private land owned by the Nishad family, saying they would permit last rites only if the family renounced their faith. Christian community members protested at the local police station over the denial.

Days later, residents of Jewartala village, located approximately 90 kilometres from Raipur, blocked the burial of Raman Sahu, who had converted to Christianity with his family several years ago. Persecution.org reports Sahu died of illness at a private hospital in Raipur. Eyewitnesses said villagers physically obstructed the body from entering the village and demanded last rites be performed according to traditional village rituals only.

Police were deployed to Jewartala amid rising tensions. The family ultimately buried Sahu’s body Sunday at Sankra burial ground, away from the village. Balod district police chief Yogesh Patel confirmed the denial.

District authorities attempted to intervene in both cases but failed to convince villagers to resolve the disputes. With residents remaining firm in their opposition, officials kept Nishad’s body in a mortuary while continuing efforts to arrange for last rites.

Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, said Christians are being blatantly denied their constitutional right to dignified burial, according to The New Indian Express. He stated the law indicates the area is already designated for burial purposes.

In both instances, villagers cited only the deceased persons’ conversion to Christianity as justification for refusing burial space. Administration officials reported they were unable to secure any substantial relief for the affected families despite their efforts.

The incidents have sparked controversy in the region, with Christian groups arguing the denials represent religious discrimination and violation of fundamental rights. The tensions highlight ongoing friction over religious conversion in parts of rural India, where traditional beliefs and practices often clash with constitutional protections for religious freedom.

Authorities have not announced further action to address the families’ grievances or prevent similar incidents.

New restrictions on items entering Nicaragua include Bibles

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JEFF TURNER

A major international bus company has warned passengers about new items that are no longer allowed to enter Nicaragua, according to a report from CentroAmerica360. These rules come from instructions given by Nicaraguan authorities to transportation companies working across the region.

Along with items that have long been restricted, such as guns, knives, and food that can spoil, the list now includes drones, magazines, printed newspapers, and Bibles. This change has caused worry among travellers and groups that follow human rights conditions in the country.

Notices explaining the rules were posted at bus terminals in Costa Rica, where trips to Managua begin. The company said it is required to follow the rules shared by Nicaraguan officials. Staff at the terminals have been told to stop passengers who are carrying banned items or prevent them from boarding.

The restriction on Bibles has drawn special attention. While religious activity has faced growing limits in recent years, there has been no earlier case of sacred texts being blocked at the border. Many see this as a new step in the control of religious life.

Since 2018, religious freedom in Nicaragua has steadily weakened. Many Catholic priests have been arrested, sent into exile, or kept under close watch. Religious orders and groups have been forced to leave the country. Church leaders have reported that schools, care homes, radio stations, and other church services have been taken over or closed. Church bank accounts have also been shut down.

Evangelical churches have faced pressure as well. Several leaders have been arrested on claims of plotting against the state or mishandling funds. Churches and faith-based groups involved in community support have been closed or placed under government control.

The bus company did not explain the exact laws behind the new rules, but confirmed they were officially delivered by authorities. Passengers have shared concern about how wide these limits are, especially when it comes to printed material and religious items.

In earlier actions, the government banned professional cameras and filming tools. Travellers’ social media accounts have been checked, and content creators and journalists have been denied entry. These steps add to fears about tighter control over information and belief.

The Last Open Church in El-Fasher

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William Desjardins

In the war-torn Sudanese city of El-Fasher, one Christian sanctuary remains open against all odds. The Rev. Daramali Abudigin, an Anglican priest, has refused to abandon his community despite relentless fighting and a city under siege.

St. Mathew of the Anglican Church of Sudan now stands as the last remaining Christian church in El-Fasher. Abudigin has kept its doors open to all Christians, offering a place of prayer and hope while nearly every other pastor and priest has been forced to flee the violence.

The risks of staying are immense. In May, five church members living with Abudigin were killed when armed men sprayed bullets into the church compound at random. Still, he continues his ministry alongside his wife and three sons, determined to serve the dwindling Christian population that has no other refuge.

El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been encircled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April of last year. Inside the city, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) continue to fight the RSF in a conflict that has devastated civilian life and displaced countless families.

In the midst of this blockade and violence, Rev. Abudigin and St. Mathew’s Church endure for Christians in a city otherwise darkened by war.

Dr. James Dobson, Influential Christian Leader and Founder of Focus on the Family, Dies at 89

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TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

Dr. James Dobson, one of the most influential Christian leaders of the past half-century and founder of Focus on the Family, died Thursday morning, August 21, 2025, at the age of 89. His passing was announced by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI).

A psychologist by training, Dobson dedicated his life to strengthening marriages, guiding parents, and defending biblical values, championing the family as the cornerstone of society. Through decades of broadcasting, writing, and public advocacy, he became a towering voice in American evangelicalism and a driving force behind the rise of conservative Christian engagement in politics.

Dobson founded Focus on the Family in Arcadia, California, in 1977, before relocating its headquarters to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1991. The move helped establish Colorado Springs as a hub for evangelical ministries and influence. Under his leadership, the organization grew into one of the largest evangelical ministries in the world.

At its height, the Focus on the Family daily radio program aired on more than 4,000 stations across North America and reached audiences in over 160 countries, translated into 27 languages. The show became one of the most widely heard faith-based broadcasts globally.

Dobson’s impact extended beyond the church into the halls of power. A significant figure in the 1980s movement to integrate conservative Christian ideals into American politics, he advised or counseled five U.S. presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. In 1985, he interviewed President Reagan in the Oval Office, and during the Trump administration, he served on the Evangelical Executive Advisory Board.

In addition to Focus on the Family, Dobson helped establish the Family Research Council in the early 1980s, a Christian think tank that remains influential in policy debates on faith and family.

Dobson authored more than 70 books, many of which became staples in Christian homes. His bestsellers included The New Dare to Discipline and When God Doesn’t Make Sense. His work earned him recognition as a New York Times best-selling author and induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Even after stepping away from Focus on the Family in 2010, Dobson continued his mission through the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI), where he hosted Family Talk. The nationally syndicated program airs on 1,500 stations and reaches more than half a million listeners weekly, ensuring that his voice continued to influence new generations.

Dr. Dobson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, their children Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren.

Islamist Terrorists Massacre Christians in Congo and Nigeria Amid Growing Wave of Violence

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William Desjardins

On July 27, Islamist terrorists carried out a brutal massacre at a church in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), killing at least 49 Christians who had gathered for worship. The attackers, jihadists allied with the Islamic State, struck during a Silver Jubilee celebration where worshipers had come from surrounding villages to pray for security and peace. Instead, the congregation faced unimaginable violence, as attackers stormed the church wielding machetes. Witnesses report that Christians who attempted to flee were hunted down and killed, while others were beheaded inside the sanctuary. Most of the victims were Catholic believers, cut down in the middle of a service meant to reaffirm their hope and faith.

The violence was carried out by members of the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Uganda-rooted rebel group long recognized as one of the region’s deadliest militias. The ADF, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, has intensified attacks on Christians in the DRC as part of its broader effort to establish a caliphate under strict Islamic law. In this latest massacre, nine children were reportedly decapitated, and several others were abducted, underlining the group’s deliberate targeting of the most vulnerable. Pope Leo XIV issued a strong condemnation of the killings, denouncing the atrocity as a brutal violation of human dignity and a direct assault on the Christian faithful.

The aftermath of the massacre in Komanda village was devastating. The U.N. peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, was forced to deploy earth-digging machinery to create a mass grave for the victims, as the death toll overwhelmed local resources. Many of those buried had already sought refuge in Komanda after surviving attacks in other regions, only to be slaughtered once again. Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, described the situation as a “crisis of biblical proportions” and a “silent slaughter” where women and children are increasingly targeted. Reports from Open Doors further highlight that more than 80 villagers, mostly Christians, were killed in other attacks across the region in July alone. Despite the scale of violence, local sources revealed that no arrests have been made, leaving survivors fearful of another imminent attack.

The crisis in the DRC mirrors escalating Islamist violence against Christians in Nigeria. On August 4, Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed a Christian woman in Plateau state, part of a broader campaign that has seen entire Christian villages depopulated and repopulated by Fulani militants. Boko Haram, another militant Islamist sect, has long declared its intent to impose strict Muslim law in Nigeria and vowed to “cleanse the north of Christianity.” Despite these threats, the Nigerian government has urged Christians not to be alarmed, assuring them of protection. However, the persistent violence and the absence of adequate security responses have left many believers skeptical and fearful.

Leaders within Nigeria’s Christian community have begun urging believers to take responsibility for their own protection. Ayo Oritsejafor, leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, called on Christians to take appropriate action in safeguarding themselves from further attacks. This comes against the backdrop of staggering losses: more than 4,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in the past year alone. With Islamist groups across central Africa pushing for control of Christian-majority regions, the plight of believers in both the DRC and Nigeria underscores a growing humanitarian and spiritual crisis—one where faith communities are caught in the crosshairs of violent extremism, with limited assurances of safety from the governments meant to protect them.