Applied Theology
You might remember that as the drama of Said Musa was unfolding, I pointed out that part of the difficulty facing the Afghan government was the threat of an uprising among the masses of Muslims who would be outraged by leaders unwilling to execute the death penalty against those who supposedly blaspheme the prophet Mohammad... Continue Reading →
Are Christians persecuted in the United States? - by Gregory Cochran - Helium. Check out the article above for a fuller explanation of why I think there is persecution in America. Here, I am offering an anecdote from a recent encounter at Southern Seminary. Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of... Continue Reading →
Though Shoaib's letter is not as powerful as the letter we posted from Said Musa last week, there is an urgency about this letter. It is clear from the letter that Shoaib is appealing to the Afghan Government based on its own constitution. He is appealing to the government for justice, which is what the... Continue Reading →
In a wonderful sign of Christian unity, thousands of Christians took action on behalf of Said Musa, an imprisoned Christian facing death in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity. Said Musa HAS BEEN FREED from prison and is now safely out of the country. But Said Musa was not alone. Another Christian—Shoaib Assadullah—is facing the same... Continue Reading →
The news is still positive concerning Said Musa. We should remember that his help has come from above, just as Paul's help came to him through the prayers of the saints (2 Corinthians 1:8-11). International Christian Concern has a good piece concerning Said Musa's case from an American political perspective. There are other well-done news... Continue Reading →
Concerning Said Musa, there are reports that American pressure is working. All the tweets and prayers are having an effect. Denny Burk, once again, has done a great job of getting out the information. His post today details the signs of hope for Said. So, we should keep the pressure on as much as possible. ... Continue Reading →
As you have probably read, Said Musa is scheduled to be executed within the next three days. It has been encouraging to see so many people waking up the horrific realities of Christian persecution, especially as it exists in Muslim countries. The Christian Post points out that Christian leaders from Rick Warren to rap artist... Continue Reading →
» Pray for Said Musa | Denny Burk. My good friend Denny Burk has done a great job compiling articles, information, and suggested action concerning Said Musa at his blog, which you can reach by clicking the link above. Thanks, Denny. We spoke of and prayed for Said Musa during our service today. I am... Continue Reading →
Calvinism is a name derided much more often than understood. Typically, debates are framed by the so-called "5 Points of Calvinism." This 5-point framework is both helpful and misleading. If one were to ask John Calvin about 5-point Calvinism, he wouldn't know what to say. He never devised such a theological pentagon. For Calvin, there... Continue Reading →
Well, we have been discussing Christians in Egypt a good bit lately, but what about Christians in America? Do you think Christians suffer persecution in America? It would be great to hear your opinions below. If you are interested in my attempt to answer the question rightly, you can check it out here.
I have been reading more to understand the situation in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. Freedom is indeed on the march throughout the Arab world. It is something that few thought was even a remote possibility. President Bush deserves credit for believing the impossible was possible throughout the Middle East (see here). However, the... Continue Reading →
In case some of you are wondering how Christians are doing in Egypt, you can follow this link to a news report that paints a grim picture. Notice that the violence is taking place in a rural area far from Cairo. It surely isn't getting reported, and, according to the article, our present administration appears... Continue Reading →
In many countries around the world, there is a kind of “tolerance” of religions which says that you can believe what you want as long as you don’t proselytize anyone else. In other words, you can be a Christian, you just can’t tell anyone about it. Sure, you can be a Christian privately but don’t... Continue Reading →
Kathryn Jean Lopez interviewed Barry Rubin,Director of Global Research in International Affairs and author of 2 books concerning Egypt and Islam. She asked him the following question. I post the question and the response so you will get an idea of what it's like for Christians in Egypt: Lopez: Human Rights. Christians. Democracy. Any of... Continue Reading →
You have heard of Matthew Shepard, haven’t you? Of course you have. He is the young homosexual man who was robbed and then brutally murdered in Wyoming in 1998. He was 21 years old. His case has become synonymous with hate crimes legislation. His name is well known to us all. But there are names... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 