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Evangelicals organize for evangelism

CREATION OF ALL-RUSSIAN FELLOWSHIP OF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS ANNOUNCED IN MOSCOW SUBURB
Portal-credo.ru, 20 November 2008

A spiritual edification conference of the All-Russian Fellowship of Evangelical Christians (VSEKh) of Central Russia was held on 13 and 14 November in Nemchinovka (Moscow province), Blagovest-info reports, citing the press service of the Tushino evangelical church.

Several dozen pastors and heads of various evangelical churches and unions participated in the work of the conference. The primary goal of the conference was "Renewal of cooperation of pastors in Central Russia and formation of the All-Russian Fellowship of Evangelical Christians;" the fellowship itself does not propose the creation of some new confessional union but pursues the goal of cooperation in the creation of various Christian churches. The schedule of the event comprised the reports on topics that are critical for pastors and the subsequent discussion.

The address by the president of the Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians (STsEKh), A.T. Semchenko, was central. It was titled "Development of VSEKh and the Fellowship in Central Russia." He characterized the situation that has developed in the evangelical movement regarding education and finances as very complex. The primary task of VSEKh is to aid in the development of churches. And now the fellowship is prepared to provide churches with help in coordinating their educational programs as well as judicial support. At the same time the nature of the fellowship, in Semchenko's opinion, should be multiconfessional, because "salvation does not depend upon the name of the union." The speaker noted as a positive fact that quantitatively the believers of Russia outnumber all of Europe. Also the president of STsEKh recommended that pastors establish relationships with the authorities in the provinces. "Otherwise it will turn out that we will not see them and they will not see us."

The vice-president of the Evangelical Christian Evangelism Union (EKhMS) and coordinator of VSEKh, Semen Borodin, elucidated the topics of "A vision of ministry of the evangelical church in Megalopolis; Evangelical Moscow" and "The significance of evangelistic churches for the country." Evangelism topics were reviewed in a report by Leonid Kartavenko, "Cross-cultural ministry in Megalopolis," where the example of Moscow was analyzed for the possibilities of cross-cultural ministry within a single city. Also in the picture of the development of evangelism in Russia, the practical experience of EKhMS in organization of short-term evangelism trips was reviewed.

The pastor of the church of the "Open Door" (Moscow), Dmitry Lavrov, gave a report "Expansion: Evangelism Fund, Seal of Faith," in which he shared the practical experience of organizing the financing of evangelism work through the "Seal of Faith" project.  (tr. by PDS, posted 21 November 2008)

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Orthodox stir up religious strife

MURMANSK ORTHODOX DIOCESE OPENS "ANTISECTARIAN CAMPAIGN"
Slavic Legal Center, 14 November 2008

The Evangelism Department of the Murmansk diocese of RPTsMP has begun an "antisectarian campaign" against non-Orthodox Christians in connection with the construction of the a house of worship of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith [KhVE] in Murmansk, the press service of the Slavic Legal Center reports. In particular, the "Orthodoxy in the Northern Land" Internet newspaper published an insulting article directed against the protestant church under the title "Charismatic sect is conducting the construction of a house of worship in the center of Murmansk." The author of the article, quoting the leader of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Murmansk and Monchegore diocese, Anton Tuchkov, accuses the KhVE church of Murmansk of "proselyting extremism." Tuchkov noted that "among such totalitarian sects operating in Murmansk province, the neopentecostals are the most numerous. At the present time there are more than 100 religious organizations and groups of the charismatic variety active in the region. They all hide beneath such inoffensive names as 'Church on Golgotha,' 'Bethany,' etc. Together with the Jehovah's Witnesses, the charismatics constitute a core of anti-Orthodox practice in the region."

A statement of the Evangelism Department was posted on the Orthodox youth web portal of the Murmansk diocese of RPTsMP in which the KhVE church in Murmansk was accused of "extremist proselytism." In the statement the protestant church is called a "sect" and the basic doctrines of protestantism, shared by the evangelical churches and distinctive for Pentecostal congregations, are enumerated. In sum the Evangelism Department draws the conclusion:  "The parishioners have absorbed the values of the western secularized world. They have ceased to be Russian in their mentality although they still have not become 'Europeans.'"

In addition, the distribution of pamphlets directed against the protestant church has begun in Murmansk. In the pamphlets, under the title "Orthodox Rus prepares for the Day of National Unity," the Evangelism Department, along with the "Streta" research center, issues the following challenge (the text of the pamphlet was sent by representatives of the KhVE church to the Institute of Religion and Law):

"Dear Murmanskites, brothers and sisters. Practically in the center of our city, at No. 10 Poliarnye Zori Street, there has begun the construction of a house of worship of the sect that calls itself 'Christians of Evangelical Faith.' The history of this sect goes back more than 10 years, although this does not prevent their leader from seeking to exert control over the minds and souls of residents of our city. . . . They have not done a thing for our people but, on the contrary, they have actively collected donations from their parishioners and never the less they have dared to ingratiate themselves to the city authorities and have sought permission for the construction in the vicinity of schools and practically in the center of the business district of the city."

Further, after discussing a bit about where the "sect" gets its money for construction, the above mentioned organizations called "all patriots, sons and daughters of the native fatherland, not to allow fraud and deceit to enter the spiritual life of our territory and to resist the loss of personal freedom and spiritual death and to unite in the struggle with those who infringe our freedom in the name of the achievement of their greedy goals."

According to the director of the Institute of Religion and Law, Roman Lunkin, representatives of the evangelism departments of RPTsMP in various provinces quite often dispute with members of other Christian churchesÑwith Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, and charismatic believers. The Orthodox are especially angered by the active evangelistic activity of protestants, who for the most part are Pentecostals like the members of the KhVE church in Murmansk.  Orthodox and protestants have some differences about the understanding of worship, icons, prayers for the dead, and the like, although a common Christian faith exists. The accusations of proselytism and overt slanders directed against pastors on the part of some "sect scholars" are not evidence of high culture but rather speak of the absence of legal, theological, and purely humane training.

As an associate of the Institute of Religion and Law, Inna Zagrebina, noted, after such "militant" agitation there often are incidents of arson at houses of worship, and of their windows being broken and of clergy and parishioners being beaten up.  Has recent history really not taught us anything? According to Zagrebina, the theme of struggle with so-called "sects," which incorporates all non-Orthodox religious organizations, has recently become one of the most popular topics among a certain portion of the Orthodox community. The so-called warriors against sects do not shy away from fanciful, artificial juggling of materials and distortion of facts and the widespread dissemination within society of xenophobia and religious intolerance.

The Evangelism Department of the Murmansk diocese also has not stood idle and has laid the foundation for an antisectarian campaign, picking the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith as its victim. Russia is a multinational and multiconfessional country. Multiconfessional relations are an extremely fine and extremely sensitive area. And the struggle with the so-called "sects" (who actually are registered religious organizations conducting their activity in accordance with the laws of the Russian federation), which is conducted by a number of evangelism departments, not only undermines interconfessional peace in the region and leads to discrimination, but it also crudely violates the legal standards of national and international legislation.

In addition, according to part 2 of article 29 of the constitution of the Russian federation, propaganda or agitation that incites religious hatred and strife is not permitted. According to article 282 of the Criminal Code of RF, actions directed to the incitement of hatred or strife, as well as the diminishment of the dignity of an individual or group of persons based on religious affiliation, committed publicly or by means of news media, are liable to criminal prosecution. Apparently the "Orthodox" sect warriors in Murmansk have forgotten that the laws are binding upon all persons and they must answer for violation of them, the associate of the Institute of Religion and Law emphasized. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 November 2008).

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Kirgizia stiffens religion law

NEW LAW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS CONFESSION IN KIRGIZIA
InterfaxÑreligiia, 6 November 2008

The parliament of Kirgizia adopted the law "On freedom of religious confession," stiffening the rules for the activity of religious organizations on the territory of the republic.

The currently active law was adopted in 1991 and, as the drafters of the new law think, has a "liberal character and is severely outdated, since it does not correspond to the demands of the present day."

The director of the state Agency for Religious Affairs, Kanybek Osmonaliev, stated for Interfax on Thursday that the new law "does not so much make more stringent as it puts in order the activity of religious organizations in Kirgizia and regulates the relations between the state and religious organizations."

"Hitherto the activity of religious organizations was regulated by a temporary statute that did not take account of changes that have occurred in society and the religious situation, and the new law establishs the rights and obligations of religious organizations; that is it brings them into the legal field," Osmonaliev said.

He reported that the basic provision of the law is the requirement of registration of a religious organization, for which it is necessary that its membership comprise a minimum of 200 persons. Previously such a threshold did not exist.

In addition the lists of members of an organization, both in Bishkek and in the outlying regions, must be registered through local soviets (keneshy) of deputies and the founding documents must include the structure of the organization and its goals and tasks, and the names of founding members and employees.

The director of the agency does not think that the newly adopted law infringes the right of citizens of the republic to freedom of religious confession.

"For 17 years it has been necessary to introduce amendments in the law so that the situation will not be so alarming as it now is, since many religious organizations of Kirgizia are operating without registration and they do not bear any accountability," K. Osmonaliev thinks. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 November 2008)



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