20 February 2008

Presbyterians-Week Headlines

[1] Freed Christian Describes Kidnapping Ordeal in Pakistan
[2] Second Wind
[3] RTS in Sight of Goal
[4] Oliver Moves from Trinity to Charlotte
[5] Orthodox Prelate Says 'Liberal Christianity' Threatens Church Unity
[6] David Jussley to Jackson
[7] Fourth Pittsburgh Proposes Departure

[1] Freed Christian Describes Kidnapping Ordeal in Pakistan

A Christian doctor described receiving various death threats while kidnapped recently by Islamic extremists in an area of Pakistan reeling from extremist violence. Militants in parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan have forced Christians and moderate Muslims to don Islamist garb, have bombed CD shops for perceived decadence and, in the case of Dr. Reginald Zahiruddin, have attempted forced conversion to Islam.

The extremists released Dr. Zahiruddin on 2 January, after kidnapping the Christian 25 days prior and demanding he renounce his faith at gunpoint. Five armed men cut off Dr. Zahiruddin and his driver as they were traveling south from the city of Bannu on 8 December, the doctor said in a written account of his kidnapping.

The medical superintendent of Pennell Memorial Christian Hospital in Bannu was on a weekly visit to the city of Dera Ismail Khan, 100 kilometers south (62 miles), to treat 50 poor patients.

The kidnappers told Dr. Zahiruddin that the main reason for his abduction was to force him to convert to Islam. "I was bold enough to refuse, and I even told them that God has the authority of taking my life as he has given it to me," the doctor said.

+ Compass Direct News, PO Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799-7250

[2] Second Wind

Virginia Associate Reformed Presbytery is sponsoring a program called "2nd Wind" to strengthen and revitalize its congregations. This 16-month program is designed to help churches evaluate their present health and to develop a plan for a healthy future. The program is led by Dr. Ken Priddy of United Front Ministries. Churches participating are Old Providence, Edgemont, Fairlea, Lauderdale and Wildhurst.

+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, One Cleveland Street, Greenville, South Carolina 29601

[3] RTS in Sight of Goal

Reformed Theological Seminary is publicly announcing its 2005-10 financial campaign, standing only US$15 million away from their US$75 million dollar goal. Funds are being raised for: expansion and support of the RTS/Atlanta and RTS/ Washington, District of Columbia. campuses and hiring additional full time faculty and staff to offer the M.Div. program in those regions; 50 percent merit based scholarships for 300 students who meet criteria for exceptional ministry leadership potential; an endowment-type fund for new ministry opportunities and emergency needs; a technology support fund for the RTS/Virtual campus to expand and improve available courses; and a current operating fund to allow the seminary to support core training programs over the five years of the campaign. RTS is asking consideration by its friends and partners for three-year commitments to reach this final 15 million dollars.

+ Lyn Perez, Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando), 1231 Reformation Drive, Oviedo, FL 32765 (407) 366-9493 rts.orlando@rts.edu

[4] Oliver Moves from Trinity to Charlotte

Dr. John Oliver has been appointed Professor of Homiletics and Practical Theology at RTS (Charlotte). He is currently the Senior Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, Alabama, and for many years was the Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia.

+ Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte), 2101 Carmel Road, Charlotte, NC 28226-6399 (704) 366-5066 rts.charlotte@rts.edu

[5] Orthodox Prelate Says 'Liberal Christianity' Threatens Church Unity

A senior Russian Orthodox Church bishop has criticized suggestions by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams that some aspects of Islamic law should be recognized in the British legal system, as representing a "politically correct" Christianity. "It is not our task to defend Sharia law, or to commend alternative lifestyles or to promote secular values. Our holy mission is to preach what Christ preached," said Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European institutions.

+ Ecumenical News International, PO Box 2100, CH - 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland

[6] David Jussley to Jackson

Dr. David Jussely (RTS '74) will become Dean of Students and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at RTS (Jackson). Jussley has pastored several Mississippi churches and has recently completed his Ph.D. in speech communications.

+ Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson), 5422 Clinton Blvd., Jackson, MS 39209-3099 (601) 923-1600 rts.jackson@rts.edu

[7] Fourth Pittsburgh Proposes Departure

Pittsburgh's Fourth Presbyterian Church wants to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The 40-member congregation voted 27 to 2 to seek a more traditional approach to Presbyterianism. In the notice to presbytery, the congregation did not request its title to its property. According to reports published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pastor David Schrader, has said he intends to stay with the Presbyterian Church (USA) rather than leave with his congregation.

According to published reports Rev. Doug Portz, acting general presbyter for Pittsburgh Presbytery, indicated that leaders of Fourth had been talking with a presbytery task group for about six months. A proposal for departure will be worked out and voted on at a future presbytery meeting.

+ Fourth Presbyterian Church, 5450 Friendship Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 (412) 661-7414


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