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CFT's bi-weekly CHRISTIAN NEWS

30 June 1997

* Evangelism conference in South Africa - GCOWE '97, Global Consultation on World Evangelization, will take place from 30 June to 5 July in Pretoria and will seek to reach several objectives:
1. To give mission executives from major denominations, parachurch organisations, and emerging mission boards the opportunity to discuss together what God is doing and to develop networks so that each part of the Body knows what the rest is doing.
2. To give mission executives who have the missionary forces and resources to touch the world an opportunity to move in unity of heart toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
3. To give the leaders of emerging mission agencies an opportunity to gain from the experience of world mission leaders.

* Lady almost dies in SA legal abortion - A 21 year old woman almost died after being given Cytotec by the Pelonomi government abortion clinic near Bloemfontein. The women, who was 11 weeks pregnant, suffered severe blood loss. The Free State Department of Health is investigating the case. (Die Volksblad, 19 June)
According to sources interviewed by Christian News, abortifacents, some of them unregistered, are being promoted by the Department of Health to force doctors to perform DNC's. These abortifacents cause spontaneous abortions and are often very dangerous. The Department of Health, recognising that most doctors and nurses refuse to do abortions, uses this method to ensure that medical staff comply with the new abortion law.

* Australian laws not violated by creationism lecturer - A mixed verdict has been reached in a trial that pitted evolution against creationism in a case involving Noah's Ark. In 1991, Dr. Allen Roberts was held hostage by Kurdish separatists after visiting Mount Ararat in Turkey. Since then, Roberts, a church elder and a creationist who holds a Christian education doctorate obtained in the U.S., has presented a number of lectures in Australia on his explorations of the site. In the trial, which began on April 7,1997, Roberts was sued by geology professor Ian Plimer, author David Fasold and the Australian Skeptics Society for "misleading and deceptive conduct" in those lectures. (MARANATHA NEWSWATCH Vol 2 Issue 24)

* Religious freedom in Russia under threat - The Russian Federation ("RF") Duma approved, on 18 June, a new law "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations" at its second reading, with a vote of 334-5. The new law wipes out most of the religious freedom the Russian people have recently obtained, taking away the legal rights of all religious organisations established during the last 15 years. It is difficult to overstate the potential impact of this legislation. Final passage is expected by early next week. President Boris Yeltsin may veto the legislation but even if he does, the Duma may have enough votes to override. Only religious organisations that can prove at least 15 years of existence, by government certification, can have legal entity status. All newer organisations will lose their legal entity status and a significant number of related rights -irrespective of size, doctrines, or membership. In effect, only religious organisations registered during the Soviet period, at the height of Soviet persecution of believers, will remain. This will wipe out hundreds of recently registered faiths, churches, seminaries, and charities, serving millions of Russian citizens, and will deprive their members of existing rights to own places of worship, produce and distribute religious literature, employ