Sitting pope to bury retired predecessor as Benedict XVI dies at 95
Twenty twenty two. It has been a stormy year for the church and the faithful in so many parts of the world. For the body of Christ in whatever denomination, it would be foolhardy to be overly moody and mournful due to the diversity of challenges facing her.
The Holy scriptures has it wrapped up saying it is darkest before morning, when prophecies about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is getting closer to fulfillment. Those who are resting on the word of God will remember that the Lord himself admonished the followers to count it all joy when men would ‘persecute you’ and do all manners of things against ‘you.’
While chroniclers busied themselves with too many negative and painful events during the year 2022, there were brief moments the diaries had some respite. Other records did show that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church.
Capping the year, the top Christian icon went the way of all men as former Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI died on the last day of 2022 in the Vatican after his health failed due to old age. Undoubtedly, this is the biggest figure of the Faith that stole the headlines though he was not a sitting pope.
The peculiarity of his papacy is that he was the first pope to retire from office in 600 years in the Catholic Church and his funeral would be handled by the pope in service instead of a conclave set up to elect a new pope, an uncommon thing indeed.
…on the brighter side
In the United States city of Atlanta, in September 2022, the presiding Bishop and senior pastor, The Potter’s House, TD Jakes passed on the mantle of leadership of the Women ministry to his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, also a pastor.
It was a unique event that marked a hand over from a father, after about 35 years, to his daughter, a promising youth.
Africa has seen impressive number of Christian church membership in the past 10 years with the statistics available from Church of Jesus Christ.org. Nigeria, Ghana, DR Congo, South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire have the most growth with 10 years increase of 103, 99, 193, 21, and 250 percent respectively depending on their respective population a decade ago.
Christianity continues to grow fastest in Africa (2.77 percent) and Asia (1.50 percent) than in any other continent. Two decades ago, 814 million Christians lived in Europe and North America while 660 million lived in Africa and Asia. Today, 838 million live in the global North, while Africa and Asia alone are home to 1,1 billion Christians.
The harder flip side
Judging from the words that the Lord Jesus Christ left the church, persecution is a mark that the Christian is not compromising with the world and its system and that the church is standing its ground. Therefore, the year has recorded a number of negatives that cannot all be captured in a piece like this.
Nigeria
In 2002, when Mohammed Yusuf started his radical messages to reject all aspects of Nigeria’s secular life, Boko Haram was set in motion and more actively when Shekerau took over reign in 2009 following the demise of Yusuf. Since then, terrorism has become a common feature and attacks on Christians, their churches and schools among others have increased.
Insecurity and persecution have become what the Christians live with in Nigeria almost on daily basis.
Boko Haram terrorists released, Nigerian Government Refutes Swap Deal
The 23 hostages left in the camp of the Boko Haram terrorists who kidnapped them from the train in which they were traveling from Abuja to Kaduna earlier this year were released to the Nigerian military. The prisoners had been there from March 28 for six months till the release.
It made the rounds that the Islamist terrorist group let them go in exchange of 101 terrorists in Nigerian prison since 2009, which the Nigerian government approved unilaterally. It denied going into such a deal and granting amnesty to them, It claimed that no swap took place. Courtesy: International Christian Concern
Terror Attacks mar Christmas, 46 killed
The attack in which 46 persons were killed over three days in Kaduna state of Nigeria were believed to have been carried out by a group of Fulani herdsmen.
Fr. Justine Dyikuk, International Religious Freedom Policy Senior Fellow, wrote in The Pillar that the violence took place in two separate attacks across four villages in northern Nigeria.
Militants cut off Christians from School
For the past seven years, the Fulani militant herdsmen have brutalized the Irigwe community in Kwall county of Plateau state. Now, this has caused the displacement of about 500 students from schools.
Irigwe is one of the most terrorized and persecuted group in the State and it would not have been so had close attention been given to them as much as is directed at Boko Haram and IS. A student leader believes that the media and government should step up surveillance in the area largely populated by Christians.
Civilians Kidnapped in Village Raids
Another dimension to the state of insecurity and persecution is that people in local communities are abducted from their farms and homes. Thereafter, ransom is demanded from their relatives.
A report by a member of the community revealed that the bandits divided themselves into two groups and attacked the community and kidnapped children aged 14 to 16 including women.
Here is the breakdown of victims: Kanwa village – 40, Kwabre – 37, Yankaba and Gidan Goga villages – 38. Now the villages are deserted for fear of continuous attacks from various groups.
USCIRF disappointed by State Department
The U.S. Department of State released its list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) in July. Two countries – Nigeria and India – well known for their severe violations of religious freedom were left out much to the displeasure of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
It was piqued by what it considered a grave omission of what was common knowledge, the state of the two countries.
Mozambique
An American missionary pilot, Ryan Koher has been detained for more than a month in Mozambique on suspicion of supporting insurgents in the southern African nation.
Koher, who is working with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) through its Mozambican partner Ambassador Aviation Ltd. (AAL), was scheduled to fly supplies to church-run orphanages in the Montepuez district in the troubled northern Province of Cabo Delgado.Two South African volunteers, 77-year-old W. J. du Plessis and 69-year-old Eric Dry in the coastal city of Inhambane were detained with Koher.
England
After being threatened with disciplinary measures for proposing to pray with patients, a Christian GP reached a settlement with NHS England in September.
Dr. Richard Scott of Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent, was scheduled to contest an NHS ruling, however the hearing was canceled at the last moment due to a resolution between the two parties.
Croydon
An employment tribunal ruled that a Christian nurse who was fired for putting a cross necklace was discriminated against because of her Christian beliefs. Croydon Health Services NHS Trust was adjudged to have violated Mary Onuoha’s human rights and helped create a very unconducive environment for her to work in, according to a landmark judgment.
Finland
A distinguished Finnish Christian politician won a legal battle last March after being charged with “hate speech” and facing a two-year jail term.
Paivi Rasanen had tweeted a Bible verse describing homosexuality as appalling three years before. In a 2004 pamphlet, she also expressed her conservative viewpoint on the subject.
For publishing the pamphlet, Bishop Juhana Pohjola was also charged with hate speech. The Helsinki District Court did not find them guilty although an appeal was filed.
UK Churches
UK churches are opting to shut their doors during the day for quiet prayer because of fear of criminal damage. Ecclesiastical Insurance in partnership with the Bible Society, in a study, revealed more than half of the churches keep doors closed during the day giving criminal damage and anti-social behavior as reasons.
Ukraine wars against the church
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky endorsed a draft law to hinder the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) from relating with Moscow, home of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
Security services raided monasteries, searched hundreds of buildings, and investigated nearly a thousand people in Ukraine as collaboration with Russia-linked churches are viewed with suspicion.