2017 Archive
News (Archive-2017)
The conditions faced by the Christian population across the Middle East are important for caring Christians around the world to understand. Major media outlets too often provide us, however, with an incomplete (and sometimes inaccurate) account of events there and their causes. We present herewith a collection of well-written articles on the Christian situation to help broaden your understanding of this important subject. Articles reflect the authors’ research and opinions, not those of SMOTJ.
January 23 2017
An Iraqi Christian priest of the Chaldean rite describes how his faith and duty as a Christian enabled him to recover from torture by Islamic extremists. And do so with no residual bitterness.
National Review
By Kathryn Lopez
December 19, 2016
An Iraqi Catholic priest attributes his courage to God’s living within him.
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February 10, 2017
ERBIL, KURDISTAN—Iraq’s north is ground zero for the region’s religious wars.
Forbes
By Doug Bandow
February 10, 2017
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June 14, 2017
The liberation of Mosul from Islamic State was a victory for Iraq and its allies. Christian clerics now want to restore the Christian communities that fled. But a recent report expects less than half of those refugees to return, as their safety is still uncertain.
World Watch Monitor
June 14, 2017
Three years since the northern Iraqi city of Mosul was taken by Islamic State militants, Iraqi government forces have been able to reclaim a large part of the city, allowing Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad Louis Raphael Sako to visit several churches and monasteries.
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July 27, 2017
TOKYO, Japan—Our News section focuses on international news from major media outlets of potential interest to Templars. However, OSMTH Chaplain General Younan’s recognition by an international peace organization was so noteworthy that we include it in this month’s posting.
By Lutheran World Federation
July 27, 2017
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August 22, 2017
The allied armies’ success against IS in the Nineveh Plain is a bittersweet story for the Iraqi Christians seeking to reclaim their homes and rebuild their towns and villages.
By Andrew Doran
Fox News
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October 23, 2017
Islamic State has been driven from its strongholds in Syria, leaving the Christian community there a shadow of its former self. The Times describes the devastation wrought and the stark future ahead for the rural communities, in particular.
By Richard Spencer, Tel Tamer
The London Times
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December 5, 2017
The close relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and President Putin is evident in his vow to restore Christianity in Syria.
By Cristina Maza
Newsweek
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