Faith: May 2019 Archives
King Abdullah vows to complete restoration of Church of Holy Sepulchre
"When Jordan's King Abdullah announced May 7 that he is planning to help fund the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre from his own funds, many were caught off guard. The announcement surprised church leaders in Jerusalem who have been unable to reach a funding agreement for fear that a church funding the restoration would make ownership claims to it.
"Orthodox Church spokesman Father Issa Musleh enthusiastically welcomed the decision in a phone interview with Al-Monitor, saying, 'The decision of His Majesty King Abdullah II is a dream come true. We have been trying for decades to find a way around the stalemate of who would fund the restoration.'...
"Simon Azazian, a researcher of the history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, told Al-Monitor that Abdullah's involvement resolved a long-standing problem that has resulted in the deterioration of the church. 'While any of the three major churches -- Orthodox, Franciscans and the Armenians -- can easily raise the needed funds to carry out the restoration, the other churches would then worry that those who fund the restoration somehow have extra powers and rights to administer it.'"
Rachel Held Evans Had a Story - Point of View - John Stonestreet
John Stonestreet wrote this kind, thoughtful, personal reflection on Rachel Held Evans, the ex-Christian activist and author who died recently at a young age. Stonestreet knew and worked with her, her father, and her husband at Bryan College. He asked Christianity Today to remove it from the website, because her family said it hurt their feelings.
"I think Rachel was wrong, seriously so, about many things, including things of grave importance. In tribute, many have written how she helped expand the tent of evangelicalism and convinced many skeptics to stay at the faith table. I think, as a friend put it, she often ushered the vulnerable into her doubts and championed wrong ideas. Rachel once wrote that the scandal of the gospel is not who is kept out but who is allowed in. I think she was right about that, but we'd probably not have to dig too deeply below the surface of that statement to find disagreement as well.
"If there is some sort of lesson or morale to what I've written, I don't know how to articulate it other than to remind us that everyone, even those we deeply disagree with, has a story. Their stories, like ours, include life experiences, friends, family members, and deeply held beliefs about life and the world. I don't know why God decided our stories should cross, and I've no idea why her story came to an end when it did. Death is awful. I just pray that God surrounds her sister, her parents, her children, and her husband with grace and comfort."
