What Price Conversion to Christianity in the United Kingdom?

Earlier this week Channel 4's Dispatches programme "Unholy War" focused on a subject that is close to my heart - the fate of Muslims in the UK who convert to Christianity. It described in graphic terms the abuse converts received from their relatives and neighbours. From my own experience I know that many people are living in denial of the problem, but hopefully this programme will serve to raise awareness of it. Converts often complain that other Christians are not doing enough to help them and do not understand their situation. The Bishop of Rochester (Michael Nazir-Ali) warned that it was only a matter of time before someone lost their life in the UK for converting to Christianity.

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Vox Evangelica Volume 10 (1977) now on-line

The following articles are now available in PDF:

Leslie C. Allen, "Faith on Trial: an Analysis of Psalm 139," Vox Evangelica 10 (1977): 5-23.

M.M.B. Turner, "The Concept of Receiving the Spirit in John's Gospel," Vox Evangelica 10 (1977): 24-42.

F.P. Cotterell, "The Gospel of Barnabas," Vox Evangelica 10 (1977): 43-47.

A brief but helpful discussion of this famous medieval muslim forgery.

A.N.S. Lane, "The Rationale and Significance of the Virgin Birth," Vox Evangelica 10 (1977): 48-64.

I found this the most interesting of the articles in this volume. It is not often you find a discussion of the reasons why it is thought that the virgin birth was necessary and this is certainly the best I've read.

R.L. Sturch, "The Metaphysics of the Incarnation," Vox Evangelica 10 (1977): 65-76.

The Conclusion of the Daniel Scot Case in Australia

I have been following the case of Australian Pastors Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah who were found guilty of 'religious vilification' of Islam in 2004 and ordered by the Court to apologise. The complaints made against him arose from a seminar the two pastors gave on Jihad in March 2003, the transcript of which is available here and is an excellent resource. In 2006 the State of Victoria Supreme Court overturned the verdict against him and ordered a retrial. Following a official talks at Offical pre-trial discussion the Islamic Council who brought the case have dropped their action, issuing a joint press-release affirming the rights to "robustly debate" and "criticise" religious beliefs.

The case has raised important issues of freedom of speech, not to mention the way in which the judge conducted the original trial. The case has cost the two ministers 500,000 Austrialian dollars and put them under a great deal of stress. In May this year (according to the Evangelical Times article) the 19 year-old nephew of Daniel's wife was kidnapped in Peshawar and held for 9 days before being released.

As with similar cases that have been brought against Christian ministers in the past, even when they are subsequently vindicated in court, to a large extent the damage has been done. Fewer people will now want to speak openly of the true nature of Islam for fear being subjected to the same treatment in the courts, so free speech and the freedom to spread the Gospel amongst Muslims in particular, is courtailed as the same law against "religious hatred" remains on the statute books in Australia. As Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for The Voice of the Martyrs put it succinctly:

In the eyes of the law, it's not a matter of whether or not these two men told the truth – they did – but whether someone felt bad about what they said. This is such a subjective standard that the law almost invites misguided cases like this one.

Read more of the background to this story here.

Daniel Scot has his appeal upheld in Australia

The two Australian Pastors found quilty in Victoria of "Vilifying Muslims" have had their appeal against the conviction upheld. The three appeal court judges have ordered that the case be re-tried under a different judge. Read more here:

Appeal upheld for two pastors in Australia accused of ''vilifying Muslims''

'Catch the Fire' Appeal allowed!

Victory for Free Speech – now for the Battle!

Read the PDF transcript of Daniel's Seminar here.

Please remember to pray for Daniel as the case is far from over.