RUSSIAN EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE LAMENTS WAR

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has received a letter from the Rev Vitaly Vlasenko, General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, with the request to share it with its worldwide constituency:

To my dear brothers and sisters around the world:

As the General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, I mourn what my country has done in its recent military invasion of another sovereign country, Ukraine.

For me, as for many other Christians, the military invasion was a shock. In the worst-case scenario, I could not imagine what is now being observed in Ukraine. Two peoples closely related to each other, many of whom are deeply devoted to the Christian (primarily Orthodox) faith, are now in a fierce battle – one side pursuing the goal of demilitarising Ukraine, the other seeking to save their country from occupation.

Many Russians and Ukrainians have close family relations in the opposite country. A Russian may have daughters and grandchildren living in Kyiv; a Ukrainian may have children living and working in Moscow. Today, pain, fear, and deep sorrow for their loved ones and for the future of their own lives and countries, pierce the hearts of many people like lightning, because since the Second World War, no one knows what the limits of war and its consequences may be.

Today, soldiers from one side and the other are dying. Peaceful feelings are being destroyed amidst the bombing and shelling, and a stream of increased attention has rushed across Europe in the form of refugees: women, the elderly, and children.

All these events cause me deep sorrow, bitterness and regret for decisions taken by the leadership of my country, and a great compassion for those suffering as a result of this decision.

Everything I could do to prevent war, I did in an attempt to stop this military invasion:

In my capacity as General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, I wrote an open letter to President Vladimir Putin the day before the invasion, in which I supported the request of the religious leaders of Ukraine for a peaceful solution to all conflict.

We initiated fasting and prayer for peace and harmony between Russia and Ukraine. Our Alliance took part in public prayer alongside Russian, Ukrainian, and European leaders for the reconciliation of all parties.

The Russian Evangelical Alliance provided humanitarian assistance to more than 500 refugees from Ukraine stationed in southern Russia.

We initiated a roundtable and subsequent international conference on the topic of military and political conflicts.

Today, as a citizen and as General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, I apologise to all those who have suffered, lost loved ones and relatives, or lost their place of residence as a result of this military conflict. My prayer is that you will find strength from the Lord to extend your hand of solidarity and forgiveness, so we can live as the people of God to our world. May our heavenly Father help us all. With deep respect, your brother in the Lord, Vitaly Vlasenko (WEA)

CHURCHES OPPOSE NATIONAL PARK EXPANSION

After heads of churches in the Holy Land voiced their objections to a proposal to expand Jerusalem Walls National Park to include property owned by several churches in the city, Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority announced on February 21 that it was backing down from the plan.

In a letter to Minister Tamar Zandberg sent on February 18, the heads of churches wrote: “This is a brutal measure that constitutes a direct and premeditated attack on the Christians in the Holy Land, on the churches and on their ancient, internationally guaranteed rights in the Holy City.”

The heads of churches added that, under the guise of protecting green spaces, the plan appeared to serve an ideological agenda that denies the status and rights of Christians in Jerusalem.

The Nature and Parks Authority said it was freezing the plan, which was to be approved on March 2. (WCC)

PAKISTANI PASTOR MURDERED

A Pakistani pastor was killed and another wounded on January 30 in an attack outside their church in northwestern Peshawar.

The two pastors were shot as they left the Shaheedan-e-all Saints’ Church, where they had led the Sunday morning service. The Rev William Siraj was killed on the spot, while his colleague, the Rev Patrick Naeem, was injured.

The attack took place outside a church that was established in memory of the twin suicide bombing of the All Saints’ Church in September 2013, in which 127 church members were killed and more than 250 injured. (World Watch Monitor)

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