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Daily Briefing, Friday 9 October: Churches Under Pressure — a Cathedral Bombed in Nigeria, a Confiscation Threat in Iran, and American Disputes Over the State and the Church

By The FaithDaily Desk

Good morning. The day's gravest news came from Nigeria. Anglican Ink reported a suicide bombing at St. John's Catholic Cathedral on Murtala Mohammed Way, in the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi Town. At least two people died and more than 40 were injured. The bomber is reported to have detonated his explosives at the church gate. The outlet placed the attack on the previous day.

Pressure on churches was not confined to Nigeria. Anglican Ink also reported that the United Nations had issued a communication to the government of Iran over the imminent confiscation of the compound of St Peter's Evangelical Church in Tehran, which it described as the oldest Protestant church in the country, along with a forced eviction.

In the United States, several stories turned on the state and the church. Charisma News reported that two Christian counselors in Nebraska had sued their city over a counseling ban, with the Thomas More Society filing suit on October 6; their attorneys say the counselors could face jail, fines and the loss of their livelihood. Religion News Service reported that a Catholic bishop in Iowa, Dennis G. Walsh, had written to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging him to halt the deportation of Fatou Traore, an immigrant from Ivory Coast, which the bishop called a grave violation of her human dignity. Religion News Service also carried a statement from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley condemning public execution plans; he warned that such an execution "will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people."

From Rome, Religion News Service reported that Pope Leo XIV had opened a weeklong, closed-door conference assessing the implementation of Pope Francis' 2016 document "The Joy of Love," which concerned the Church's opening to civilly remarried Catholics.

Two denominational items rounded out the day. United Methodist News reported that United Methodist Men had ended its affiliate relationship with the National Association of Conference Presidents, though both groups said they hoped for reconciliation. Anglican Ink published an analysis asking whether the coming Primates' Meeting might shift leadership away from England, noting that Africa accounts for at least 65 per cent of Anglicans worldwide.

There was also a death. Charisma News reported that the football figure Mike Ditka had died on Friday at the age of 86.

Elsewhere, the commentary ran to reflection rather than events: Christianity Today considered a new book on the limits of technology, The Gospel Coalition took up Christian nationalism, and Religion News Service looked back at Jim Bakker's place in Christian television.

Zoom out: The day's reporting turned repeatedly on churches and Christians under pressure, from violence in Nigeria to the power of the state in Iran and the United States.

What we're following

Anglican Ink: Cathedral in Bauchi bombed Read it
Religion News Service: Catholic, evangelical leaders condemn public execution plans as promoting ‘a culture of death’ Read it
United Methodist News: Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation Read it
Charisma News: Christian Therapists Sue Nebraska City Over Counseling Ban and Jail Threat Read it

Sources

Cathedral in Bauchi bombed Anglican Ink
Catholic, evangelical leaders condemn public execution plans as promoting ‘a culture of death’ Religion News Service
Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation United Methodist News
Christian Therapists Sue Nebraska City Over Counseling Ban and Jail Threat Charisma News
The Confessions, the Comforter, and ChatGPT Christianity Today
One Nation Under God? Responding to Christian Nationalism The Gospel Coalition
St Peter’s Evangelical Church: Iran Faces UN Scrutiny After Confiscation Threat Anglican Ink
Catholic Iowa bishop steps up in case of immigrant from Ivory Coast facing deportation Religion News Service
How Jim Bakker became the Johnny Carson of Christian TV Religion News Service
Pope Leo XIV opens status check on Pope Francis’ contentious opening to civilly remarried Catholics Religion News Service
Mike Ditka Dies at 86, Leaving a Legacy of Football and Faith Charisma News
Chance for a Communion reset: Could the Primates’ Meeting shift leadership away from England? Anglican Ink
Caleb Flynn and the Deadly Sin of Greed The Gospel Coalition
How to Make Racism Sound Christian The Gospel Coalition

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