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Mission Leader Sees Church Burnings As Attack on Religious Liberty |
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New York, NY, February 8, 2006—The chief mission executive of The United Methodist Church sees a new outbreak of church burnings as an attack on religious liberty and a sign of the need for healing in the lives of the arsonists and society. The Rev. R. Randy Day said that the torching of nine Alabama Baptist churches during the first week of February is “a grim reminder of the values and the fragile nature of religious liberty in the United States.” Day heads his denomination’s General Board of Global Ministries. “We join spiritual hands with the people of the violated congregations in this time of pain and uncertainty,” he said. Five church buildings were initially damaged or destroyed by fire in rural Bibb County, in south central Alabama. Of those, four house predominantly white congregations and one a predominantly African American church. On February 7, another four, all African American, were set fire in the western part of the state. Day said that “the malice that provokes such violence is a stark reminder of the need for healing and reconciliation in the broken lives of the arsonists and in some parts of American society.” With respect to religious liberty, Day declared that “the members of all religious groups and communities deserve the right to go to sleep at night without fear that their houses of worship will be destroyed in the darkness.” He deplored the fact that large numbers of churches are burned by arsonists every year in the United States. Almost all of the churches in the new round of fires are in relatively isolated areas of Alabama. Reports indicate that in several instances the blazes were started in the areas of the pulpits or communion tables. “Little could be more offensive to Christian people than attacks on proclamation and sacraments,” Day said. Day also said it is a scandal that many American churches are set fire every year. The Christian Science Monitor on February 8 stated that 1,000 were burned between 1996 and 2000. This record, he said, “calls for greater public awareness and greater vigilance on the part of law enforcement.” The General Board of Global Ministries is the official international mission agency of The United Methodist Church. It works with all components of the denomination in making disciples of Jesus Christ, developing and strengthening congregations, alleviating human suffering, and promoting justice, peace, and freedom. The full text of Day’s statement follows: “The new outbreak of church burnings in Alabama is a grim reminder of the value and the fragile nature of religious liberty in the United States. The malice that provokes such violence is a stark reminder of the need for healing and reconciliation in the broken lives of the arsonists and in some parts of American society. “The General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church strongly condemns the destruction or damaging by fire of five predominantly African American and four predominantly white Baptist churches in south central and western Alabama during the first week of February. We join spiritual hands with the people of the violated congregations in this time of pain and uncertainty. “While the racial overtones of the burnings remain unclear, the manner of the arsons suggests deep hostility to religion. Reports indicate that in many of the nine cases, fires were started in the area of the pulpit and communion table. Little could be more offensive to Christian people than attacks on proclamation and sacraments. “We are further distressed that many churches are burned each year, for a total of 1,000 from 1996 to 2000, according to the Christian Science Monitor. This is a scandalous record, one that calls for greater public awareness and greater vigilance on the part of law enforcement.” “The members of all religious groups and communities deserve the right to go to sleep at night without fear that their houses of worship will be destroyed in the darkness.”
Date posted: Feb 08, 2006 |
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