PAKISTAN: Tragedy in Islamabad

My former student Jim Bowman is president of Far East Broadcasting, and I was saddened to learn that the recent barbarous slaughter of worshipers at the Protestant International Church in Islamabad affected him so closely. He writes: "Dr. Christy Munir, who was leading the service at the Protestant International Church, is a member and recent chairman of our Far East Broadcasting local board of directors in Islamabad. He was preaching a sermon at the time the attacks occurred. Both arms and both legs were broken from the blast, and he suffered damage to internal organs. He was not expected to live, but thank God, he has just this week been declared out of danger. The sister-in-law of another of our local Pakistan board members, Emanuel Kurshid, died in the attack. Emanuel Kurshid is a highly respected Christian leader in that country, as is Dr. Munir.

An e-mail from someone who attended the service states: "This morning someone entered our church...threw several hand grenades into the congregation. My wife was hit by some small pieces of shrapnel. I have burns on my hands and face. A boy sitting two chairs down from me suffered severe wounds and died. The speaker (Dr. Munir) was halfway through his sermon. He was talking about Peter and how he failed Christ by denying Him. I remember him quoting John 15: 'If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.' 'Suffering', he said, 'is part and parcel of the Christian's life. God is using it to make us what He wants us to be.' Then the attack occurred."

Nevertheless, it is clear that politics, not religion, is the reason behind such attacks. Christians are identified with America in many quarters. Christians are attacked in many places, not because of religious differences, but because of hatred of America".

My comment: I am afraid that both religious differences and hatred of America are involved. Philip Jenkins, professor of history and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University, has just published The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2002). He foresees that soon the greatest number of Christians will be in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. "Christendom" has ceased long since to be synonymous with Europe, and it will no longer be the distinguishing feature of the West. He does not conclude that relations between Islam and Christianity will be any easier.

Ronald Hilton - 3/30/02