Posted on 08/20/2018 1:11:19 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Rev. Franklin Graham says he is cancelling an evangelical summit in Russia after the government passed a new law placing severe restrictions on Christian evangelization.
"We were looking forward to this significant event being held in Russia because no one knows modern Christian persecution better than the church that suffered under communist rule. However, just a few weeks ago Russia passed a law that severely limits Christians' freedoms," Graham posted on Facebook in announcing the cancellation of his World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians.
The law, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, puts a stop to sharing faith in homes, online, and anywhere else except for church buildings. It is considered to be the country's most restrictive since post-Soviet history.
It gives Putin the authority to crack down on nongovernment affiliated churches, according to Archbishop Andrew Maklakov, administrator of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church of America.
"The Russian Orthodox church is part of a bulwark of Russian nationalism stirred up by Vladimir Putin," David Aikman, history professor and foreign affairs expert, said. "Everything that undermines that action is a real threat, whether that's evangelical Protestant missionaries or anything else."
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association had plan to host the event in Moscow in October. Instead, it will now take place in Washington, D.C.. May 10-13 of 2017.
"It seems that every week we learn of another example from a part of the globe that shows how critically we need to have this World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians," Graham said.
(Excerpt) Read more at 1.cbn.com ...
Why the old news
More recent news
https://thinkprogress.org/religious-right-russia-3e80e2ea2e4a/
https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/russian-connection-when-franklin-graham-met-putin
Sounds like Putin is trying to win back the American Left...
Just another reason to wish Jesus to return and put an end to all this crap.
Russia has been working against any Evangelical efforts in Russia for decades. Evangelicals cannot purchase property to build churches.
Catholic priest is caught on video snorting cocaine in a room full of Nazi memorabilia
But but what will the Putin puffers say?
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