Besieged by charities?
This is the time of year that many of us get besieged by requests from charities asking for money.  The economic downturn has only added a degree of urgency to these pleas for help.  Donations down, needs still increasing, etc., etc. It is easy to either cave in and impulsively give to the charity with the saddest story or say, "A pox on all of your houses!" and refuse to give at all.  Recently I

2008 in review
It is common at the turn of a new year to look back and to make lists of the most significant events in the past 12 months.  The result is usually rather subjective and rarely accepted by everyone as being accurate.  This may be a particularly difficult challenge when it comes to religious liberty stories.  How does one determine were the most important stories?  The number of people involved? 

So what are you reading in December?
This month, I have had the privilege of reading three rather interesting books:The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer. Published in 1960, this book was the first historical study of Nazi Germany in English. The book was criticized by some academics, primarily for his assertion that Nazism was a natural result of a process that began with Martin Luther in developing the German

Latest update on David and Fiona Fulton
The following is the latest update on the Fultons, as released by their own church in the United Kingdom: On Saturday 29th November Dave and Fiona were arrested for sedition (undermining the authority of the government). They have since been held separately, Dave in the high security Mile Two prison in solitary confinement and Fiona in the police station initially with two year old Elizabeth but

Echoing their brave delight
Angels we have heard on high/singing sweetly through the night,/and the mountains in reply/echoing their brave delight. This verse of the classic Christmas carol “Angels we have heard on high” struck me in a new way as I sang it along with fellow church members on Christmas Eve. As I sung the last line, I thought of some of persecuted believers I’ve seen or heard about this year and realized

Tough times require tough faith
This is more than a slogan, even though you will likely be seeing it more throughout 2009 from The Voice of the Martyrs.  I know from personal experience just how valuable it is to fellowship with persecuted Christians during the storms of life.  Many of you know of my struggle over the past six years with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  While the path of following Christ through these years has

Theology of Persecution weblog launched
For several years, The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada has been committed to the research and teaching of the what the Bible teaches about persecution to Christians around the world.  It is well recognized by those who work among persecuted Christians that few attempts have been made to develop a biblical theology of persecution. Most attempts consist of selected texts arranged thematically which

A peaceful but sombre Christmas for Christians in Kandhamal.
Despite concerns that Christmas in the Kandhamal district of Orissa, India would be marred with the anti-Christian violence that has been a hallmark of the area since late August, Christmas passed quietly, though sombrely.  Midnight services took place in at least 60 churches in the district and while there were reports of a few roadblocks being set up, they were reportedly taken down quickly by

Merry Christmas from The Voice of the Martyrs

Praying for persecuted children
This holiday season I have been thinking particularly of all of the children throughout the world affected by Christian persecution. Partly, perhaps, this has to do with images of children associated with the season—children smiling as they open long-anticipated gifts, sing favourite carols or decorate the tree. I know, however, that this focus mostly has to do with my recent trip to Sri Lanka,