Interview with Sean Bastable

Sean Bastable is the author of this week’s book review in ‘So What’ (see ‘My Simple Faith’ in the book review section). We thought it would be good to catch up with Sean and find out a little more about him and his book.

SW: Sean, this is the first book you have authored – describe the process behind it for us. Had you always wanted to write as a long-cherished dream or calling, or did the compulsion to write just come out of the blue?

Sean: I think everyone wishes they could write a book at some point in their life and I guess I'm the same in that respect. But this particular book was very much a spontaneous, accidental thing. I didn't say, "Ooh, I'd like to write a book now" and then sat down and wrote. It was more of a spontaneous thing that just sort of happened. My dad had not been well and been fighting cancer for five years and at one point I was sitting next to him in hospital and started to write. And I think that when a member of your family is not well, there's a lot of emotion that comes to the surface and the book was kind of birthed out of that. I just started to write pondering God and thinking about what happens in life beyond what we see, and within four or five days I'd written the first few chapters.

SW: Try to describe in one sentence what your book is about.

Sean: It's a book about God and Love and everything else and the fact that you can only reason so far - the final step is always a leap of faith, whatever path you choose.

SW: Since the book was published, what has the general response from the public been? Has it achieved all you hoped it would?

Sean: Writing a book is one thing, getting people to read it is a whole other thing all together! But as my cousin keeps reminding me, success is not about the number of books sold, it's the number of lives changed. Looking back over the last couple of months though, I'd say it's been a reasonably good start given that it's more of a hobby than a job. I'm also very shy and completely rubbish at selling anything, which hasn't helped much. Highlight of the year though was a 30-min documentary and TV interview with Vision Magazine and Trinity Broadcasting Network that aired in September. They did a great job of putting it all together and I got to drive a Ferrari!! You can check out the video on the website www.mysimplefaithbook.com.

SW: Do you have any writing projects you are currently working on? If so, can you give us a general idea what to expect?

Sean: Yes! I also work with Faith for Daily Living, a non-profit organisation that publishes a Christian daily devotional booklet every two months. Our latest initiative that I'm very excited about is the launch of a new student edition for younger readers that comes out in January 2011. Readers can find out more on the Facebook Fan page (Faith for Daily Living - Student Edition) or by emailing ffdl@saol.com. Then I've also started writing a sequel to my book, "My Simple Faith [IN ACTION] - and why I don't want to be run over by a bus!" It's a slow process, but hoping to have something readable towards the end of next year.

[Picture depicts Sean behind the wheel of a (borrowed) Ferrari. You will find out the significance of this if you read the book].

Bible apps reach millions

After only five months in existence, an audio-based Bible app has already reached one million downloads.

The Bible.is app has been downloaded in 166 countries and is available for free to iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. The app combines text and audio and is offered in a large number of languages.

The audio-Bible app has been developed by Faith Comes By Hearing ministry, and is an expression of their Digital Bible Project (DBP), which combines the latest technology with the world’s largest digital library of both Bible text and audio recordings. The app advances the ministry’s mission to record audio Bibles for every nation, tribe, language and people.

At this point the ministry has Scripture recordings in 500 languages, with the aim of 2,000 by 2016.

"While the Bible.is apps are great at home, in church and on-the-go, we really see them as a part of a larger strategy to fulfill the Great Commission," said Troy Carl, the ministry's national director and architect of the DBP. "We are excited by this rapid growth, and especially the worldwide reach this technology has produced."

Another Bible app, the YouVersion developed by LifeChurch.tv has even more impressive download figures after recently surpassing the 10 million download mark .

In one weekend alone, more than 100,000 downloads of the app took place, according to the YouVersion team.

YouVersion is also free and available on nine different platforms and in 20 different languages. The app includes 23 different reading plans readers can choose from.

“What we see with the app and the number of people talking about it and sharing it with others is we are really seeing what I think is the beginning of a revolution,” said Terry Storch, who leads the digerati team at LifeChurch.tv.

Oldest human remains discovered in Israel

Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University have published a report revealing their discovery of human remains in a cave in central Israel which they believe may be the earliest evidence for the existence of modern man.

The team chief Avi Gopher informed Agence France-Presse that their discovery of eight teeth in the Qesem Cabe challenges theoris of the origin of humans because it calls into question the widely held view that modern humans originated in Africa.

At this point, the earliest confirmed remains of modern man, or Homo sapiens, were 200,000 years old and found in East Africa.

The teeth found in Israel are about 400,000 years old.

"It's very exciting to come to this conclusion," Gopher said. "This changes the whole picture of evolution."

Some have speculated that the remains are likely related to the now extinct Neanderthals, but the team’s report as published in the "American Journal of Physical Anthropology," states that none of the Qesem teeth "shows a suite of Neanderthal characters," though "a few traits may suggest some affinities with members of the Neanderthal evolutionary lineage."

Gopher's team is continuing their dig at the cave and are convinced they will find skulls and bones that could confirm that the teeth are the remains of modern man.

Three religious leaders crack the nod for 2010 Most Admired list

Three religious leaders have earned a place on the 2010 Top 10 Most Admired Man list. This is an increase from the two who made it last year.

The Rev. Billy Graham and Pope Benedict XVI were both ranked tied sixth on the list, while the Dalai Lama also cracked the nod this year in tenth position in the annual open-ended poll conducted by USA Today/Gallup.

Graham has been in the top 10 list every year since 1955.

President Barack Obama remained in top position in the list, a position he has held from 2008 since he was elected. It is common for sitting presidents to top the poll as they have grabbed first place 52 out of the 64 times Gallup has compiled the list.

Obama’s position has slipped a little however as he went from 30% of Americans who named him tops in 2009 to only 22% this year. Nelson Mandela also routinely makes the list and did so again this year.

In the Most Admired Woman list, Hillary Clinton continued her dominance as she was named in the No 1 spot for the ninth consecutive year. She was followed by Sarah Palin, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and Queen Elizabeth.

Little town of Bethlehem sets Christmas record

Bethlehem enjoyed its highest number of Christmas pilgrims in over ten years, according to the Israeli military.

Well over 100,000 people from around the globe gathered in the town famous for being the birthplace of Jesus, which is double the number of visitors from last year.

“This is the first year that Bethlehem has hosted so many people,” said Bethlehem city official George Saade to Agence France-Presse.

This marks the third straight year in a row that Bethlehem has seen record-high tourists during the holiday. Thousands of pilgrims waited in line to view the dimly lit grotto said to be the birthplace of baby Jesus.

Included among these visitors were about 500 Christians from Gaza Strip who were granted a rare holiday entry permit by Israel. There are about 3,500 Christians out of Gaza’s 1.5 million population.

The Middle East’s senior Catholic cleric Fuad Twal traveled to Bethlehem from Jerusalem and held a midnight mass at St. Catherine’s Church, next to the Church of the Nativity. Twal called for peace and reconciliation between Israel and Palestinians.

“Our hope for Christmas is that Jerusalem not only becomes the capital of two nations, but also a model for the world, of harmony and coexistence of the three monotheistic religions,” said Twal.

Interview with Dr. Dion Forster

This week’s book featured in our review section was the excellent ‘Transform Your Work Life’ by Dr. Dion Forster and Graham Power. Dion is an ordained minister in the Methodist church, and currently serves as a consultant and spiritual adviser / Chaplain to the Global Day of Prayer and Unashamedly Ethical movements and their founder, Graham Power.

‘So What’ caught up with Dion to find out more about him and his latest book.

SW: Dion, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how this book in particular came to be.

Dion: OK, I'm a husband and father of two.  I am a Methodist minister who came to work in a 'corporate' setting after many years in pastoral ministry.  This book came about as a result of two primary influences.  First, my co-author (Graham Power) is a deeply committed Christian businessman.  Graham owns the largest privately owned Construction, Civil Engineering and Property Development company in South Africa.  He came to know Christ in 1999 at the Church where I was a minister, and from that time we started asking what it means to be a Christian who serves Jesus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We developed a slogan - 'While every person is called to full time ministry, not every person is called pastoral ministry'.  The second reason for the book was that whenever Graham and I were asked to speak at events and gatherings people often wanted some 'teaching' or 'training' to help them to develop their own calling and ministry in their work life.  So, in 2009 Struik Christian Books approached me to start writing it.

The book itself is a mixture of testimony (what has happened in Graham's life, and the lives of other Christians at work), teaching (so we try to explain how and why we do things, relate them back to the Bible and what we believe as Christians), and then some practical encouragements and examples (this is mainly to help the reader to try a few simple things that will get them started on their journey as a 'minister in the Marketplace').

The actual book was written between October and January of 2009-2010.  It was then edited, published and launched in May 2010.  

SW: Why do you think this topic is so important for Christians to hear?

Dion: I think that the message of this book is critical for Christians!  

First, it is important because the 9-5 window (where we spend our working hours) is one of the least reached places for the Gospel of Christ, and it is right under our noses!  God has such a strong desire to bless and love people in every place, for every hour of their week.  Sadly we have tended to think that our faith only has to do with particular times (Church services, Bible studies etc.) and particular places (our Church building, or a Christian meeting).  Paul told is that 'Whatever our task' we should 'work at it as if you're working for Christ and not for people' (Col 3.23-24).

Second, the message of this book helps us to realise that God's intention is that we should find blessing and fulfillment in every part of our lives.  Far too many people see work as a curse!  They dread going to work. The message of this book helps us to see how work can be a great blessing, in fact more than just blessing it can be a powerful, life changing, calling.

SW: What role does writing play in your busy life?  Has it always been an essential part of your calling, or is just something that developed out of the blue?

Dion: I spend a great deal of my time writing.  God has called me to be a teacher and preacher.  Because of that calling I will make use of any means that I have in order to speak of His goodness, and to encourage people to find their place within God's loving will.  I write for a number of different 'audiences', so to speak.  I have an active blog for which I try to write a couple of posts a week.  I have been doing this for years and I am grateful that I get between a few hundred and a few thousand visitors a day.  My two blogs are rated in the top 5 blogs in 'religion' in South Africa by the Mail & Guardian's amatomu.com aggregator.

I also write more 'formal' pieces.  I have published 7 books (most of them are academic books which were written as a result of theological research), and I still hold academic posts at the Universities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch.  As a result I write scholarly articles for publication in academic journals.

But, at the core all of the writing has the same intention - to tell of the wonders of God and His loving will.  I simply vary the style and length based on the audience that I am trying to engage.

SW: Since the book was published, what has the general response from the public been?  Has it achieved all you hoped it would?

Dion: The response to the book has been far beyond what I have expected!  We are truly thankful to God that this little book has done so well.  In truth it is not a 'groundbreaking' text, it is just a sincere collection of stories, some practical teaching, and some examples.  It has sold thousands of copies in Southern Africa, it was translated into Arabic (for sale in Egypt), Bahasa for sale in Indonesia, and Mandarin for sale in Taiwan and China, and Portuguese for sale in Brazil.  We have been invited to do 'Transform your work life' workshops all across South Africa and to speak at hundreds of Churches, business, and events as a result of people who have read the book.  This year we were in Hong Kong twice to speak about the message of the book, Malaysia once, and Graham was even invited to speak at a conference in Hawaii last  month.  We have also had the opportunity to visit Kenya, and we were invited to do two sessions on 'Transform your work life' as part of the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization that met in Cape Town in October.

In 2011 we will be in the USA in March and June, and back to South East Asia in April and May (Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia).

We've had the privilege of many persons doing interviews, such as this one, that have blessed us and helped us to spread the message of finding blessing in the world of work!  We have done lots of radio and television interviews.

All of the proceeds from the sales of the book go towards our Unashamedly Ethical campaign (discussed in Chapter 12 of the book).  So, it is a great blessing that the message is spreading so well, and that we are able to support Unashamedly Ethical in part through the royalties from the sales of the book.

SW: Do you have any writing projects you are currently working on?  Without giving too much away, can you give us a general idea what to look forward to?

Dion: Yes, I am working on another project.  I have a book that will be published by Cambridge Scholars Press in the United Kingdom that is more of an academic text bringing together some of the work I did in my doctoral research - it deals with some of the more technical aspects of cognitive neuroscience and the formation of identity through relationships and faith.

I have also been approached to write a short book of encouragement for parents whose children have serious or terminal illnesses.  I am praying about that at the moment.  I'm a little cautious to say anything about this since my own experience with my little girl Courtney is still a little too emotional and I am not sure that I can add any concrete value in this area.  But, it may be that I start working on that topic towards the middle of next year.

[Dion's book is for sale at Christian Republic on special for R88. Also on Kalahari.net for R95 and then in Wordsworth books, Exclusive books and CUM books (for between R100 - R115)].

Christian Republic: http://www.christianrepublic.co.za/catalogue/Transform-Your-Work-Life.htm
Kalahari.net: http://www.kalahari.net/books/Transform-Your-Work-Life/34923/37717631.aspx

‘Transform Your Work Life’ is published by Struik Christian Books.

(Image is of Dion with his wife Megan).

15th Century Ethiopian Christ icon discovered

A 15th century Ethiopian icon of the infant Christ child sitting on his mother's knee was discovered after it was cleaned by a British charity (see accompanying image).

The central panel of the triptych had over the centuries become blackened with the sprinkling of perfume that the monks use as they worship. The monks at the Monastery of St Stephen on an island in Lake Hayq in the north of the African country believe the icon, known as The One Who Listens, to be miraculous.

It is certainly a piece of remarkable beauty and is now visible in its original coloured glory, showing a pale-faced Jesus with black curly hair and rosy cheeks. His hand has three digits raised and two down as if blessing the person looking at him. He has a halo and is wearing a gown and is perched on his mother's knee and she too has a halo.

The British charity The Ethiopian Heritage Fund sent experts to preserve the painting that had previously been covered with varnish.

Blair Priday from the charity, said: "This icon is one of the most celebrated in Ethiopia and because of its veneration, over time, the central panel had become blackened and was later painted over with thick layers of varnish as protection.

"The faces of the mother and child were barely visible. The varnish was carefully removed so it regained the original luminosity. The icon's repair was undertaken by Laurie Morocco, a foremost icon restore, who camped in the monastery's grounds while he did the work.

"In the mid 15th century a new technique of painting on wood with an undercoating of Gesso was introduced resulting in a much more luminous effect. When the varnish was removed by Laurie, one of the glories of Ethiopian art was visible once more.

"St Stephen's was a very important monastery and seat of learning, and although it was raided and lost some of its relics, many remained including a beautiful cross, manuscripts and this icon. This ancient seat of learning now has a museum where these incredible treasures are displayed in a small museum within the monastery

"We could not have carried out the work without the support of the Bureau of Culture and the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Church and our expert advisor Jacques Mercier."

eBook of new NIV translation available

A digital eBook of the new NIV Bible translation has been launched by Zondervan, marking the first time a new translation has gone digital before publication.

This hard copy publication will be available in just over a month.

The new and updated NIV Bible will replace the popular 1984 NIV Bible, has a publication date of March 2011 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the King James Version.

The new NIV eBook Bible features crisp fonts, quicker page turns, and a navigation system that allows users to easily jump between footnotes and text.

"With the updated NIV complete and consumers enthusiastically awaiting its arrival, we wanted to make it available as soon as possible," said Moe Girkins, president and CEO of Zondervan.

The company will also partner with Biblica for a Christmas promotion aimed at donating up to 30,000 Bibles to India.

During the Christmas Buy one, Give One campaign, Zondervan will donate a New Testament of a Hindi translation based on the new NIV for every digital eBook sold.

Zondervan said that throughout next year it plans to release more digital products based on the new NIV, including more eBooks and apps.

Interview with Condoleezza Rice about faith and foreign policy

Condoleezza Rice worked as the secretary of state under the Presidency of George W. Bush, and much like her boss, she was often criticised for a sometimes puzzling mix of public service and Christian faith.

Rice has always been very upfront about her Christian faith which she says was shaped and formed in the furnace of growing up experiencing racial tensions and as a daughter of a Presbyterian minister. In an interview with Sarah Pulliam Bailey, the online editor of Christianity Today, Rice explains a little about exactly how faith did impact her role as a public servant.

Bailey: Did the racial tensions you experienced as a child have any impact on your faith?

Rice: The church was so much the center of our lives in Birmingham, the center on Sunday, the center on Tuesday, the center on Thursday. I don't know that any of us could have gotten through that period without tremendous faith.

Bailey: Before you worked in government, did you feel like God was directing you toward public service?

Rice: I don't think somehow intellectually that God said, Okay, you're going to quit piano and become a Soviet specialist. It's a combination of circumstances and making choices, but I've always tried to seek guidance. I think I've been much more capable of dealing with ambiguity and what might come in the future as a result of faith.

Bailey: In the past you said you worry about the government trying to legislate morality, and you know that evangelicals care very much about the issue of abortion.

Rice: I'm generally pretty libertarian in these matters, because Americans are quite good, actually, at finding a way to deal with these extremely divisive and difficult moral issues. And it's not that I'm a relativist. It's not that I believe everybody has their own morality. But I do understand that there are different ways of thinking about how these issues are going to play out in people's lives, and I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt in governing their own lives. Sometimes when things are out of whack the government has no choice but to step in. But I'm wary of the government stepping in to too many issues.

Bailey: Was there a time when you came to a place on that issue, where your faith informed your position on abortion?

Rice: I'm still coming to terms with it. I don't like the government involved in these really hard moral decisions. While I don't think the country is ready for legislation to overturn Roe v. Wade, certainly I cannot imagine why one would be in favor of partial birth abortion. I also can't imagine why one would take these decisions out of the hands of the family. We all understand that this is not something to be taken lightly.

Bailey: Same-sex marriage is another issue that has captured the country's attention in recent years.

Rice: I have lots of respect for people on both sides of this divide, because there are really hard issues. I don't ever want anybody to be denied rights within our country. I happen to think marriage is between a man and a woman. That's tradition, and I believe that that's the right answer. But perhaps we will decide that there needs to be some way for people to express their desire to live together through civil union. I think the country, if we can keep the volume down, will come to good answers.

Bailey: When Hillary Clinton talks about her faith, she says, "I don't wear it on my sleeve." How do you talk about faith as a public figure?

Rice: There are very few people who don't know that I'm Christian. I don't have any desire to hide it or to say you don't need to know that about me. I also recognize that it's not something that one talks about in every sentence that you utter, because then people start to mischaracterize and start to caricature those of us who are Christian. You really want to know me? You need to know that I'm a devout Christian. But I'm not going to lecture you about it on a daily basis.

Bailey: You said you had theological debates with your father: "We exchanged views on everything from the teachings of Paul, about which my father had some reservations, to the horrors of Revelation." Do you still wrestle with some of the Bible's teachings and its theological implications?

Rice: Sure. The Bible is at the core of our faith, and it's the core of my faith. Yet I can remember particularly wrestling with the relationship between the God of retribution, anger, and judgment in the Old Testament and the God of redemption and grace in the New Testament. Since I'm a Christian, the birth of Jesus Christ explains that link. We all struggle with some of the representations of women in the Bible, and yet I know and find remarkable that at the beginning of the faith, Christ's resurrection, it's women who are chosen to tell the first story.

Bailey: How does your understanding of religion help you deal with the interplay between religion and foreign policy?

Rice: It helps to have both a historical and theological understanding of the children of Abraham and the relationships between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. I personally think that Israel is remarkable. It would not exist but for the toughness of the people and the grace of God. Yet Jerusalem is a place where the great religions don't so much come together; they clash there. You suddenly realize the extent to which man will go to use God for his own purposes rather than the other way around. That for me is the most terrifying thing about the combination of religion and politics, because that is really when man is trying to use God for his own purposes. That's why I don't see any conflict with being Christian and wanting to see a Jewish state, being Christian and believing there can be a Palestinian state, because the state is the state. When you start to try to infuse it with God's purpose you almost always get in trouble.

Bailey: How do you distinguish between someone who's trying to use God for his purposes and when the person feels like God is speaking to him or her?

Rice: I'm always careful with people who assume God is speaking through them. It proves out over time, because essentially if God is speaking through you to put other people down I rather doubt it. That's not the God I know. And if God is speaking through you to hold yourself above others or your own kind above others then I doubt it.

North Sudan may tighten Sharia law

According to the Sudan News Agency, the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has stated that his government will tighten the application of Islamic law, or sharia, in northern Sudan if southern Sudan votes for independence next month.

"If the separation of the South unfortunately happens, the constitution will be amended and sharia will become the main source of legislation," al-Bashir said.

The enforcement of Sharia in northern Sudan was relaxed after the 2005 peace treaty ended more than 20 years of civil war - a war that pitted the northern government of Arab Muslims against blacks in southern Sudan who practice Christianity and animist religions.

Al-Bashir said recently that the separation of the South would be akin to "cutting-off a part of the nation's body but not the end of the world."

The vote is scheduled to happen January 9.

On Friday, al-Bashir sought to allay Northern fears about losing access to the Southern oil as he said that greater quantities of oil could in fact be found in the North, and also that the North would be willing to give up its share of oil revenues if the South voted for unity in the referendum.

The Nativity Story and social media

Every year churches and schools tell the Nativity story in various ways from plays to poems to songs. Now Excentric, a Portugal-based digital marketing company has hit on a brand new way of telling the story ... by using social media.

"The Digital Story of the Nativity" tells the familiar biblical story through Google searches, e-mails, tweets, Facebook "Likes" and Foursquare "check-ins," and has gone viral in the short period it has been up.

It all began a few weeks ago when Miguel Figueiredo, the president of Excentric, challenged his creative team to illustrate to traditional companies just how they could harness social media.

"This is something very powerful for brands. In Portugal, there is a lot of step back to this. People are afraid to do this sort of thing. So we decided to do this for our sake," Figueiredo told CNN.com.

It took the team around five weeks to go the first conception of the idea to the completion of the video. Its highlights include:

• Mary shopping online for a donkey, and Joseph acquiring a cow in FarmVille
• The three kings checking into the manger on Foursquare
• The wise men shopping on Amazon for gold, frankincense and myrrh
• Untold numbers of Facebook "Likes" after a status update announcing Jesus' birth

In just over a week, the Portuguese version of the video has 1.5 million page views, while the two English language versions have a combined for more than 1.4 million hits.

Figueiredo said the aim was to show his clients in Portugal exactly how social media tools can work and how seamlessly they can blend in with one's own story.

"We took the story that everyone knows and (our clients) could follow it to learn, especially for people who are pretty far from the usage of (social media) tools, and take them step-by-step through the benefits of each of these platforms," he said.

"We also chose a date where people start thinking about Christmas and sending post cards but they are not actually doing it yet. So we took that time when people are very sensitive to receive these type of things, so they think, 'Oh what a great idea for me to send as my own Christmas cards,' " Figueiredo added.

"The story for us is very familiar, even all the details. Of course we involved the people who are more connected to the religion on a more daily basis and they were very participative in the creative process," he said.

Excentric doesn’t normally focus on religious material, and doesn’t intend to repeat this sort of work.

"We are certainly not proposing turning religious stories into marketing tools. We picked this particular story for this video precisely because we are not promoting any commercial brand for the main audience," Figueriedo said.

(You can watch the video on Youtube by searching for ‘nativity story social media’).

Interview with Delme Linscott

This week’s book review is ‘Now: Refuse to let the moment pass‘ which was authored by local writer Delme Linscott. Delme is a minister in the Methodist Church and leads a church called Wesley in Pietermartizburg. We at ‘So What’ thought this would be a good opportunity for you to get to know some of our local writers a little better so we asked Delme a few questions about himself and his book.

SW: Delme, please give us a little background about yourself and your latest book.

Delme: I am married to Kim and we have 3 sons, Declan, Nathan and Joshua. I am currently a Methodist Minister and I am serving a community in Pietermaritzburg.

This book was born out of two decisive moments in my life. Firstly, we tragically lost a good friend of ours and I felt I wanted to respond to his death in a positive way. Secondly, every time I lead a memorial service I wonder whether people have taken the opportunity to ‘say the important things’ to their loved ones before it’s too late.

SW: If people were to remember one thing from your book, what would you want it to be?

Delme: I would want people to remember these thoughts – “SAY IT. DREAM IT. OVERCOME IT.” We need to say the important things to the special people in our lives, while we have time (Seize the Day), we need to live the Dreams God gives us and we need to overcome the fears that stop us from fulfilling our God-given potential.

SW: What role does writing play in your busy life? Has it always been an essential part of your calling, or is just something that developed out of the blue?

Delme: I have made a commitment to blog everyday – even if that means I write one or two lines. Knowing that people are reading my thoughts and devotions everyday keeps me accountable to this practise.

Writing developed out of the blue really. Years ago, through ministry, a few people had encouraged me to think about writing, but I didn’t have the time, energy or focus for it then. When I felt God prompting me to write my first book, “Living Oceans Apart” I sensed a new urgency and desire to write. The journey has been amazing so far, but I feel that I am only starting out.

SW: Since the book was published, what has the general response from the public been? Has it achieved all you hoped it would?

Delme: The response from people has been awesome. People have enjoyed reading this book and these are some of their reasons. It’s motivational and inspiring. It’s challenging and thought-provoking. It’s God centred and practical. It’s also short!!

I would like to get this little book into the hands of as many as possible, to get people to see that life is short and we need to embrace it 100%. We can’t let defining moments pass us by.

SW: Do you have any writing projects you are currently working on? Without giving too much away, can you give us a general idea what to look forward to?

Yes I do have a few thoughts going around my head. Look out for something that will be relevant to our faith in this generation, as well as leaning on the wisdom of the past. That should keep you guessing

[‘Now’ is Delme’s second book. His first was called 'Living Oceans Apart’ and dealt with the topic of how to deal with living far apart from loved ones. You can find out more and also sign up to follow Delme’s daily blog on www.livingingrace.co.za].

The Bible still needs to be translated into 2 000 languages

The Bible is the most popular book in the world, but still has to be translated into more than 2,000 languages that are spoken by more than 350 million people.

This is why Bible translators are doing their utmost to close this gap with another wave of translations. Biblica has already translated the Bible into more than 100 languages, and have just released another translation this time in Tagalog. Tagalog is a language spoken by about 85 million in the Phillipines. This particular translation took about 20 years to complete.

In other related news, Wycliffe Bible Translators have announced that they have managed to raise nearly $250,000 million of the $1 billion they need to complete their Last Languages Campaign.

This campaign will see the Bible translated in every language by the year 2025.

The faith of George W. Bush

George W. Bush has been a divisive figure for many during his time as President of the United States - not only in his home country but throughout the globe. His avowed Christian faith was an enigma to those who saw his government as far too easily resorting to aggression and violence, and found some of his language layered with a little too much Christian triumphalism.

Bush was recently interviewed about his faith as part of a promotion of his recently published memoir ‘Decision Points’. In this interview Bush says that it was a meeting with Billy Graham that turned his life around, but that the first time he met Graham he was drunk.

"I was listening to Billy through the haze of alcohol," he said.

Bush’s father, former president George H. W. Bush invited the entire family to meet Graham. The evangelist was answering questions, the younger Bush said, recalling that he had drunk possibly four beers and five wines before the meeting.

"The next day, Billy and I are walking in mother and dad's beautiful yard there in Maine and we start talking about religion," Bush said in the interview. "And I was obviously looking, yearning for something different with my life. Billy sent me a Bible and I started reading the Bible.

"But it took me a while to understand that religion is not a course in self-improvement. Religion is a surrender – that you allow a living God into your life by surrendering to that living God. And then you improve to please God, not please yourself."

Bush said that he has not touched alcohol since 1986 and credits Graham for "plant[ing] the seed" of faith in his life.

Bush has kept out of the public glare since he left the Oval Office, also gave some advice to politicians when it comes to religion.

The best Bible verse for someone in a political office, he said, is Matthew 7:3 (ESV) – "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"

"I think it's very important for politicians to understand the true nature of religion," he said. "I worry about people who basically say 'I'm better than you because I'm religious.'

"Christianity says “I'm not better than anybody. I'm a sinner and I accept that and therefore accept Christ to help me grow.'"

Bush also said that he had worried about the potential trauma of bringing up teenage girls in the White House but his family found it to be an expectedly joyous place.

"The West Wing was a joyous place," he said. "In spite of the trauma and all the pressure, we were joyous. And I can only ascribe that to prayer. It's a remarkable gift the American people give to the president and his family – and that is prayer."

As for how he would be remembered, Bush readily acknowledged that history would judge him on the decisions he made during his eight-year term, but did say, "I would hope people would say he's a good father, good husband, he honored the Lord, and he's an honest guy."

"I am content with telling your listener and the reader of my book that I gave it my all and I didn't sacrifice principle in order to be a popular guy."

Bush’s memoir Decision Points is currently No. 1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list.

Christmas in Iraq: Church behind walls

Christians in Iraq continue to live in fear after months and months of killings and intimidatory tactics by extremists. Reports say that almost 2,000 Christians have fled from major centres like Baghdad and Mosul in fear for their lives.

One of the measures taken by the Iraqi government to protect its Christian citizens is to build concrete walls of up to 10 feet high around churches in to protect Christmas worshippers from being targeted.

The police will control various access points for Mass-goers with scanning equipment as a further measure to ensure protection. Normal Christmas celebrations such as parties in church halls or parks have also been scaled back on the advice of Church leaders.

It is hoped that these security measures will prevent a repeat of the October 31st massacre at Baghdad’s Syrian Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, where 58 people were killed and more than 70 others were injured.

Speaking from northern Iraq in an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil said, “The sadness of the people is everywhere. Uncertainty is everywhere. The question on everyone’s lips is ‘What’s next?’”

“There is a kind of desperation. But whatever happens, the people are determined to celebrate the Christmas liturgy by any means possible.”

Describing the concrete barriers and associated security measures as “making you feel you are entering a military camp,” Archbishop Warda nonetheless praised the government for taking steps to improve security.

The archbishop said that government officials had spoken to Church leaders asking if they wanted the security walls around their churches. While most of these leaders approved the plans, others refused saying that they felt the measures would only further intimidate an already fearful Christian community.

Aid to the Church in Need last week announced a series of emergency aid packages for displaced Christians fleeing to the north and east of the country, with ongoing support for refugees in neighbouring Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

The charity agreed to send $33,300 to provide Christmas food packages for displaced Christians in Zakho, which borders Turkey and Syria.

Other ACN help includes $20,000 for the victims of the October 31st massacre and their families plus a further $13,300 for displaced Christians arriving in the northern and eastern Iraqi cities of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah.

Archbishop Warda said, “ACN’s help is being welcomed with joy by the people. They feel very grateful and they are encouraged by the fact that they are being remembered by others more fortunate than themselves.”

Britain might ban Koran burning pastor

The UK home secretary Theresa May has informed Sky News that she is “actively” considering preventing US pastor Terry Jones from entering the country.

Jones became globally infamous a few months earlier when he announced plans for his small church to hold a ‘Burn a Koran’ day to commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Jones came under such severe worldwide pressure that he eventually backed down from these plans.

Jones intends to enter Britain to speak at a rally "against the evils and destructiveness of Islam". The rally will be hosted by the far right group the English Defence League (EDL) in Luton, southeastern England, on Feb. 5.

May told Sky News that, "Of course the home secretary has the right to exclude people who are not conducive to public good or on national security grounds. It wasn't clear that he [Jones] was definitely coming to the UK but if it is now clear that he's definitely coming to the UK, then of course this is a case that I will be actively looking at."

Jones had earlier informed Sky, "As we have tried to relay many times, we are by no means against Muslims. What we are against is Sharia law and Muslims not willing to submit to the constitution."

According to the EDL, Jones personally requested to be invited to attend one of the group's gatherings.

"Pastor Terry Jones contacted me personally to ask if he could attend our demonstration," EDL leader Tommy Robinson said. "He wants to speak about the evils of Islam at the protest. It is a medieval religion."

Jones was at pains to insist that he would not be part of any trouble during his visit.

"I would by no means advocate something that would cause a riot or disturbance," he said.

The Vatican reacts to latest WikiLeaks drama

The Catholic Church has endured a torrid year with the priest abuse scandals and cover ups causing massive public backlash. Every time it seemed that the furore had calmed down, something else came to light causing further consternation. This time it was the turn of the latest Wikileaks drama that last week released information gained from cables from the American embassy at the Vatican, which describe an increasingly out of touch and irrelevant Vatican leadership and its refusal to assist an Irish inquiry into priestly abuse.

One particular cable mentions that only one senior papal advisor uses a Blackberry, and then states that the "technophobia" in the hierarchy has prompted numerous gaffes and PR mishaps, followed by attempts to protect the pope from bad news.

The British ambassador to the Vatican was also reported as warning that the pope's welcoming into the Catholic church of disaffected Anglicans risked inciting a violent backlash against British Catholics.

The Vatican reacted to the Wikileak cable release in a short yet rather terse statement. It described the content of the cables describing its inner workings in an unflattering light as a matter of "extreme seriousness" and also potentially unreliable.

"Naturally these reports reflect the perceptions and opinions of the people who wrote them and cannot be considered as expressions of the Holy See itself, nor as exact quotations of the words of its officials," the Vatican said in a statement released over the weekend.

"Their reliability must, then, be evaluated carefully and with great prudence, bearing this circumstance in mind."

Before the publication of the cables, the US embassy to the Vatican underwent a preemptive damage control exercise by condemning "in the strongest terms" any leaking of documents, and promising that cooperation with the Holy See would not suffer.

Francis Chan is frustrated with the church and NOOMA are going to let you know why

Flannel are the non-profit film company behind NOOMA which is famous for making Rob Bell famous. Over 2.5 million copies have been sold of Bell’s DVD’s around the world and a majority of viewers say they have shown it to a nonbeliever.

Steve Carr, the executive director of Flannel, has been searching for new and unique speakers for their next project, and several people mentioned to him that it was worth looking up Francis Chan.

“One of the things on our criteria list was authenticity," Carr said in an interview with The Christian Post. "Is the person real? Do they live the lives they're telling us? And I can tell you without question, Francis is the real deal."

Chan is a popular speaker and author who has been struggling with frustrations around the church and its authenticity and true purpose in this world. Carr was attracted to his message and so decided to partner with Chan in a new series of talks where Chan lays bare his soul - and what is on his soul is the disconnect between what he sees in Scripture and the church today.

Millions of people call themselves followers of Jesus. Yet their lives look nothing like his and they're not obeying the things he called them to do, laments Chan.

The series is entitled “BASIC” and will be set over seven parts. Chan’s story has become well known because he was the founder of an extremely successful megachurch which he resigned from because of these very frustrations.

Carr recalled, "The more [Chan] looked at it and thought about it, he got together with his elders and really asked the question 'Why are we expanding again? It's great that people want to come here but ...'"

"It kind of bothered him that people would drive 60 or 70 miles to hear him speak," Carr said. "He looked at it and thought, 'that’s nice, I hope it’s worthwhile that they come, but that’s not church.'"

"Church is not we’re going to get together once a week and sit and sing some songs and hear a great speaker and then go home. That’s not church," the executive director remembered discussing with Chan.

The "BASIC" series essentially is Chan's personal reflection on what church is and what is on his heart. Since leaving the pastorate, Chan has spoken about his restlessness with comfortable Christianity and his desire to live by the Scriptures and surrender himself fully to God.

"What bothers Francis, I believe, is the fact that in our culture, in particular, there’s millions and millions of people who consider themselves Christian and yet they don’t look really any different than anybody else," said Carr. "That’s a concern."

Some of those frustrations are laid out in the second "BASIC" film, titled "Follow Jesus."

"See, these words that we give without action behind it, that was never acceptable to Jesus," Chan says in the film. "He says 'it's pretty simple; when I say follow me, you follow me. You do what I do. And when I ask you to do something you just obey.'"

And Jesus didn't hide the fact that following him would be difficult. He was completely honest, the preacher highlights.

Though a difficult and narrow path, Chan stresses the promise Jesus gave to his followers. "If you would surrender to me, if you would just trust me, trust that I have something better and let go of everything else ... then you're really going to find life."

"Follow Jesus," Carr said, "is a really hard-hitting film. Francis has a way of delivering a really hard message, maybe a message you don't want to hear, and when he's done, for some reason you're left saying 'thanks, man. I really needed that.'"

The first three short films in the series were released this year. They address the Trinity and set the stage for who God is, Carr explained. The other four films, set for release over the next year, then explain the purpose of the church. The four building blocks of the church, Carr said, are fellowship, teaching, prayer and communion.

"Our hope with the series is to inspire people to really be the church that’s explained in Scripture," said the Flannel director.

Over half of Britons believe Jesus' birth is relevant to their Christmas

In a nation renowned for secularism and for largely turning away from the Church, a recent poll of 1,000 adults conducted by the think tank Theos has found over half (51%) agreed with the statement that Jesus’ birth was relevant to their Christmas compared with 46% who believed it wasn’t.

The poll also found that there were clear differences in the implications attached to Christ’s birth among the nations, sexes and ages.

Scottish people agreed that Jesus’ birth was relevant at a rate of 65% compared to the national average of 51%.

Interestingly enough, young people aged 18 to 24 were most likely to agree that Jesus’ birth was relevant, challenging the common assumption that faith is only meaningful to older generations.

Women also displayed a higher statistic then men in those who believed in the relevance of Christ’s birth also more likely than men to disagree with the statement (56 percent compared with 47 percent).

However, the poll also found a drop in the numbers of people intending on going to a Christmas church service this year, down from 44 percent in 2008 to 36 percent.

Theos director Paul Woolley said, "It's clear that society is split right down the middle regarding the religious significance of Christmas."

"It will surprise people that young people are most likely to believe that Jesus is relevant to their Christmas," he added. "It's difficult to work out why fewer people expect to attend a Christmas church service than in previous years, although 36 percent remains a relatively high figure.”

Study finds that religion results in happiness because of friends

Religion is considered extremely important by the majority of people on our planet, but as vital as your beliefs may be to you, they don't necessarily make you happier, a new study published in the December issue of the American Sociological Review finds.

The study has found that religions “secret ingredient” that makes people happier is actually the deep friendships that are built up in faith communities.

"Those are the people who give you the sense of belonging," said lead study author Chaeyoon Lim, of the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Lim conducted the study with Robert Putnam, author of "Bowling Alone" and "American Grace."

These findings fly in the face of other recent studies that assert the happiness gleaned from religion is rooted in spirituality – a belief in a higher power that engages you in regularly religious rituals. Yet, this particular study found that factors such as prayer, religious services and strength of faith do not necessarily lead to life contentment.

Lim and Putnam looked at a nationally representative sample of almost 2,000 people in the United States. The majority of the participants in the study were Protestant and Catholic; Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians were a smaller portion.

According to the study, one-third of people who attend religious services every week, and who have three to five close friends in their congregation, said they are "extremely satisfied" with their lives.

The study defined extremely satisfied as a 10 on a scale ranging from one to 10.

In comparison, only 19 per cent of people who attend religious services weekly, but who have no close friends in their congregation, report that they are extremely satisfied with their lives. For people who never attend religious services, and as such have no friends from their congregation, the same percentage said they are extremely satisfied.

On the other hand, 23 per cent of people who attend religious services infrequently, but who have three to five close friends in their congregation, are extremely satisfied.

Looking at the data, Lim and Putnam concluded that it was camaraderie that was key to participants' outlook.

"One of the important functions of religion is to give people a sense of belonging to a moral community based on religious faith," he said.

"This community, however, could be abstract and remote unless one has an intimate circle of friends who share a similar identity. The friends in one's congregation thus make the religious community real and tangible, and strengthen one's sense of belonging to the community."

Study finds that family acceptance prevents suicide in gay teens

A recently published mental health study has found that if parents are more accepting of their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents then the chances of suicide, drug abuse and depression in that teen are greatly reduced.

In the study "Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults,” published by the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, researchers assert that LGBT teens whose parents are supportive of their sexuality have far higher self-esteem and thus fare better in avoiding suicide and substance abuse.

“With this new groundbreaking study, Ryan and her colleagues have provided the strongest evidence to date that acceptance and support from parents and caregivers promote well-being among LGBT youth and help protect them from depression and suicidal behavior, “ Ann Haas, director of Prevention Projects for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said in a statement about the study.

The study also found that parents who are highly religious tend not accept their LBGT children.

However, many Christian groups have reacted against the findings of this study by arguing against the notion that religious values contribute to teen suicides and believe that it is possible for Christians to prevent against depression and bullying without condoning what they see as sin.

The research in the study will be used to inform a new evidence-based family model of wellness, prevention and care for LGBT adolescents, in collaboration with Child and Adolescent Services at the University of California, San Francisco.

Narnia’s Aslan also symbolizes Mohammed says Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson, the actor who voices the lion Aslan in the film adaptations of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia Chronicles, has stirred up controversy by suggesting that Aslan could represent the prophet Mohammed or Buddha, just as much as he might represent Christ.

Aslan features in all seven Narnia books, and plays a central role in terms of guiding the children away from evil and encouraging them to do good. Lewis was very clear that Aslan was based on Christ, once writing: “He is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question: “What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia?””

In the first book, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” Aslan sacrifices his life to save Narnia before rising from the dead, a clear representation of the crucifixion and the resurrection.

Yet, ahead of the release of the latest film adaptation of the books, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” Neeson said: “Aslan symbolises a Christlike figure, but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.

“That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me.”

Walter Hooper, Lewis’s former secretary and a trustee of his estate, said that the author would have been angered by Neeson’s comments.

He said: “It is nothing whatever to do with Islam. Lewis would have simply denied that. He wrote that 'the whole Narnian story is about Christ'. Lewis could not have been clearer.”

Mr Hooper attributed Neeson’s remarks to political correctness and a wish to be “very multi-cultural”.

Historian discovers original model for Michelangelo's Pieta

Michelangelo's Pieta – a huge marble statue depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Christ – is one of the most celebrated art pieces in the history of humanity. It is housed in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and viewed by millions of pilgrims every year.

An American art historian has claimed to have discovered the original model created by Michelangelo for the 'Pieta'.

It is a terracotta model, about 12 inches tall and dated from the late 1400s, and was discovered in a mouldy box in an antiques shop by an Italian art collector. The tiny statue was covered in nine layers of paint and held together by Scotch tape. It was painstakingly restored over a process of three years. For years it has been believed that the statue was sculpted by Andrea Bregno, one of the most celebrated sculptors of the 15th century.

However, art historian, Roy Doliner, subjected the model to extensive analysis and believes that is it actually the long-lost model for Michelangelo's Pieta.

But Mr Doliner is convinced that the exquisite detail in the statue, its age and references made to it in later paintings prove that it was instead created by Michelangelo to convince a wealthy cardinal to give him the commission for the Pieta, which he eventually completed in 1499.

Mr Doliner is the author of The Sistine Secrets: Unlocking the Codes in Michelangelo's Defiant Masterpiece, in which he argued that Michelangelo hid a secret code in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel made up of mystical Jewish symbols and insults aimed at the pope.

Kay Warren speaks out on HIV/AIDS

Kay Warren is the wife of renowned pastor and author Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life), and works as the executive director of the HIV/AIDS initiative of her husband’s church at Saddleback in Southern California. Yesterday, she spoke out regarding the depth of her feelings over the HIV/AIDS pandemic in a special webcast put together for World Aids Day.

Warren said that the pandemic weighs her down heavily, and that she has not been the same since a day seven years ago when she read that 12 million children were orphaned in Africa due to AIDS. Warren said she was initially paralysed by the enormity of the suffering, but gradually came to the realization that she could make a difference.

“I just knew that Kay Warren, Christian, had to say yes to God. From there I began to learn and study. God just broke my heart. He just wiped me out. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t cry over what I’ve learned and what I’ve seen,” she said.

The statistics are frightening: it is believed that 15 million children worldwide are orphaned by AIDS. The UNAIDS 2010 global report estimates 33.3 million people, including some 2.3 million children, were living with HIV at the end of 2009. Most of the people living with HIV are located in Africa.

Since 2005, Saddleback has hosted an annual Global Summit on AIDS and this event has gathered together presidential candidates, medical and scientific experts, AIDS activists, and pastors from around the world.

Warren testified that she now lives in three worlds. The first world is one of a normal suburban American wife and mom who does her grocery shopping, cares for a family, and does church work. The second world she lives in is one where “she hears the cries, the sounds of babies abandoned in fields,” the faces of orphans whose parents will not come home, and the bodies of people with AIDS wasting away.

“That’s the world that threatens to take me down. But it’s the third world that I live in that makes it all possible,” said Warren, referring to her ongoing relationship with God. “It is being in communion with Him every day, being in His presence, drawing strength and love and sustenance to fight the evil that is in this world, to be His hands and feet.”

Warren urged churches to reach people even in the most rural places, to address HIV/AIDS using an acronym she and her husband came up with: CHURCH. The acronym stands for: care for and support those infected and affected; handle testing and counseling; unleash a volunteer labor force; reduce stigma; champion healthy behavior; and help with medication and nutrition.

“We live in those three worlds. Most of us as Americans are content to only live in two and I think He’s asking us to live in three,” concluded Warren.

(Image is of Kay Warren addressing the last Saddleback Global Summit on AIDS).

World Aids Day: Africa still the hardest hit in mother-to-child transmissions

According to a report released by the UN’s HIV/Aids programme UNAids, global figures of new Aids infections has decreased. Worldwide there were an estimated 2.6m new infections in 2009, which is down from about 3.3m at the peak of the Aids pandemic in 1999.

"It is a slow, steady decrease," said the deputy executive director of UNAids, Paul De Lay.

The 370 000 babies a year born with Aids is also down from 500 000 a year at the beginning of the decade and the UN report said eradicating mother-to-baby transmission of Aids by 2015 is achievable.

World Health Organisation director general Margaret Chan agreed with this as she said "we have strong evidence that elimination of mother-to-child transmission is achievable".

Already wealthier countries in Europe and North America have brought these figures way down through aggressive screening and prevention programmes.

Africa is still the hardest hit in this regard though, with 1 000 babies a day infected with HIV/Aids through mother-to-child transmission.

Anthony Lake, executive director of the UN Children's Fund (Unicef) called the figure "outrageous" and demanded greater efforts for "the hardest hit communities".

Paul De Lay urged caution ahead of the release of these figures reflecting a drop in the number of global infections, saying that sexual behavior in richer nations has become careless. This has led to infection rates becoming three times higher in countries like Britain, Germany and the United States as compared to figures in the early 2000’s. He also highlighted an increase of the spread of Aids in Eastern Europe and Central Asia linked to drug use.

De Lay said: "There seem to be secondary and tertiary waves of the epidemic, particularly the sexually transmitted side.

"You have a young people who don't know enough about Aids, there is less of a fear factor about it.

Pakistan government barred by high court from pardoning Christian condemned to death

The Pakistan High Court barred the Pakistani government on Monday from pardoning a Christian woman sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

Lawyer Allah Bakhsh Leghari successfully argued that this pardon is illegal while the case was pending in the courts.

"Since the matter is in the high court, the government cannot now make any move to pardon Bibi," he told Agence France-Presse.

Asia Bibi was sentenced earlier this year to death by hanging for allegedly blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad. The Christian mother of five was arrested in 2009 following an argument with fellow field workers who had refused to drink water from her container because it was touched by a Christian. They argued, but Bibi thought nothing more of the incident until she was dragged away from her house by a group of Muslims who attempted to force her to convert. She refused and was then accused of blasphemy against Mohammed – a charge she categorically denies.

The official charged with investigating these accusations, Federal Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti said he expects her to be cleared because initial findings prove her innocence.

Religious leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI, and human rights groups have called for her release but conservative Muslims have threatened anarchy if President Asif Ali Zadari pardons the woman.

In the past, Pakistan’s courts have issued death sentences for blasphemy, but no executions have been carried out. All the death sentences were thrown out upon appeal.

Religion Debate: Hitchens edges Blair

Renowned atheist campaigner Christopher Hitchens and former British prime minister Tony Blair debated each other this weekend about whether religion is a force for good in the world, reports the Christian Post. An opinion poll taken after the debate saw most of the 2 600 audience believe that Hitchens won the debate.

Blair, who is a commited Catholic argued that while religion can be destructive, "it can also create a deep well of compassion, and frequently does."

"It is undoubtedly true that people commit horrific acts of evil in the name of religion," he said. "It is also undoubtedly true that people do acts of extraordinary common good inspired by religion."

Blair reminded the audience of all the good works of faith-based charities and the teachings of various religions to illustrate how people are inspired by their faith to do good.

Jesus teaches loves, selflessness and sacrifice; the prophet Mohammad said saving one life is as if you're saving the whole of humanity; Buddhists subjugate selfish desires to care for others; and Sikhs insist on respect for others of another faith, he argued.

Hitchens the author of ‘God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything,’ is suffering final stage esophageal cancer, responded that he knew the topic of charity would come up during the debate.

Hitchens then pointed out that millions of people have died in Africa because of the Catholic Church's stance that "AIDS was not as bad as condoms."

And the destruction carried out in the name of religion outweighs the good that people of faith have done, he indicated.

"Do we grant to Hamas and Hezbollah, both of whom will tell you, and incessantly do, without us, where would the poor of Gaza and Lebanon be, ... it's nothing compared to the harm that they do, but it's a great deal of work all the same," Hitchens said.

Blair agreed that not everything the church or religious communities have done around the world is right.

But he added, "[A]t least accept that there are people doing great work, day in, day out, who genuinely are not prejudiced or bigoted, but are working with people who are afflicted by famine and disease and poverty and they are doing it inspired by their faith."

While making his argument, he noted that he was not claiming that one has to be a person of faith in order to do good work. But, nevertheless, there are people who are inspired by their faith to do good and that should be recognized and celebrated.

Other notable arguments made during the debate:

Hitchens: Once you assume a creator and a plan, it makes us objects, in a cruel experiment, whereby we are created sick, and commanded to be well.

Blair: Imagine indeed a world without religious faith, not just no place of worship, no prayer or scripture but no men or women who because of their faith dedicating their lives to others, showing forgiveness where otherwise they wouldn't, believing through their faith that even the weakest and most powerless have rights, and they have a duty to defend them. And yes, I agree, in a world without religion, the religious fanatics may be gone. But I ask you: Would fanaticism be gone?

Pope and China battle for control

It has taken a while, but the long-brewing battle between the Pope and the Chinese government for control of the Chinese Catholic Church has finally simmered over into the public arena. The centre of the latest contention has been the institution of a new Chinese Catholic bishop without the pope's permission.

The Vatican announced that the Chinese government forced bishops to participate in the ordination of Joseph Guo Jincai, while Beijiing charged the Vatican with interfering with religious liberty in China.

Guo was ordained as bishop on Saturday, the Vatican reported, terming the unauthorized act "a grave violation of Catholic discipline." Apparently, the Vatican has warned China "several times" this year not to make Guo a bishop and that going ahead with the ordination "offends the Holy Father, the Church in China and the universal Church, and further complicates the present pastoral difficulties."

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei immediately hit back saying the Chinese Catholic Church was independent and that any "intervention" constituted "restriction of freedom and non-tolerance."

The last time that China’s Catholic Church appointed bishops without approval from Rome was in 2006. The Vatican responded by excommunicating those two bishops, and this week threatened to excommunicate both Guo and the bishops who presided over his appointment.

The United States Foreign Department, in it’s annual global report published last week, despite limited praise for Beijing, also expressed grave concern over the reality of religious freedom in China last week in its annual global report on the subject.

The State Department listed China as one of eight countries of "particular concern" on religious freedom accusing the country of the persecution of followers of the Dalai Lama in Tibet and Uyghur Muslims in western China.

Over 50% of UK young people have never heard of the King James Bible

The Authorised King James Version of the Bible will be 400 years old next year, and is believed to be the biggest-selling book ever and to have taken the English language around the world, yet 51% of under-35’s in the UK have never heard of it.

The Bible was prepared as a result of the orders of King James I to unite religious factions and correct flaws and political problems in the existing translations of the time.

The King James also provided the English language with hundreds of well-known phrases like ‘let there be light’ and ‘eat, drink and be merry’, but has dropped out of fashion recently because clergy are more likely to use modern translations.

A spokesman for the King James Bible Trust, which commissioned the poll that uncovered this statistic, stated: “There has been a dramatic drop in knowledge in a generation. Yet this is a work which was far more influential than Shakespeare in the development and spread of English.”

He said the book should be taught by schools in English, history and religious education classes.

Labour MP Frank Field said: “It is not possible to comprehend fully Britain’s historical, linguistic or religious development without an understanding of this great translation.”

One third of Catholics have left church in U.S.

The New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan recently raised concerns over the huge numbers of people leaving the Catholic Church in the United States. Dolan quoted studies that found one-third of Americans born and baptized Catholics have left the fold in recent years. The study also showed that only 50 percent of young Catholics marry in church, while Sunday mass attendance had gone down to 35 percent from 78 percent in the 1960s.

The Catholic Church has been embroiled in controversy after controversy over the last few years, with the child abuse scandals and subsequent cover-up attempts rocking the church to its very core.

Dolan admitted that to turn around this mass exodus, the Catholic Church would need to get its house in order but at the same time he stressed that Roman Catholic Church officials would not be gagged on controversial social issues such as abortion, gay marriages and immigration.

Dolan made the comments in his new capacity as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Interestingly enough, Dolan made history in winning because the position normally goes to the incumbent conference vice president. However, the incumbent, Gerald Kicanas, was himself weighed down by criticisms of how he handled the case of a priest accused of molesting more than a dozen boys.

Pakistani Christian woman on death row pardoned

The President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari on Monday granted an official pardon to the first woman, Asia Bibi, to be sentenced to death under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law.

Bibi has been languishing in prison for the last 18 months but released shortly after the pardon was made official.

“This is the only acceptable outcome to what has been a travesty of justice from the outset,” said Nasir Saeed, coordinator for U.K.-based Center for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). “Asia Bibi should never have been charged with blasphemy, let alone found guilty and sentenced to death.”

Saeed added, “The ordeal faced by her and her family is unimaginable to most people outside of Pakistan who are largely unaware of the abuse and discrimination faced by the tiny Christian minority there.”

As has already been reported, Bibi was accused of blasphemy against the Muslim Prophet Muhammad by women in her village after she fell into an argument with them. Bibi had been picking fruit with the women and went to fetch water for the group, yet upon returning, the Muslim women refused to drink out of the container because it had been touched by a Christian. They argued and a few days later Bib was dragged from her home, beaten and accused of blaspheming against Islam.

Pakistan’s blasphemy law has become infamous for being used to settle grudges against religious minorities, although this is the first time a woman was sentenced to death under it.

"The blasphemy laws smack in the face of democracy and human rights and only reinforce the notion that Christians and other religious minorities in the country are somehow inferior and less human,” said Saeed of CLAAS in the U.K.

“We are relieved and overjoyed at Asia Bibi’s release but so long as the blasphemy laws remain in place there is no telling when another innocent Christian will face being executed because of something they said.”

World’s biggest Jesus statue unveiled

A small Polish town on Sunday unveiled the world's biggest Jesus statue with a mass attended by approximately 20 000 people.

The statue built in Swiebodzin, western Poland, measures 33 metres in height and sits atop a 17-metre mount, meaning that it surpasses the world renowned Christ sculpture in Rio de Janeiro.

That statue was designed by a local priest, Father Sylwester Zawadzki.

The statue has come in for criticism, however, with some saying it is nothing more than an attempt to attract tourists to the small town. Other Polish people have complained that it is kitsch and a national embarrassment.

Humanists and atheists aggressively challenge religion

A new pro-humanist and anti-God advertising campaign that criticizes the Bible and Christianity has been launched. Christianity is not the only religion that is being aggressively campaigned against, with the Quran also being regularly challenged.

In the advertisements, excerpts from both Christian and Muslim scriptures are cited in a negative light to illustrate the humanist approach on issues like women, homosexuality and war as being better.

In one particular advert, an actor portraying a pastor cites 1 Timothy 2:12 saying, "I do not allow women to teach or have authority over a man. She must be silent." This is then followed by a quote from 19th century freethinker Robert Ingersoll, stating that "the rights of men and women should be equal and sacred" and that "marriage is a perfect partnership." The video clip has been posted on the "Consider Humanism" campaign website.

A Christian apologist at Biola University, Dr. Craig Hazen, responded to this campaign by pointing out that the ads take both the Bible and Quran out of context, and thus don’t present an accurate representation of either religion. Hazen cited Ephesians as an example, saying the Bible is not misogynist but teaches that husbands should love their wives like Christ loved the church.

"Men are supposed to love their wives as Christ loved the church and giving themselves over to death for her," stated Hazen. "That doesn't sound like subjugation but that sounds like deep love anyone would want."

"They are simply assuming the Bible is misogynist and homophobic without doing the careful work that Bible historians do," added the scholar. "They are trying to set the rules for the discussion but they don’t actually want to hear the arguments."

Hazen emphasized that humanists should not interpret the Bible without correct training in reading and understanding it, but he conceded that many Christians were just as biblically illiterate thus creating problems in engaging with advertisements like these.

"Unfortunately, it's effective," commented Hazen. "It's an indictment on general Christian education but it turns out we've got the goods in terms of excellent thinking and response to campaigns like this."

Hazen concluded that it is vital the schools like Biola train more "clear thinking" Christians to defend their faith in the public square.