Religious freedom
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European Union
Swedish JWs are curtailed by government; is this how the EU's Democracy Shield could function?
The European Commission’s Democracy Shield is meant to protect the EU against threats to democracy. But the initiative itself has left some Christians concerned if it will violate their right to free speech. The financial curtailment of the Swedish Jehovah's Witnesses might be an early example where this could lead…
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Northern Europe
Church of Sweden may add same-sex marriages as job requirement
What does it mean if the Church of Sweden only employs priests who are ready to perform same-sex marriages? Is that equal treatment for everybody or a denial of freedom of belief for some? The Evangelical Alliance in the country has its concerns. > Stay up to date with Christian…
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European Union
EU leaders seek answers to rising hate crimes against Christians
In 2023, an Islamic terrorist in the southern Spanish city of Algeciras murdered an altar server and injured four other people with a machete while shouting, “Death to Christians” and “Allah is great.” In the UK, Christian social worker, Felix Ngole had his job offer taken away, because the company…
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Central Europe
Here you see how Poles leave the Catholic church in large numbers
As the numbers of non-believers increase in Poland, the people are becoming less Catholic and more secular as a population. In 2011, Poland became the only EU state to have its population identified as 88 per cent Catholic. Then in 2021, that number plummeted to 71 per cent in 2021,…
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Western Europe
Upheaval in France about Catholic priest vlogging about homosexuality
When a French priest released a video about various life struggles, he did not expect nationwide criticism. But to CNE he says, believers have to resist the “destruction of Christianity”. In the video, Abbé Mattieu Raffray spoke about homosexuality as a weakness and as a sin that needs to be…
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European Union
Why European Christians are experiencing increasing pressure
The number of hate crimes against European Christians is rising, a watchdog reports. Why is that? Over 40 per cent. That is the scope of the increase in reported hate crimes against Christians, says the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians (OIDAC). These include physical attacks and vandalism. Report:…
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Northern Europe
Critical report on conversion therapy spurs debate in Norway
Yes or no for conversion therapy? The Norwegian government asked for a report. The content is clear. But the opponents say this is more a pamphlet than a research report. At six years old, Elisabeth Meling (at the time Edvard Meling) could already feel he was in the wrong body.…
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Northern Europe
“Räsänen trial is a sign of the times we live in”
The first hearing day of the appeal against Päivi Räsänen yields no surprises. Still, it is a painful day for the politician accused of hate speech against homosexuals. One thing stands out during the first day of court: the discussions between the prosecution and the defence are more pungent than…
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Opinion
Lennart's comment: In business, too, the Christian must be a role model
In Sweden, a Christian baker refuses to make a cake for a gay couple. In Norway, a company refuses to clean a church. In such conflicts, as Christians, we must set the right example.These days, the Swedish Discrimination Ombudsman deals with a case of a Christian baker who is accused…
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Eastern Europe
“Belarus has its own Bonhoeffers”
Christians in Belarus suffer from the oppression of the Lukashenko regime. But because of the repression within the country, fellow Belarusians abroad should be their voice. When the police came, it looked like they had to arrest a terrorist. Armed with machine guns, they kicked in the flat door and…