Turkish Church’s Faith Shines after Foiled Assassination Plot

Pastor, congregation undaunted after harrowing reminder of religio-political realities in Turkey.

The Izmit Protestant Church and its non-descript building have been threatened before, including an attempted arson.

IZMIT, Turkey (Morning Star News) – Pastor Emre Karaali beams as he discusses the number of first-time visitors at his church’s Easter service – less than three months after a foiled plot to assassinate him that involved two visitors who pretended to be church members for a year. Police have released all but one of the [...]

Plot to Assassinate Pastor in Turkey Thwarted

Two of 14 suspects became regulars at church.

Worshipers at the Izmit Protestant Fellowship. (Istanbul Protestant Church Foundation photo)

ISTANBUL (Morning Star News) – Police in Turkey arrested 14 people for planning to assassinate a pastor in Izmit, 62 miles (100 kilometers) east of Istanbul, during an evangelistic event this week.   Of the 14 suspects, two attended the church for a year claiming to be Christians, said the target of the plot, pastor Emre [...]

Religious ‘Cleansing’ in the Middle East a Growing Threat

Christian communities under attack in the region.

Our Lady of Salvation Church in Iraq, after Oct. 31, 2010 attack by Islamic extremists. (Ankawa.com)

(Morning Star News) When Iran’s holocaust-denying President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaims, “Israel must be wiped off the map,” the United States rightly takes the threat of genocide seriously. President Obama, like his predecessor, is committed to preventing the eradication of the people of Israel. Conservative U.S. Christian leadership, as reflected by Christians United for Israel, has [...]