SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslim mobs on May 19 stopped Christians from worship in two cities of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, sources said. Muslims reportedly disrupted Christians as they worshipped in a café in a village in Binjai, 13 miles from Medan, capital of North Sumatra Province. In Riau, capital of Pekanbaru Province in […]
Muslims Stop Christian Services in Two Cities in Indonesia
Worship disrupted on Sumatra Island.
May 29, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
Charge Reduced for Indonesian Official Who Stopped Service
Intruder released from jail.
May 18, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Authorities have reduced a blasphemy charge to one of mere “intrusion” for an official on western Indonesia’s Sumatra Island who broke up a worship service, sources said. Church leaders in Indonesia said such leniency would never be granted to a Christian who broke up mosque prayers and appealed for […]
Local Officials Seal Church Building Shut in Indonesia
Muslim intruders demanded congregation stop worshiping at site.
April 6, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Local officials sealed shut a church building in West Java Province, Indonesia on Saturday (April 1), two weeks after Muslims intruded into a worship service and demanded its closure, church leaders said. The congregation of the Simalungun Christian Protestant Church (Gereja Kristen Protestan Simalungun, or GKPS) in Cigelam, Babakancikao, Purwakerta, […]
Church in Indonesia Stands Up to Attempt to Stop Worship
Muslim intruders told congregation to disperse.
March 24, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A church in West Java Province, Indonesia refused to yield to Muslim intruders’ attempts to stop their worship service on Sunday (March 19), the pastor said. About 60 miles southeast of Jakarta, two Muslims entered the building of the Simalungun Protestant Christian Church (GKPS) in Purwakerta, took photos and video and […]
Muslims Block Christians’ Construction in Indonesia
Another congregation wins right to build after initial ban.
March 13, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslims in a village in northeastern Indonesia’s portion of Borneo Island prohibited a church from constructing a worship building, sources said. Local leaders of Selumit village, in Tarakan City in North Kalimantan Province, stated in a Feb. 28 letter that Mawar Sharon Christian Church’s proposed construction was against state regulations […]
Christians’ Sunday Worship Broken Up in Indonesia
Local official, others intrude into church service.
February 22, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A local village official in Indonesia stopped a church service on Sunday (Feb. 19) in what became a mob intrusion, sources said. On western Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, the head of the Rukun Tetangga area of Rajabasa Jaya village, Wawan Kurniawan, leaped over a meter-high fence to intrude into the […]
Police Arrest Christian Apologist in Indonesia
Professor compared Christianity and Islam on social media.
February 8, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A Christian apologist whose comparisons of Christianity with Islam were widely disseminated on his blog and YouTube channel has disappeared since his arrest in December, sources said. Nothing has been heard from Gratia Pello, a professor at a small Christian theological school in East Java Province, since a crowd of police […]
Christian Worship Service Prohibited in Indonesia
Church blocked from renting one venue is banned from new site.
January 19, 2023 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A church in Indonesia on Jan. 8 was prohibited from holding a Sunday service in front of a city hall building, where it had gone after losing its prior worship venue in a mall, sources said. Following opposition to the church’s services in a mall in Medan, North Sumatra Province, […]
Muslim Villagers Halt Christmas Celebrations in Indonesia
Home worship stopped within hours of president’s appeal for unity.
December 29, 2022 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslim villagers in West Java, Indonesia on Christmas Day stopped a congregation from celebrating Christmas in a home, according to various sources. The interference came within hours of Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s historic visits to two churches in nearby Bogor, where he urged congregations to continue harmonious relations with people […]
Official Bans Christmas Celebrations in District in Indonesia
Action comes despite lack of national-level restrictions.
December 21, 2022 By - Leave a Comment
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A high-level official in western Indonesia on Saturday (Dec. 17) announced an agreement with a multi-faith body that prohibits Christmas celebrations in a district at sites without government approval. The agreement effectively bans religious Christmas celebrations in Java Island’s Maja District, Banten Province as strict requirements and bureaucratic opposition make obtaining […]