News, December 2004

News from the Churches

Tsunami Aid The Spanish Evangelical aid service PESE has an account for sending aid from Spain to the Tsunami affected regions. 90% will be spent on immediate aid needs, while the remaining 10% will go to spiritual counsel with Bibles and similar literature the main item. Aid will be channelled via Tear Fund, the Salvation Army and Every Home Crusade. Full details (in Spanish) at: http://www.protestantedigital.com/actual/espana.htm#4

Voting intention swing a recent survey shows that 9 months on, Spanish evangelicals have become so upset by the ethical issues on the ploitical agenda that over half would now do the previously unthinkable, vote for the party which most closely represents the Roman Catholic church, the Partido Popular. Now only a quarter would vote for the Socialists, curently in government, the remainder voting for regional and other parties.

[Image 20???] The 'Protestant Bible' of 1602 reprinted by Spain's top book publisher] Circulo de Lectores, a book club, is to print Casiodoro de Reina's Bible of the bear, as it is known because of the cover of the first edition. Reina, born in Extremadura, became a monk in Seville, was converted during the reformation and had to flee from the Inquisition, printing the Bible in Frankfurt.

IFES related GBU conference draws 600 Over the long Constitution weekend a conference for high school and university students and graduates organised by GBU gathered 600 participants including also pastors, writers, etc.. Donald Carson was the principal speaker.

Spain's fastest growing radio audience is that of evangelical Cesar Vidal's new La Linterna programme on the Catholic station Cope! Vidal is the first protestant to have a programme on the station.

Trust to be set up by government to finance social activity of minority religions The Socialist government has proposed the establishment of a trust, presided over by the justice minister, to provide finance for certain social activities practiced by the 3 recognised religious minorities, Evangelicals, Muslims and Jews, through their churches and NGOs, activities such as cultural integration, the study of religions, family support projects, women and young people. Public worship will not, however, be subsidised.

New book about the Gypsy revival A book has just been published on this subject, “Gitanos Pentecostales”, by Editorial Signatura, written by a teacher at Seville University, Manuela Cantón

Both Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches are campaigning against the government plans to extend 'marriage' to same sex couples.

Sources El Mundo, TVE, EP, ACPress, Ferede