Our Life in the Christ

Revealed in our Church’s liturgy, music, artwork...

10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13 And that their children, which have not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. -Deuteronomy 31:10-13

Christ has died. 
Christ has risen
Christ will come again
We were dead in our sins
Now we're buried with Him
We have risen in Christ
We are given new life
And Christ will bring us home
Making us his own
Christ has died
Christ has risen
Christ will come again!

The Christian images, as we find them in the catacombs, simply take up and develop the canon of images already established by the synagogue, while giving it a new modality of presence. The individual events are now ordered toward the Christian sacraments and to Christ himself. Noah’s ark and the crossing of the Red Sea now point to Baptism. The sacrifice of Isaac and the meal of the three angels with Abraham speak of Christ’s Sacrifice and the Eucharist. Shining through the rescue of the three young men from the fiery furnace and of Daniel from the lions’ den we see Christ’s Resurrection and our own. Still more than in the synagogue, the point of the images is not to tell a story about something in the past, but to incorporate the events of history into the sacrament. In past history, Christ with his sacraments is on his way through the ages. We are taken into the events. The events themselves transcend the passing of time and become present in our midst through the sacramental action of the Church.

The centering of all history in Christ is both the liturgical transmission of that history and the expression of a new experience of time, in which past, present, and future make contact because they have been inserted into the presence of the risen Lord. As we have seen already and now find confirmed anew, liturgical presence contains eschatological hope within it. All sacred images are, without exception, in certain sense images of the Resurrection, history read in the light of the Resurrection, and for that very reason, they are images of hope, giving us the assurance of the world to come, of the final coming of Christ.

324 Looking at his mercy, faith comforts and consoles us. Our opponents teach wrongly when they praise merits in such a way as to add nothing about this faith that takes hold of mercy

The readings this morning were just crammed full of thoughts that I needed to hear.  I could have doubled the amount I quoted, and foregone writing.  Except that I need to, for as I've said before, my devotions have to be thought through, meditated upon, and brought together in my writing.  It used to be called spiritual journaling, and someone once suggested I put it out there to be shared.

Today, it seemed like a lot of my readings were set up to talk about living within the story.  About faith is a life of dependence on God, living in harmony with Him, rather than a statement of what theological statements we hold to be true.

We see that in the words from the Lutheran confessions, as we take hold of mercy. That is faith, this incredible love of God that is revealed to us, that floods our lives so that we can hold onto it.  For faith is an engagement with God with not our mind at first, but our heart and soul.

Pope Benedict in the longest quote talks about this in the imagery in the early church and the synagogue, when visuals made our sacramental life part of the narrative poured out in visual representation.  And all of that representation is reflected in the resurrection, the very summit of our being made one with Christ.  For we are united to Him in His death, in order that we can rise to our new life with Him.

That is the reason for the reading of the entire community of Israel, over 2 million people, plus the foreigners that make their home among them.  (Note that part about the aliens!) They were to know the covenant so that they could be in awe of God's love and provision for them!  Even more than that, this awe was lived out before Him. In other words, not just in His are of vision, but right before Him, in His presence.

As I was reading all of this, I thought of my friend's version of the liturgical hymn, the Memorial Acclamation.  Chris is not only an incredible musician and professor of worship but has a great understanding of sacramental covenant theology.   So when he recomposed this ancient part of Christian worship, he not only told Christ's story, but he made clear what was inferred.  That we share in that death, and in that resurrection, and in Christ's coming again.  What has become veiled and vaguely visible, Chris revealed in a glorious way. ( You can hear a rock version of it at the link!)

Every aspect of our ministry, from the music to the artwork and images, to the words we speak and lessons and liturgy are geared to help us make this transition.  We are not just people reading about history, we aren't just witnesses to the story, we are the characters in the story, living and interacting in great awe with God.  Just as people have done since Adam and Eve walked through the garden.  Our people may not realize this, so we need, like Israel, to teach them more and more.  They need to know it, they need to experience His love. as do we, as do our communities.

May the Lord make this happen, opening our eyes more and more to His love!

AMEN!



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SOURCE
Ratzinger, Joseph. The Spirit of the Liturgy. Trans. John Saward. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2000. Print.

Tappert, Theodore G., ed. The Book of Concord the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Philadelphia: Mühlenberg Press, 1959. Print.

The Memorial Acclimation by Rev. Dr. Christopher Gillette

The Struggle….of Brokenness

The Interior Struggle

The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, in Rome, Italy

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

735- The interior struggle doesn’t take us away from our temporal business-it makes us finish it off better!
Brokenness; It is real, I encounter it each day in my own life, and I try to shepherd others through it daily as well.

The Pantheon, a place once dedicated to worship of idols but reborn to host the worship of God. May our lives tell a similar story as we realize what God does to us in baptism!

Brokenness

It sucks.  And we aren’t the first generation to deal with it.  It goes all the way back to two people who weren’t broken but became broken.

The breaks may be physical, or social, psychological.  They may seem to others to be tiny fractures, for others life is simply shattered.  Some of our breaks we hide… not easily, and some we try to hide from, distracting ourselves, trying to find ways to numb the pain.

Some of our brokenness may be dealt with, for that is what doctor’s, counsellors, and mediators are there to do.  Other types of brokenness have to be endured, and that too sucks.  To deal with something broken for 40 or 50 or 70 years.  Never knowing how bad the brokenness and pain will be the next day.  We never know when we will be completely overcome by it.

As a pastor, I know this all too well, in too many areas I’ve tried to endure it.  Physical, emotional, social, and outcast. Been there, done that. Have the scars and the memories that still hurt.

I wish I could heal it all, I know sometimes it happens, as God’s mercy overwhelms us and the person’s shattered life is made whole.  I don’t understand why this one, and not that.  I only know the healing we all have access to, the brokenness that for everyone there is healing, that there is being made whole, as we are made holy.

Spiritual healing

The healing that comes from realizing God’s love.  The healing that comes from the cleansing and restoration that forgiveness is.  Our heart and soul freed of the burdens of guilt and shame.  The healing that comes from encountering the love of Christ, pure, faithful, incredible, without measure.

A love so graphically pictured in the cross, and in our baptism.  A love that invites us to share in Christ’s brokenness in communion, that our brokenness we would realize He shares in as well.  And in our promised resurrection united with Him, the brokenness fades into the past. Freed of it, spiritually now, but when Christ returns… completely as we dwell with him in Heaven forever.

This is our God, who loves us, who cares… who heals.

Find your rest in Him, and your endurance is guaranteed. This is what Paul tells us about, the struggle to hold onto Christ, realizing He is holding on to us. A struggle that as we are healed spiritually has an incredible impact on our lives, on our work, on the art that comes out of our lives.  Remind others of this as well, for that is what it means to be the church.   A place where people find healing in Christ while helping others heal.  AMEN!



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Source
Escriva, Josemaria. The Forge (Kindle Locations 2662-2664). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests

Thuy Nguyen | PLEASE PRAY URGENT FOR ME TO DESTROY EVERY ATTACK FROM PLEASE PRAYPLEASE URGENT FOR ME TO DESTROTHE EVIL , SATAN TO MY HEALTH , LIVER AND STOMATCH , SPIRIT AND SOUL  , PLEASE PRAY TO ME  TO  SIGN THE CONTRACT AND BEGIN TO WORK IN HOSPITAL FRANCE -VIETNAMESE SUCCESSFUL .  GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND CHURCH

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

Karen B. | Pray for me, I am in rehabilitation to learn to walk again. Pray for my son, that he finds Christ.

Joshua | That me and my family get approved for apartment building we filled out for


Peter Sidadasi | Dear sir iam Peter, 41 years old from India, sir iam doing His valuable work since 2003 among the Idol worshippers in four defferent places, very critically areas. so many people were accepting Jesus Christ as their own Saviour and took the water baptism so we have no permanent Church building, at present we are worshipping in rented houses and some people not able to purchase bibles so if you possible plz provide telugu old and new testament bibles for distributing to the needy people and pray for Church building and winning for soul's for Christ.

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD, In You can only I come to rest, heal,accomplish the tasks set before me! I'm nothing without You Lord! Keep me afloat my remaining days!.......SELAH
My name is Dudu please pray with us my daughter is looking for a job or intership cause she completed last year her honours degree. I trust God that with your prayers join together miracle will happen in Jesus Name.

Elda | My desire is to be spirit filled every second of my life, to worship God in spirit and in truth! 

Jesual sona | Sir and mam praise the Lord. My wife name is premila sona. We kneed a baby so please pray for my wife and me.Thank you

Britannica Rodgers | I pray for myself as to get a job and be financial stable and also to get my own place for me and my son also pray for my sister and her spouse that they get a change to make it through the hard times

MW | Dear Lord my bless life and my family's life and lead me where you want me to go, and bless my hand and marriage to Chase Nash

FEMI MORONKEJI OLORUNFEMI |  Please help me pray that my Australia Visa Application with the Australia Immigration Department since last year August be approved. It has been a long awaited application and its been under assessment for over 5 months. Kindly help me pray for God's mercy over this application for it to be approved on time. That I may not suffer any bad news of rejection over it in Jesus name. Thank you.

BF | As a single parent l am having financial difficulties. This situation has caused a rift in my family.

sigesh | for my studies and my mom

eve | please help sir, i am trying to quit smoking. I have tried to pray in the past for gods guidance and help, but some how I may not be doing it right, for I ask strength to guide me and lead me to the right path..it goes unanswered. Please help, I really wish to stop this terrible addiction as it has claimed the vessel god has given me to live in.  I want my body to be a temple, and to be healthy. So many ups and downs.

MA | Applying for further studies. Needs God interventions.Amen

LJ |  I'm feeling like I am alone in this life, since I have gotten sicker with my condition MultipleSlacroise and I am trying to get stronger but I lose lots of strength and get tired quick, please pray to God to heal me from this disease in Jesus name amen. Hungry for God's healing over my legs, mind,body, and soul in Jesus name amen

Vera Bankston-Jones | FATHER GOD, Only in you can there be peace! Guide me Father!.......SELAH

Deborah Gomeyac | Hello i am deaf too. kindly please pray for me because i has seizure problem.pray for my daughter planning for studying other new school in the future. pray for my husband stop suffering sick about backpain.

Mercy Kalaga | Plz pray for job .I want get it bank job .so pl pray for me




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hero of murderous jihadist

Palestinian kids' TV makes hero of murderous jihadist

Continuing the trend of making heroes out of cold-blooded killers, Palestinian children’s television recently aired a program that declares an Islamic terrorist who has murdered more than 100 Israeli Jews a “role model.”

In the kid’s 10-minute From My Country TV show, arch-terrorist Abu Jihad - who the Palestinian Authority (PA) credits with murdering at least 125 Israeli Jews - is touted as a “role model to be followed.”

“The opening of the weekly 10-minute program - which has been broadcast twice so far - shows a cube with photos of six different Palestinian personalities,” Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported. “One of them is terrorist Abu Jihad, who orchestrated numerous terror attacks against Israelis, among them the most lethal attack in Israel’s history - the Coastal Road Massacre - in which Palestinian terrorists hijacked a bus and murdered 37 civilians, among them 12 children.”

‘Hometown’ hero?

In the Palestinian television program broadcasted with the goal of recruiting future jihadists to brutally take over Israel in the name of the Islamic god, Allah, the young host of the show introduces the latest installment by inciting nationalism through portraying Palestinians’ selfless commitment to improve their so-called “homeland,” despite their “struggle” with Israeli Jews.

“Hello, my dear friends, and welcome to the program From My Country,” the Palestinian host opens up, according to PMW. “You certainly know how beautiful our country is: its villages, cities, historical, religious, archaeological and tourist sites. The most beautiful thing is that all of this beauty of our country is reflected by great personalities who have given and are giving much to the homeland, whether in the political, literary, artistic or scientific struggle.”

He then colors the aggression against the Israelis as being motivated by oppression, insisting that “weapons” are a valuable tool for Palestinians to artistically express the depth of their plight and pride in “their” land.

“The prominent personalities struggled by way of pens, paintbrushes, words, weapons, and knowledge … to express our appreciat[ion] and follow the example of these symbols,” the host continued. ”Let us always keep them in our memories.”

Like clockwork, the children’s TV show ties militant Islamic personalities with their hometowns to instill a sense of pride and duty in Palestinian youth, with the first episode featuring PA President Mahmoud Abbas, of Safed, and the second installment noting that late Palestinian cartoonist Naji Al-Ali was born and raised in Al-Shajara, where he accrued his jihadist beliefs.

“Each episode of From My Country is about a specific famous Palestinian personality and the town or city in ‘Palestine’ in which that person was born,” PMW’s Nan Jacques Zilberdik and Itamar Marcus announced on Wednesday. “The other ‘symbols’ included in the opening of the new PA TV children's program are current PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Safed), former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat (Gaza), the Palestinian national poet Mahmoud Darwish (Al-Birweh), and female singer Rim Banna (Nazareth). The opening lists the birth place of Abu Jihad as Ramle and Kanafani's as Acre.”

Furry friends encourage brutal jihad

Abu Jihad is not the only character Palestinian children’s TV has used to motivate youngsters to take their place on the jihadist battlefield.

The long history of promoting jihad includes the use of Assud - a bunny character who was “martyred” in the name of jihad after he called for Palestinians to occupy Israeli cities to initiate an Islamic takeover of the land.

“We should teach our children that we have a land to which we must return: Jaffa, Acre, Haifa, and Tel Aviv,” the bunny character incited parents, according to WND. “We will return to all these cities, Allah willing.”

The use of animated and costumed characters to produce cold-blooded Muslim killers is nothing new.

“Palestinian television also featured the ‘martyrdom’ of Farfour, a Mickey Mouse-lookalike,” WND’s Bob Unruh reported.

Terrorist twos and sinister sixes

As early as two years old, Palestinian youth are told via their TV sets to annihilate their Jewish neighbors.

It was reported back in 2015 that a two-year-old Palestinian boy was broadcasted on official PA TV singing a song about his hope to become a martyr in the name of jihad - a tune that the Palestinian faction group, the Fatah Central Committee, claimed was instrumental in instilling a sense of belonging for Palestinians.

“Daddy, buy me a machine gun and a rifle [so I can kill Israelis],” the two-year-old sang, according to WND.

Another PA TV show around the same time featured two six-year-olds being interviewed in military fatigues, which each bragging that they aspired to “blow up the Jews” with ruthless determination. The questions were being asked by a girl just a little older than the boys, who posed the following inquiry to Muhammed - one of the two six-year-olds - about his poetry.

“Who taught this poem, Muhammad?” the young girl asked.

After the boy’s mother interjected that “Muhammad Ali Zakariya Al-Astal” taught the poem, the boy started reciting the following verses:

“Oh Jerusalem, I shall redeem you with my soul and my blood,” the boy orated the first verse before chanting two more. “I shall liberate you from the Jews by means of the Al-Qassam Brigades, of course. I bring glad tidings to our prisoners: Salvation is near.”

Inciting violent jihad through poetry is not the only way Palestinian children are taught to unload their indoctrinated hostility against Israeli Jews.

Zakaria, another interviewee, was asked about the reasoning behind his occupational choice on PA TV.

“[I want to be an engineer] so that I can blow up the Jews,” Zakaria proudly stated.

The program’s hostess then clarified to boy’s response.

“You want to blow up the Jews? No, we want to blow up the Zionists,” the TV personality corrected the boy. “You mean the occupation, right? Okay, so that is why you want to become an engineer?”

The use of Disney-like characters to incite jihad is not off limits to the Palestinians, either.

“In 2010, the terror group Hamas’ Al-Aqsa Television ‘martyred’ Assud and knocked off a Mickey Mouse-lookalike for the cause of jihad,” Unruh recounted.

Hellish holiday greetings

The same year, a “holiday song” credited to the world-recognized Palestinian terrorist group Hamas was performed by children and aired on Hamas Al-Aqsa TV.

The song, called “Give Us Our Pocket Money to Buy Guns and Wage Jihad,” or “Holiday Gun,” was sung by Palestinian youth MuhammadAl0Madhoun and Ibrahim Shek Khalil, and below is the script obtained by MEMRI:

Children’s choir: Dad, we put on our new clothes.

Give us our pocket money. Today is a holiday.

Dad, we put on our new clothes.

Give us our pocket money. Today is a holiday.

Me, my brother, and the neighborhood kids want to arm ourselves with guns.

Dad: My children, I’m worried about you.

This toy might harm your eyes.

My children, I’m worried about you.

This toy might harm your eyes.

Think about another toy.

You are the apple of my eye, may Allah protect you.

Child: Dad, we are a steadfast people.

These guns need hands to carry them.

Dad, we are a steadfast people.

These guns need hands to carry them.

Today we play, tomorrow we will wage Jihad.

How joyous my heart will be on the Day of Return.

Children’s choir: Dad, we put on our new clothes.

Give us our pocket money. Today is a holiday.

Dad, we put on our new clothes.

Give us our pocket money. Today is a holiday.

Me, my brother, and the neighborhood kids want to arm ourselves with guns.

Dad: Your words have filled my heart with joy.

How fortunate Al-Aqsa is to have boys like you.

Your words have filled my heart with joy.

How fortunate Al-Aqsa is to have boys like you.

Here’s your pocket money.

Go and buy yourself a gun.

Don’t shoot anyone but the enemy.

Child: Okay, Dad. Have a happy holiday.

How joyous my heart is when you put your hand in mine.

Okay, Dad. Have a happy holiday.

How joyous my heart is when you put your hand in mine.

I keep my light for my loved ones and my fire for the enemies.

What happiness!

What happiness!

Children’s choir: What happiness!

What happiness!




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SOURCE

Terrorists Kill Eight Christians in Central Nigeria

Muslim Herdsmen, Terrorists Kill Eight Christians in Central Nigeria

Violence attacks on villages in north-central Nigeria that killed eight Christians during the past two weeks were executed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen aided by terrorists from Islamic extremist groups, a local pastor said.

The Rev. Sunday Gado Biri told reporters that the assailants also torched 50 homes owned by Christians, including his very own, and his church building was partly burnt in the attacks on Zanwra, a suburb of Jebu-Miango close to the city of Jos, Plateau state. 

“A critical view these attacks have demonstrated that it's not just the herdsmen that are attacking Christian communities, as there are terrorists working together with them to execute these attacks,” said the 54-year-old pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Zanwra.

He appealed to the Nigerian government to bring to an end unabated attacks on Christian communities.

“It is regrettable that the soldiers brought here are not taking critical measures against the herdsmen,” he said. “When the herdsmen were burning up the houses, the soldiers could not stop them. Regardless of this, I still want to appeal to the Nigerian government that it should stop these killings.”

In attacks on Zanwra village between Jan. 22 and Jan. 25, the eight Christians died in four ambushes on several days, even though the houses were damaged in two distinct attacks.

Pastor Biri said one of his church elders, 60-year-old James Nengwe, was slain the night of Jan. 24 as he tried to escape.

“He was on his way to the military camp almost two kilometres from his house when he was ambushed, shot and killed by the herdsmen,” the pastor said. “In fact, he was only a few hundred meters from the military camp. He chose to take refuge at the military base camp when he saw the herdsmen destroying and burning up houses close to his house.”

Zanwra resident Moses Chohu confirmed that armed herdsmen shot Nengwe to death as he fled for security.

“A Christian community leader, the ward head of Zanwra, Nengwe, was ambushed and shot to death near a military base camp by armed herdsmen as he tried escaping to the military camp,” Chohu told Morning Star News. “Houses in Zanwra village were being burned by the herdsmen when they ambushed Nengwe and killed him.”

Pastor Biri said the attacks have reduced the number of people attending his church services.

“Some of our members have been displaced, and church attendance has drastically dropped,” he said. “Prior to these attacks, church attendance was at about 400 worshippers, but at the moment we hardly have about 200 worshippers during services on Sundays.”

Nigeria ranked 14th on Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

The pastor said Nengwe has family members and was devoted to the church.

“When the attack on our villages started we constituted a committee to support Internally Displaced Persons,” he said. “Baba James was a member of this committee. Lately, there was an attack on this community by herdsmen, and five houses owned by some people in my church were burnt down by the herdsmen. Because of this, we constituted the committee on the IDPs.”

Another Zanwra resident, Patience Moses, 30, told reporters that on Jan. 25, a day after killing village head Nengwe, the assailants attacked again at about 7 p.m.

“All houses surrounding the DTV area [near Zanwra] to the ECWA Church, Zanwra, were burnt down,” she said. “The house of the pastor of ECWA church, Rev. Sunday Biri, was burned down, even though the church itself was partly burned. Soldiers that were attempting push away the attackers ran out of bullets, and so the attackers prevailed in burning down houses.”

A mini-van carrying persons from Jos to Kwall was ambushed near the ECWA church, Zanwra, and “the driver, the conductor, and one other Christian” were killed and about 20 others injured, Moses said. Police identified two of the Christians killed in the ambush as Danlami of Kwal District and Emmanuel Audu of Jebbu-Miango.

Around 50 houses belonging to Christians were burned, Moses said, including those of Pastor Biri; Dauda Babuje; Jonathan Davou; John Huyep; Danladi Sunday; Sunday Ragwa; Yakubu A.A.; Morris Ragwa; Joro Sunday; Adamu Hunye; Timothy Audu; Audu Hunye; David Saku; Luka Adamu; Infor Aji; Demi Sunday; Damjuma Gah, and two identified only as Maley and Monday.

In the DTV area near Zanwra, the houses of the following Christians were burned down by the herdsmen, she said: Joshua Audu; Saku Leh; Musa Akwa; Paseh; Audu; Shehu Audu; Danlami Gyah; Monday Njwe; Friday Monday; Igya Danlami; Monday Gyah; Uwah Audu; Gbah Gyah; Kuku Gbah; Adeh Njweh; Jonathan Ndeh; Musa Njweh; Ishon Njwe; Yakubu Njweh; Ishaya Barry; Fidelis Barry; Monday Ishaya; Musa Dahro; Christopher Musa; Joshua Musa; Guba Bitrus; and Friday Saku.

Zanwra resident Chohu said attacks on Christian communities in the area began on Jan. 14 when three Christians from Kimakpa village went to Maiyanga village, and herdsmen attacked them as they were returning to Kimakpa at about 6 p.m.

“One of them was killed, the second was injured, while the third escaped unhurt,” Chohu said. Their names were not readily available.

On Jan. 22 three Christians from Kpachudu and Kwall villages who had gone to a mining camp at Telma village were returning at about 6 p.m. when Muslim Fulani herdsmen ambushed them at Chuvo-Kpara village, Chohu said. The three died in the attack, with the herdsmen chopping off the head of one of them and taking it with them.

“On Jan. 24, at about 7:50 p.m., just about an hour after the ward head was murdered by the herdsmen, they also set afire four houses in Alleh village near Zanwra,” he said. “The houses burnt were those of Christians Dauda Ahmadu, Musa Nengwe, Danjuma David and SundayNengwe.”

The ward head, Nengwe, was buried on Jan. 25 at about 10 a.m. in a funeral witnessed by a Morning Star News correspondent, and by the evening of the same day, the herdsmen invaded Zanwra village anew, burning more houses of Christians and displacing many of them.

Zanwra residents identified two of the dead as Emmanuel Audu and Danlami.

Matthias Tyopev, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, said in a press statement that three people were killed in the Jan. 24 attacks.

“Three people were killed and burned by the armed men,” he said. “Eight others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries. About 20 housing units were also set ablaze. An investigation is ongoing to unravel the remote and immediate causes of these attacks.”

Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent.



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