The Easter Attacks Are a Turning Point for Sri Lanka's Christians

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 24 April 2019

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nearly 300 people are dead after suicide bombers attacked three churches and three high-end hotels on Easter Sunday this week. Christians—the majority of whom are Catholics—make up less than 10 percent of the population of the majority-Buddhist nation, and have reported escalating concerns about their religious freedom. Christian persecution has largely come at the hands of Buddhist radicals, so the church has largely responded to the attacks with shock, says Ivor Poobalan, the Prinicipal of Colombo Theological seminary in Kohuwala (Colombo), Sri Lanka. “We expected the threat or danger to come from those quarters,” said Poobalan. “Islam has been around for over 1,000 years and has never been violent.” Poobalan joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and theology editor Caleb Lindgren to discuss how Christianity arrived in Sri Lanka, why the faith has long been associated with privilege, and how he hopes the church will respond to the bombings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.1	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:22.1	Today's episode of Quick to Listen is brought to you in part by Bloodline.
0:25.8	Bloodline, the new book by Skip Heitzig, takes you on a journey to discover an up-close
0:29.9	view of the cross, revealing God's ultimate mission to save you from sin's destruction.
0:34.8	To join the journey, visit the bloodlinebook.com.
0:38.7	It's April 24th, 2019, and you're listening to Quick to Listen. Each week we go
0:44.5	be on hashtags and hot takes discuss a major cultural event. This week on the show, we will be
0:49.8	talking about the Sri Lanka attacks this past Easter Sunday.
1:08.9	I'm Morgan Lee. I'm digital media producer here at Christianity today. I'm with my colleague,
1:12.7	our theology editor, Caleb Lindgren. Hi there, Morgan. Glad to be on the show again. Wish it was under better circumstances. I feel the same way. All right, Caleb, who is our guest and who
1:18.6	will be talking to us about this recent terrorist attack? Yeah, so this week we have Dr. Ivor Pubalan. He is the
1:26.3	principal of Colombo Theological Seminary in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
1:30.3	In addition to regular teaching, Dr. Pubalan also has over 30 years of ministry experience
1:35.3	and preaches regularly in Sri Lanka and around the globe.
1:38.7	He is the author of Everything Has Become New, Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, and was a contributor
1:43.9	to C.T's Understand the Faith Studyians, and was a contributor to CT's
1:44.7	Understand the Faith Study Bible, which was produced with Zondervin.
1:48.6	And then rounding out quite an impressive and active resume.
1:51.3	Dr. Pubalan is also the chairperson of Sri Lanka's first World Missions Initiative, Global Impact,
1:56.0	and was recently appointed co-chair of the Theology Working Group of the Luzon Movement.
2:00.5	So his very distinguished guests, and we're glad to have him on.
	...

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