Breaking Christian News on The Gospel Herald

North Korea released information today that it is holding American citizen Jeffrey Edward Fowle for "hostile activities" after Fowle reportedly left a Bible in his hotel room. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Fowle violated his visa regulations.

Open Doors International, the "world's largest outreach to persecuted Christians in the most high-risk places," released a top 10 list, comprised of countries in which Christians have experienced the most violent incidents for their faith in Jesus Christ. The report, based on persecution incidents that have occurred between November 1, 2012 and March 31, 2014, is topped by Nigeria and Syria.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 28% of Americans view the Bible as "the actual word of God, to be taken literally, word for word," down 2% from 2012 and almost 10% from the 1970's and early 1980's; yet 75% of all Americans "believe the Bible is in some way connected to God."

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case of a group in Murfreesboro, TN vehemently opposed to the expansion of The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro and mosque in the city. The Center was established in the early 1980's, but conflict ensued when Rutherford County officials approved expansion plans in 2010.

Ed Stetzer, President of the LifeWay Research Division and contributing editor for Christianity Today, recently referred to articles written by Heath Lambert, executive director of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC), to debunk myths surrounding ACBC's beliefs on mental illness, medication, and science. Stetzer has shown special interest in the subject and is "currently engaged in some significant research" on the topic, which will be completed this fall.

On May 28th, the Houston City Council, led by openly gay mayor Annise D. Parker, passed the controversial Equal Rights Ordinance (PDF here) with the stated intent to prohibit discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. Parker said that Houston was one of the last major cities without an equal rights ordinance.

He strongly criticized couples choosing not to have children, commenting that they've given in to a culture of "well-being" that values material wealth and comfort more than children.

In an interview with Jonathan Merritt, senior columnist for Religion News Service, NT Wright, hailed by Newsweek as "the world's leading New Testament scholar," stated his position on several most controversial issues within the Church: sexuality, science, and gender. The interview is a follow up to Merritt's first discussion with Wright, covering the nature of the Bible and Wright's views on 'inerrancy.'

Ann B. Davis, known as housekeeper Alice Nelson in the popular television show "The Brady Bunch" and secretary Schultzy on "The Bob Cummings Show" died Sunday at the age of 88. Davis passed away unexpectedly after a fall in a hospital in San Antonio, Texas where she lived with a minister friend and his wife.

A Sudanese official who stated that Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman sentenced to death for the crime of apostasy, would be "set free" has now retracted the statement, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. The case has been closely watched in the past several days since Ibrahim gave birth to a baby girl Wednesday while in prison. Meriam's husband told the Daily Telegraph that "they kept a chain on her legs" as she gave birth.