Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Press statement by Evangelical Fellowship of India on Church burning in Delhi

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION
 
Evangelical Fellowship of India
805/ 92, Deepali Building, Nehru Place, New Delhi, India

PRESS STATEMENT

EFI Condemns the burning of St. Sebastian's Church in Dilshad Garden, New Delhi

The Evangelical Fellowship of India condemns the burning of St. Sebastian's Church in Dilshad Garden, in the national Capital, New Delhi early this morning. The entire interior of the Church building, including the Altar, the Holy Bible and Cross were reduced to ashes. The church was constructed in 2001 in East Delhi.

Delhi Archbishop Most Rev. Anil Couto said "The arson in St. Sebastian's church was condemnable not just because it was an act of sacrilege and hate against the community and its faith, but that it could happen in the national Capital which is just recovering from a series of communal incidents."

The act of sacrilege and hate against the Christian community is carried with impunity with very often law agencies remaining silent spectators. This will dent the image of the present government within India and abroad and leave the minorities vulnerable and targets of hatred.

Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary,
Evangelical Fellowship of India,
New Delhi, India

Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations