Church in Russia liquidated as authorities target Christian-run projects
Churches and Christian organisations in Russia that are engaged in educational, social and charitable work are facing harassment from the authorities. One church has been liquidated for alleged illegal non-religious educational activity.
On 5 March, St Petersburg’s Harvest Pentecostal Church’s appeal against its closure was rejected by Russia’s Supreme Court. The court upheld a ruling on 14 November that the church had been conducting general (non-religious) educational work, which, as a religious organisation, it was not licensed to do.
The church had been subjected to an unannounced inspection in May 2013 by officials purportedly checking for “extremist” activity. It was fined for minor violations of fire and sanitary regulations, and the pastor was later summoned to attend the liquidation hearing.
A case was brought against Harvest Church because, the Prosecutor’s Office said, its premises were “equipped as classrooms with school desks and chairs [and] shelves with educational literature”. St Petersburg City Court ruled that the church was running an eksternat, an external/home schooling programme.
~A case was brought against Harvest Church because, the Prosecutor’s Office said, its premises were “equipped as classrooms with school desks and chairs [and] shelves with educational literature”. St Petersburg City Court ruled that the church was running an eksternat, an external/home schooling programme~
Who said I’m supporting this? On the other hand I see a legal, not theological problem there. They should have been licensed and meet specific standards to operate as an educational institution.
Each country has some stupid regulations.