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Evangelical Christians May Have Dodged a Serious Threat in Bulgaria

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After listening to objections about a controversial bill aimed at shutting down evangelical churches and other minority faiths, the Bulgarian Parliament has decided to revise it, thus delaying any vote on the legislation. 

Some evangelical Christians and other faiths say the bill in its current form would severely limit religious freedom in Eastern Europe.

The bill favors the majority of Eastern Orthodox and Muslim religions. But leaders of all faiths, even those that it favored, have been standing against the bill.

One evangelical spokesperson spoke to CBN News from Bulgaria's capital of Sofia, explaining that the threat has brought all members of the body of Christ together.

Iva Tsvetkova of Mission Possible says, "We as a Christian community all over the country did prayer rallies and peaceful protests... and in my opinion right now the church in Bulgaria is more united than ever before."

The evangelical church in Bulgaria is very small, representing less than one percent of the population.

The original bill favored Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Islam while putting heavy burdens on others. For example:

  •  Only Eastern Orthodox believers and Muslims would be allowed to train clergy and run schools.
  •  All other Bulgarian ministers would lose legal status
  •  State control would be imposed on messages and sermons

According to media outlets, the revised bill was tabled on Friday.  A date for debate and voting on the measure has not been released.  

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About The Author

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Benjamin
Gill

Benjamin Gill oversees all web content as the Multimedia Manager for CBNNews.com. He has been on staff with CBN News as an internet and broadcast producer since 2000. You can follow him on Twitter @BenGillCBN. Here are some of his commentaries and articles: Pursuing Truth in a World of Fake News: Reflections of a Christian Journalist After 20 Years with CBN News The Breaking Point: Pandemic Pain, Persistent Prayer, and God's Bigger Picture Plagues, the End Times, and Trusting in God's Protection: 'You Will Hear Us and Rescue Us' 12 Powerful Bible Verses to Build Your Faith and Fight Fear