Globe Trot: Iraqi Christians celebrate hope in the time of despair

IRAQ: The displaced Christians in Iraq are bold with Christmas trees and other displays, despite the danger they face. “Don’t be surprised that Iraq’s persecuted Christian communities will be celebrating Christmas,” an Iraqi Christian there told me today. “The persecuted Iraqis identify with the trials and tribulations of Jesus Christ, while embracing the Christian theme of redemption, which offers us hope in the time of despair.”

CUBA: Some evangelicals are happy Cubans will have better access to food and medicine under Obama's normalization policies announced this week, but they also expressed concern the changes could squelch Cuba's church-planting movement—surpassed only by China and two different movements in India.

Obama’s new Cuba policy is a victory for oppressive governments the world over," writes Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. But the embargo “hasn’t worked,” said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and normalizing relations is “probably a good idea.” The conflict within the GOP sets an interesting stage for the 2016 election.

WORLD's 2014 News of the Year issue is out, complete with a timeline of events and the year’s noteworthy departures.

GLOBE TROT readers are in general agreement about themes for the year—

“Escalating lawlessness,” “chaos,” “WAR. War in the physical sense and War in the realm of ideologies,” said some. Others highlighted “the religious cleansing of Christians and their culture,” and the “increase in Muslim influence and decrease in Christian influence.” Along those lines, one noted “the mounting war on Judeo-Christian religious freedom being waged by the allied forces of counterfeit religions (such as Islam), secular humanism, and Marxist totalitarianism.” And this: “Knowing that love will prevail over the threat of Islam.”

I selected “regifting” as the year’s theme.

NIGERIA: Suspected Boko Haram militants have kidnapped more than 185 young men, women, and children in northern Nigeria.

AFGHANISTAN: With little fanfare, the United States is ending combat operations in its longest war. “I don’t know if I’m pessimistic or optimistic,” said Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, the departing commander.

LONG READ: Earlier in the year, I highlighted “Mango, Mango!” the story of fruit-stand survival, and the Longreads blog has named it one of the year’s best, so I’m regifting.

I'M READING: Fiction over the holiday, starting with Lila by Marilynne Robinson, but also continuing John Allen’s 2013 The Global War on Christians and finishing up (and highly recommending) Philip Jenkins’ The Great and Holy War.

NOTE: There will be no Globe Trot Christmas week. Globe Trot will return Dec. 29. Meantime, if you know people who should be reading Globe Trot in the new year, send over their email addresses.