Pope Makes Historic Visit to England. In September 2010, Benedict XVI made the first official state visit to England by a Roman Catholic Pope since the Protestant Reformation.  Although atheists threatened to have him arrested for covering up the activities of pedophile priests, the Pope apologized for the scandal, met with the Queen, and addressed an assembly of British politicians as “the Successor of Peter” and a representative of “the Catholic faith that comes to us from the Apostles” (Telegraph, 18 September 2010).  In a show of unity, Benedict prayed together with the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.  During the visit, the Pope warned about the growing marginalization of Christianity in modern societies and urged Anglicans and Roman Catholics to meet the challenge of aggressive secularism by overcoming their differences and fighting together against this common enemy.  After beatifying Cardinal Henry Newman, an Anglican priest who converted to Roman Catholicism, the Pope used his final speech to urge a “restoration of full communion” between the two churches that separated nearly 500 years ago. This ecumenical outreach by the “mother church” to regain her separated “daughters” has long been predicted in the Scriptures (Isaiah 47:1-8).

 

Toxic Red Sludge Could Enter Danube. The Danube, Europe’s second-longest waterway, could be threatened by a toxic red sludge that has entered one of its tributaries.  This week, a reservoir for toxic sludge at an aluminum plant in Hungary burst, releasing 1 million cubic meters (more than 35 million cubic feet) of sludge into two neighboring towns.  So far, four people have been killed, three are missing, and 120 have been treated for chemical burns.  The sludge is a by-product of the aluminum refining process.  Officials fear that if the sludge enters the Danube (45 miles away), an environmental disaster could ensue, impacting half a dozen other European nations.  Workers in hazmat suits have been laboring all week to clear the hardest hit towns.  Hungary’s federal investigation agency is now involved in determining the cause (Associated Press, October 6, 2010).  This disaster is likely not the “beginning of the end.”  However, the Bible predicts end-time events will result in contamination of one-third of all waters in rivers and springs (Revelation 8:10-11).  Exactly “how” this end time catastrophe will occur remains to be seen.  However, as we witness increasing disasters around the earth, we can glimpse the potential devastation that modern industries could inflict on creation.  Aluminum plants exist around the globe and “holding reservoirs” for toxic sludge can be breached by intense rains, earthquakes, as well as terrorist activities.  This event in Hungary could be a sobering foretaste of events to come…

 

Floods in Diverse Places. In the past several weeks, extensive flooding has inundated the U.S.A.’s East Coast and upper Mid-West, Jamaica, Barbados and Cuba, parts of Europe, the Southeast Asian nations of Indonesia and Viet Nam, and the Chinese island of Hainan.  As of Wednesday morning, the death toll across Asia had reached 110, with tens of thousands displaced, and bridges and homes destroyed due to the flooding (Associated Press, October 6, 2010). In Jamaica, 11 people died and thousands went without power and water for several days (Canadian Press, October 3, 2010).  In the American upper Mid-West, some towns were inundated with up to 12 feet (nearly 4 meters) of floodwater and entire towns were destroyed (CBS.com, September 25, 2010).  In Luke 21:8-11, Jesus said that “signs of the end of the age” would include pestilences, earthquakes in various places, and fearful sights. The prophet Amos foretold that rain would fall on some cities while drought would affect other areas (Amos 4:7).  As we come closer to the end of the age, we will see increasing natural and man-made disasters… signs that Christ’s return is approaching.  John Meakin, Sue Bennett and Scott Winnail