international journal for religious freedom Vol 8 Issue 1/2 2015 ISSN 2070-5484 Vol 8 Issue 1/2 2015 Vol Christian minorities & religious freedom international journal for religious freedom International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF) Journal of the International Institute for Religious Freedom The IJRF aims to provide a platform for scholarly discourse on religious freedom and persecution. It is an inter- disciplinary, international, peer reviewed journal, serving the dissemination of new research on religious free- dom and contains research articles, documentation, book reviews, academic news and other relevant items. The editors welcome the submission of any contribution to the journal. Manuscripts submitted for pub- lication are assessed by a panel of referees and the decision to publish is dependent on their reports. The IJRF is listed on the DoHET “Approved list of South African journals” and subscribes to the Code of Best Prac- tice in Scholarly Journal Publishing, Editing and Peer Review of 2018 as well as the National Code of Best Practice in Editorial Discretion and Peer Review for South African Scholarly Journals and the supplementary Guidelines for Best Practice of the Forum of Editors of Academic Law Journals in South Africa. The IJRF is freely available online: www.iirf.eu, as a paid print subscription, and via SABINET. Editorial Committee Editors Prof Dr Christof Sauer, Cape Town, South Africa [email protected] Prof Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, Bonn, Germany Managing Editor Prof Dr Janet Epp Buckingham (LLD Stellenbosch University), Ottawa, Canada [email protected] Book Reviews Dr Byeong Jun, Cape Town, South Africa [email protected] Noteworthy vacant [email protected] Editorial Board Prof Dr P Coertzen, Stellenbosch, South Africa Prof Dr Dr J W Montgomery, Straßbourg, France Prof Dr R Velosso Ewell, Londrina, Brazil Rev P Netha, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Prof S A de Freitas, Bloemfontein, South Africa Prof Dr A Ojacor, Kampala, Uganda Prof Dr L Fernandez, Cape Town, South Africa Prof Prof Dr B J G Reitsma, Amsterdam, Netherlands Dr K Gnanakan, Shillong/Bangalore, India Dr B Prof Dr R Rothfuss, Tübingen, Germany Intan, Jakarta, Indonesia Prof Dr C Schirrmacher, Bonn, Germany Prof Dr T K Johnson, Prague, Czech Republic Prof Dr D L Stults, Oklahoma, USA Drs B Konutgan, Istanbul, Turkey Dr P Marshall, Prof Dr J P J Theron, Pretoria, South Africa Washington DC, USA Subscriptions 2016 Annual subscription fee: Bank details SA Rand 300 Beneficiary: International Institute for Religious Freedom, VAT and postage included. Cape Town · Bank: Standard Bank · Branch: Sea Point See subscription form in the back. Branch Code: 02 41 09 · Account Number: 071 117 431 For international payments use: SWIFT Code: SBZAZAJJ http://iirfct.givengain.org IJRF · P.O. Box 1336 · Sun Valley 7985 · Rep South Africa (pay in Rand!) Tel +27-21 783 0823 · Fax +27-86 551 6432 · [email protected] International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF) of the World Evangelical Alliance Friedrichstr. 38 PO Box 1336 Galle Road, 2nd Floor Sun Valley 7985 Dehiwela, 01 10350 53111 Bonn Cape Town (Colombo) Germany South Africa Sri Lanka www.iirf.eu [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] International Journal for Religious Freedom Volume 8, Issue 1, 2015 ISSN 2070-5484 Articles and opinions published in IJRF do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, of IIRF or of the sponsors. © Copyright 2015 is with the individual authors or bodies mentioned in the respective items. Printed with permission. Acknowledgement of Sponsors We would like to thank the sponsors who supported the editing, printing and distribution of this issue of IJRF. Their views and opinions are not necessarily those of IIRF and vice versa. · Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg, Germany www.elk-wue.de/landeskirche/international- information-en/ · Gebende Häude (Giving Hands), www.gebende-haende.de Subscribe to get IJRF via email (time delayed – 1 March; 1 September) ¾ To receive new issues of IJRF electronically on release, send an email to: [email protected] ¾ To receive an email notice about a new issue of IJRF available online, send an email to: [email protected] Note to librarians: IJRF is also available as an ePublication from Sabinet (www.sabinet.co.za). The first full volume of IJRF appeared in 2009. There was only one pilot issue in 2008. Typesetting: Ben Nimmo (Solid Ground), www.solidground.training Cover art: Julene Fast. Photo credit: St Jacobs Printery Every year, Mennonites hold a quilt auction to raise funds for the work of the Mennonite Central Committee, the relief, service, development and peace agency of Mennonites in Canada. This feature quilt was made by Julene Fast of the Hawkesville Mennonite Church. It was sold at the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale. Mennonites are an Anabaptist Christian minority group that has been persecuted in many countries. They are known for their pacifist beliefs and for their work in relief and development. An article in this journal explicates some of their history in Canada, where they have sought refuge. Contents International Journal for Religious Freedom Volume 8, Issue 1/2, 2015 ISSN 2070–5484 Editorial ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 In my opinion The use of loudspeakers for the Islamic call to prayer: An infringement upon negative religious freedom? Thomas Schirrmacher ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 Articles Moroccan Christians: Lost Opportunities Leah Farish �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Invited but not welcomed: Where is the promised accommodation of separatist religious communities in Canada? Janet Epp Buckingham��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������25 Historical roots of the manipulation of religion in Northern Nigeria: The rise of fundamentalist groups and the plight of ethnic and religious minorities Emmanuel Osewe Akubor ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 Building our houses on sand: Exegetical implications of the Sermon on the Mount for religious freedom Nicholas Kerton-Johnson����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Problems that result from granting freedom of religious exercise to US corporations Thomas E� Simmons������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������63 Noteworthy .......................................................................................................75 Documentation ................................................................................................ 77 Review Article Islamic Discourses on Accusations of Unbelief and Apostasy Carsten Polanz ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������79 Book Reviews ...................................................................................................89 Guidelines for Authors ........................................................................................99 Subscriptions....................................................................................................102 Editorial We’re Back on Track There is great rejoicing as the International Journal for Religious Freedom is finally being published again! As theIJRF is an open-access journal, many have noticed that it has been effectively dormant since 2014. It has been a big effort to get this issue out and we are happy to introduce the new managing editor, Prof Dr Janet Epp Buckingham, who is bringing the journal back to life! She is a Canadian university professor with a long history of work promoting religious freedom. She has been an advocate with the World Evangelical Alliance in Geneva and an advocate to Global Affairs Canada. As well, she has been associated with the International Institute for Religious Freedom since its in- ception and served on the advisory board of this journal. We equally express our warmest thanks to our new language editor Bruce Barron, PhD, and longstanding proofreader Barbara Felgendreher, MA, and typsetter Ben Nimmo. Yours for religious freedom, Prof Dr Christof Sauer and Prof Dr Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, editors Christian minorities and religious freedom This issue represents the geographical and interdisciplinary breadth that the jour- nal strives for, with articles ranging from law to theology and from Nigeria to North America. While there was no preconceived thematic focus, the uniting thread of most of the contributions is a focus on Christian minorities and religious freedom. Thomas Schirrmacher’s opinion essay on laws relating to loudspeakers on minarets is part of an ongoing dialogue on this issue. Leah Farish draws on surveys of Moroccan Christians to describe in detail their experiences of living in a Muslim country. My article on the history of separatist Anabaptist Christians in Canada explores a similar experience of life as a religious minority, but through the lens of legal cases. I contrast political promises of accom- modation of religious practices with the less favourable reality and ensuing legal challenges.Emmanuel Osewe Akubor discusses in depth the rise of fundamentalist Islamic groups in northern Nigeria and their impact on Christian minorities in that region. Nicholas Kerton-Johnson and Tom Simmons have