Concern for Fox, a 54-year-old resident of Clear Brook, Va., who was kidnapped in November, had risen this week after he was not seen in the broadcast of a video of three fellow kidnapped Christian peace activists. Tom Fox of Clear Brook, Va., was abducted along with Norman Kember, 74, of Britain, and James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both of Canada on November 26. The four worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams, a Toronto and Chicago based group that opposes the Iraq war and has criticized treatment of detainees in U.S. and Iraqi jails.
All four had appeared in two earlier videos released by their captors, a little-known group called the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. The group has accused the four of spying for Western governments.
In a statement released last night, Christian Peacemaker Teams said the group mourned Fox, who combined "a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression and the recognition of God in everyone." It said his death "pierces us with pain."
After the airing of the video of the three hostages this week, a spokeswoman for Christian Peacemaker Teams, Jessica Phillips, expressed satisfaction at seeing three of the four hostages alive but added, "We do not know what to make of Tom Fox's absence from this video."
UPDATE from BBC
Tom Fox's body was found on Thursday in the affluent Mansour district, Iraqi police said. There were signs that he had been beaten before being killed.
3 comments:
Sad news indeed: Permit to offer something that I posted (walkingchurch) early this morning prior to reading today's oncoffee:
"For those who have not yet read this primer on 'exchanged-life', I would highly recommend Steve McVey's 'Grace Walk, What you have always wanted in the Christian Life'. Here is a quote:
'The life pattern of believers is shown in the way that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit relate to each other. Each seeks to minister to the other. So it is to be with the church of Jesus Christ in this world. There is no such thing as Christianity turned inward. Empty religion seeks to preserve itself and forcuses on gathering. New Testament Christianity purposes to pour itself out in ministry to others. The ultimate benefit in allowing Christ to express his life through us in not what happens in us personally. Personal fulfillment is a wonderful by-product of His life within, but His greater goal is to express His life to a needy world through loving ministry." (p. 150)
In someways it appears baffling. In a strange way it is all about me but yet is isn't. God of the universe permitting His perfect son Jesus to be offered up for me, my sin, my shortcomings. But oddly, in a way it is not all about me. It is 'us'.
It is all about Jesus living His Life in 'us' as 'us' (for the benefit of all of us - the redeemed and the unredeemed creation).
I think of an image of a family gathering. A very crowded house, way too many people, and not enough everyday dishes and the comment is made: 'We are short on dishes'. Meanwhile, there is a China cabinet full of beautiful dishes that never sees service. We are NOT fine China dishes, rarely used; preciously stored for the next generation to store. Ultimately the dishes, I'm sure, will be dropped and they will never have been used for their true functional purpose.
So, 'In Christ' and 'Christ in Us', the 'loving ministry' of the priesthood of believers is one whereby we actively minister to one another and to a hurting world. We were never designed to hide in a fortress. We were never designed to be put in a showy, dusty, viewing cabinet.
To me, Daddy's (Abba's) fingerprints are all over this pure unconditional act of love. We all win! There are no losers!"
I might add: there are no believers who are losers in the Kingdom of God, yes, I pray Christ's light was seen in the life of this martyr.
The true value of something is established if you are willing to die for.
I extend Prayers of peace and healing to his family as well to others within the body of Christ. In Him - RoG
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