Pastor Jerome Fernando is the leader of the Glorious Church in Katunayake, Sri Lanka. Along with his regular church ministry role, he also holds evangelistic meetings in various areas of the world. As a prominent religious leader, his messages are heard by many online, as well as by those attending his speaking engagements in person.
In a message he presented this past May, Pastor Jerome spoke about the differences between Christianity and religions that are prevalent in Sri Lanka. After hearing his message, critics claim that he insulted Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. Various Buddhist groups called on police authorities to press charges, accusing him of inciting hatred among religious groups in contravention of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act.
Following the posting of his controversial message, Pastor Jerome left the country on May 15th to minister in Singapore, and then later travelled to the United Kingdom. During his travels, he issued an apology via live video streaming on May 21st for any misunderstanding or hurt his comments may have caused. Despite the apology, the case against him proceeded. When Pastor Jerome returned to the country on December 1st, he was arrested by governing authorities. Prosecutors claim that there is adequate evidence to prove that the preacher was "inciting hatred" through his sermons.
In response to Pastor Jerome's arrest, the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) issued a press release that included the following statement: "His arrest underscores concerns regarding the increasing intolerance towards freedom of expression and the continued use of Section 3(1) of the ICCPR Act...to stifle free expression in the country.... We believe that fostering an environment where individuals can express their views without fear of reprisal is crucial for a healthy and robust democracy."
Although Sri Lanka is a democratic nation, there are ethnic and religious struggles between the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese population and the mainly Hindu Tamils. Pressure from members of these prominent religious groups have frequently caused problems for churches in communities throughout the country. For more information, and/or to read previously published reports on Christian persecution in Sri Lanka, go to our country report.
As these charges are being deliberated by court officials, pray for God's divine intervention in Pastor Jerome's case. May the judge rightfully respect the Christian leader's freedom of expression and, as a result, consider Pastor Jerome innocent. Pray that the Lord will also provide guidance, wisdom and strength to Christians representing other churches throughout Sri Lanka as they endeavour to share the Good News of God's love with community members who have yet to receive Jesus as their Saviour.
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