Essay: Christians in Pakistan risk greater persecution from blasphemy laws, while living in poverty
Scholar of world religions, MYRIAM RENAUD, says – in an article first piublished on The Conversation – since the creation of the nation of Pakistan 76 years ago, the lives of Christians there have grown “ever more difficult”…
“A new world”: As Afghan refugees celebrate Islam’s holy month, US church gives Ramadan lessons
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports on how United Church of Christ churches are supporting Afghan families who have recently arrived in the US…
Pope, world religious leaders, issue pre-COP26 appeal on climate change
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis and other religious leaders made a joint appeal on Monday for next month’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to offer concrete solutions to save the planet from “an unprecedented ecological crisis”. The “Faith and Science: Towards COP26” meeting brought together Christian leaders including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Orthodox Ecumenical […]
Child sex abuse found across major UK religions – report
London, UKAP An inquiry investigating child sexual abuse in a wide range of religious organisations and settings in England on Thursday found “shocking failures” in how many religions handled abuse allegations, with victim-blaming and abuse of power by religious leaders often contributing to under-reporting. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse looked into child protection […]
Pakistani court grants bail to Christian in blasphemy case
Lahore, PakistanAP A Pakistani court on Monday granted bail to a Christian man convicted in 2018 while still a teenager of insulting Islam by posting a picture of Islam’s holiest site on social media, a defence lawyer said. The court order in the eastern city of Lahore came more than four years after Nabeel Masih […]
Pakistan police seek arrest of two Christians over blasphemy
Police in Pakistan said on Wednesday that they were seeking arrest of two Christian men in the eastern city of Lahore on charges they allegedly used insulting remarks against Islam’s holy book and its Prophet Muhammad. The case against the two men was registered last Saturday following the complaint of a Muslim local resident Haroon […]
A church, a synagogue and a mosque planned together for the Arabian Peninsula
New York City, USRNS When Pope Francis visited the United Arab Emirates last February, he not only became the first pontiff to step foot on the Arabian Peninsula, but he also stood next to the leading religious figure in Sunni Islam and signed a landmark document pledging all believers to work together for the good […]
ESSAY: ANTI-CHRISTIAN ATTACKS IN NIGERIA THREATEN PRECARIOUS BALANCE OF FAITHS
In an article first published on Religion News Service, ANTHEA BUTLER, associate professor of religion and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania, says the situation facing Nigeria – where attacks against Christians are continuing – will be a “grave test” for the nation…
Faith leaders react after Kenyan court upholds bans on gay intimacy
Nairobi, KenyaRNS In a case that pitted influential faith leaders against gay rights groups, Kenya’s High Court declined on Friday to force the repeal of sections of the penal code widely seen to discriminate against homosexuals. A ruling in favor of repeal would have been a trailblazing step for an Africa court, but the three-judge […]
ESSAY: HOW OUTRAGE FOR A DEATH ROW INMATE IN THE US MAY HAVE FLIPPED SUPREME COURT JUSTICES FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
In an article first published on Religion News Service, AMANDA TYLER, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, looks at recent US Supreme Court decisions involving the issue of religious liberty…