The US Supreme Court unanimously sided with a Muslim prison inmate in Arkansas who had sued for the religious right to wear a short beard. The court said that Arkansas prison officials failed to show that the inmate’s beard was … More →

January 23, 2015

Pope Francis concluded his trip to Asia this week. He received a warm welcome in the Philippines, where he met with natural disaster survivors, praising their faith and resilience. On his trip back to Rome, he generated some controversy when … More →

January 23, 2015

Anti-Islam protests continued throughout Europe this week, sparking fears about rising Islamophobia in the aftermath of the Paris attacks. In France, more than 100 anti-Muslim incidents have been reported since the shootings.

January 23, 2015

Muslims in many parts of the world held demonstrations denouncing what they see as offensive depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. In predominantly Muslim Niger, protests against the French magazine Charlie Hebdo turned violent when Christians were attacked and more than … More →

January 23, 2015

Liberal theologian and Bible scholar Marcus Borg died this week. He was 72. Borg was well known for his work with the Jesus Seminar, a controversial group of scholars that sought to reconstruct a historical portrait of Jesus.

January 23, 2015

During a trip to Idaho this week (January 21), President Obama had a private meeting with the family of Saeed Abedini, the Iranian-American pastor who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2012. The president told Abedini’s wife and two children … More →

January 23, 2015

The international community continued to mourn the victims of last week’s terror attacks in Paris amid concern about growing hostility toward minorities. In France, security officials guarded synagogues and tried to assure Jews that they are safe. In many quarters, … More →

January 16, 2015

In Nigeria, the Islamic militant group Boko Haram has reportedly carried out a gruesome massacre in several northeastern villages. Amnesty International said the attacks killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more, some of whom continued to flee this week. … More →

January 16, 2015

Pope Francis began his trip to Asia this week in Sri Lanka, where he received an enthusiastic welcome. In multiple addresses, he emphasized the need for interfaith dialogue to move forward after the country’s 30-year civil war. Francis also visited … More →

January 16, 2015

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a dispute over church signs that advertise Sunday services. The Good News Community Church of Gilbert, Arizona says a town ordinance unfairly limits how large its signs can be and how long they … More →

January 16, 2015