NEWS OF THE WEEK
As violence continued between Israel and Hamas, a coalition of faith-based humanitarian groups specifically raised concerns about what it called the “alarming toll” the conflict has taken on the children of Gaza. The Christian group World Vision said the violence … More
More violence in Iraq as Islamic State militants continued their rampage across the country. In the city of Mosul, the extremists destroyed several historic mosques and shrines, including the site that was revered as the tomb of the prophet Jonah … More
The State Department said in its annual religious freedom report this week that in 2013, more people around the world were forced to flee their homes than at any other point in recent memory. The report said millions of Christians, … More
This week President Obama announced that he was tapping Rabbi David Saperstein to be the next U.S. ambassador for religious freedom. The 66-year-old Saperstein is an influential rabbi who has led the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism for four … More
Religious groups prayed for the victims of a deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said to be the worst in history. Several U.S. humanitarian groups are pulling volunteers out of Africa amid reports that health care workers were infected, including … More
U.S. faith leaders and immigrant activists participated in civil disobedience in front of the White House to call for an end to deportations. More than a hundred leaders were arrested as they expressed their support for the tens of thousands … More
Religious leaders also turned out at public hearings held by the EPA to show their support for President Obama’s new plan to reduce carbon emissions. Groups including Interfaith Power & Light and the progressive evangelical Sojourners welcomed the Clean Power … More
This week (August 4-5) Jews mark the solemn holiday of Tisha B’Av. For Jews, it is a day of fasting and lament for the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem and for other tragedies in Jewish history.
Amid tragedy and suffering in so many places around the world, people of faith had an intense week of prayer and activism. At the Vatican, Pope Francis highlighted the Middle East, Iraq, and Ukraine and led prayers for peace and … More
In Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, Muslims and Christians rallied together in support of Iraqi Christians. Last week, extremist rebels expelled the entire Christian community of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, except for those who agreed to convert to Islam. Most … More
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