Source: The Tampa Tribune

http://tampatrib.com/opinion/MGBRB1IRB7E.html

On April 10, 2005 The Tampa Tribune ran a letter to the editor from K. Wipulasara, abbot of Florida Buddhist Vihara, on Pope John Paul II's legacy of interfaith work. Wipulasara wrote, "At a time when the need for tolerance of discrete religious beliefs and pluralistic views is so evident, the world has been blessed with spiritual guidance from individuals of the caliber of Pope John Paul II. History has...

Source: Haaretz

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/562921.html

On April 10, 2005 Haaretz reported, "With the passing of Pope John Paul II, Jewish and Catholic leaders involved in interfaith efforts are voicing concerns that future pontiffs might fail to carry on his groundbreaking efforts to deepen relations with the Jewish people...In some circles, the concern is that as the church confronts mounting international problems - including a critical shortage of priests and...

Source: Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=OXIN0NZQOJJWQCRBAEKSFEY?type=topNews...

Source: Los Angeles Times

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/04/09/when_islam_clashes_with_womens_rights/

On April 9, 2005 The Boston Globe reported, "nearly two weeks ago, Amina Wadud, an African-American activist and a professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, deliberately broke with Islamic tradition by leading a mixed-gender prayer service in...

Source: The Times

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,20709-1561066,00.html

On April 9, 2005 The Times reported, "It was truly a global funeral. In the Asian evening, the European and African morning and the American small hours, tens of millions were glued to television screens — from giant ones in parks to tiny satellite receivers in China, where state broadcasters ignored it all...In France, Europe’s biggest Roman Catholic nation, thousands...

Source: The Toledo Blade

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050409/NEWS10/504090376

On April 9, 2005 The Toledo Blade reported, "The unprecedented sight of dozens of spiritual leaders of the world's diverse religious groups gathering in Rome for a papal funeral testified to Pope John Paul II's lifelong efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony, according to a leading scholar on religious pluralism...John Paul II achieved...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3172872

On April 9, 2005 The Associated Press reported, "an interfaith group that originally asked to be included in a National Day of Prayer ceremony at Troy City Hall says it's backing out. The group says the reason is that the National Day of Prayer Task Force is an exclusively Christian organization. The interfaith group also includes Hindus, Muslims, Jews and members of other religions. An...

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/08/international/worldspecial2/08france.html

On April 8, 2005 The New York Times reported, "France may be a predominantly Roman Catholic country, but it is also officially secular, with separation of church and state one of its most sacred tenets.

So while the death of Pope John Paul II has brought widespread mourning, there has also been pressure on the French Republic not to...

Source: Beliefnet

Wire Service: RNS

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/164/story_16425_1.html

On April 8, 2005 the Religion News Service reported, "The American Jewish Congress (AJC), an advocacy group, has launched a campaign to counteract an effort by some church groups divesting from companies that do business in Israel. The divestment effort, which has been spearheaded by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other church groups that are...

Source: Yahoo! News

Wire Service: AFP

Source: The Hindu

Wire Service: PTI

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200504082029.htm

On April 8, 2005 the Press Trust of India reported, "Religious leaders from all communities today came together under one banner in the national capital to offer prayers for the late Pope John Paul II, who they said was the greatest proponent of communal harmony. While maulvis chanted verses from the holy Quran, a Hindu priest recited the...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/07/Opinion/A_better_retirement_f.shtml

On April 7, 2005 the St. Petersburg Times printed a letter to the editor by Ahmed Bedier, Central Florida director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Tampa, in which he expressed condolenses for the death of Pope John Paul II. Bedier wrote, "On behalf of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim community, I would like to...

Source: Appeal-Democrat

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/2005/04/07/news/top_story/news1.txt

On April 7, 2005 the Appeal-Democrat reported, "Yuba-Sutter's Sikh community provided further proof Wednesday that respect for the late Pope John Paul II extends far beyond the Catholic church. The Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Temple...held a memorial service for the pope and invited members of Yuba City's St. Isidore Catholic Church. A photo of John Paul...

Source: Hindustan Times

Wire Service: AFP

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1308584,00050003.htm

On April 6, 2005 the Agence France-Presse reported, "The Sikh Federation of Britain paid tribute on Tuesday to Pope John Paul II, signalling its gratitude for his support of Sikhs during the past 20 years. The pope's expression of 'great sadness' at the Indian army assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984, was an example...