Author: Ian Fisher

Source: The Detroit News/The New York Times

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080321/NATION/803210425/1041/LIFESTYLE04

The Vatican on Thursday rejected an audiotaped accusation from Osama bin Laden that Pope Benedict XVI was leading a "new crusade" against Muslims, but Italian security officials were concerned about the threats included in bin Laden's new message.
...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: AOL News

Wire Service: AP

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/protestants-jews-african-influenced/n20080321141709990003

Although 85 percent of Cubans were nominally Roman Catholic before the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, church experts say fewer than half of Cubans identify themselves as Catholics today, with a very small percentage ever...

Author: Keith O'Brien

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/21/holiday_or_not_schools_gird_for_absences/

For as long as anyone here can remember, Good Friday, the most solemn of Christian holy days, has been a holiday for public school students, a day set aside for prayer and quiet reflection.

But not today, not in Winchester.

In the quest to create...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Calvin College News

http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2007-08/koldenhoven.htm

Calvin College will host Dean Koldenhoven on March 31 for the 12th annual Paul B. Henry Lecture.

A former mayor of Palos Heights, Ill., and a 2002 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, Koldenhoven will speak on "Religious Tolerance, Love your Neighbor" at 7:30 p.m. at the Prince Conference Center. The...

Author: Aroosa Masroor

Source: The International News

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=102278

March 21 will be of special significance this year as the calendars of five different religions will coincide, giving each faith a reason to celebrate the day.

As Muslims celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi (the birth of Prophet Muhammad PBUH) on Friday, Christians will mark the crucifixion and death of Jesus as Good Friday, while Hindus and...

Author: Arshad Mohammed

Source: AOL News

Wire Service: Reuters

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/obamas.passport.records.accessed/17468.htm

Contract workers for the U.S. State Department improperly viewed Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's passport records three times this year in what his campaign called "an outrageous breach" of his privacy.

The State...

Author: WILLIAM DOUGLAS

Source: The Kansas City Star

Wire Service: AP

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/537176.html

Sen. Barack Obama sought to right his shaken presidential campaign with his bold speech on race Tuesday, political analysts said.

“I’ve never heard anybody give a speech like that, ever. It transcends John F. Kennedy’s speech on his faith and his politics,”...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Hinduism Today/Religion News Service

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2008/3/19.shtml#3

The premier of Ontario has dropped a political hot potato with his recent announcement that the daily recitation of the Lord's Prayer in the provincial legislature should be dropped. "It's time for us to ensure that we have a prayer that better reflects our diversity," Dalton McGuinty, a Liberal Party member, said last month. "The...

Author: ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU and Godfrey Olukya

Source: AP

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gEoBixN6lIls6zpQ35lG1y8FGTNgD8VGO00G0

In his drive to spread Libyan and Islamic influence in Africa, Moammar Gadhafi inaugurated a huge new mosque in this predominantly Christian country Wednesday, with several African heads of state attending and scores of Arab journalists flown in for the occasion.

Packed in Kampala's soccer...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7300387.stm

An Anglican bishop who received threats after comments about Islamic extremism has spoken on the importance of the UK's Christian heritage.

The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, was threatened after claiming Islamic extremism made some places "no-go areas" for non-Muslims.

In an exclusive interview, he...

Author: Omar Sacirbey

Source: The Pew Forum on Religion...

Author: Huang Yi-jing

Source: Taipei Times

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/03/17/2003405885

The country's religion-affiliated schools are accepting applications for the upcoming school year after the Ministry of Education (MOE) agreed last year to allow religion-based schools to set up departments devoted to the study of a single faith.

The decision was a major move for the ministry, which historically...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7301382.stm

Muslim leaders have condemned an attack on an Anglican clergyman calling the assault "cowardly and despicable".

Canon Michael Ainsworth, 57, was beaten by youths described as Asian in the grounds of St George-in-the-East, Shadwell, east London, on 5 March.

Mr Ainsworth suffered cuts, bruises and two black eyes when he...

Author: Lindsay McIntosh

Source: The Scotsman

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Britons-losing-religious-beliefs.3881823.jp

ALMOST half of Britons doubt the existence of God or are confirmed atheists, research has found.

The think-tank, Theos, has found that most of those who say they are Christians do not practise their religion.

And as the country's supermarkets fill up with chocolate eggs, it appears...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Wire Service: Reuters

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/islamic-summit-seeks-dialogue-of-civilisations/2008/03/15/1205472138740.html

World Muslim leaders have condemned extremism and terrorism as incompatible with Islam and proposed a high-level international meeting to promote a "dialogue of civilisations"...