Author: JOHN THAVIS

Source: The Georgia Bulletin/CNS

[georgiabulletin.org/local/2008/04/24/respect/]

In a brief, movingly simple visit to a New York synagogue, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his respect for the city’s Jewish community and encouraged the building of “bridges of friendship” between religions.

The encounter April 18 marked the first time a pope has visited a Jewish place of worship in the United States, and it came a day before the start of the Jewish Passover.

The pope said...

Author: JESSICA GRESKO

Source: AP

[ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpCRa_2onj6TwJ2DCIlU7OPlswnAD9083RK80]

Florida drivers can order more than 100 specialty license plates celebrating everything from manatees to the Miami Heat, but one now under consideration would be the first in the nation to explicitly promote a specific religion.

The Florida Legislature is considering a specialty plate with a design that includes a Christian cross, a stained-glass window and the words "I Believe."

Rep....

Author: JANET McCONNAUGHEY

Source: AP

Author: Henry Makori

Source: allAfrica/Catholic Information Service for Africa

[allafrica.com/stories/200804220877.html]

Catholic bishops and other officials from sub-Saharan Africa met in Nairobi last week to evaluate the Church's progress in its relations with other religions, especially Islam. The conference, opened by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue at the Vatican, took place against a backdrop of growing realization of the need for better...

Author: SUTHENTIRA GOVENDER

Source: Sunday Times

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Internet/3558.html

A SOUTH African IT professional has created a virtual place of worship on the Facebook networking site to break down religious barriers between Hindus, Christians and Muslims.

Naufal Khan, 27, based in Rosebank, Johannesburg, decided to create the place of worship to enable people to discuss religion, post prayers, share spiritual experiences and...

Author: James Carroll

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/04/21/life_to_the_full/

WHAT TO say when a beloved friend dies? Krister Stendahl - once the Harvard Divinity School dean, Lutheran Bishop of Sweden, distinguished theologian, husband and father, man of God - would not have been troubled by mere silence. Krister knew how the mysteries of...

Author: Regina Xie

Source: Catholic News

[catholic.org.sg/cn/wordpress/?p=2090]

Representatives from the Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities gathered for fellowship at St. Joseph's Institution International (SJI International) on Apr 12.

Organized by the Archdiocesan Council for Inter-Religious and Ecumenical Dialogue (IRED), the programme included a performance by a choir formed by students of SJI International, a talk by Brother Michael Broughton on the meaning of Easter...

Author: EBOO PATEL

Source: Newsweek/Washington Post

[newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/04/the_vatican_beyond_the_abraham.html]

As usual, Jews and Muslims got all the headlines when it came to the Pope’s interfaith meetings.

But one of the most interesting things to me about the interfaith event that I attended on Thursday (read my discussion of it here), was the presence of Jains, Hindus and Buddhists.

Including religious communities beyond the Abrahamic trinity in...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Radiance Views Weekly

Author: Staff Writer

Source: INQUIRER.net

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20080419-131433/Pope-supports-RPs-interfaith-initiative-before-UN

Pope Benedict XVI supports the country’s interfaith initiative when he urged the General Assembly on Friday (New York time) to support inter-religious dialogue as a means to help the world body achieve its goals of...

Author: Michael Hess

Source: BBS News

[bbsnews.net/article.php/20080418192103351]

Using public funds to repair Detroit houses of worship violates the U.S. Constitution and threatens the independence of religious groups, a coalition of religious and civil liberties groups has told a federal appeals court.

In a friend-of-the-court brief filed today, seven organizations urged the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rule against aid to churches that was distributed by the City of Detroit...

Author: Eric O. Hanson

Source: Mercury News

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_8969561

del.icio.usdel.icio.usDiggDiggRedditRedditYahooMyWebYahooMyWebGoogleGoogleFacebookFacebookWhat's this? RePrintPrint Email Pope, Dalai Lama show role of faith in changing societies By Eric O. Hanson Article Launched: 04/18/2008 01:32:01 AM PDT

For 10 days the United States has become the religious-political capital of the world, hosting visits by the...

Author: Regina Linskey

Source: Catholic Explorer/Catholic News Service

[catholicexplorer.com/explore4325/nationworld/scripted-interreligious-encounter-sparks-spontaneo.shtml]

After Pope Benedict XVI addressed about 200 interreligious leaders at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington April 17, the scripted encounter with the pope turned into something resembling a town-hall meeting.

As scheduled after his official address in the cultural center's atrium, Pope Benedict personally...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Sify News

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14651007

Most Hindu leaders in the US have decided to attend an inter-faith meeting with the Pope, who is visiting the country, even as some religious groups plan protests against what they claim is aggressive proselytisation by certain Christian denominations.

Hindu and Jain leaders are among the 200 religious representatives attending the meeting called "Peace Our...

MPAC

http://www.mpac.org/programs/interfaith/muslim-americans-call-for-serious-dialogue-with-pope-benedict-xvi.php