Author: Staff Writer

Source: Google News

Wire Service: AP

[google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gee0HQDakZhTyH0OADiv9B1zjQuQD9E9IN2O1]

Malaysia's opposition has fired an outspoken lawmaker who broke ranks with his party in a religious dispute over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims, party officials said Sunday.

The move follows weeks of turmoil in opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance, which is battling...

Author: Sean Yoong

Source: Yahoo News

Wire Service: AP

[news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100306/ap_on_re_as/as_malaysia_muslims_in_church]

A Malaysian magazine apologized Saturday for upsetting Christians after it published an article researched by two Muslims who pretended to be Roman Catholics and took Communion in a church.

The apology is likely to soothe frustrations among religious minorities who feel that overzealous government authorities...

Author: Lee Rood

Source: The Des Moines Register

[desmoinesregister.com/article/20100304/NEWS/3040352/Teacher-suspended-for-denying-Wiccan-altar]

A Guthrie Center teacher this week received a five-day unpaid suspension for insubordination for not allowing a student to build a Wiccan altar in his shop class - discipline he said he still doesn't agree with.

Dale Halferty, who has taught industrial arts at Guthrie Center High School for three years, said he was asked to meet...

Author: Anto Akkara

Source: Episcopal Life Online/Ecumenical News International

http://www.episcopal-life.org/81808_119963_ENG_HTM.htm

Christian groups in Pakistan and India have joined political and other religious leaders in deploring the recent beheading of two young Sikh men by a Taliban group in Pakistan, and have demanded security for religious minorities in the Muslim-majority nation.

"We condemn this diabolic act," said Victor...

Author: Heather Smith and Flavia Krause-Jackson

Source: Business Week/Bloomberg

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-02/european-court-agrees-to-hear-italy-s-appeal-on-crucifix-ban.html

The European Court of Human Rights agreed to hear Italy’s appeal of a ruling that banned crucifixes in state-run schools.

A panel of five judges at the Strasbourg-based court today said it...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Beliefnet

Wire Service: AP

https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/news/2010/03/judge-urges-counseling-for-par

A judge urged an...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8542326.stm

Hundreds of Iraqi Christians have taken part in protests calling for government action after a spate of killings.

At least eight Christians have been killed in the past two weeks in the volatile northern city of Mosul.

The killings prompted an appeal by Pope Benedict on Sunday for Iraqi authorities to protect vulnerable religious minorities.

Author: Staff Writer

Source: CathNews Asia

http://www.cathnewsasia.com/2010/03/01/kerala-court-allows-earlier-divorce-for-christians/

Striking down a clause in the Indian Divorce Act as “discriminatory”, Kerala’s High Court has allowed Christian couples to apply for divorce after less than two years of their marriage.

The court struck down a section that said Christians can apply...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Nepal News

The European Union has condemned last week's ethnic violence in Bangladesh. 

A number of families have been displaced from the Chittagong Hill Tract area, which has a significant Buddhist population. 

At least five people were killed and over twenty injured when a number of people from the Buddhist groups were targeted and their houses burned down. 

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Islam Online

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1235339917921&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

Defying rightists speaking in the Christian voice against Islam, a major British church has set up a new project to fight racism and anti-Muslim sentiments in Britain.

“The root of the project is the recent relative success...

Author: Kevin Myrick

Source: Rome News-Tribune

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/6481480/article-Enterfaith-lets-students-experience-religions?instance=home_news_lead_story

Rome teens from three churches have had some interesting religious experiences of late through a new program formed by their youth ministers. 

John Uldrick of First...

Author: Fred De Sam Lazaro

Source: PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/february-26-2010/egypts-coptic-tensions/5786/

FRED DE SAM LAZARO, correspondent: The church is carved out of El Mokattam or the mountain, a giant bluff just outside Cairo. Egypt’s Coptic Church is one of Christianity’s earliest, brought here by Mark, writer...

Author: Joanne Shuttleworth

Source: The Guelph Mercury

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/Local/article/601721

The faith community is rallying around the Guelph Sikh Society as it faces backlash to its proposal to build a Sikh temple in Guelph’s south end.

Eleven United Church ministers have written a letter supporting the Sikh community and chastising those whose opposition to the temple is racially motivated.

“I...

Author: Niels Sorrells

Source: Religion News Service

http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/germanys_mega_passion_play_is_back_and_jews_are_watching/

With its focus on the last days of Jesus’ life, a Passion play should, by its nature, arouse passions. But here, the world’s most famous Passion play keeps stirring the wrong kind.

As it has almost every 10 years since...