Author: Staff Writer

Source: The New Nation

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/05/27/news0819.htm

Masood Butt is a Tibetan, living in India. But, unlike most other Tibetans in exile, who are Buddhists, Butt is a Muslim. However, apart from his faith, there is little else to distinguish Butt from other Tibetans. He follows Tibetan customs, speaks the language fluently and regards the Dalai Lama as his leader. Yet, Butt's community - the Tibetan...

Author: Shlomo Shamir

Source: Haaretz

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/987206.html

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has sent an invitation to the World Jewish Congress for an interfaith dialogue with Muslim and Christian leaders, Haaretz has learned.

While the date and location of the meeting has not been announced, sources have told Haaretz that King Abdullah seeks to hold the meet in Saudi Arabia, no small feat as the country is ruled by...

Author: Charlie Breitrose

Source: The MetroWest Daily News

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1880508281/Teach-in-on-Redmen-planned

A group of clergy from around town will host an event to try to bring people from all sides of the Natick Redmen debate together in an effort try to get them to better understand each other.

The first of a series of teach-ins sponsored by Natick Interfaith Clergy will be held...

Author: Jay Tokasz

Source: The Buffalo News

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/354211.html

Like most Muslims, they pray regularly, practice the five pillars of Islam and believe the Quran is the word of Allah revealed through a prophet named Muhammad.

But Ahmadiyya Muslims also believe in a person they call the Mahdi, or “guided one,” the promised messiah who lived in the Punjab region of India from 1835 to 1908....

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Hinduism Today/Hindu Press International

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2008/5/24.shtml#1

Maori King Tuheitia inaugurates Hindu Conference His Highness Te Arikinui King Tuheitia, the Maori King, inaugurated the 2nd New Zealand Hindu Conference on 16 May 2008 at the Hindu Heritage Centre, Auckland by lighting the lamp in the traditional Hindu way for the auspicious beginning of the conference. This is an important event...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Catholic Information Service for Africa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200805230982.html

Religious leaders have backed a national campaign to improve the health of children under the age of five.

The Malezi Bora programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and the United Nations children's agency UNICEF. The services offered by the programme include immunization, provision of Vitamin A supplements, protection...

Author: SARAH GREEN

Source: Toronto Sun

http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/05/23/5646436-sun.html

Mayor David Miller reached out to the city's faith leaders yesterday, urging them to join in his call for a national handgun ban.

"I'm asking you to help us, to reach out to the members of your mosque, or your synagogue, or your temple or your church and ask them to get involved," Miller told more than 200 religious...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: All Africa/News Agency of Nigeria

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Independent Catholic News/Fides

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/shinto435.html

Japanese priest Fr Yuji Sugawara SJ, professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, outlined the relationship between Shintoism and Christianity in Japan, in an interview with Agenzia Fides.

Fr Yuji said that Shintoism is the oldest traditional religion in Japan, begun by the pre-historic peoples living in central Asia, and has been left...

Author: Christine Morente

Source: The Mercury News

http://www.mercurynews.com/religion/ci_9308551

Her Holiness Shinso Ito was the picture of quiet dignity as her followers cheered - and gleefully took her picture at a respectful distance.

When she walked past, they bowed - a sign of reverence for Shinnyo-en's first female leader.

The 66-year-old's task Sunday morning was to consecrate the Japanese Buddhist order's new U.S. Head Temple...

Author: The Rev. Mike Young

Source: Star Bulletin

http://starbulletin.com/2008/05/17/features/onfaith.html

On Thursday, the California Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

I couldn't be more delighted. I've been marrying same-sex couples without benefit of legal documents for more than 30 years. I'm looking forward to the day when I can do it with marriage license in hand.

The California court held...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Patriot Ledger

http://www.wickedlocal.com/hull/news/x1192322062/Hull-cemetery-section-reserved-for-couples-with-Jewish-and-non-Jewish-partners

An area of land at Hull Village Cemetery with space for 50 graves will be reserved for use by mixed faith couples involving a Jewish and non-Jewish partner.

Selectmen this week voted to...

Author: Mudassir Rizwan

Source: Two Circles

http://www.twocircles.net/2008may15/innovative_approach_hindu_muslim_dialogue.html

55 year-old Syed Abdullah Tariq runs an Islamic group based in Rampur, a town in western Uttar Pradesh, that focuses on dialogue with Hindus. An engineer by training, he was one of the chief disciples of the late Maulana Shams Naved Usmani, a noted Islamic scholar who had also a deep knowledge of...

Author: Preeti Bhattacharji

Source: Council on Foreign Relations

http://www.cfr.org/publication/16272/religion_in_china.html?breadcrumb=%2F

Introduction

Religious observance in China is on the rise. According to a survey published in a state-run newspaper, 31.4 percent of Chinese adults are religious, a figure that is three times the initial government estimate. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is officially atheist...

Author: University of Southern California, Press Release

Source: Fox Business News/PR Newswire

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/usc-makes-historic-appointment-hindu-dean-religious-life/

The University of Southern California has named religious leader and scholar Varun Soni as Dean of Religious Life, marking the first appointment of a member of the Hindu faith as primary spiritual leader of an American university...