Author: Rev. Peg Chemberlin

Source: The Star Tribune

http://www.startribune.com/yourvoices/37397179.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUdcOy9cP3DieyckcUsI

The National Council of Churches reports that on Jan. 9, “leaders of three faiths that trace their origins back to a common ancestor -- the Patriarch Abraham -- joined their hearts and pens today to form a...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/7821842.stm

Non-Muslims in Gloucester are being invited to find out more about the Islamic faith during a week of events.

Discover Islam Week has been organised by the city and county council and the police in partnership with the Friendship Cafe in Barton Street.

Organisers say the idea is for visitors to taste,...

Author: Ben Fawkes

Source: The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4814218a11.html

Schools are set to receive guidelines on how to run religious education and ceremonies, paving the way for pupils to get out of any religious activity.

The Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with Victoria University, decided to draft the guidelines in light of the country's increasing religious and cultural diversity.

A draft will be released...

Author: Andrew Wander

Source: The Daily Star

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The New York Times

Wire Service: AP

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/09/world/AP-EU-France-Anti-Semitic-Attack.html?_r=2

A juvenile court judge filed preliminary charges against four French teenagers accused of attacking a Jewish girl, a judicial official said Friday, amid tensions around Europe over the fighting in Gaza.

Three of the...

Author: Julia Torres-Barden

Source: Midlothian Exchange

http://www.midlothianexchange.com/index.php/news/article/faith-based-communities-gather-for-prayer-for-peace-service/18167/

President of the Virginia Muslim Coalition for Public Affairs Imad Damaj, called his faith brothers, Rev. R. Charles Grant at Bon Air Presbyterian Church and Rabbi Ben Romer of Congregation Or Ami, to...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Economist

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12899483&source=hptextfeature

With luck, the destructive two-week battle between Israel and Hamas may soon draw to an end. But how long before the century-long war between Arabs and Jews in Palestine follows suit? It is hard to believe that this will happen any time soon. Consider: Israel’s current operation...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28541319/

Muslims and Jews gathered in South Florida to set aside their differences and call for an end to the violence in the Middle East.

On Tuesday night members of both faiths came together in North Miami Beach to condemn the violence that has claimed hundreds of lives.

They also condemned recent demonstrations in South Florida where supporters of Israel squared off against...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Sikh Times

http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=2842

In a significant development, the Government of Iraq has decided to rebuild the 15th century Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev's shrine which was destroyed in the 2003 war in Baghdad.

Talking to media here at his palace, Iraqi Vice President and senior politician Adil Abd-al-Mahdi has said that the government would rebuild the destroyed Guru Nanak Dev's shrine in...

Author: Sam Dagher

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/world/middleeast/08iraq.html?ref=middleeast

Millions of Iraqi Shiites celebrated one of the most emotional occasions in their religious calendar Wednesday, accompanied by stringent security measures that included a ban on women entering the area around one of Baghdad’s holiest shrines for fear of suicide bombings.

They also heard...

Author: Achal Narayanan

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17290

India's Supreme Court has told the state government of Orissa that it will not "tolerate persecution of religious minorities" and if the state government cannot protect Christians, "then quit office."

A three-judge panel of the Supreme Court issued the warning Monday (Jan. 5) following a petition filed by Roman Catholic Archbishop Raphael...

Author: Sarah Lyall

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/world/europe/07london.html?ref=europe

The advertisement on the bus was fairly mild, just a passage from the Bible and the address of a Christian Web site. But when Ariane Sherine, a comedy writer, looked on the Web site in June, she was startled to learn that she and her nonbelieving friends were headed straight to hell, to “spend all eternity in...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: CAIR

http://www.cair.com/PressCenter/AmericanMuslimNews.aspx

The leader of an Islamic group apologized Monday for a sign that showed a swastika inside the Star of David during a demonstration outside the state Capitol. The man carrying the sign, identified only as a college student from Oklahoma City, has been banned from future protests or demonstrations sponsored by the Oklahoma City chapter of the Council on...

Author: Yee May Aung

Source: The Buddhist Channel/DVB

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,7596,0,0,1,0

The first Burmese Buddhist monastery in Finland was officially consecrated in Kuopio on 3 January by five monks led by Penang abbot U Pannya Wuntha and abbot U Uttara of London’s Sasana Ramsi Vihara.

The Buddha Dhamma Ramsi monastery was set up by Burmese Buddhists living in Finland with the help of the abbots,...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Sikh Times

http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=2747

Youth from many different faiths across Strathclyde met recently for a round table discussion on terrorism in all its forms and exchange ideas on how ‘together they can combat extremist views’.

The event, which was chaired by Anoop Wallia from Sikhs in Scotland and co-hosted by Strathclyde Police, was attended by youth from Christian, Sikh,...