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King Charles’ Easter Silence Raises Questions on Faith and Leadership

King Charles’ Easter Silence Raises Questions on Faith and Leadership

(ANALYSIS) A year ago, King Charles III, in an Easter message that made little news, proclaimed that the love Jesus showed “when he walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions. ... The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world — the whole world — that He sent His son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death.”

‘We Have Endured’: Islam’s Third Branch Has Deep Roots On This African Island

‘We Have Endured’: Islam’s Third Branch Has Deep Roots On This African Island

Wedged between a pizzeria and a clothing shop in Houmt Souk, the capital of Tunisia’s island of Djerba, lies an ancient treasure. The El Barounia Library is one of the oldest centers preserving Ibadi heritage in North Africa. Ibadism presents itself as a third path — between the two major branches — within Islam.

‘Pray For Us’: Pastor Shares Iranian Christians’ Fears Amid Ongoing War

‘Pray For Us’: Pastor Shares Iranian Christians’ Fears Amid Ongoing War

Pastor Yuna Sabet of Walnut Creek shares the emotional toll of the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran on Iranian Christians. His congregation grieves for family in danger while hoping for regime change and religious freedom. Despite fear, they remain prayerful, seeking strength, connection, and future opportunities for ministry and rebuilding in Iran.

Bangladesh’s Small Catholic Community Marks Good Friday

Bangladesh’s Small Catholic Community Marks Good Friday

(PHOTO ESSAY) About 200 Catholic workers in Bangladesh’s Zirani industrial area marked Good Friday by staging the Way of the Living Cross. Despite demanding jobs, mostly in garment factories, they practiced and performed the devotion, reflecting their strong faith. In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Easter Sunday is not an official holiday.

53 Killed In Palm Sunday Attacks In Nigeria’s Christian Areas

53 Killed In Palm Sunday Attacks In Nigeria’s Christian Areas

At least 53 Nigerians were killed in three Palm Sunday attacks in predominantly Christian communities in North Central Nigeria. Not all of the victims were Christians in the deadliest attack when at least 30 people were killed and several others hospitalized, Open Doors UK reported. But all attacks occurred in areas known to be predominantly or significantly Christian, with a Voice of the Martyrs field worker describing the Jos community as “100 percent Christian.”

Muslims In Iraq Celebrate Easter With Christians To Promote Solidarity

Muslims In Iraq Celebrate Easter With Christians To Promote Solidarity

(ANALYSIS) In war-torn Iraq, Muslims will join Christians in celebrating Easter every year, fostering a spirit of solidarity and coexistence. The celebrations have gained prominence since ISIS was forced out of major strongholds. Around 140,000 Christians in Baghdad, Mosul, the disputed territory of Nineveh plains celebrate Lent, which culminates with Easter Sunday.

Growing Up During Sri Lanka’s Civil War Taught Me Bridging Divides Is A Virtue

Growing Up During Sri Lanka’s Civil War Taught Me Bridging Divides Is A Virtue

(ANALYSIS) In an era when religious and moral differences often feel like threats to identity, cultivating an individual ethic of pluralism may be one of the most critical civic tasks before us. Pluralism is not who we are by default. But it can be who we become — slowly, deliberately and together.

Iranians Are Ready To Be Free

Iranians Are Ready To Be Free

It’s been three weeks since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It's now worth asking, “What do the Iranian people stand to gain from all this chaos?”

Conflict, Human Rights, Interview, Islam, Religion, Religion NewsMatthew PetersonMarch 24, 2026Matthew Peterson, podcast, Iran war, rechargeComment

Bahrain Promotes Women’s Empowerment Despite Criticism From Clerics

Bahrain Promotes Women’s Empowerment Despite Criticism From Clerics

In the past three years, Bahrain, a small Middle-Eastern country off the coast of the Arab Peninsula, has been promoting women’s empowerment despite its strict religious laws and criticism from religious clerics.

Young Wrestler’s Execution Again Highlights Iran’s Brutal Power Against Dissent

Young Wrestler’s Execution Again Highlights Iran’s Brutal Power Against Dissent

(ANALYSIS) The execution of 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi by Iran’s tyrannical regime is not just another macabre hanging in the theocracy’s escalating use of capital punishment, but a revealing incident in how the state confronts ongoing dissent.

Human Rights, Islam, Middle East, News, Politics, Religion, Society, Women, women, SportsClemente LisiMarch 21, 2026Clemente Lisi, Iran, Iran war, Middle East, sports, sport, wrestling, Saleh Mohammadi, theocracy, Islam, news, analysis, Iran soccer team, women, soccer, football, politics and religion Comments

New Index Links Interfaith Dialogue To Stronger, More Investment-Ready Economies

New Index Links Interfaith Dialogue To Stronger, More Investment-Ready Economies

A new report links interfaith cooperation and religious freedom to economic stability. It measures dialogue, workplace inclusion and government support — arguing that cities fostering trust and pluralism attract investment and skilled talent while reducing social tensions that could disrupt long-term economic growth.

Antisemitism Has Brought Together Islamic Terrorists And Left‑Wing Extremists

Antisemitism Has Brought Together Islamic Terrorists And Left‑Wing Extremists

(ANALYSIS) Every major escalation in the Middle East sends shock waves far beyond the region. In the United States, those shock waves arrive not as distant tremors — but as catalysts for domestic radicalization and violence, particularly against Jewish communities. The data, in this regard, is unambiguous.

Against Evil Or War?: A Defining Choice For Iran’s Christians

Against Evil Or War?: A Defining Choice For Iran’s Christians

(ANALYSIS) In theory, many Christians support pacifism or non-violent resistance, but for Iranian Christians, those theories are challenged by the harsh realities of a hellish regime and an ongoing war. This question of ‘just war’ has a long history, going back to the first centuries of the church.

When US Fights In The Middle East, Muslim Students Often Face Discrimination

When US Fights In The Middle East, Muslim Students Often Face Discrimination

(ANALYSIS) The war in the Middle East is rapidly expanding across the Gulf countries, including Iran and Lebanon. The conflict has already targeted the region’s civilians, natural resources, tourist destinations and U.S. military bases. Some Muslim community leaders in the U.S. warn that people far from the conflict could experience backlash.

During Ramadan, Muslim Refugees Find A Way To Observe

During Ramadan, Muslim Refugees Find A Way To Observe

Muslims in French Guiana are a small minority, making up roughly 0.9% of the population, which equates to about 2,070 people. However, asylum applications from Muslim communities are surging and the small Muslim community that does exist are finding a way to observe their religious traditions.

Lessons Learned After the Bomb Thrown Outside Mamdani’s Home

Lessons Learned After the Bomb Thrown Outside Mamdani’s Home

What can news consumers learn from this complicated drama? Surely it is a commentary on the age in which we live that many Americans laughed when they read the early New York Times headline about the terrorist attack that fizzled near the New York home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

As Iran War Expands, Some Christians See The Conflict Through Biblical Prophecies

As Iran War Expands, Some Christians See The Conflict Through Biblical Prophecies

(ANALYSIS) As the American and Israeli war with Iran unfolds, some American Christians are speaking of the conflict in biblical terms — mapping end-time prophecies on to current events in the Middle East. In a sermon on March 1, for example, John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, described the war as part of a divine plan.

From Shock To Ritual: Inside Iran’s 40 Days Of Mourning After Khamenei’s Killing

From Shock To Ritual: Inside Iran’s 40 Days Of Mourning After Khamenei’s Killing

As you approach Iranian houses of worship, you’ll hear it: Locals striking their chests and rhythmically chanting laments to grieve the recent death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death. Each movement carries a dual meaning — expressing both personal grief while signaling loyalty to both a religious leader and a totalitarian state.

USCIRF’s Religious Freedom Report Sparks Dispute Over US Policy Critique

USCIRF’s Religious Freedom Report Sparks Dispute Over US Policy Critique

The report critiqued other branches of the U.S. government that have undercut protections for religious freedom. It criticized, for example, cuts to USAID programs, since many of those programs were specifically aimed at protecting religious freedom.

A New Supreme Leader: What Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Means For Iran

A New Supreme Leader: What Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Means For Iran

(ANALYSIS) The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader on Sunday marks a pivotal moment for the country’s political and religious future — and for the religious minorities who have long lived under the constraints of the Islamic Republic’s theocratic government. As the war rages on, it remains to be seen what his elevation means for Iran and the region.