The Iran war has triggered several instances of unity among Sunnis and Shiites — two major Muslim groups that have historically been at odds. Young people lead the displays of solidarity, finding a common cause in the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination.
Read More(ESSAY) As an anthropologist who studies social bonding during times of crisis, I now understand how cultural religious traditions — even when they seem different — can create unexpected connections. Many years after my military service, during the final days of my father’s life, my large family kept vigil beside him. Sitting with my siblings, mother and dozens of nieces and nephews, I told them this story.
Read MoreA new Pew Research Center study found religious hostilities increased sharply around the world in 2023, driven by harassment of religious minorities and fallout from the Israel-Hamas war. Government restrictions on religion remained near record highs, an issue affecting billions of people across dozens of countries.
Read MoreFollowing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death in a US-Israeli strike and the renewed Israel-Iran conflict, Nigeria's Islamic Movement mobilized nationwide protests, reflecting deep ideological and spiritual ties to Iran while raising concerns among authorities about security, sectarian tensions and regional stability.
Read More(REVIEW) Sid Klein has finally found his subject. More than half a century after he scrambled to pick a topic for his senior art project at Brooklyn College in New York — and settled on exploring the porcelain curves of a toilet bowl in a 20-painting series — he’s discovered a purpose.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As Muslims gather for the annual pilgrimage of Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, they will circle around the “Kaaba,” a black cube draped in gold-embroidered cloth. A ceremonial textile — known as the “kiswah” — covers the Kaaba, around which Muslims will walk seven times in a ritual known as “tawāf.” It is the central act of the annual pilgrimage.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Liberal democracies promise freedom and prosperity, yet they often struggle to answer a deeper question: What is this freedom for? When shared narratives and moral horizons fade, individuals may experience fragmentation and a loss of meaning. Politics shrinks into technocratic management.
Read MoreThe Israeli thriller “Unconditional” has sparked accusations of “hasbara” before release, but the series proves more complicated than simple propaganda. Following a young Israeli woman imprisoned in Russia, the show explores national image-making, Israeli behavior abroad, and the moral gray zones surrounding identity, war, and public perception.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The United States is on the verge of being burned again for not seeing the importance of religious belief driving human behavior in global conflicts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is not defending Iran as a state but its version of Islam as a global religion.
Read MoreYazidis in northeast Syria are fleeing yet again as renewed fighting in Aleppo triggers mass displacement, reviving trauma from ISIS’s 2014 genocide. Survivors face deep psychological scars, economic hardship, and persistent insecurity, with many fearing further violence, family separation, and the gradual erosion of their community and identity through repeated upheaval.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Stephen Miller’s “might makes right” worldview reflects a broader shift toward prioritizing power over understanding in global affairs. Through the tales of Nasreddin Hoja, the piece argues that curiosity, humility, and engagement with other cultures are essential — and that relying solely on strength risks blinding societies to complexity, difference and their own limitations.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For two decades, Christian television channels produced in the United States and Europe have made their way into Iranian homes. Some of this programming echoes apocalyptic ideas from American figures promoting the war, drawing on scriptural interpretations long present in evangelical teachings.
Read MoreIt was more than a house of worship. Iran’s residents came to the community center for affordable healthcare and to borrow books. It was the heartbeat of a neighborhood in the northwestern Iranian city of Zanjan — and now locals are mourning its loss. As the war rages on, they are looking to rebuild.
Read More(OPINION) Iranians are trapped in a digital iron cage as the state continues to deprive citizens of internet access, largely thanks to Chinese and Russian technology. The Iranian diaspora is turning to Western news outlets — but their coverage of Iran has been problematic, too.
Read MoreThe clash between Trump and Pope Leo highlights the conflict between political power and moral authority amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. The pope condemns violence and rejects religious justification, emphasizing dignity and restraint. Trump counters by politicizing the pope, framing criticism as opposition.
Read MoreWhen journalist Hiba Al-Tabai's husband posted a photo of the newlywed couple on Facebook last year, she never imagined it would upend their lives. Within hours of the seemingly innocuous post, Yemeni member of parliament and Muslim cleric Abdullah Al-Odini, who commands over 150,000 followers, condemned the image as "a violation of Islam and societal values.”
Read MoreBaptists in Lebanon are suffering the escalation of Israel’s war with Hezbollah, as the war zone has expanded to include areas surrounding Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) and the Beirut Baptist School, both founded by Southern Baptists.
Read MoreWedged 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.
Read MorePastor 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.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Israel briefly barred Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, citing wartime security and triggering concerns over religious freedom. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed the decision, highlighting tensions between security measures and preserving Jerusalem’s sensitive religious status quo.
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