Posts in Africa
On Religion: Reports Of Christian Genocide Grab Trump’s Attention

(ANALYSIS) The Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo had every reason to be emotional as he stood in a shallow grave containing the corpses of 11 members of his Nigerian church. Responding to pleas from Republicans in Congress and religious conservatives, President Donald Trump warned the United States may soon intervene.

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How A 19th-Century Castaway Shaped A Zulu Leader’s Legacy

Though his name is virtually unknown today, Isaacs went on to play a pivotal role during the period of first contact between the Zulu and Europeans. His widely reviewed 1836 memoir, “Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa,” offers an eyewitness account of the Zulu under the indomitable King Shaka, who reigned from the 1810s to 1828.

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Trump Calls Out Nigeria For Christian Persecution, Threatens Military Response

President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) Oct. 31 for tolerating religious freedom violations especially against Christians, and threatened sanctions and military force to discourage such persecution.

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Rediscovery Of African Burial Grounds Provides Chance For Healing

(ANALYSIS) As Charleston demonstrates, these projects are not only about preserving the past – they are acts of recognition, respect and reconciliation, helping communities nationwide confront and honor the histories long denied to African-descended peoples.

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‘Accept Each Other Regardless Of Differences’: Christian Leaders Tackle Division

The World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Conference, held in Egypt to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, brought together a wide range of Christian leaders over five days in search of renewed unity. Yet, as inspiring as the goal may have been, the path toward visible Christian unity remains fraught with challenges — theological, historical, cultural and even practical.

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Why Parts Of Africa Face Shortage Of Muslim Wudu Facilities

Ablution, or wudu, is often performed before prayer and involves washing the hands, face, mouth, nostrils, arms, and feet in a certain sequence with running water. “I always travel across Africa with work. Many buildings and public spaces have no wudu facilities. This makes most Muslims uncomfortable,” said one frequent traveler.

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In Echoes Of Nicaea, Christian Leaders Convene To Renew Call For Unity

A special ecumenical gathering featuring various Christian traditions opened on Friday — the start of a five-day conference that aims to engage in dialogue that will bring with it broader unity much like the Council of Nicaea did 1,700 years ago.  

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Why Some Wars Move The World And Others Go Unseen

(ANALYSIS) Compassion loses nothing by being partial, only when it turns self-righteous. Empathy must be guided by conscience, not by those who claim the right to decide whose pain counts.

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Afghan Women’s Refugee Team’s Visa Denial Prompts FIFA To Relocate Tournament

The competition — called “FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025” — had been originally scheduled to be played in Dubai with teams from Chad, Libya and the host nation UAE. FIFA confirmed that the tournament would instead be be played in Morocco, starting on Sunday, with a revised lineup that includes the Afghan refugee squad, Chad, Tunisia and Libya.

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Why The Anglican Schism Is About More Than Women And LGBTQ Issues

(OPINION) In the wake of the historic schism that has fractured the worldwide Anglican Communion, lazy and ignorant narratives have already begun to emerge. The secular media and even some progressive Christian outlets would have you believe this is a simple story of progress versus bigotry — a misogynistic, homophobic and unenlightened conclave of Global South bishops mostly from the African continent breaking away because a woman was put in charge.

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Historic Faith Conference Gathers Global Church Leaders In Egypt

This landmark five-day gathering — convened under the theme “Where now for visible unity?” — marks a significant moment in the century-long journey of ecumenical dialogue.

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New Archbishop Of Canterbury Sparks African Anglican Divide

African bishops’ reactions to the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury have been mixed. On the conservative side, leaders in Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda and other nations have opposed the move. On Thursday, the bishops of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans announced they were cutting all ties with the Anglican Communion.

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Faith Leaders Outraged As South Africa Lets Husbands Take Wives’ Surnames

The Constitutional Court in South Africa decided last month that husbands can adopt their wives’ surnames upon getting married, ruling that until now the law discriminated against men. While it is being celebrated as a progressive decision by some, the ruling has outraged many — with some religious and traditional leaders saying this is an assault on marriage.

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Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Commission: Last Chance for Peace or Another Lost Cause?

(ANALYSIS) Ethiopia stands at a critical juncture. Years of civil war and ethnic strife have left deep wounds and a fragile peace. The northern civil war that ended in 2022 alone caused an estimated 600,000 deaths and displaced millions. Atrocities were committed by all sides, including the government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Eritrean troops.

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Squatters Remain A Problem In Uganda: How The Anglican Church Is Fighting Back

The Anglican Church of Uganda has unveiled a digital land information management system to curb rampant land grabbing that threatens its vast properties. Land grabbing remains one of the church’s most pressing challenges in Uganda. Illegal squatters and unscrupulous land dealers have deprived the institution of the property church leaders had planned to develop for religious schools and worship space. 

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How Drums And Dance Can Be A Bridge Between Heaven And Earth

When people say they “lose themselves in music,” it can describe the spiritual-like experience of entering a trance or altered state evoked by rhythm or melody. In various cultures and faith traditions, music acts as a bridge to spirituality. Interpretive choreography, beating on drums, humming and chanting — all create an atmosphere that draws people into connection with something greater. 

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Evangelist Trades Church Role To Uplift Women Scarred By Violence In Nigeria

The mission requires going into rural communities to preach the Gospel. In fact, AMEN introduced what Pastor Oscar Amaechina calls a “humanitarian service directorate,” mainly to help attend to the physical needs of the poor, especially women who are victims of religious violence.

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New Bill Would Punish Nigeria For Religious Freedom Violations

A new congressional bill would require the U.S. to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), indicating egregious, systemic and ongoing religious freedom violations in the country that is the deadliest for Christians. The Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 echoes a longstanding call by many religious freedom organizations.

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Rastafarians Defy Time And Celebrate Haile Selassie’s Legacy

Rastafarians celebrate Emperor Haile Selassie I because they believe he is the living God, or Jah, who appeared in human form to bring salvation to people of African descent. His coronation in 1930 was seen as the fulfillment of a prophecy that a Black king would be crowned in Africa, signaling the beginning of deliverance from oppression.

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Algeria’s Tense Dance Between Heritage And Religious Freedom

(ANALYSIS) As Algeria tries to assert itself on the international stage as a civilizational bridge, the country’s Christian community continues to face renewed challenges. In late July, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune traveled to Italy to meet with both Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The latter meeting produced a joint initiative to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for several historic sites in Algeria linked to early Christianity.

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