The pilgrimage that inspired Ferrero Rocher chocolates

The chocolates resemble the pilgrimage site in Lourdes, France where St. Bernadette is believed to have first seen the Virgin Mary on this day 162 years ago.

Kenyan Seventh-day Adventists want religious freedom — and atheists have become their greatest ally

Some schools are requiring exams on Saturday, when Adventist students observe sabbath.

Religious conservatives split over Trump's Prayer Breakfast remarks

Trump’s most ardent supporters defended his statements as understandable. Others in his party are saying the comments undermined the core purpose of the annual event.

Myanmar's internet shutdowns threaten its Muslim minority's human rights

(OPINION) Denying internet access is becoming more common as a tool for suppressing dissent and violating human rights. It puts entire communities in real danger, as is the case for Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims.

Opinion, AsiaEwelina U. OchabFebruary 7, 2020Rohingya, Muslims, Myanmar, Human Rights Watch, Access Now, Telenor Group, Islam, Human RightsComment

On abortion, Trump and Buttigieg clash with some political allies

(OPINION) The President and one of the leading Democratic candidates have ideological differences with some of their most important potential supporters exposed by their rhetoric about one of the nation’s most divisive issues.

U.S. launches first-ever international religious freedom alliance

(NEWS ANALYSIS) At the launch on Wednesday, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed the ever-growing need to combat the increasing violence based on religion or belief, including “terrorists and violent extremists who target religious minorities, whether they are Yazidis in Iraq, Hindus in Pakistan, Christians in northeast Nigeria, or Muslims in Burma” and “the Chinese Communist Party’s hostility to all faiths.”

Ugandan Pastor leaves wife, says marriage vows are Satanic

The mainstream Anglican communion, the Church of Uganda, has condemned the pastor for leaving his wife for a younger woman in his church. The Pentecostal pastor is one of many prominent church leaders preaching in favor of the ruling political party and claiming to provide miracles to amass a bigger crowd and donations.

Election 2020 coverage needs to look at Catholics as being 'politically homeless'

(OPINION) A few things happened in January that have set the mood for the Iowa caucuses that took place Monday, the official start of the primary season. One of the biggest took place about 1,000 miles east of Des Moines, in Philadelphia, when Archbishop Charles Chaput was replaced by Nelson Perez.

Analysis, North America, Opinion, Politics, Religion, SocietyClemente LisiFebruary 5, 2020Clemente Lisi, religion, Christianity, Catholic, abortion, immigration, Republicans, DemocratsComment

Christian persecution in India spiked in 2019, new report finds

From 2016 to 2019, Indian Christians recorded 1,774 cases of hate crimes, with 527 in 2019 alone.

Anointing oil stampede in Tanzania is a symptom of a larger problem in Africa

A popular Pentecostal pastor was arrested after he led a service that resulted in 20 deaths. The incident is part of a dangerous trend in some African countries, where services create deadly conditions for desperate people.

Nigeria is a killing field of defenseless Christians

(NEWS ANALYSIS) A recent report found that Islamic terrorist groups killed at least 1,000 Nigerian Christians last year and displaced many others with land grabs. While the government says it has defeated Boko Haram, killings of Christians have spiked in recent weeks.

West African Christians face Islamic terror as US weighs troop withdrawals

(OPINION) West Africa’s Christians are suffering extraordinary levels of violence at the hands of radical Islamist killers, while the Pentagon is deliberating withdrawing troops from the region.

Newsrooms should learn the denominational complexity of US Christianity

(OPINION) News organizations are trying to catch up to how religion is influencing American politics. Coverage would improve if more reporters understood the subgroups that comprise blanket terms like Protestant and Catholic.

Rabbi Sacks: Anti-semitism is a product of political and digital trends

(OPINION) Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks urged religious and political leaders to understand how current trends feed the scapegoating of a people who have endured persecution throughout history.

Britain’s most rampant rapist ignites homosexuality debate in Indonesia

(NEWS ANALYSIS) The conviction in the UK of a gay serial rapist from Indonesia is fueling debates in the Muslim-majority country of whether rape is a symptom of homosexuality. While homosexuality is not a crime in Indonesia, the largest Muslim organizations have been advocating to criminalize gay sexual activities.

Kashmir’s Internet blocked for six months and counting

An Internet ban in Kashmir is causing job losses and hardships for students, journalists and everyday people living isolated from the rest of the country and the world. Government-provided computer terminals can only be accessed after traveling and hours of waiting in line, and all activities online are monitored.

As anti-semitism increases, let's revisit the fundamentals of Judaism

(OPINION) Jews and non-Jews alike often have varying ideas of what it means to be Jewish. Dennis Prager, the religiously and politically conservative Jewish author and commentator, offers his version of the basics.

A journalist's faith: New memoir tells how justice prevailed in civil rights era murders

(OPINION) “Race Against Time,” which hits bookstores Tuesday, reflects the deep Christian faith of veteran Mississippi journalist Jerry Mitchell, whose stories have helped put four Klansmen and a serial killer behind bars. (“Weekend Plug-In” is a column by veteran religion writer Bobby Ross Jr. Look every Friday for analysis, insights and top headlines from the world of faith.)

YouTube star Christina Randall talks jailhouse religion

A prison ministry’s visit catalyzed a young woman’s personal transformation that took her from inmate to social media influencer. Her connection with her audience grew out of her connection to God and faith.

The Bronx high school students marching for 'the born and the unborn'

A group of high school students from the Bronx represented a version of pro-life philosophy that takes the term beyond abortion and leftward on the political spectrum.

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