What is the fastest growing religion? Worldwide, it is Islam. But outside Europe, the growth of Christianity is still ahead. This is the conclusion of Philip Jenkins, a distinguished scholar at Baylor University in Texas, who specialises in religious history. He points particularly to phenomenal growth of Christianity in Africa. “During the twentieth century,” Jenkins Read more
Several Protestant clergy and Catholic priests in Pakistan have called on their churches to consider relaxing attitudes towards Christian polygamists, or risk a drop in Church membership. Their concerns follow the strong impact of Islamic society on religious minority families. Continue reading
Authorities for French-language Catholic education in Belgium have applied for state permission to give lessons on Islam in their schools where a large number of pupils – sometimes the majority – are Muslims. Catholic schools have been legally barred from doing this for the past 10 years, with one exception for a school in Liege Read more
Catholic bishops who are in Rome for a synod on New Evangelization have expressed concern over Islam’s growth and are worried about Christian minorities in Muslim countries, a Reuters report quoted participants’ of the synod. One participant was quoted as saying that Islam had become the “buzzword” of the synod that ends this weekend. “It’s Read more
I have previously written about the Catholic Church’s need to be realistic about its property needs — in terms of schools, churches and presbyteries. If a property is no longer needed or the revenue generated from its sale would be a better use of the asset, assuming it’s not going to be disproportionately detrimental to Read more
A former Catholic school in Dunedin is about to become home to a secondary boarding school for Muslim boys. The former St Patrick’s Primary School has been sold by the Dunedin Catholic Diocese to the Al-Noor Charitable Trust – a Christchurch-based charity established to form Islamic education institutions in New Zealand. Continue reading
History was made in Majuro last week with the official opening of a newly built mosque for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Located in the downtown section of the capital, directly across the street from the courthouse, the new mosque was blessed and then people enjoyed food as part of the celebration. The opening included reading Read more
The Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand , has banned men from viewing an exhibition containing footage of Muslim women at home without their veils. The Dowse man-ban has created widespread media discussion. One commentator has remarked that anyone glancing at the paper on the news-stand would have been forgiven for thinking this was Read more
Although the majority of New Zealand newspapers, including New Zealand’s largest circulation paper, declined to republish any of the Danish cartoons, two local newspapers and two television channels did so, despite expressions of concern from the Federation of Islamic Associations and the Government. The publication was followed by strong interfaith and government condemnation, a public Read more
Iran’s court of appeals has upheld a six-year prison term imposed on a man who converted to Christianity from Islam and organised a house church. The Christian convert, Farshid Fat’hi, had been charged with “acting against national security through membership of the Christian organization Ilam, collection of funds and propaganda against the Islamic Regime by Read more