Religion
Armenian Christians of Jerusalem say their centuries-old community faces an existential threat
Armenian Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem say their centuries-old community is facing an existential threat. It stems from an ongoing legal dispute over a real estate deal signed three years ago. Members of the small minority community of Armenians in Jerusalem say they are fearful about their future in the holy city.
‘It so clearly discriminates against Muslims’: India rolls out faith-based test for citizenship
A new law that provides refugees with a path to Indian citizenship went into effect in March. But it’s controversial because it excludes refugees who are Muslims. There were widespread protests in 2019 when it was first passed and now India’s supreme court is hearing a bunch of petitions against it.
As winter arrives in the southern hemisphere, Brazilians celebrate ‘June Festivals’
They’re called “Festas Juninas” — or June Festivals — and they are the heart of Brazilian culture this time of the year. What’s special about these festivals is that they’re generally not celebrated in big mega events, like Carnival in February, but they’re held in each town and community across the country. As Michael Fox reports from Florianopolis, in southern Brazil, these festivals spring from a deep well of history and broad mix of cultural influences passed from one generation to the next.
A far-right Dutch politician who once railed against Islam now spends his time defending it
Anti-Muslim policies are a key tenet of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. Many of those policies were devised by former lawmaker and once close confidante of Wilders, Joram van Klaveren. Today van Klaveren dedicates his life to defending Islam.
A pilgrimage turns to tragedy as scorching heat causes 1,300 people to die during the Hajj
Performing the five days of the Hajj is a profoundly spiritual and physically demanding task. But this sacred journey turned deadly for many this year as temperatures soared beyond 124 degrees in Saudi Arabia’s holiest city of Mecca. Faisal Kutty, professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, speaks with host Marco Werman about what made this Hajj fatal for many pilgrims.
Chaplains open doors for international students on campus
When international students arrive to study in the US, life can be harder than expected. Some universities have found that religious chaplains can help students make the transition. While mental health is stigmatized in some countries, spiritual care is not. As a result, student chaplains have become de facto front-line mental health care providers.