Sacred Nation
Environmental concerns impact beloved Hindu festival in India
In the Indian city of Mumbai, millions of Hindus just wrapped up the annual, 10-day celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, a holiday dedicated to the elephant god, Ganesha. The holiday has come under scrutiny, however, because of the environmental damage that results from releasing millions of statues into water bodies across the state each year.
‘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.
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.
Tens of thousands attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
On April 5, the final Friday in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan this year — a special time for Muslims worldwide — more than 3,500 Israeli police were deployed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Here, an estimated 57,000 Muslims attended Friday prayers.
