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Religion

<p>Our ongoing coverage of faith and religion — and its influence on important issues around the globe.</p>

As Catholic faith ebbs in Spain, missionary priests come to the rescue

Sacred Nation

Spain exported Christianity across the world through missionary expeditions, but as the religion dwindles across Europe, parishes are increasingly reliant on priests from abroad — a trend some call “reverse missions.”

‘Our community is terrified’: A faith leader talks about what it means to be a Palestinian Christian in the US

Israel-Hamas war

‘It so clearly discriminates against Muslims’: India rolls out faith-based test for citizenship

Sacred Nation

A far-right Dutch politician who once railed against Islam now spends his time defending it

Religion
Muslims pray in a mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Fitr holiday, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide, in Grozny, Russia, on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

The world celebrates Eid — including some of The World’s listeners

Religion
Sabha Aminikia immigrated to the US as a refugee and began studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. But even as he launched his career in America, his music was often focused on Iran.

Iranian American composer Sahba Aminikia: Music transforms like raindrops that ‘wash this part of humanity’

Movement

Iranian American composer Sahba Aminikia, who had to leave his homeland due to religious persecution, says his pain comes out in his music.

The US Constitution's first page

Americans are prone to reading Constitution as scripture, says legal scholar

US politics

Regarding the Constitution as divine amounts to “constitutional fundamentalism,” according to one law professor.

A large group of people sit on a wooden boat with a man rowing at the head of the boat toward a golden colored city at night.

In ‘Twice Born,’ author Aatish Taseer explores the impact of caste in today’s India

Caste in America

Aatish Taseer talks with The World’s Marco Werman about his experiences with caste in modern-day India and describes one of the most revealing moments from his new book, “The Twice Born: Life and Death on the Ganges.”

A woman poses for a photo surrounded by red Christmas ornaments in Bangkok, Thailand.

Photos: The world celebrates Christmas

Religion

What does Christmas look like around the world? Here’s a peek from Thailand, Pakistan, Iraq, Australia, China and several other countries.

Novelist Mark Salzman on Devotion

Arts, Culture & Media

Kurt Andersen and novelist Mark Salzman look at the close intersections of artistic creation and religious devotion. Salzman is the author of Iron and Silk, The Soloist, and Lost in Place. His latest book, Lying Awake, about the spiritual journey of a Carmelite nun, has just been published in paperback by Vintage.

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“Out of Many, One.” But Do We Have One American Identity?