Author: Kimi Yoshino

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/12/iraq-draft-from.html

Trying to prove just how much safer Baghdad is these days, Iraqi officials threw a party for Christians on Saturday, complete with huge event posters featuring pictures of Jesus Christ.

A skinny Santa Claus draped in an Iraqi flag also made an appearance, waving and posing for photos.
...

Author: Elizabeth Gibson

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

https://dispatch.newsbank.com/doc/news/1252F75E16E01C10?search_terms=Whitehall%2BDefending%2BManger%2BOnce%2BAgain&text=Whitehall%20Defending%20Manger%20Once%20Again&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%255B0%255D=CLDB&pdate=2008-12-19

It's becoming a holiday tradition -- secular activists...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.examiner.com/a-1751428~Non_religious_group_sues_over_nativity.html

Manitowoc County and its nativity scene on the courthouse lawn is the latest target of the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

The group has filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. District Court of Eastern Wisconsin to stop the county from displaying the religious symbols on government property....

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17181

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren and civil rights leader Rev. Joseph Lowery will deliver the invocation and benediction, respectively, at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration next month (Jan 20).

The roles of Warren, a best-selling author and leader of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and Lowery, who co-founded the Southern...

Author: Mahmud Lalo

Source: All Africa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200812170410.html

Abbas Jimoh & Ahmed Mohammed — Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar and Most Reverend John Onaiyekan, both co-chairmen of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), yesterday kicked off peace and reconci-liatory process between Mus-lim and Christian communi-ties in Plateau State following the recent crisis in Jos over local government council elections...

Author: Michael Winerip

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/nyregion/long-island/21Rparenting.html?scp=2&sq=religion&st=nyt

Pam Gawley is Jewish, her husband, Steven, is Catholic, and from the time they started dating, they celebrated each other’s holidays together. Christmas and Easter, they went to his parents’ home; Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah and Passover, to her parents...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Independent Catholic News

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/muscthl321.html

Yesterday, the XI talks between the Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, based in Tripoli, Libya began at the Vatican.

A spokesman said these are the latest in a long series of meetings that have taken place in various venues and regular intervals since 1989 to now.

Author: Ethan Cole

Source: The Christian Post

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081215/anglicans-add-hindu-snowmen-chinese-dragon-to-christmas-displays.htm

Some Anglican clergy have added a multicultural twist to Christmas decorations, adding Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple to the lawn where the traditional scene of a baby Jesus, angels, and the three wise men used...

Author: Tom Pfeiffer

Source: The Washington Post

Wire Service: Reuters

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500008.html

A new breed of undercover Christian missionary is turning to Muslim north Africa in the search for new converts, alarming Islamic leaders who say they prey on the weak and threaten public order.

Missionary groups say the...

Author: Jim Fitzgerald

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jk0K5Yvz2_qJ9MBhvzqe0VPyq5qwD95208E00

When they light the town Christmas tree in Armonk on Sunday, there will be a Jewish menorah right alongside, as usual. There will also be something new this year — an Islamic crescent and star.

And if there are any Buddhists or Hindus in town who want to see...

Author: Rachel D'Oro

Source: The Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/6163551.html

Gov. Sarah Palin's home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $1 million, authorities said Saturday. No...

Author: Todd Richmond

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j5w4SzHSj_zHes5UQYnwJgVmP84wD951NEGG0

Daniel Borntreger's home looks like hundreds of other Wisconsin farmhouses: two-story A-frame, porch, clothes on the line.

But his home could cost him thousands of dollars in fines. Borntreger, an Amish farmer, built the house himself according to Amish tradition...

Author: Laurie Goodstein and Elisabetta Povoledo

Source: The Detroit News/The New York Times

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081213/LIFESTYLE04/812130344/1041

The Vatican issued its most authoritative and sweeping document on bioethical issues in more than 20 years on Friday, taking into account recent developments in biomedical technology and reinforcing the church's opposition to in vitro...

Author: Jonathan Adams

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1212/p06s02-woap.html

On a muddy, shaded track between fertile farmlands, 30 men lounge in flip-flops and tattered camouflage, displaying their beaten-up M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles.

They call themselves ilaga or "rats" in a local Philippines dialect. They're vigilantes: Christian farmers who have taken up arms to protect their land and...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Middle East Times

http://www.metimes.com/Security/2008/12/12/religious_tolerance_in_iraq_waning/bcd1/

Iraq is turning into a hostile region for religious minorities as the country moves closer to becoming a Muslim nation, Christian leaders said.

Attacks in northern Iraq attributed to various agents hit the Christian minority community in early October, forcing nearly half of its...