Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-airforce24apr24,0,5635267.story?coll=la-home-nation

On April 24, 2005 the Los Angeles Times reported, "the Air Force Academy, Chaplain Melinda Morton [is] teaching an RSVP — Respecting the Spiritual Values of all People — class, a 50-minute exercise in trying to stop what critics called a culture of intolerance on campus. Over the last four...

Source: Christian Today

http://www.christiantoday.com/news/africa/interfaith.peace.summit.gathers.africa.religious.leaders/195.htm

On April 23, 2005 Christian Today reported, "An African Inter-faith peace summit is in session in Johannesburg until 25 April where over 200 representatives of various religions are gathered to discuss and propose solutions for problems the continent is facing. The delegates from more...

Source: Hindustan Times

Wire Service: PTI

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1333826,00110001.htm

On April 23, 2005 the Press Trust of India reported, "Notwithstanding his hardline views, newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI will strike a balance between traditional church doctrine and the growing phenomenon of 'Asian Theology' that interprets Christian teachings in the light of other religions, theologians feel. 'I am optimistic...

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0504220159apr22,1,4346021.story

On April 22, 2005 the Chicago Tribune reported, "inside the basement auditorium of a Chicago labor union headquarters, Jewish community leaders broke matzo at a model Passover seder in the unlikely company of Muslim lawyers, Latino workers and African-American supermarket employees. The invited Muslims sipped grape juice instead of...

Source: Beliefnet

Wire Service: AP

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/165/story_16576_1.html?rnd=17

On April 21, 2005 the Associated Press reported, "In another sign that he intends to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI invited the chief rabbi of Rome to his installation, a spokesman for Rome's Jewish community said Thursday. The spokesman, Riccardo Pacifici, said Rabbi Riccardo di Segni received the...

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0421/p01s03-woeu.html

On April 21, 2005 The Christian Science Monitor reported, "Moving rapidly to assuage fears that he would turn the Roman Catholic Church inward, Joseph Ratzinger pledged in his first sermon as Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday to reach out to believers of all faiths and none, promising to 'continue ... sincere dialogue with them.' His 'primary task' would be to 'reconstitute the full and...

Source: The Washington Times

Wire Service: AP

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20050420-094011-8316r.htm

On April 21, 2005 the Associated Press reported, "Winding its way across Africa is an invisible fault line between a mainly Muslim north and a majority Christian south. Across this front, somewhere in the scrubland south of the Sahara Desert, tensions flare between increasingly strident Christian movements aggressively working to...

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/04/21/from_new_pontiff_a_vow_of_openness/

On April 21, 2005 The Boston Globe reported, "Pope Benedict XVI, outlining an agenda for his pontificate less than 24 hours after it began, pledged his openness yesterday to communicate with young people and with adherents of other faiths and praised the late John Paul II for leaving behind a Catholic Church...

Source: Beliefnet

Wire Service: AP

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/165/story_16548_1.html

On April 20, 2005 the Associated Press reported, "Charting a papacy in the tradition of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI pledged Wednesday to work for unity among Christians and to seek 'an open and sincere dialogue' with other faiths. In his first Mass as pontiff, Benedict invoked the words of John Paul II - 'Be not afraid' - a message designed...

Source: The Detroit News

http://www.detnews.com/2005/religion/0504/20/A08-156365.htm

On April 20, 2005 The Detroit News reported, "Like many people of faith, Muslims in Metro Detroit expressed joy and hope over the selection of Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, describing the moment as a universal expression of faith in God and spirituality. Although the new pope had previously expressed views that were less accepting of Islam than the dramatic gestures of Pope John...

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0504190122apr19,1,4411559.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

On April 19, 2005 the Chicago Tribune reported, "Protesting the absence of women in the conclave by using a puff of pink smoke, a group of Roman Catholic nuns and lay women Monday called on church leaders to select a new pope who supports ordaining women as priests. About 50...

Source: Navya Shastra

http://www.shastras.org/PressRelease11.html

On April 19, 2005 a Navya Shastra press release reported, "Navya Shastra, a global Hindu organization of scholars, practitioners and priests with members in over ten countries, has congratulated the Catholic Church for selecting Joseph Ratzinger--now Benedict XVI--as its new Pope. However, the organization expressed concern over Ratzinger's stance towards Hinduism. 'Ratzinger has described Hindu meditative...

Source: MSNBC/Newsweek

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7446931/site/newsweek/page/4/

On April 18, 2005 Newsweek reported, "John Paul II made interfaith dialogue a priority, but his successor needs to expand and intensify those exchanges, says Diana Eck, professor of comparative religion at Harvard. 'He went much further with the Jewish people than with Muslims,' she says. 'And much further with Abrahamic dialogue than either Buddhists or Hindus.' Relations between the...

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/Key-issue-for-next-pope-is-a-meeting-of-the-faiths/2005/04/17/1113676643828.html?oneclick=true

On April 18, 2005 The Sydney Morning Herald ran an opinion piece by Neil Ormerod, professor of theology at the Australian Catholic University, about the importance of the new pope addressing religious pluralism. Ormerod writes, "The...

Source: The Indian Express

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=68645

On April 18, 2005 The Indian Express reported, "Leaving the West Bengal government groping in the dark, the VHP today said that they have 're-converted' 45 Adivasi Christian families to Hinduism in Popra village, 20 km from Malda. The day-long function, organised at an ashram of VHP-affiliate Akhil Bharatiya Santhal Samaj, was attended by Adivasi families from nearby...