Author: Peter Leonard

Source: The Houston Chronicle

Wire Service: AP

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/6133889.html

Kazakhstan's lower house of Parliament approved controversial legislation Wednesday to increase government control over religious groups, drawing criticism from a major international group Kazakhstan is to lead in 2010.

Rights groups say the amendments to the country's law on...

Author: Richard Owen

Source: The Times Online

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5231385.ece

The Vatican has said that a statement by Pope Benedict XVI on the "impossibility" of religious dialogue has been misinterpreted, and does "not put in doubt the Pope's inter-religious commitment."

In a preface to a book by Marcello Pera, a centre-Right Italian senator, entitled Why We Must Call Ourselves Christians,...

Author: Katherine Meduski

Source: Columbia Spectator

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2008/11/25/interfaith-leader-guides-group-dialogue

At a time when some associate Islam with violence, Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core, stressed the importance of pluralism and faith at a Common Meal in Earl Hall.

Patel, who is also the author of “Acts of Faith: The Story of an...

Author: Patrick George

Source: The Austin American-Statesman

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/11/24/1124interfaith.html

With the swelling bass note of the Jewish ram horn, the soulful Muslim call to prayer and the chiming of a Christian bell choir, nearly 800 people at First United Methodist Church on Sunday knew it was time for Thanksgiving in Austin.

For 24 years, Austinites have come...

Author: Nicole Neroulias

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17015

The mistrust and misconceptions between North America's Jews and Muslims may run thick and deep, but leaders of a new nationwide interfaith initiative say the two sides have more to learn than fear from each other.

That was the message issued this weekend (Nov. 21-23) in more than 100 mosques and synagogues that signed up for a "Weekend of...

Author: Greg Garrison

Source: The Birmingham News

Author: Rachel Donadio

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/world/europe/24pope.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

In comments on Sunday that could have broad implications in a period of intense religious conflict, Pope Benedict XVI cast doubt on the possibility of interfaith dialogue but called for more discussion of the practical consequences of religious differences.

The pope’s...

Author: Jefferson Antiporda

Source: The Manila Times

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/nov/22/yehey/metro/20081122met1.html

Religious leaders have called on the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the immediate resumption of the stalled Mindanao peace talks.

In a statement, the 75 members of the Bishops-Ulama Conference appealed to the both parties to pursue whatever...

Author: Carla Hinton

Source: NewsOK.com

http://newsok.com/interfaith-dinners-serve-up-big-helpings-of-tolerance/article/3323981

Nisa Ismayilova always dreamed of sitting down for an informal dinner and fellowship with people whose religious beliefs differed from her own Muslim faith.

The Islamic woman’s dream became reality when she participated in a recent Amazing Faiths dinner dialogue at Phil and...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7732305.stm

Almost a quarter of young people have been bullied because of their religion, a charity report says.

Beatbullying said it had encountered a disturbing level of religious segregation and intolerance among the children it had studied.

Chief executive Emma-Jane Cross said that schools were cultivating "at best a lack of understanding and at worst a lack...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Wicked Local Wayland

http://www.wickedlocal.com/wayland/news/x776440684/News-briefs

In 1988, incidents within Weston High School indicated the presence of prejudice against some minority groups. In response, the Weston PTO sponsored a workshop "Discrimination in our Midst" after which several attendees and other interested community members met to determine how to improve relationships among people of different...

Author: Jennifer Hahn

Source: Religion News Service

http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext

For 13 years, Leymah Gbowee watched as her native Liberia devolved into an earthly hell. Violence, rape, and murder had become part of daily life as violent warlords battled the country's equally depraved president over control of a nation once founded in peace by freed American slaves.

Then one night, Gbowee had a dream that she should gather a...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Muslim Public Affairs Council

http://www.mpac.org/article.php?id=737

The Muslim Public Affairs Council invites you to be a part of the inaugural event for the "Weekend of Twinnings" of mosques and synagogues across North America, an historic continent-wide event linking more than 40 mosques and 40 synagogues across the continent during the weekend of November 21-23, 2008.

WHEN: Monday, November 17 7:00...

Author: Raja Abdulrahim

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/features/religion/la-me-beliefs17-2008nov17,0,2237585.story

World Roman Catholic and Muslim leaders made headlines this month when they met in a first-of-its-kind interfaith forum at the Vatican. Locally, some faithful saw the forum not as something new but as an affirmation of efforts they have been making for years.

The goal of the...

Author: Cristina Lee-Pisco

Source: Journal Online