According to the Exodus Road, a non-profit organization that works on fighting modern-day slavery, as of 2022, 650 million girls and women are being forced to marry. Within this dynamic, there is a continuum of coercion ranging from physical violence to psychosocial pressure. It’s a marriage where at least one is married without consent, against their will or is not able to exit the marriage.
Engage – how to deal with hate speech?
Hate speech occurs in all societies, whether offline or online. It can sometimes be hard to assess when a comment is meant as hate speech – especially when expressed in the virtual world. It can also feel overwhelming to try to deal with obviously hateful content.
Tasmania: Prohibiting the display of Nazi symbols
The Tasmanian Goverment seeks input from the community on the display of Nazi symbols. Proposed legislation is available to peruse, and submissions from the community are invited and may be received by 5pm on Monday, 13 February 2023.
The Pope Benedict I knew: A keeper of his faith with a deep respect for Judaism
Rabbi David Rosen is the former chief rabbi of Ireland, and is American Jewish Committee’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs. He is an International Co-President of Religions for Peace, and has participated in many interfaith events, including the Day of Prayer for World Peace at Assisi 2011, alongside Pope Benedict XVI.
(JTA) — I was first introduced to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later to become Pope Benedict XVI, in the late 1980s when he was visiting Jerusalem. Teddy Kollek, mayor of Jerusalem, was eager for me to meet with the cardinal, telling me that I would discover a very different person from the image portrayed in the general media. He was so correct.
That image was in no small part the result of Pope John Paul II having made him the head of the Vatican Office for Doctrine and Faith, to enforce orthodox Catholic teaching. In addition, the fact that Ratzinger was a shy man with a professorial background and attitude often led people to see him as aloof and even cold.
The Interfaith Legacy of Pope Benedict
Pope Benedict was feted by leaders of other religions as a kind and gentle person. His intellect guided the Catholic Church’s orthodoxy and belief during his 25 years as the head of the Vatican congregation that steers the faith of its worldwide churches. Here, we look to the interfaith legacy of Pope Benedict, who was – indirectly – a cause of World Interfaith Harmony Week coming into being.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dead at 95
Former Pope Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to resign, has died aged 95 in a secluded monastery in the Vatican where he had lived since stepping down, a spokesman for the Holy See has announced.
Religions for Peace Australia: Year in Review
Year 2022 saw relaxation of the pandemic restrictions, and the emergence of conflict in Ukraine. There was a strong response from religious leaders in Australia. Living the Change, taking care of the environment and sharing faith community responses to domestic violence were activities that Religions for Peace Australia took up during Year 2022.
Rituals: Crucial Across History, Essential for Humans Today
Each December, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, among others, take over our thoughts and our wallets as we participate in ceremonies our ancestors have practised for as long as we can remember. These are all example of traditions. And in most cases, traditions are accompanied by rituals.
Pope Francis tells Emeritus Pope Benedict is very sick.
Pope Francis has said his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI is “very sick” and asked the faithful to pray for the retired pontiff so God will comfort him “to the very end”. Francis did not elaborate on Benedict’s condition as he made the surprise appeal at the end of his general audience on Wednesday 28 December.
Muppet Religion
Why do the Muppets work so well in an adaptation of A Christmas Carol? Victorian literature scholar Joshua Taft writes that Dickens’ A Christmas Carol combines “humanistic Christianity” with “a variety of secular enchantment.” Enchantment — or re-enchantment — is a crucial part of the Muppets’ appeal.
Christian Pilgrims Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
Jerusalem — The streets of Bethlehem are crowded for Christmas again, after two years of COVID-related restrictions. In the Church of the Nativity, the faithful celebrated Jesus’s birth as the number of Palestinian Christians continues to dwindle.
Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis call for end to war in Ukraine
The archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis have used their Christmas addresses to call for an end to the war in Ukraine.
