Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, expressed deep sorrow on Monday following the death of Pope Francis, calling him a “distinguished humanitarian and dear friend.”
News
‘A faithful friend’: the Ecumenical Patriarch leads Orthodox tributes to Pope Francis
“In the atmosphere of great Easter joy, this morning, Monday of Holy Week, came the sad news of the death of Pope Francis, a precious brother in Christ, with whom from the first moment of his ascension to the papal throne, we had a fraternal friendship and cooperation for the good of our Churches, for the further rapprochement of our Churches, for the good of humanity.
Religious Leaders and Faithful Issue Climate SOS as Pre-Poll starts
Religious leaders and faithful from many traditions are today giving passers-by outside St John’s Cathedral yard signs calling for stronger climate action. The signs read “Solar saves, nuclear costs”, “No more coal and gas” and simply “Climate Action Now”. The backdrop is a giant banner on the Cathedral that reads “No one left behind – good jobs in clean energy” which had first been raised in September 2024.
Statement of the Religions for Peace Secretary General
The Secretary General of Religions for Peace – Dr. Francis Kuria – has issued a statement on the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis.
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem call for “a just and lasting peace”
The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem proclaim to the world an Easter message of life and hope. “It is the same message first announced to the women who had come to mourn at Christ’s tomb,” the text notes. “The Lord had risen indeed!”
The Muslim Jesus
Both Muslims and Christians revere Jesus, but they have different interpretations of his life, mission and role in salvation. At Easter, shared themes of resurrection and hope offer space for dialogue.
Easter Messages from Australia’s National Leaders of Christian Churches in Australia 2025
He is Risen!
The Easter cry that is shared by all Christians.
This year, the Western, Orthodox and Oriental Churches will all celebrate Easter on Sunday 20 April 2025.
Muslim Human Charters and Importance of Wasaṭiyyah
In Islam, the concept of human equality denotes equal treatment for all human beings with due regard for their common rights and responsibilities regardless of ethnicity, race, colour, gender, class, conviction, faith and persuasion. In Islamic history there are a number of human rights charters.
From Amipotence to All-Encompassing Mercy
God reveals Himself to us through His mercy. By doing so, He shows He is interested in having a relationship with people; He issues an invitation. This makes Him approachable and allows us to experience Him, but we must freely choose to take up the offer. Love cannot exist without freedom.
Importantly, moreover, the idea of God’s all-encompassing mercy and its conceptual primacy in the Qur’anic framework has additional strong scriptural support (Q 7:156)
Mercy, therefore, flows from the very nature and essence of God, defined by profound love and compassion.
For Families – Holy Week and Easter, The King of Kings
The King of Kings is a 2025 animated Christian film written and directed by Seong-ho Jang, loosely inspired by the children’s book The Life of Our Lord by Charles Dickens. The film stars the voices of Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac. The King of Kings was released in the United States by Angel Studios on April 11, 2025
Saving Muslim identity from Islamophobes and Islamic fundamentalists
In recent years, public and political discussions of Muslim identity have become increasingly polarised, not least because those discussions often framed by two extremes: Islamophobes and Islamic fundamentalists. Both groups, despite their apparent opposition, share a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be Muslim. They reduce Muslim identity to a narrowly legalistic and highly textualist and politicised approach to interpretation of Islam — failing thereby to recognise the rich, expansive heritage of the cultural, spiritual and ethical dimensions that define the Muslim experience.
“Building Peace through Contemplation, Compassion and our Common Humanity”
On Friday 11 April, at Victorian State Parliament, there was a forum, Peace Building through Contemplation, Compassion and Common Humanity. Bishop Philip Huggins offered a reflection at this event, recalling his journey to Holy Orders, Peace making and how we make this world holy … through personal sacrifice, through being with people in their last moments, through celebrating with others their peace-filled life in Australia. Like the Holy Week Story, Bishop Huggins weaves a narrative to the peace that comes through a transcendent faith.