Zen priest Liên Shutt teaches a short meditation to foster compassion for beings in search of refuge.
News
African-Australians keep the faith
Since its introduction to Ethiopia in the first century, Christianity has grown across Africa over 2,000 years creating immense and resilient communities of faith. The God Forbid panel examines African Christianity, and how African Australians are helping to grow their own congregations down under in an increasingly secular landscape.
Victoria: RED WEDNESDAY OBSERVANCE
The Red Wednesday observance – this Wednesday night – 28 November – at 7:30pm in the Forecourt of St Patrick’s Cathedral – is an important occasion to show interfaith solidarity for people of all faiths globally who experience persecution *because* of their faith.
Vatican greets Sikhs on occasion of Gurupurab
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue greets the world’s Sikhs on the occasion of birthday of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. This day – called Gurupurab – is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of the ten gurus of Sikhism.
Forum on Reconciliation and Peace in Myanmar
Religions for Peace Advisory Forum Provides “Open Space” to Advance National Reconciliation and Peace in Myanmar
US and Australia call on China to close secret Uighur re-education camps
Western countries including the United States and Australia have called on China to stop detaining Uighurs and other Muslims in secret political re-education camps, which activists say hold one million people.
Religions for Peace Launches Historic Movement for Rainforest Protection
Rainforests sustain all life on the planet, provide 1.6 billion people with the necessities of life, store millions of tons of carbon, regulate the global climate, and create cooling air and rains that support life on Earth. They are home to indigenous peoples and forest communities that have served as their guardians for many generations. If protected and restored, rainforests can provide an indispensable contribution to sustainable development. Instead, they are at grave risk.
Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi has death penalty conviction overturned
A Christian woman who spent eight years on death row in Pakistan on blasphemy charges has been acquitted — prompting street protests from Islamists furious at the verdict.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar cited the Quran in his ruling, writing: “Tolerance is the basic principle of Islam,” and noting the religion condemns injustice and oppression.
Ms Bibi, who has been held at a secret location for security reasons, is now expected to leave the country.
Her husband, Ashiq Masih, hailed the verdict: “I am very happy. My children are very happy. We are grateful to God. We are grateful to the judges for giving us justice. We knew that she is innocent.”
Children in Nauru
The National Executive of Religions for Peace Australia calls upon the Australian Government to remove all children from detention on Nauru.
Vatican synod calls for women leaders ‘at all levels’
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A global summit of Catholic bishops on Saturday (Oct. 27) issued a powerful call for the inclusion of women in decision-making roles in the church “at all levels” and sought to welcome gay people and commit the church to a historic shift on fighting clergy sexual abuse.
Why Pittsburgh Matters
(RNS) — We are shocked, but we are not surprised. How could we be surprised? The novelist Rebecca West once said that Jews, having suffered so much, have an “unsurprisable mind.” Did we think that we, the American Jewish community, could splash blood upon our communal door and thus ward off the twin angels of hatred and death?
Halloween: A Jewish Perspective for Parents
The question of how to handle Halloween – whether to participate, and if so, how – is one that is often discussed amongst Jewish parents as the holiday approaches. Reform Jewish tradition guides us to make decisions based on “informed choice.”
