Christianity

By Nika Knight, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) | – – Humans are turning the planet into a ‘polluted wasteland full of debris, desolation, and filth,’ says Pope Francis “The world’s poor, though least responsible for climate change, are most vulnerable and already suffering its impact,” Pope Francis said. Pope Francis on Thursday put forth an […]

Christianity

Pope and French Muslims try Muslim-Christian outreach instead of ‘War on Terror’ Polarization

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – AFP reported from the papal airplane on Pope Francis’s remarks about Islam in the wake of the brutal murder of an elderly priest by two teenagers of North African heritage in Normandy last Tuesday. Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) claimed responsibility. The pope said, “It’s not true and […]

Alawites

Is Religion really Driving Middle East Violence?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Pew Research has released a report saying that “As a whole, the region continued to have the highest levels of religious hostilities in the world. In 2014, the median level of religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa reached a level four times that […]

Christianity

Syrian War Overflows: Radical Salafis attack Christian Village in Lebanon

Juan Cole

Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – A wave of suicide bombings was launched by four radical attackers struck al-Qaa, a largely Christian Lebanese village on the border with Syria on Monday, killing five locals and wounding 15. The first attacks came in the morning but that evening a second wave was launched, attacking […]

Christianity

Holy Lands: Reviving Pluralism in the Middle East

contributors

by JOSEPH RICHARD PREVILLE and JULIE POUCHER HARBIN | ( ISLAMiCommentary) | – – Column » ‘By the Book’ with Joseph Preville How did the rise of nation-states in the 20th century doom religious diversity and pluralism in the Middle East? And, can pluralism be recovered to heal and transform the Middle East? Veteran journalist […]

Chaldeans

UNESCO: “Deepest Concerns” for Mideast Christianity after Daesh/ISIL Razes oldest Iraqi Monastery

contributors

UNESCO | (Media Services) | – – “I express my deepest concerns after the destruction of the Monastery of St Elijah. It was the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq and an invaluable testimony to the rich cultural and religious diversity of the country. For 1,400 years the monastery stood as a place of worship and […]

Assyrians

For Iraqi Minorities, ‘Immigration No Longer A Choice, It’s Inevitable’

contributors

By Saad Salloum | Baghdad| (Niqash.org) | – – In an interview, Raad Jabar al-Khamis, a representative of the Christian Sabean-Mandaean minority, talks about why all minorities in Iraq will leave the country over the next decade. Raad Jabar al-Khamis has held many senior political positions on behalf of Iraq’s Sabean-Mandaean minority. The Sabean-Mandaeans are […]

Christianity

Muslims Shield Christians from al-Shabab Terror

contributors

Cenk Uygur | (The Young Turks Video Report) | – – “Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group that operates in Somalia and Kenya. Lately they have been attacking buses full of civilians, particularly non-Muslims. Cenk Uygur, host of the The Young Turks, breaks it down. “Their M.O. is a tried and terrifying one: Launch a raid, […]

Arab World

Christmas and Christians in the Middle East

Juan Cole

by Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Whether Christmas is joyous sad or nervous-making for Christians in the Middle East this year depends very much on the country in which they live. It should be noted that many of them follow Eastern traditions such that Christmas is not celebrated on December 25. The […]