Religion News on the Web
Selected religion-related news from around the Web
May 13, 2013
- The Associated Press
AP: Africa, Asia See Boom in Priests as Europe Withers
The number of Catholic priests in Africa and Asia has shot up over the past decade while decreasing in Europe, mirroring trends in the numbers of Catholic faithful that helped lead to the election of Pope Francis as the first non-European pope in over a millennium.
May 06, 2013
- The New York Times
NYT: Anti-blasphemy protests in Bangladesh turn violent
Violence erupted across Bangladesh on Monday as Islamist fundamentalists demanding passage of an anti-blasphemy law clashed with security forces, leaving a trail of property damage and at least 22 people dead after a second day of unrest.
April 26, 2013
- The New York Times
NYT: For Indonesian atheists, a community of support amid constant fear
Karina is an atheist, but her friends jokingly call her “the prophet.” That is because she is helping nurture a community for unbelievers in predominantly Muslim Indonesia, where trumpeting one’s disbelief in God can lead to abuse, ostracism and even prison.
April 04, 2013
- The Wall Street Journal
WSJ: Pakistani candidates face religious vetting
Pakistan's election authorities have begun forcing candidates for parliament to prove their Islamic credentials, often in front of TV cameras, in a test of whether any space remains for secularism in the country's politics.
March 30, 2013
- The Economist
Economist: Communal violence in Myanmar: When the lid blows off
When Myanmar’s newly installed president and former soldier, Thein Sein, kick-started the country’s political transition two years ago, he hoped to usher in a clean and steady advance towards some sort of orderly democracy. Now, however, things are starting to turn out rather differently.