Religion News on the Web
Selected religion-related news from around the Web
June 18, 2013
- The Christian Science Monitor
CS Monitor: As Spain's people drift from Catholic Church, government cozies up
After years of moving in a more socially liberal direction along with the rest of western Europe, the Spanish government is now doing an about face, seeking to clamp down on abortion and return the Roman Catholic Church to a prominent role in the country's school system.
June 17, 2013
- The New York Times
NYT: A more secular Europe, divided by the cross
Stanislav Zvolensky, the Roman Catholic archbishop of the Slovak capital here, was thrilled when he was invited to Brussels three years ago to discuss the fight against poverty with the insistently secular bureaucracy of the European Union.
June 13, 2013
- The Moscow Times
Moscow Times: Activists fear repercussions of 'Blasphemy Bill'
The bill protecting "believers' feelings," which rights activists and analysts have called a "step back" for Russia, a legal "Pandora's Box" and a return to the Dark Ages, looks set to take effect in July after sailing through the State Duma with a unanimous vote on Wednesday.
June 09, 2013
- The Sunday Herald
Sunday Herald: The new battle over religion in schools
The issue has been brought into the spotlight by a petition which has been lodged at the Scottish Parliament, supported by Secular Scotland – a lobby group campaigning for French-style separation of church and state – calling for a system in which parents would have to choose to "opt-in" if they want their children to participate in religious observance, for example in assemblies.
May 31, 2013
- The Associated Press
AP: Boston, London, Paris attacks highlight al Qaeda shift in tactics
Intelligence agencies that have succeeded in thwarting many of al Qaeda's plans for spectacular attacks are struggling to combat the terror network's strategy of encouraging followers to keep to themselves, use off-the-shelf weapons and strike when they see an opportunity.
May 18, 2013
- The New York Times
NYT: Hollande signs French gay marriage law
The rush toward France’s first same-sex marriage officially began Saturday morning, after President François Hollande signed the country’s “marriage for all” act into law.
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.