Ethiopia: religious tension is getting worse – 5 factors driving groups apart: Religion is highly present in Ethiopia. It’s visible in churches and mosques, in clothing, and in public rituals. The country’s main religious communities are Orthodox Christians, Muslims and Protestants. It’s home to one of the world’s oldest churches and has the third-largest Muslim …
Music video controversy in Nigeria: Logos Olori misreads a religious time bomb: Afrobeats artist Logos Olori. Screengrab/YouTube/Logos Olori Recently, Logos Olori – a Nigerian singer who is signed to Afrobeats superstar Davido’s music label – released a video with supposedly Muslim men dancing to his song Jaye Lo in front of a mosque. After an …
Many people think it’s impossible to be LGBTQ+ and religious – this ‘homosecularism’ is dangerous for asylum seekers: gnepphoto/Shutterstock The UK government’s plan to send refugees and asylum seekers to Rwanda has been controversial from the start. For LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK, it remains a frightening prospect. The government has insisted that …
Kenya cult deaths: a new era in the battle against religious extremism: Worshippers gather at the New Life Prayer Centre and Church. The head of the Church was recently arrested. Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images More than a hundred people in Kenya – among them children – have been found dead close to …
Uncovering the secret religious and spiritual lives of sex workers: shutterstock Tanya* is telling me just how important her Methodist Christianity is to her. We’re chatting over a video call, and I can see Tanya’s living room in the background. This also happens to be her workspace because Tanya, who is 50, is a full-time …
Rock art as African history: what religious images say about identity, survival and change: After colonial contact, indigenous Africans acquired horses and guns, and raided settlers as a means of resistance. Courtesy Sam Challis To “read” the history of times before writing, scholars have traditionally used excavated evidence. Remains like dwellings, burials and pots can …
Roe v Wade: the religious right has long influenced law in the US – here’s how abortion rights could be challenged elsewhere: The US Supreme Court. flysnowfly/Shutterstock The US Supreme Court has formally announced its decision in the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This has overturned the 1973 case Roe v Wade, …
Royal jubilees have always been surprisingly religious affairs: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee, marking her 70 years on the throne. Like all jubilees since the first celebrating 50 years of King George III’s reign in 1809, this is a national occasion …
Easter laughter: the hilarious and controversial medieval history of religious jokes: Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock Just how serious is Easter? For non-churchgoers (like myself) with a sweet tooth (guilty, again) the answer to this question is probably: not very, although the chocolate eggs are welcome. For the more devout, Easter is an incredibly serious business. And …
A cool Paternoster image: Image from page 282 of “The comprehensive history of England : civil and military, religious, intellectual, and social, from the earliest period to the suppression of the Sepoy revolt” (1862) Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: comprehensivehis12macf Title: The comprehensive history of England : civil and military, religious, intellectual, and …
Religious communities can make the difference in winning the fight against climate change: All major religions call on their followers to respect the Earth. Takver/Wikimedia The threat of climate change signals a “code red for humanity”, and we are running out of time to transition away from carbon and prevent catastrophic planetary warming. Our best …
Check out this Paternoster image: Image from page 4 of “The gospel in South India : or the religious life, experience, and character of the Hindu Christians” (1880) Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: gospelinsouthind00mate Title: The gospel in South India : or the religious life, experience, and character of the Hindu Christians Year: …
Job seeking is the religious pilgrimage of the 21st-century: “It’s the journey, not the destination” seems like a modern proverb, because it emphasises experiences over results and promises personal transformation. However, millennia ago, theologians like Saint Augustine described life itself as a pilgrimage through the world, returning to God by purifying the self. While many …
A nice Paternoster image: Image from page 107 of “A dictionary of religious knowledge [electronic resource]: for popular and professional use, comprising full information on Biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical subjects” (1875) Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: 07244119.1178.emory.edu Title: A dictionary of religious knowledge [electronic resource]: for popular and professional use, comprising full information …
Why the ban on conversion therapy has to include religious groups: After many delays, the government’s concern about whether religion should be exempt from prohibiting conversion therapy in England and Wales has led to more setbacks. A blanket ban, it’s argued, would infringe on religious freedoms and the belief among some groups that any sex …
A nice Paternoster image: Image from page 9 of “Ancient faiths embodied in ancient names: or, An attempt to trace the religious belief, sacred rites, and holy emblems of certain nations, by an interpretation of the names given to children by priestly authority, or assumed by proph Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: ancientfaithsemb02inma_0 …
Britain’s changing religious vote: why Catholics are leaving Labour and Conservatives are hoovering up Christian support: The past six years have seen the old rules of British politics torn up. Identities such as “Tory”, “Labour”, “working class” or “middle class” have been replaced by “Remainer” or “Brexiteer” and voters are deserting their traditional parties. The …
Why Nigeria’s religious leaders should learn more about climate change: Nigeria's religious leaders should play greater roles in climate change Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images Climate change is a global issue, but it disproportionately affects developing countries like Nigeria. Part of the response needs to be on a large political and institutional scale, based …