religion

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaking at a news conference in Spain. Kerry will attempt to strike the right balance in separate meetings later this week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Religion

Kerry On Holy Site In Jerusalem: 'We're Not Seeking Outsiders Or Others To Come In'

4:22pm October 19, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

Kerry appeared to push back against a French proposal calling for an international presence at the holy site in order to preserve the status quo agreement. Israel is against the proposal.

Palestinians look at a new concrete wall erected by Israeli security forces in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber.

Religion

With Violent Clashes On The Rise, Israel Builds Wall In East Jerusalem

6:50pm October 18, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

News of the wall being erected comes a day after Israeli officials say five stabbings or attempted stabbings of Israelis by Palestinians assailants took place on Saturday.

Arabic and Persian calligraphy adorn the tinted windows of the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California.

With Song And Celebration, Mosque Chips Away At Sunni-Shiite Divide

5:56pm October 18, 2015

by Hana Baba

Sunni and Shiite Muslims have been in conflict for centuries. But a mosque in the Bay Area is trying to break down those walls. With music, open mic nights and open arms, they've found common ground.

A baptism ceremony for a child on Ikitsuki Island, Nagasaki prefecture. After Japan's military ruler banned Christianity in the late 1500s, many Christians went underground, holding services such as these in their homes.

Driven Underground Years Ago, Japan's 'Hidden Christians' Maintain Faith

8:16am October 16, 2015

by Anthony Kuhn

Spanish and Portuguese missionaries arrived in Japan in the 1500s, but Christianity was later banned and Christians disguised their faith with a Buddhist veneer. Today, some still practice in secret.

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Religion

Despite Mass. Court Decision, Parishioners Vow Vigil Will Continue

6:57am October 16, 2015

Parishioners in Scituate, Mass. began occupying their Catholic church 24 hours a day after the Boston archdiocese announced it would be closed. An appeals court ruled this week they're trespassing.

Israel Steps Up Security Amid Increasing Violence In Jerusalem

2:49pm October 15, 2015

by Emily Harris

Israel is increasing security measures amid ongoing violence, bringing objections from human rights activists and Palestinians.

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2 Brothers Beaten, 1 Killed, Allegedly By Their Parents And Fellow Churchgoers

11:25am October 15, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

New Hartford, N.Y., police say Bruce and Deborah Leonard are among those who fatally beat the Leonards' son, age 19, inside the Word of Life Church. Another son, 17, is in the hospital.

State Department Report Warns Of Global Threat To Religious Diversity

6:56pm October 14, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

Religious diversity is under threat across the Middle East and other parts of the globe, according to a State Department report on religious freedoms, which recounts the rise of ISIS and its attacks on Christians and other minorities.

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'No One Wants' This Level Of Violence In Jerusalem, Rabbi Says

6:42pm October 14, 2015

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Rabbi Uri Ayalon, a social activist who lives not too far from the bus attack in Jerusalem Tuesday. He says most of the Palestinian population is not violent.

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Vatican Denounces Letter Criticizing Pope Francis On Family

7:54pm October 13, 2015

by Sylvia Poggioli

A letter leaked by a veteran Vatican analyst known to be critical of the Francis papacy, has thrown the synod on the family into turmoil and confusion. Allegedly signed by 13 conservative cardinals, the letter complained to the pope that the assembly has been stacked against them. Within hours of the letter's publication Monday, four of the cardinals said they never signed the letter.

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