religion

France Approves Secret Burials For 'Charlie Hebdo' Attackers

2:28pm January 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Said Kouachi has reportedly already been buried at the city of Reims, where he lived before the deadly attack. His brother, Cherif, is to be buried at his hometown of Gennevilliers, outside of Paris.

Hollande: Anti-'Charlie' Protesters Don't Understand French Values

2:01pm January 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

As demonstrations against the satirical magazine are staged in many parts of the Muslim world, the French president defends what he says is his country's principle of freedom of expression.

Duke Backpedals On Allowing Muslim Call To Prayer In Bell Tower

7:57pm January 16, 2015

by Reema Khrais

Earlier this week, the university said Muslim students could use the chapel bell tower — but then backtracked after getting threats.

Queue Listen Now

Duke's Muslim Students Pray Amid Controversy Over Call To Prayer

2:58pm January 16, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

They will gather for their call to prayer in the quadrangle outside Duke Chapel, a day after Duke University reversed course on allowing the traditional call to prayer from the chapel's bell tower.

St. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt speaks at his office in St. Paul, Minn., in a photo taken in July. Nienstedt announced Friday that the archdiocese was filing for bankruptcy following more than a dozen claims from alleged sexual abuse victim

Archdiocese Of St. Paul-Minneapolis Files Chapter 11

1:41pm January 16, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Facing more than a dozen claims of sexual abuse by priests, the archdiocese says it needs protection to reorganize. Eleven other U.S. dioceses have filed bankruptcy since 2004.

After Saying Yes, Duke Nixes Muslim Call To Prayer From Chapel Bell Tower

12:53pm January 16, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

The school had announced it would allow the traditional call to prayer from the Duke Chapel bell tower. The decision was excoriated, and today the private university in Durham, N.C., reversed course.

Alex Malarkey, seen here in a 2009 photo, has written an open letter saying that events described in the best-seller The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven were made up.

Boy Says He Didn't Go To Heaven; Publisher Says It Will Pull Book

12:36pm January 16, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The young man at the center of The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven, Alex Malarkey, said this week that the story behind the 2010 book was all made up.

Pope Francis holds a Virgin Mary statue as he arrives at the Mall of Asia arena in Manila, Philippines, on Friday. The pontiff has issued a strong statement supporting the church's teachings on artificial contraception.

Pope, On Visit To Philippines, Defends Catholic Ban On Contraception

11:01am January 16, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Francis, on the second day of his visit to the predominately Catholic nation, called for families to be "sanctuaries of respect for life."

At age 16, Maajid Nawaz joined the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. But after four years in prison, he decided to leave the group. He co-founded the think tank Quilliam, which is dedicated to countering extremist beliefs, and he's now running for Parliament

How Orwell's 'Animal Farm' Led A Radical Muslim To Moderation

7:00pm January 15, 2015

When Maajid Nawaz was 16 he joined a radical Islamist group. After four years in prison in Egypt, he decided to leave it. "I'm very, very lucky to have been able to get through it," he says.

Queue Listen Now

Pope Francis disembarks from the plane upon his arrival at the airport in Manila, Philippines, on Wednesday. In comments to reporters aboard the plane, Francis said though the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine was an "aberration," free speech "cannot make

Pope Francis Backs Freedom Of Speech — But Within Limits

4:48pm January 15, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

Francis said there are limits to freedom of speech, especially when it concerns religion. He was answering a question about the deadly attack last week on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.