Wednesday is an important day for Muslim faithful around the world. They will be celebrating Eid ul-Fitr, the breaking of the fast to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. For 30 days, starting this year on July 9, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, and abstain from smoking, swearing and sex. But Read more
Local Hindus are upset about a caricature of the Hindu goddess Kali in that was recently published on the front page of the New Zealand Herald. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in speaking in Nevada has asked Herald Editor-in-Chief, Tim Murphy, and Board Chairman of its parent APN News & Media Peter Cosgrove to apologise Read more
The spokesman for Papua New Guinea’s bishops has condemned a proposal, introduced in parliament, by the governor of one of the Papua New Guinea’s 22 provinces, to ban non Christian religions. Last Friday, Hela province governor, Anderson Agiru, moved a motion to carry out a nationwide consultation on the question of religious freedom and whether to Read more
For the second time in a week a church has appointed a person from another denomination as its leader. The vicar of St Matthew-in-the-City, Glynn Cardy, is leaving his Anglican church to lead a Presbyterian church in Remuera, Auckland. Last week the Anglican church appointed Digby Wilkinson, the senior pastor at Palmerston North’s Central Baptist Church, to be the Dean Read more
More than 30 Dunedin church leaders, including Bishop Colin Campbell, and representatives of the Dunedin Interfaith Council greeted His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet on the steps of St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral last Tuesday. The welcome was followed by a discussion on Maori beliefs at the University of Otago Clocktower Building. On Monday, in Read more
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands at their Annual General Meeting in Madang have prepared a draft Statement on Marriage. If it is also accepted by the Lutheran bishops at their meeting in Lae on 10-14 June 2013, plans may be made to formally launch it in March 2014. Bishop Read more
Violence against Christians in Indonesia continues with a number of new incidents occurring last week. On Thursday, the congregation of the Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) in Taman Sari, Setu district in Bekasi regency, watched the local administration demolish their unfinished church building. The congregation formed a barrier between their church and the idling bulldozer. They Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations has sent a Chag Sameach to the NZ Jewish community. Chag sameach means “Happy holiday” in Hebrew. Chag is the Hebrew word for holiday, sameach is the Hebrew word for happy. Chag sameach is the traditional greeting among Jews before any holiday. The message reads: Dear Jewish Read more
Rotorua will once again celebrate the richness of Deepawali festival on Saturday, 6 October 2012 at the Rotorua Convention Centre. This year the theme of the festival is ‘Unity in Diversity‘. In the first year, a message of healthy lifestyle and care for the environment was promoted through Smoke-free, Alcohol-free and Meat-free festival, which is also in accordance Read more
Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders spoke out on Wednesday to condemn unreservedly ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ and the violence that has led to tragic deaths around the world. The joint statement was issued by Archbishop John Dew (Catholic), Archbishops David Moxon and Brown Turei (Anglican), Bishops Justin Duckworth and Richard Randerson (Anglican), Federation of Islamic Associations Read more