The mystery artist who created an artwork honouring the 51 people killed in the 15 March 2019 mosque attack has finally revealed his name. Two years after he left the artwork outside a mosque, Silivelio Fasi has admitted to being the artist. Until then, the only identifying mark on the artwork was ‘S Fasi’ scrawled Read more
The study of religion has rapidly fallen into decline in New Zealand universities says Massey University’s Dr Wil Hoverd. “This follows a general trend occurring across the country, where religious diversity has been collapsed into broader discussions of biculturalism, ethnic diversity and superdiversity.” He says the result has been that “we lack the expertise to Read more
Vibrant flowers gild the gates of the Christchurch mosques, each bouquet laid with trembling hands, representing a beautiful solidarity amidst a heart-rending grief. “This is your home,” wrote a Wellington artist, and “you should have been safe here.” But the flowers will, eventually, wither away. It is up to us to make sure that when Read more
New Zealand’s Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has not question the banning of the graphic video of the shooting at two mosques in Christchurch but they believe other moves go too far. In their recent newsletters and press releases, they say that the wake of terror attacks, governments often consider curtailing a number of civil liberties. “With that Read more
A Bible verse written on a tribute wall for victims of the Christchurch shooting has been removed after a member of the public flagged it as “really inappropriate”. The verse, Luke 19:27, reads: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me,” according to Read more
I remember going back to Iran when I was younger and listening to my grandmother describe New Zealand to anyone who would listen. She had visited us in Christchurch and her eyes gleamed with hope when she spoke of it. It’s just paradise. Heaven. In the polluted concrete jungle of oppression and poverty that is big Read more
On behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania including the Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and Episcopal Conference of the Pacific and New Zealand wish to offer our support and prayers to the people of Christchurch and New Zealand. The recent massacre at the mosques in Christchurch has brought deep grief Read more
After 50 people were murdered in a deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, it didn’t take long for fake news to start popping up online. Some social media users shared misleading videos allegedly showing attacks on churches and mass conversions to Islam. We debunked some of the videos below Read more
Some people are starting to ask hard questions about what will happen next. Will the nation just “move on”? “We will condemn this horrifying act of violence as extreme and out of the ordinary, we will come together as a nation and hold vigils, and we will try to move on from this tragic incident,” Read more
On Tuesday the speaker of New Zealand’s parliament, the right honourable Trevor Mallard, invited a multi-faith group into the House to join him as an imam led them in prayer. It was the first time Parliament had opened with a Muslim prayer, to the best knowledge of the Speaker’s Office. The interfaith group included representatives Read more