The Vatican’s top diplomat at the United Nations has called for a co-ordinated international force to stop ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Italian Archbishop Silvano Tomasi said there is a type of genocide happening to Christians and other minorities in these countries, which must be stopped. Archbishop Tomasi told Crux’s John Allen that any anti-ISIS Read more
Church leaders, Caritas and Christian World Service are calling for an increase in peace efforts and humanitarian aid from the New Zealand Government and support from the New Zealand public. Leaders of the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, along with the Quakers, have addressed their members in an Open Letter encouraging them to support their Read more
The Islamic State has visibly attracted young Muslims from all over the world to its violent movement to build a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. But here’s what’s less visible — the online backlash against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, by young Muslims declaring their opposition to rule by Islamic law, Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Church recognises the urgency of responding to the threat of ISIS in the Middle East, but it is important that powers under the anti terror laws were not misused in other situations. New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand say the Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill is being rushed Read more
The persecution of Christians by radical Islamic groups in Syria over the past two years has been appalling—and largely ignored. I suppose I should wear it as a badge of honour. My first death threat over my new book, Hatred: Islam’s War on Christianity (Signal, 2014)—was sent to me a couple of weeks ago. Apparently Read more
Conflict in Iraq, Syria and Gaza has led to the greatest humanitarian crisis the world has seen since World War II, a senior cardinal says. Caritas Internationalis president Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga told a Rome conference on Monday that there are 13 million Syrians in desperate need. More than four million Iraqis and Syrians are Read more
A bishop in Malta has asked every parish in his diocese to host at least one refugee family from Iraq or Syria. Bishop Mario Grech of Gozo in Malta made the call during a homily on the feast of Our Lady of Victories. “I have in my heart all those who are victims of atrocity, Read more
The general secretary of the Fiji Methodist Church, Reverend Tevita Nawadra Banivanua led a prayer on Wednesday evening at Suva’s Centenary Church for the captured Fiji peacekeepers. It was reported that about 500 people attended. Nawadra says the incident has gripped the country and many people are worried. “To be captured like this and moved Read more
Three years ago, the Islamic State (Isis) did not exist; now it controls vast swathes of Syria and Iraq. Showing off its handiwork daily via Twitter and YouTube, Isis has repeatedly demonstrated that it is much more than a transnational terrorist organisation – rather, it is an entity with sophisticated command, control, propaganda and logistical Read more
My family name, “Maron,” is a vestige of and a testament to the human capacity to hate. My family tradition tells the story of my ancestors’ expulsion — along with hundreds of thousands of other Jews — from the Iberian Peninsula by royal Spanish decree in 1492 following an era of great success and coexistence Read more