Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, France, and Pope Francis.
AROUND THE WORLD
Israel Struggles With Its Identity
by Jodi Rudoren
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/middleeast/israels-nationality-bill-stirs-debate-over-religious-and-democratic-identity.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Now Israelis and Jews abroad are roiled by debate over whether Israel can continue to be both a Jewish homeland and the lone democracy in a region torn apart by ethnic and religious strife.
Turks Feud Over Change in Education
by Ceylan Yeginsu
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/europe/erdogan-pushes-ottoman-language-classes-as-part-of-tradtional-turkish-values.html?ref=todayspaper
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey promised on Monday to introduce compulsory classes in Ottoman Turkish into the national school curriculum, regardless of public objections. The recommendations have drawn widespread criticism from parents and political opponents, who argue that the council — and the Islamist-led government of Mr. Erdogan — is trying to “Islamize” the public schools and roll back Ataturk’s secularization and modernization of Turkey.
The King and the Cabinet: Saudi Political Reshuffle Explained
by Brian Murphy
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/12/08/the-king-and-the-cabinet-saudi-political-reshuffle-explained/
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah cleaned house Monday with the most sweeping cabinet shakeup in years. Perhaps the move that offers the greatest insight was Abdullah’s decision to dump the longtime minister of Islamic affairs in favor of an academic and Islamic scholar named Suleiman Aba al-Khail, a former president of one of Saudi Arabia’s largest public universities, the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. The switch appears to reflect Abdullah’s frustration that the nation’s ultraconservative religious establishment is not doing enough to publicly denounce Islamist extremism.
Pope Francis’ Culture War
by Mark Silk
Religion News Service
http://marksilk.religionnews.com/2014/12/08/pope-francis-culture-war/
The Pope is trying to create a church that is pastoral in the fullest sense of the term. That’s the kind of “new evangelism” his namesake, St. Francis, employed to redeem the church from bureaucratization and crusading zeal in the 13th century. It didn’t come easy then, and won’t come easy now.
The Pope’s Door Is Always Open to ISIS. Why America’s Should Be, Too
by Jonathan Powell
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2014/12/08/the-popes-door-is-always-open-to-isis-why-americas-should-be-too/
Pope Francis strayed into controversy recently when he said that, while he supported military action against Islamic State, he also would not rule out speaking to the group if it would help bring peace to Syria and Iraq. “It is difficult, one could say almost impossible, but the door is always open,” he said.
Afghan Students Find Inspiration in Islamic State’s Success
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/afghan-students-find-inspiration-in-islamic-states-success/
Although IS is not believed to have operations in Afghanistan, its influence is growing in a country already mired in daily bombings and attacks by Taliban insurgents. With most foreign combat troops leaving the country by the end of the year, there is growing uncertainty over what direction Afghanistan will take, with the emergence of IS ideology adding a new risk.
Leave or Let Live? Arabs Quietly Move Into Jewish Settlements
by Dan Williams
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/leave-or-let-live-arabs-quietly-move-into-jewish-settlements/
For decades, Israel has encouraged Jews to settle in East Jerusalem, changing the population balance, provoking Palestinian anger and drawing international condemnation.But in one such settlement, around Mount Scopus where the Hebrew University is based and many Palestinians study, about 16 percent of residents are either Arab citizens of Israel or Palestinians, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
Anti-Semitism Incidents on the Rise in France, Says Interior Minister
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/anti-semitic-incidents-on-rise-in-france-says-interior-minister/
Anti-Semitic threats and incidents have more than doubled so far this year in France, said the interior minister at a rally on Sunday to protest a violent attack on a young Jewish couple.
Israeli Druze Struggle For Equality Amid Rising Religious Tensions
by Ben Hartman
Religion News Service
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/07/israel-druze-religious-tension_n_6271560.html?utm_hp_ref=religion
The Druze are a small sect almost entirely based in Lebanon, Syria and Israel. They range from 1 million to 2 million people, with several hundred thousand in Syria, the largest Druze community. In Israel the population numbered around 130,000 as of 2011, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
Israel Struggles With Its Identity
by Jodi Rudoren
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/middleeast/israels-nationality-bill-stirs-debate-over-religious-and-democratic-identity.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Now Israelis and Jews abroad are roiled by debate over whether Israel can continue to be both a Jewish homeland and the lone democracy in a region torn apart by ethnic and religious strife.
Turks Feud Over Change in Education
by Ceylan Yeginsu
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/europe/erdogan-pushes-ottoman-language-classes-as-part-of-tradtional-turkish-values.html?ref=todayspaper
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey promised on Monday to introduce compulsory classes in Ottoman Turkish into the national school curriculum, regardless of public objections. The recommendations have drawn widespread criticism from parents and political opponents, who argue that the council — and the Islamist-led government of Mr. Erdogan — is trying to “Islamize” the public schools and roll back Ataturk’s secularization and modernization of Turkey.
The King and the Cabinet: Saudi Political Reshuffle Explained
by Brian Murphy
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/12/08/the-king-and-the-cabinet-saudi-political-reshuffle-explained/
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah cleaned house Monday with the most sweeping cabinet shakeup in years. Perhaps the move that offers the greatest insight was Abdullah’s decision to dump the longtime minister of Islamic affairs in favor of an academic and Islamic scholar named Suleiman Aba al-Khail, a former president of one of Saudi Arabia’s largest public universities, the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. The switch appears to reflect Abdullah’s frustration that the nation’s ultraconservative religious establishment is not doing enough to publicly denounce Islamist extremism.
Pope Francis’ Culture War
by Mark Silk
Religion News Service
http://marksilk.religionnews.com/2014/12/08/pope-francis-culture-war/
The Pope is trying to create a church that is pastoral in the fullest sense of the term. That’s the kind of “new evangelism” his namesake, St. Francis, employed to redeem the church from bureaucratization and crusading zeal in the 13th century. It didn’t come easy then, and won’t come easy now.
The Pope’s Door Is Always Open to ISIS. Why America’s Should Be, Too
by Jonathan Powell
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2014/12/08/the-popes-door-is-always-open-to-isis-why-americas-should-be-too/
Pope Francis strayed into controversy recently when he said that, while he supported military action against Islamic State, he also would not rule out speaking to the group if it would help bring peace to Syria and Iraq. “It is difficult, one could say almost impossible, but the door is always open,” he said.
Afghan Students Find Inspiration in Islamic State’s Success
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/afghan-students-find-inspiration-in-islamic-states-success/
Although IS is not believed to have operations in Afghanistan, its influence is growing in a country already mired in daily bombings and attacks by Taliban insurgents. With most foreign combat troops leaving the country by the end of the year, there is growing uncertainty over what direction Afghanistan will take, with the emergence of IS ideology adding a new risk.
Leave or Let Live? Arabs Quietly Move Into Jewish Settlements
by Dan Williams
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/leave-or-let-live-arabs-quietly-move-into-jewish-settlements/
For decades, Israel has encouraged Jews to settle in East Jerusalem, changing the population balance, provoking Palestinian anger and drawing international condemnation.But in one such settlement, around Mount Scopus where the Hebrew University is based and many Palestinians study, about 16 percent of residents are either Arab citizens of Israel or Palestinians, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
Anti-Semitism Incidents on the Rise in France, Says Interior Minister
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/12/08/anti-semitic-incidents-on-rise-in-france-says-interior-minister/
Anti-Semitic threats and incidents have more than doubled so far this year in France, said the interior minister at a rally on Sunday to protest a violent attack on a young Jewish couple.
Israeli Druze Struggle For Equality Amid Rising Religious Tensions
by Ben Hartman
Religion News Service
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/07/israel-druze-religious-tension_n_6271560.html?utm_hp_ref=religion
The Druze are a small sect almost entirely based in Lebanon, Syria and Israel. They range from 1 million to 2 million people, with several hundred thousand in Syria, the largest Druze community. In Israel the population numbered around 130,000 as of 2011, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
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