Today's religion and world affairs news from the United
States and around the globe: Pope Francis gives his input on the Iran deal, UNESCO weighs in on the debate over Jesus' baptism site, and nuns face a setback in their battle against the Affordable Care Act.
AROUND THE WORLD
Vatican Says It Views Iran Deal In A 'Positive Light'
by Antonia Blumberg
Huffington Post Religion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vatican-iran-nuclear-deal_55a55160e4b0a47ac15d8f6d?0xdpldi
When news spread on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached to limit Iran's nuclear activity, the Vatican was quick to applaud the deal. Pope Francis has been a strong opponent of nuclear weapons in the past, and in a statement yesterday he announced that he views the decision in a "positive light."
Protesters Seek Return of Body of Tibetan Monk Who Died in Jail
by Patrick Boehler
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/world/asia/tenzin-delek-rinpoche-tibet-body.html?ref=world
The death of a prominent Tibetan spiritual leader in a Chinese jail on Sunday led to a violent protest by thousands of Tibetans--who gathered at a government office to mourn and demanded the return of the man's body to his family.
UNESCO Weighs In On Debate Over Where Jesus Was Baptized
by Karin Laub and Sam McNeil
Huffington Post Religion/AP
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/unesco-jesus-baptism_55a3cafee4b0a47ac15cd06f?utm_hp_ref=religio...
For years, Christian pilgrims have waded into the Jordan River from both its eastern and western banks, hoping to connect with the baptism of Jesus. The lack of clarity on which side of the river the event occurred has allowed both Jordan and Israel to compete for tourism--until UNESCO weighed in on the rivalry this week.
India Mourns After 27 Pilgrims Are Killed In A Stampede During A Religious Bathing Festival
by Omer Farooq
Huffington Post Religion/AP
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/india-mourns-after-27-pilgrims-were-killed-in-a-stampede-during-...
A stampede during a Hindu religious bathing festival killed at least 27 and injured dozens Tuesday on a river bank in southern India. As tens of thousands of people pushed forward to bathe in the Godavari River, a few individuals lost their shoes in the water and fought to retrieve them--ultimately triggering the deadly stampede.
Decaying Modern Rome “Needs a Miracle” Before Holy Year Pilgrim Influx
by Crispian Balmer
Reuters FaithWorld
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/07/15/decaying-modern-rome-needs-a-miracle-before-holy-year...
In response to Pope Francis's call for an extraordinary Holy Year, 25 million pilgrims are expected to flow into the Eternal City during 2016. City planners and government officials fear for the impact this influx will pose on the city, as its upkeep in recent years has drastically declined.
Government Proposal Might Allow Christians In India To Divorce A Year After Separation
by Indrani Basu
Huffington Post Religion
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/07/14/government-christians-div_n_7791614.html?utm_hp_ref=religion...
A new government proposal may soon allow Christians to file for divorce after a year of separation, as they are currently required to wait twice as long as other religious communities in the country. The proposed law comes after Supreme Court criticized the government's clearly discriminatory law against the nation's Christian community.
A Problem From Heaven
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Foreign Affairs
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-06-16/problem-heaven
Yes, the main responsibility for the Muslim Reformation falls on Muslims themselves. But it must be the duty of the Western world, as well as being in its self-interest, to provide assistance and, where necessary, security to those reformers who are carrying out this formidable task, just as it once encouraged those dissidents who stood up to Soviet communism.
related | Islamic Scripture Is Not the Problem
by William McCants
Foreign Affairs
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-06-16/islamic-scripture-not-problem
India’s Third-gender ‘Hijra’ Community Balances Acceptance With Religious Identity
by Yasmine Canga-Valles and Olivia Lace-Evans
Washington Post/RNS
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/indias-third-gender-hijra-community-balances-accepta...
In April 2014, a Supreme Court ruling and the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill recognized India's "hijra" for the first time. Though grateful for this significant step forward, much of the community now fears the ruling will prevent them from freely practicing their multifaith traditions, both in India and abroad.
DOMESTIC
Pope Francis Will Study American Critics Of His Economic Policy Before Visit To The U.S.
by Phillip Pullella
Huffington Post Religion/Reuters
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-will-study-american-critics-of-his-economic-policy-...
Returning from his visit to South America, where he focused extensively on the plight of the poor, Pope Francis acknowledged to reporters that he had erred in not thinking enough about the problems of the middle class. He then voiced his willingness to have a dialogue with Americans who disagree with his criticisms of the global economic system and capitalism.
Even Nuns Aren't Exempt From Obamacare's Birth-Control Mandate
by Emma Green
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/obama-beats-the-nuns-on-contraception/398519/
The Little Sisters of the Poor filed a complaint against the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate in 2013--joining a host of other religious charities and colleges that claimed the law placed a burden on their free exercise of their religion. An Appeals Court ruling Tuesday proved a major setback in their fight against the Obama administration's health law and quest for religious protection.
Gay Marriage and the Future of Evangelical Colleges
by David R. Wheeler
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/07/evangelical-colleges-struggle-gay-marriage-ruli...
As gay rights have gained wider acceptance over the past few years, the policies of many evangelical colleges have found themselves facing negative media attention and frustrated students. Many of these institutions now face the difficult decision of whether to adhere to their beliefs or to adapt to the recent societal shifts.
Vatican Says It Views Iran Deal In A 'Positive Light'
by Antonia Blumberg
Huffington Post Religion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vatican-iran-nuclear-deal_55a55160e4b0a47ac15d8f6d?0xdpldi
When news spread on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached to limit Iran's nuclear activity, the Vatican was quick to applaud the deal. Pope Francis has been a strong opponent of nuclear weapons in the past, and in a statement yesterday he announced that he views the decision in a "positive light."
Protesters Seek Return of Body of Tibetan Monk Who Died in Jail
by Patrick Boehler
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/world/asia/tenzin-delek-rinpoche-tibet-body.html?ref=world
The death of a prominent Tibetan spiritual leader in a Chinese jail on Sunday led to a violent protest by thousands of Tibetans--who gathered at a government office to mourn and demanded the return of the man's body to his family.
UNESCO Weighs In On Debate Over Where Jesus Was Baptized
by Karin Laub and Sam McNeil
Huffington Post Religion/AP
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/unesco-jesus-baptism_55a3cafee4b0a47ac15cd06f?utm_hp_ref=religio...
For years, Christian pilgrims have waded into the Jordan River from both its eastern and western banks, hoping to connect with the baptism of Jesus. The lack of clarity on which side of the river the event occurred has allowed both Jordan and Israel to compete for tourism--until UNESCO weighed in on the rivalry this week.
India Mourns After 27 Pilgrims Are Killed In A Stampede During A Religious Bathing Festival
by Omer Farooq
Huffington Post Religion/AP
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/india-mourns-after-27-pilgrims-were-killed-in-a-stampede-during-...
A stampede during a Hindu religious bathing festival killed at least 27 and injured dozens Tuesday on a river bank in southern India. As tens of thousands of people pushed forward to bathe in the Godavari River, a few individuals lost their shoes in the water and fought to retrieve them--ultimately triggering the deadly stampede.
Decaying Modern Rome “Needs a Miracle” Before Holy Year Pilgrim Influx
by Crispian Balmer
Reuters FaithWorld
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/07/15/decaying-modern-rome-needs-a-miracle-before-holy-year...
In response to Pope Francis's call for an extraordinary Holy Year, 25 million pilgrims are expected to flow into the Eternal City during 2016. City planners and government officials fear for the impact this influx will pose on the city, as its upkeep in recent years has drastically declined.
Government Proposal Might Allow Christians In India To Divorce A Year After Separation
by Indrani Basu
Huffington Post Religion
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/07/14/government-christians-div_n_7791614.html?utm_hp_ref=religion...
A new government proposal may soon allow Christians to file for divorce after a year of separation, as they are currently required to wait twice as long as other religious communities in the country. The proposed law comes after Supreme Court criticized the government's clearly discriminatory law against the nation's Christian community.
A Problem From Heaven
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Foreign Affairs
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-06-16/problem-heaven
Yes, the main responsibility for the Muslim Reformation falls on Muslims themselves. But it must be the duty of the Western world, as well as being in its self-interest, to provide assistance and, where necessary, security to those reformers who are carrying out this formidable task, just as it once encouraged those dissidents who stood up to Soviet communism.
related | Islamic Scripture Is Not the Problem
by William McCants
Foreign Affairs
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-06-16/islamic-scripture-not-problem
India’s Third-gender ‘Hijra’ Community Balances Acceptance With Religious Identity
by Yasmine Canga-Valles and Olivia Lace-Evans
Washington Post/RNS
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/indias-third-gender-hijra-community-balances-accepta...
In April 2014, a Supreme Court ruling and the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill recognized India's "hijra" for the first time. Though grateful for this significant step forward, much of the community now fears the ruling will prevent them from freely practicing their multifaith traditions, both in India and abroad.
DOMESTIC
Pope Francis Will Study American Critics Of His Economic Policy Before Visit To The U.S.
by Phillip Pullella
Huffington Post Religion/Reuters
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-will-study-american-critics-of-his-economic-policy-...
Returning from his visit to South America, where he focused extensively on the plight of the poor, Pope Francis acknowledged to reporters that he had erred in not thinking enough about the problems of the middle class. He then voiced his willingness to have a dialogue with Americans who disagree with his criticisms of the global economic system and capitalism.
Even Nuns Aren't Exempt From Obamacare's Birth-Control Mandate
by Emma Green
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/obama-beats-the-nuns-on-contraception/398519/
The Little Sisters of the Poor filed a complaint against the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate in 2013--joining a host of other religious charities and colleges that claimed the law placed a burden on their free exercise of their religion. An Appeals Court ruling Tuesday proved a major setback in their fight against the Obama administration's health law and quest for religious protection.
Gay Marriage and the Future of Evangelical Colleges
by David R. Wheeler
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/07/evangelical-colleges-struggle-gay-marriage-ruli...
As gay rights have gained wider acceptance over the past few years, the policies of many evangelical colleges have found themselves facing negative media attention and frustrated students. Many of these institutions now face the difficult decision of whether to adhere to their beliefs or to adapt to the recent societal shifts.
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