World wide religious news

Here are some recent and significant religious news stories from around the world:

Christianity

• Pope Francis has called for greater unity among Christians, saying that the world needs a "new Pentecost" to overcome divisions and conflicts. (Source: Vatican News)
• The Church of England has approved the appointment of a female bishop, Rev. Dr. Rachel Treweek, as the first female bishop in the Church of England. (Source: BBC News)
• A group of Christian leaders has launched a global initiative to promote peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. (Source: Christianity Today)

Islam

• The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, has called for a global Islamic summit to address issues such as terrorism, extremism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Source: Al Jazeera)
• A group of Muslim scholars has issued a fatwa (Islamic ruling) condemning terrorism and extremism, and calling for peaceful coexistence with other religions. (Source: The Guardian)
• The Islamic State (ISIS) has been driven out of its last stronghold in Syria, marking a significant defeat for the extremist group. (Source: CNN)

Judaism

• The Israeli government has approved a plan to build a new synagogue in the West Bank city of Hebron, which is considered a sensitive issue by Palestinians. (Source: Haaretz)
• A group of Jewish leaders has launched a campaign to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. (Source: The Jerusalem Post)
• The Jewish community in the United States has been rocked by a series of anti-Semitic incidents, including the desecration of a synagogue in New York. (Source: The New York Times)

Hinduism

• The Indian government has launched a campaign to promote Hinduism and Indian culture, which has been criticized by some as promoting religious nationalism. (Source: The Hindu)
• A group of Hindu leaders has called for greater recognition of Hinduism as a major world religion, and for greater representation of Hindus in international organizations. (Source: The Times of India)
• The Hindu festival of Diwali has been celebrated around the world, with many non-Hindus also participating in the festivities. (Source: BBC News)

Buddhism

• The Dalai Lama has called for greater compassion and understanding in the world, and has urged people to work towards world peace. (Source: The Guardian)
• A group of Buddhist leaders has launched a campaign to promote peace and reconciliation in Myanmar, where Buddhist-Muslim tensions have been rising. (Source: The Irrawaddy)
• The Buddhist community in Sri Lanka has been rocked by a series of attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses, which have been condemned by the government. (Source: The Colombo Gazette)

Other Religions

• The Baha'i community has been celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Baha'u'llah. (Source: Baha'i World News)
• The Sikh community has been celebrating the 550th birth anniversary of its founder, Guru Nanak. (Source: The Sikh Times)
• The Jain community has been celebrating the festival of Mahavir Jayanti, which marks the birth of its founder, Mahavira. (Source: The Times of India)

These are just a few examples of recent religious news from around the world. There are many other stories and developments that are worth following.