The Liberty Blog

There is growing angst about a small Florida congregation that plans to make a spectacle by burning the Qur’an this coming September 11.  The stated purpose of this showmanship is to maintain their right of religious expression and to send a message to the Islamic fundamentalists that they – this one, small Christian church in America – is not going to be intimidated. “We feel it's maybe the right time for America to stand up,” says more... (22 Comments)

Twenty years ago people said it was impossible. The US having diplomatic relations with Vietnam? No way! Yet here I was at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC attending a reception honouring 15 years of that very thing. I marvelled at the cordiality of the people in more... (2 Comments)

My colleague James Standish and I took our places in the “4-D Room” of the Newseum to hear Secretary of State Hillary Clinton deliver the new US policy statement on internet freedom. Sitting there I wondered what it was about “internet freedom” that we as Christians should be mindful of. Upon reflection it became evident that my faith community has used the internet with great vigour. Even this musing is via the more... (2 Comments)

In the encyclical Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth) Pope Benedict argues the time has come for a world political authority to correct the evils of our time - everything from the excess of capitalism to the challenges in the environment.  Such a call for a world political body is not new.  We have heard these calls before - but with each call there is a sense of growing intensity of world conditions - conditions more... (95 Comments)

"That man is bad!" declared Margaret More as she perceived the avarice of Richard Rich, the man who's later perjury would be responsible, as far as Robert Bolt's retelling of the story is concerned, for the beheading of her father Sir Thomas More.  "There is no law against that," Sir Thomas noted.  Butting in unceremoniously to the conversation was the young Roper, Margaret's suitor.  Roper, as rash as he was young, bellowed after Thomas, "There is! God's more... (33 Comments)

Within Mother Russia today, there is a current push on many social fronts (religious, political, economic, etc.) to preserve its ‘Russian-ness’ – it’s own way of doing things. Russia continually seeks to project and showcase to the world a quintessential Russian independence: an attempt to showcase to the world a strong Russia that will not permit itself to be dictated about by any other foreign nation regarding its own internal affairs. more... Comments Off

Greetings Dear Readers: We will now continue the International Religious Liberty Issues Series, focusing on Eastern Europe. A special myriad of religious liberty issues arise in this part of the world which includes Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, the Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovnia), Albania, and others. The present-day existence and/or repercussions of these religious liberty issues are – in a large part – rooted in the rich and diverse history of this wide region. Within more... Comments Off

Gaza Strip’s Palestinian Christian minority still very fearful living under Hamas government’s rule: (The Washington Post; Sunday, September 23, 2007: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR2007122301007.html) Gaza's Christians Keep Low Xmas Profile By SARAH EL DEEBThe Associated PressSunday, December 23, 2007; 3:41 PM GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Gaza's tiny Christian community is keeping a low profile this Christmas, traumatized by the killing of a prominent activist in the wake of Hamas' takeover of the coastal territory. Few Christmas trees are more... Comments Off

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is well-known worldwide as the location of the birthplace of Islam. From 632 AD and onwards, Islam first appeared within the Arabian peninsula and then advanced to dominate basically all the aspects of life for billions of people both on the Arabian peninsula itself and within the world beyond. When it comes to the advocacy and advancement of religious freedom, Saudi Arabia, due to its very more... Comments Off

In the spirit of last week’s official resurrection of Mid-East peace talks in Annapolis and this Christmas season, it might prove fitting to discuss the plight and continual emigration of the Palestinian Christians from the Holy Land (‘Israel-West Bank-Gaza Strip’). Although the official demographic records tend to be incongruous and sparse: In 1948, Palestinian Christians numbered around 24% of the area’s general population and now in 2007, that number is down to only 5%. In more... (2 Comments)