Topic: Christianity

rss-iconSubscribe to feed
Billboard to mark Pope Francis' visit to Iraq (photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)

The Pope in Iraq – "We are all brothers"

Can Pope Francis save Iraq's Christians from extinction?

Iraq's Christian minority has dealt with decades of persecution – and many are sceptical about whether a four-day visit by Pope Francis will make a difference. By Cathrin Schaer and Gasia OhanesMore

Interview with Iraqi expert Saad Salloum: Celebrating religious diversity in IraqPreparing for Pope Francis' visit: The scant remains of Iraq's ancient Christian communityChristians in the Middle East: Between co-existence and suppressionAbrahamic Teams in the MENA: Interfaith dialogue – a painstaking process
Christmas tree in bubble (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/Naupold)

A Christmas meditation: What Muslims and Christians share

As historian Wiiliam Dalrymple writes in his essay, scholars are only now beginning to realise the extent to which the Mughal emperors adopted what most would assume to be outrightly Christian devotions.More

Karl-Josef Kuschel′s ″Christmas and the Qu′ran″Mustafa Akyol′s ″The Islamic Jesus″. The heart of the matter
Lindau, international "Religion for Peace" conference (photo: Ahmad Khalid Photography)

Relgions for Peace in Lindau

"Women are the ones who ensure religion survives"

Organised by interfaith NGO Religions for Peace, an international conference in Lindau on Lake Constance is dealing with the peace-building role of women inspired by the faith of their respective religions. Some 600 participants from around the world meet virtually to discuss the central challenges of our time. By Christoph StrackMore

Religions for Peace World Assembly: Women push for gender equality in LindauInterreligious dialogue: Like a UN General Assembly of religionsQantara photo essay: France's sacred night of religions
Muslims attend Friday prayers in the Indian city of Ahmadabad (photo: AP/picture-alliance)

COVID-19 pandemic

The world’s religions and coronavirus

As COVID-19 sweeps across the globe, it is forcing religions to adapt and take action to prevent infection. But experts warn against using the crisis to fuel conspiracy theories. Christoph Strack reportsMore

COVID-19 epidemic in Iran: Faith and the coronavirus Religious services curbed across Middle East over coronavirus fearsCoronavirus in the Islamic world: In lockdown over COVID-19
The Mor Gabriel monastery, founded in 397, is today the seat of the Metropolitan Bishop of Tur Abdin (photo: Marian Brehmer)

Turkey's Aramaic Christians

Where they speak Jesus' language

There are only a few thousand Aramaic Christians left in south eastern Anatolia. And they are intent on preserving their ancient culture dating back one-and-a-half millennia. Marian Brehmer visits a community marked by exile, flight…and eventual return to the homelandMore

Syriac Orthodox Christians in Turkey: ''This is simply our home''Religious conflict in Turkey: A cold wind sweeping the Tur AbdinThe emergence of Islam: No prophet named Muhammad?
Christmas tree on Sahat an-Nour Square in the north Lebanon city of Tripoli (photo: Hanna Resch)

Christmas in Lebanon

Revolution under the Christmas tree

Beirut usually sparkles and dazzles at Christmas time. This year, marked by major protests, however, everything has been turned on its head: there is a distinct lack of Christmas in Beirut, while in Tripoli, a Christmas tree has been erected for the first time ever on the main square, Sahat an-Nour. Hanna Resch reports from LebanonMore

No Christmas tinsel in Iraq, in solidarity with protestersChurch renovation lifts Christmas spirit in BethlehemNazareth preserves its Arab traditions as Christmas nears
Abrahamic Teams event at Rabat University, Morocco (photo: Abrahamic Forum e.V.)

Abrahamic Teams in the MENA

Interfaith dialogue – a painstaking process

The declared goal of the Abrahamic Teams is to improve how Jews, Christians and Muslims interact with and live alongside each other. The project, which originates in Germany, is now being implemented in Israel, Egypt and Morocco too. But, as Claudia Mende found out, interfaith dialogue does not progress quicklyMore

Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-faceOfficial Abrahamic Forum website (in German)Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of religions"
Dr. Saad Salloum, Iraqi political scientist, expert in diversity and general coordinator of Masarat (photo: private)

Interview with Iraqi expert Saad Salloum

Celebrating religious diversity in Iraq

Dedicated to preserving Iraq's diversity, which he considers the country's real capital, Saad Salloum has launched a new institute to combat hate speech and change the Islamic religious discourse. Interview by Gilgamesh NabeelMore

Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Introducing the Key Concepts project: From religious tolerance to acceptanceIraqi Jews: Iraqi Judaism lives on in literary form
Tarek Mounib, Katie Appeldorn, Jason Reynolds, Marc Spalding, Brian Kopilec, Ellen and Terry Decker from the film "Free Trip to Egypt"

Film review: "Free Trip to Egypt"

Into the great unknown

The idea of taking a group of US citizens from Trump's America on a free cultural exchange trip to Cairo, Egypt, sounds like either a lunatic plan or somebody's idea of a bad practical joke. Yet this is just what Tarek Mounib did. The film "Free Trip To Egypt" documents how he came up with the idea and implemented it. By Richard MarcusMore

Fighting Western reductionist perceptions: Arab, Muslim – whatʹs the difference?When East meets West: Debunking the "clash of civilisations" myth The Virtual Iftar Project: "It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"
Religions for Peace festival in Osnabruck in September 2017 (photo: DW/C. Strack)

Interfaith dialogue

1

World Assembly of Religions comes to Lindau

This August nine hundred representatives from 17 religions will attend a major conference in Lindau on Lake Constance. The goals: foster dialogue and promote peace initiatives. By Christoph StrackMore

Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of Religions"Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Berlinʹs House of One: Offering a triune solution
Christian-Jewish team engaged in preparatory work (source: Stephanie Krauch)

Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue

Conquering prejudice face-to-face

Overcoming prejudice and clearing up misunderstandings through direct encounters: thatʹs the goal of Abrahamic Teams. A Christian, a Jew and a Muslim inform people together about their different faiths. Claudia Mende spoke to the projectʹs initiator, Jurgen MickschMore

Official Abrahamisches Forum websiteQantara dossier: "Dialogue of Religions"Introducing the Key Concepts project: From religious tolerance to acceptance
Michael Blume and Zehra Tayanc (photo: Rahel Taubert)

One interfaith couple's story

Our three weddings – civil, Muslim, and Christian

On Christmas Eve 2014 Michael Blume asked his wife Zehra whether he should help a thousand women and children, victims of IS violence, leave northern Iraq. After all, sheʹd been known to say yes to all kinds of questions in the past. Andreas Malessa recounts the story of their unusual relationshipMore

Interfaith partnerships in Germany: Cultural diversity as an enrichmentMuslims and inter-religious marriages: Negotiating religion and social identityInterview with a mixed-faith couple: Experiences in a Christian-Muslim marriage
UAE Ambassador to Germany Ali Abdulla Al Ahmed (photo: UAE Embassy)

UAE Ambassador Ali Abdulla Al Ahmed on Pope Francis' visit

"Both are religions of God and both are religions of peace"

Pope Francis will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday on his first visit to the Arabian peninsula. The UAE's ambassador to Germany, Ali Abdulla Al Ahmed, tells Christoph Strack why it's so important for the regionMore

Pope Francis in the Middle East: Gestures laden with symbolismPope Francis’ visit to Al-Azhar: Who holds sway over religious identity?Introducing the Key Concepts project: From religious tolerance to acceptance
"House of One" info pavilion in Berlin (photo: DW/Christoph Strack)

Berlinʹs House of One

Offering a triune solution

Religion can often mean conflict. But in Berlin, Christians, Jews and Muslims have come up with a project to counter this idea and are planning to set up three houses of prayer under one roof – preparations for building the "House of One" have begun. By Christoph StrackMore

Official "House of One" websiteThe Berlin Project "House of One": Three religions under one roofQantara dossier: "Dialogue of Religions"
Professor Gabriele Gien, President of the Catholic University Eichstaett-Ingolstadt looks on as Professor Georges Tamer, chairholder of the Institute for Oriental Philology and Islamic Studies at the University in Erlangen (centre) and Professor Christoph Boettigheimer, Ordinarius for the Chair of Fundamental Theology of the Catholic University Eichstaett-Ingolstadt sign a co-operation aggreement launching the KCID project (source: www.kcid.fau.eu)

Introducing the Key Concepts project

1

From religious tolerance to acceptance

A new project launched by the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is working out key concepts from Judaism, Christianity and Islam with the aim of promoting interreligious dialogue. Presenting solid academic findings on similarities and differences, scholars will attempt to disarm agitators on all sides. Claudia Mende spoke to its director Professor Georges TamerMore

Official KCID - Key Concepts in Interreligious Discourses: Judaism, Christianity and Islam - project websiteKoranic research: The reader maketh the book″Remembered Future″ interfaith project: Using religion to stop religious warsInterview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of Islam
Said Rezek (photo: private)

Islam in Germany

Some Muslims do indeed celebrate Christmas

As a Muslim I like to go to Christmas markets, eat Stollen and as a child I even got presents. Surprised? That's not the half of it. By Said RezekMore

What Muslims and Christians share: A Christmas meditationNon-fiction: Karl-Josef Kuschel′s ″Christmas and the Qu′ran″: When love comes downA German-Turkish love story: Muzeyyen adores Christmas

Pages

In brief

More

Most Recent Photo Essay

Banished from paradise: in Biblical times, paradise was where Adam and Eve lived, supposedly the area between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers – until God banished them from the Garden of Eden because they nibbled on the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. There are still lush oases on the banks of the river, but people's lives there today are anything but paradisiacal.

Pope Francis' visit to Iraq's biblical sites

Abraham was born in Iraq and this is where the whale swallowed Jonah, according to the Bible. Pope Francis' is travelling to an area steeped in biblical history.