Christianity

Topic: Christianity

Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika (photo: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main)

Interview with Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika

"Muslims need new ways to approach their religious heritage"

The German Evangelical Church′s relationship with Luther shows Muslims that it′s possible to find and develop a way of engaging critically with your own religious tradition, says Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika in interview with Canan TopcuMore

The Reform Islam debate: Islam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!Islam and religious freedom: Coercion leads to hypocrisy Interview with Maha El-Kaisy-Friemuth: "We urgently need reform within Islam"

Pope Francis meets Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb during his visit to Al-Azhar University in Cairo (photo: Reuters)

Pope Francis’ visit to Al-Azhar

Who holds sway over religious identity?

The Muslim world is in upheaval: who will have the authority to interpret the teachings of Islam in future? Cairo′s Al-Azhar University regards itself as fit for the job. But the times are changing and the master may yet become the student. Indeed the pope′s visit was literally something of a god-send. By Alexander Goerlach More

Interview with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University: "What the Islamist armed movements are doing is wrong"Azhar imam to urge tolerance in historic meeting with the Pope Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of Religions"

Muslims praying during Eid ul-Adha celebrations at the Al-Huda Islamic Centre in Athens (photo: picture-alliance/AP)

Islam in Greece

A mosque for Athens

Until now, Muslims living in the Greek capital have had to pray on private premises. The first official mosque is due to open in May – after decades of stalling tactics by the Orthodox Christian nation. Mey Dudin reports from AthensMore

Qantara dossier: "Islam in Europe"The Pomaks: Caught in a three-way tug-of-war Syriac Orthodox Christians in Turkey: ''This is simply our home''

Turkish writer and journalist Mustafa Akyol (source: mustafaakyol.org)

Non-fiction: Mustafa Akyol′s ″The Islamic Jesus″

The heart of the matter

Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol′s latest book ″The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews became a prophet of the Muslims″ is a thought-provoking read, challenging not only the Church′s ascription of Godhead to Jesus, but also the Islamic fixation with God′s law rather than His intention. Lucy James read the bookMore

Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide: "Religion seeks to touch people′s hearts"Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of Islam Reforming Islam: Islam′s path to modernity Mustafa Akyol's website

Conversion of refugees in a Berlin church (photo: Getty Images/AFP)

Afghan refugees and the right to remain

Fast-track baptisms

Germany is currently witnessing a sharp increase in the number of conversions from Islam to Christianity among its considerable refugee community. Christian sects from Asia are exploiting the fear of deportation among Afghan refugees – with potentially fatal consequences. By Ulrike HummelMore

Underage refugees and family reunification: Who needs parents?New wave of Turkish asylum-seekers: Ever optimistic Poems by young refugees: Holding back the tears

Lutheran pastor Mitri Raheb (photo: Diyar Center)

Interview with Lutheran pastor Mitri Raheb

″Till we have a fair peace″

Mitri Raheb is a Lutheran pastor and Arab Christian and the founder of the International Center of Bethlehem. Martina Sabra talks to him about Luther's influence in the Middle East, the chances of an Islamic Reformation and accusations of anti-Semitism More

Interfaith dialogue in Palestine: Reviving a heritage of peaceful co-existence Israeli-Palestinian relations: Dialogue in a time of conflict Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of religions"

Protesters at an anti-Trump demo in Paris (photo: Thomas Samson/Getty Images/AFP)

Trump's Islamophobia

Lighting the touch paper

By antagonising and humiliating the world′s Muslim population, the new US administration is playing into the hands of the terrorists. In his essay Ian Buruma examines the likely impact of ′a global war on Islam′ on the powder keg that is the Middle East and Africa More

The West and the Muslim world: Bin the black and white model Trump′s Muslim immigration ban: Just the beginning Qantara dossier: Islamophobia

Many churches, like this one in Qaraqosh, not far from Mosul, were destroyed by IS (photo: M. Moskwar)

Christians in Iraq

Coping with wrack and ruin

The Christian villages around the Iraqi city of Mosul may have been liberated, but in reality, the scars of brutal IS rule mean they are uninhabitable. For most residents, returning is not an option at this stage. By Karim El-Gawhary More

The Mosul offensive: In enemy heartland Christians in Iraq: Between the fronts Christian minorities in the Islamic World: No Arab Spring for Christians

Father Filtawos stands in front of the altar of his church in Ezbeth Raflah (photo: Flemming Weiss-Andersen)

Egypt′s Coptic Church

The cost of a cornerstone

Despite a new law aimed at facilitating the construction of Christian houses of worship, the situation on the ground looks somewhat different. By Flemming Weiss-Andersen, Eva Plesner and Elisabeth LehmannMore

Christians in Egypt: Persecuted and forgotten Political transformation in the Arab world: Forget the people Christian minorities in the Islamic World: No Arab Spring for Christians

Sickle moon atop a mosque minaret (photo: dpa/picture-alliance)

The secularisation of Muslims

Silent withdrawal

While the emerging religious demography only counts members of the Church as Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims etc. are counted as religious from birth – with no option to leave their religion. This skews the statistics and our perceptions. By Michael BlumeMore

Islam and enlightenment: Beware of the myth The Reform Islam debate: Islam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!Secularism in the Islamic world: Part I – It′s a knotty problem

Wood engraving by Camille Flammarion: "Un missionnaire du moyen âge raconte qu'il avait trouvé le point où le ciel et la Terre se touchent" (source: Wikipedia)

Islam and enlightenment

Beware of the myth

Anyone in Europe calling for Islam to finally go through a phase of enlightenment should first pause for critical reflection on our own concept of Enlightenment, writes the prominent Islamic studies expert Ulrich Rudolph More

The decline of Islamic scientific thought: Don't blame it on al-Ghazali Interview with Angelika Neuwirth: "The claim that Islam lacks an Enlightenment is an age-old cliche"Secularism in the Islamic world: It′s a knotty problem

Ruhrtriennale 2016 venue: the mosque in Duisburg-Marxloh

″Urban Prayers″ music theatre project

Spotlight on faith

What do people believe in? What is their language of prayer? Which churches, prayer rooms, mosques or temples do they attend? The interfaith theatre project ″Urban Prayers″ posed these and other tough questions – in six different places of worship throughout Germany′s Ruhr region. By Gaby ReucherMore

Ruhrtriennale website: "Urban Prayers Ruhr"Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of religions"The Berlin Project "House of One": Three religions under one roof

The Vatican

All things to all people?

A Muslim visits the Vatican and discovers the breadth of attitudes and beliefs represented by the many people who cross its threshold every year. Is the Holy See gradually transcending its Christian roots to become a place of spiritual pilgrimage for all? By Mulham Al Malaika More

The Berlin Project "House of One": Three religions under one roof The Salaam-Shalom Initiative: Breaking down artificial walls Muslims in Turkey demand right to pray at Hagia Sophia Qantara.de dossier: Dialogue of religions

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (photo: Klassik-Stiftung Weimar)

Goethe and Islam

Religion has no nationality

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe may have had his reservations about Islam – as he did about Christianity – and he certainly wasn′t shy of criticising it, but his credo was without doubt built on the foundations of non-negotiable tolerance. By Melanie Christina MohrMore

Goethe and the Orient: Why did the poet's mind wander to far-off climes?Translations of classical Islamic literature: From the emotional Orient to the distortion of Islam Science and research in the Islamic world: Rebuilding the Muslim House of Wisdom

Interview with the Islam scholar Ahmad Milad Karimi

Accessing the Koran

Ahmad Milad Karimi is one of Germany′s most dynamic philosophers of religion. Having come to the country as a refugee when he was a child, he is now helping to establish an Islamic philosophy of religion and has produced a new translation of the Koran. His main concern is to break down the foreignness of Islam More

Goethe and the Orient: Why did the poet's mind wander to far-off climes?Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide: ''God is not a dictator''Islam and violence: Conservative Muslims refute the violence of IS

"The Crusades: Holy War"

In this three-part documentary by BBC 2, Dr Thomas Asbridge presents a revelatory account of the Crusades, the 200-year war between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land. More

Spain and Ibn Arabi′s heritage: The great master of Murcia Caliphs and assassins: Between myth and reality Global history: Playing with the relativity of perspectives BBC 2 iPlayer (only for UK viewers)