Religion

Image: The Church of Abba Afse, Yeha, Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Split in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

By Karen Smith

BRUSSELS (IDN) — Three months after the two-year Ethiopian civil war came to an end, displacing millions, the Orthodox Church is facing a split. Three bishops have announced that they will form a separate church with its own decision-making body.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has criticised "bigotry by religion and place of origin" focused on divisions", according to Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA), a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 25 January 2023

Ageing Dalai Lama Attracts Huge Crowds to Buddhist Sacred Site

By Kalinga Seneviratne

This article is the 51st in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, the flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate.

BODHGAYA, India (IDN) — The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has just concluded a three-day speaking engagement here at Bodhgaya, known as the 'land of enlightenment' that has attracted over 100,000 mainly Tibetans from across the world. This huge response surprised the organizers, as the event coincided with the Indian media talking about a new wave of Covid sweeping the country.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 01 January 2023

Bahrain Dialogue Forum Urges Action for Peaceful Coexistence

By Katsuhiro Asagiri

Manama (IDN) — “Our world today is facing unprecedented challenges where conflicts are multiplying, and people whose identities are defined by religion, culture, or ethnicity continue to be besieged by hatred. Social and cultural divides are deepening; tribalism, ethnic violence, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, hate speech and ultra-nationalism are in full swing.” said Miguel Angel Moratinos, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). He was addressing the opening session of the first Bahrain Dialogue Forum on November 3.