The policy choices of China’s leader, Xi Jinping, regarding the Uyghurs suggest too much repression rather than too many concessions. His administration should consider this possibility and redress the balance if it is going to endure. Continue Reading
In the context of rising religious conservatism in Indonesia, the blasphemy law began to be used as a weapon against religious freedom. Continue Reading
Various Western writers draw a correlation between Muslim terrorism and the Muslim belief that all non-Muslims will be eternally damned. Leaving aside the simplistic nature of this correlation, a closer look reveals that some of the most influential theologians in the history of Islam affirmed the eventual salvation of at least most of humanity. Continue Reading
A revival of religious scholarship and innovative decision-making among Muslims will allow them to confidently challenge extremist narratives and assert the importance of tolerance as a moral value indigenous to the Islamic tradition. Western non-interference in these internal processes is a sine qua non for these positive transformations to continue unabated. Continue Reading
If Ukraine is “ground zero” in the tensions between Russia and the West, the establishment of an independent Ukrainian church is “ground zero” in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Continue Reading
This post offers brief reflections on distinct approaches to religion in U.S. diplomacy, particularly at the State Department, and the implications this may have for religious tolerance abroad. Continue Reading
The good news: we managed to get through June and July without war in the Persian Gulf. The bad news: the risk of conflict remains high. Continue Reading