A Religious Forecast For 2050: Atheism Is Down, Islam Is Rising
A new report from the Pew Research Center shows a growth spurt for Islam — and a change in the hub of Christianity.
Religion
Suburban Virginia Nativity Concert Captures Essence Of Christmas Season
For decades, Falls Church Anglican in suburban Virginia has staged a nativity concert for hundreds of people on Christmas Eve. For many, the event captures the essence and innocence of the season.
From Beetroot To Pineapple, Homemade Wines Sweeten Christmas In India
Across India, Christian communities make sweet homemade wines for the festive season from an array of local fruit, roots and grain. But the know-how behind this ancient tradition may be disappearing.
As Christians Flee, Governments Pressured To Declare ISIS Guilty Of Genocide
The Christian population is dropping in areas where Islamic State fighters are targeting religious minorities. At least a thousand Christians have been killed. Hundreds of thousands have fled.
Liberia's Dancing Christmas Devils Could Give Krampus A Lesson In Niceness
They tower on stilts, they're draped in hay, they dance like crazy and demand a holiday tip. But don't worry — they're really nice!
British Muslim Family Barred From California-Bound Flight, With No Reason Given
The family of eleven had valid travel permits, and was set to visit Disneyland and see relatives in California. They don't know why they were not allowed to board.
What American Muslims Do On Christmas: New Traditions Emerge
For some American Muslims, Christmas is a day to read the Quran's passages about the birth of Jesus — he's a prophet in Islam, too. For others, it's a day to trim the tree, or just relax.
The Case Against Wearing Hijab To Support Muslim Women
NPR's Ari Shapiro interviews Asra Nomani, co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement and author of Standing Alone: An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam, about the op-ed she co-wrote with Hala Arafa in the Washington Post about why, as Muslim women, they are asking other Muslim women to not wear the hijab.
Cousin Remembers Reverend Killed In Charleston, S.C., Shooting
There have been a number of high-profile shootings this year, including several mass shootings. One of those happened in June at a historic black church in Charleston, S.C. Rev. Depayne Middleton Doctor was one of nine people killed. Her cousin, Rev. Waltrina Middleton talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about her, and how her family has been doing since the shooting.
Brother Honors Legacy Of Relatives Lost In Chapel Hill, N.C., Shooting
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Farris Barakat, who lost relatives in the Chapel Hill, N.C., shooting. He recently visited a Syrian refugee camp to honor his brother's legacy.