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[Melbourne Anglican] Muslim, Jewish, Arab and Palestinian people in Australia might be unable to practice their religion freely because of escalating hate crimes and racism across the country, faith and human rights groups say. The groups, including Human Rights Watch, Jewish Council of Australia, Australian National Imams Council and Amnesty International, denounced a recent series of hate crimes in a joint statement and warned that acts of Islamophobia and antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism stoked fear in those communities. The groups said the incidents also prevented those communities from practicing their culture and enjoying their human rights. The recent attacks, including the vandalizing of a childcare center and two synagogues in Sydney, come after intensifying hate crimes against Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities. The organizations called on political leaders to stand up against the recent crimes and acts of discrimination, saying this racism included politicians’ denial of the seriousness of Islamophobia and racist language in the media. “Political leaders … should not seek to politicize racist attacks for political gain. Nor should political leaders cause further community division or vilification in their response to attacks. Human rights protections should not devolve into a game of political point scoring,” the groups said. They urged governments at all levels in Australia to support efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobic acts and racist discrimination The groups also called on them to consult with human rights experts and affected communities, and to ensure that any restrictions on rights were legitimate, necessary and proportionate. In December, religious leaders from across Australia expressed solidarity with the Jewish community and denounced antisemitism after a synagogue in Melbourne’s south-east was firebombed. They urged Australians to reject hatred and violence to keep Australia a safe, flourishing and healthy democracy. Faith bodies, including the Victorian Council of Churches and the Islamic Council of Victoria, said they wanted people to embrace unity instead.

<article class="media media--image display--large"> <div class="image-container"> <div class="field field-media-image"> <img loading="eager" width="430" height="323" alt="Jonathan Eig" class="lazyload" data-src="/sites/default/files/styles/default_mobile/public/2025-01/crc-news-graphics_2025-1-22_january-series-eig.jpg?itok=_JWFkeSA" /> </div> <div class="field field-image-caption">Jonathan Eig</div> </div> <div class="field field-image-credit">calvin.edu</div> </article> <br /> Jonathan Eig opened the 2025 Calvin University January Series with a discussion on Martin Luther King, Jr. – a deep thinker, brilliant strategist, and committed leader.

<article class="media media--image display--large"> <div class="image-container"> <div class="field field-media-image"> <img loading="eager" width="430" height="323" alt="" class="lazyload" data-src="/sites/default/files/styles/default_mobile/public/2025-01/crc-news-graphics_2025-1-22_january-series-komarnicki.jpg?itok=6W5BBMZy" /> </div> </div> <div class="field field-image-credit">Calvin University January Series</div> </article> <br /> In his January Series presentation, filmmaker Todd Komarnicki spoke about creativity, perseverance, and storytelling.

Students from the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey are in Rome for a weeklong visit, with a full programme that includes lectures, tours of the Vatican, and opportunities to interact with leaders from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

In a world often divided by barriers of race, politics, and faith, the late Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick stood as a beacon of hope and unity. His life’s work, deeply rooted in the principles of justice and inclusivity, touched countless lives and shaped the global Reformed community in profound ways. Kirkpatrick served as president of […]

The post A Faithful Servant of Unity and Justice: Remembering Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick appeared first on WCRC.

Gracia Violeta Ross, WCC programme executive for HIV, Reproductive Health, and Pandemics, offered two presentations in Bolivia, the first a training for leaders living with HIV on planning and project design for community-based organizations, and the second a keynote speech, entitled “40 years of the HIV response in Bolivia, progress and challenges,” offered at an art museum’s exhibition closure in Santa Cruz, which is the largest city in the country, with 42% of HIV cases in Bolivia,