English cardinal calls for legislation tackling 'extremism'
- Feb 24, 2021
Church leaders in Iraq have praised Pope Francis’s decision to come in March amid a pandemic as a brave decision, voicing hope that it will encourage Christians to stay in the country despite present difficulties.
One of the most frequently expressed questions during an international religious freedom symposium Nov. 19 was whether the attention granted to religious freedom during the past four years would continue with the next administration.
Stephen Rasche serves as Vice Chancellor at the Catholic University in Erbil and Director of the Institute for Ancient and Threatened Christianity, and has written a new book about Christians in the country.
Iraqi Christians face “extinction” unless Islam recognizes the fundamental equality of all people and takes steps to overcome violent factions that seek to force religious minorities from the country, said Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Irbil.
England’s top prelate has called for more to be done to rebuild the towns and villages of Iraq’s Nineveh plains after they were destroyed by the Islamic State group.