Monday, November 2, 2026Memphis · 71°/63°, TennesseeEst. 2026
Markets · loading
Ideas
Religion & Philosophy
Al Jazeera
Ethiopian Orthodox Church says two attacks killed at least 60 worshippers
The Holy Synod reports massacres in Oromia's Arsi Zone; officials blame rebels, who have denied targeting civilians in the past
OROMIA, Ethiopia — The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's Holy Synod says two attacks in Oromia's Arsi Zone have killed at least 60 Orthodox Christians. It puts 14 deaths in Merti district on Oct. 20 and 46 in Shirka district on Oct. 24. It also reports more than 20 people seriously wounded and about 20 homes burned. Vatican News relays accounts that attackers went house to house with guns and knives, and that the toll is provisional. An Oromia government spokesman blamed the Oromo Liberation Army and its allies. He said they wanted to stir ethnic and religious conflict, and the AP noted he offered no evidence. The OLA could not be reached; its leader has previously denied that his fighters target civilians. The Synod has asked the government to condemn the killings publicly and protect civilians, and it ordered prayers in Orthodox churches worldwide.
Why it mattersThe killings test Ethiopia's tradition of interfaith coexistence and add to the insecurity in its largest region, where government forces and armed groups have fought for years.
New York's archbishop joins nuns' suit over assisted-suicide law
Archbishop Ronald Hicks and Catholic hospital network ArchCare add their names to a First Amendment challenge
NEW YORK — Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York joined a federal lawsuit against the state's assisted-suicide law, the religious-liberty firm Becket announced Oct. 30. Rockville Centre Bishop John Barres and four orders of sisters filed the suit in July. The sisters are the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Catholic health ministry ArchCare, which runs Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, has also joined. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act on Feb. 6, and it took effect Aug. 5. The plaintiffs say its narrow opt-outs still require counseling or referral and bar discipline of employees who help patients, which they argue violates free exercise and free speech. Aleteia reports that New York agreed July 30 to a temporary order shielding the original plaintiffs. Similar suits are under way in Illinois.
Why it mattersThe cases test how far states can require religious health providers to take part in assisted dying, a growing conflict between religious liberty and end-of-life law.
Church of England's new Synod opens amid fight over £100m slavery fund
King Charles to inaugurate the body as a priest and churchwarden pursue legal action over Project Spire
LONDON — King Charles is to inaugurate the Church of England's 12th General Synod. It is the first new Synod of his reign and the first under Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, according to the Church. The Religion Media Centre reports that conservative evangelicals say they strengthened their position in the elections. One conservative group says orthodox members keep a 34 percent blocking minority. Inclusion-minded candidates also gained seats. A central dispute is Project Spire, a proposed £100 million fund addressing the Church's historic links to slavery. A priest and a churchwarden want to challenge it in court, arguing the Church Commissioners lack authority to use the endowment this way. The row coincides with the King's Commonwealth visit. The Antigua and Barbuda prime minister says an apology alone is not enough. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is open to an apology but rules out financial reparations.
Why it mattersThe Synod's first sessions will show whether a divided Church can settle questions of money, doctrine and its colonial legacy while its finances come under strain.
