USA 

Despite the separation of church and state in the U.S. religious groups often tend to have fairly delineated stances on political and social issues. Historically black churches tend to be primarily Democrat-affiliated, while a majority of Mormons are Republican-affiliated, according to Pew's Religious Landscape survey. A large majority of those in historically black churches and Muslim congregations believe in a bigger government with more services, while a majority of mainline churches support a smaller government with fewer services — American Religious, Political Ideologies Revealed In One Graph (Antonia Blumberg, Huffington Post).

There is no more natural spot for Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan - a proud, ebullient Irish-American - than grand marshal of the city's historic St. Patrick's Day Parade. But the honor now has an added significance: Parade organizers said Wednesday they will allow the first gay group to march under its own banner. Dolan was quick to issue a statement of support for the parade organizers, accepting their decision. While supporters of gay and lesbian Catholics are cheering, some conservatives want the archbishop to withdraw from the event — Cardinal Dolan Will Lead Gay Inclusive St.Patrick’s Day Parade (Rachel Zoll, Associated Press/Huffington Post)

In quick succession this year, three women have been chosen to lead historic tall-steeple churches in all these cities. In May, the Rev. Shannon Johnson Kershner became the first woman solo senior pastor at Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church. In June, the Rev. Amy Butler was elected senior pastor of New York City’s Riverside Church. And finally, in July, the Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli began leading Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. — Women Pastors In Prominent Churches Reveal Cracks In Stained-Glass Ceiling (Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service/Huffington Post)

Somalia

Der Tod ihres Anführers Ahmed Abdi Godane trifft die islamistische Miliz al Shabaab hart. Das amerikanische Verteidigungsministerium spricht von einem „großen symbolischen Verlust“ für die Dschihadisten in Somalia — Der Machiavelli der somalischen Dschihadisten (Jochen Stahnke, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Belgique

Kerkjurist Rik Torfs, rector van de KU Leuven, noemt de brief waarin de Antwerpse bisschop Johan Bonny een andere kerkelijke houding bepleit ten aanzien van liefde, seksualiteit en relaties “een heel mooi doorwrocht document, dat heel sterk is onder meer omwille van het verzoenend karakter en de uitnodiging aan de kerkelijke overheid tot een gesprek hierover”. Torfs schaart zich ook inhoudelijk achter de tekst — ‘Brief van bisschop is primeur in kerkelijke geschiedenis’ (De Standaard)

Opinion

"«Ne trouvez-vous pas que les vidéos de propagande de l’Etat islamique sont d’une qualité nouvelle, un véritable travail de professionnels ?». Cette question m’est posée depuis plusieurs mois par des journalistes ou des politiques. Après les assassinats filmés des reporters américains James Foley et Steven Sotloff, la question de savoir si le jihadisme n’a pas atteint de nouveaux sommets de barbarie est venue s’y greffer" — Le jihad de l’image: comment nous jouons le jeu de l’Etat islamique, une opinion de Asiem El Difraoui, politologue, chercheur expert sur la propagande des actions islamistes (Libération)