(RNS) His English is terribly broken, and punctuated by sudden fits of giggles. But for nearly an hour Tuesday, the Dalai Lama entranced an arena full of admirers at the University of Maryland, who said he conveyed his message perfectly.
DHARAMSALA, India (RNS) Dawa Dhondup drank kerosene and poured it all over his body at a March 10 procession to mark the anniversary of a failed 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. As he was about to light a match, fellow Tibetans and police overpowered him.
(RNS) The back-to-back wins by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu signal a shift for the Templeton Prize, which in recent years had gone to little-known physicists and theologians.
(RNS) When aging religious leaders reach the top echelons of temporal and spiritual power, their followers have a certain expectation: Till death us do part. But Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise resignation has shifted that calculus, prompting introspection about when, if and how to let go of religion’s senior management.
(RNS) In its latest move to crack down on dissent, the Chinese government treats self-immolations as a crime and charges anyone inciting the act with “intentional murder.”
