Editing 2003 (section)

== Religion ==
A week of celebrations were held in [[Vatican City]] for the 25th anniversary of [[October 1978 papal conclave|the election]] of [[Pope John Paul II]]. The events included the [[beatification]] of [[Mother Teresa]].<ref name=":15" />{{Rp|page=98}} John Paul II became the first pope to enter a mosque when he visited the [[Umayyad Mosque]] in [[Damascus]] on May 6. The church's [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases|sexual abuse scandals]] continued into 2003.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=471}}

The [[Anglican Communion]] was embroiled in debate about its stance on homosexuality when the liberal archbishop [[Rowan Williams]] was made [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] on February 27 and expressed interest in reforming the policy against it. [[Jeffrey John]] was nominated as [[Bishop of Reading]] in May, but his relationship with a man caused controversy and prompted him to decline. A similar debate took place regarding divorce when the divorced canon [[Gene Robinson]] was made [[Bishop of New Hampshire]] on November 2.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=470}}

Many saw the American-led invasion of Iraq was seen as an attack on Islam.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=471}} Organized efforts were made by political and religious leaders in the Muslim world to differentiate typical Islam from extremism. Religious strife occurred in Saudi Arabia where [[Wahhabi]] Muslims supported stricter application of Islamic law—some engaging in civil unrest and suicide bombings—while other denominations spoke in favor of tolerance for minority religions and women.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=472}} French society and the French government, especially within the [[National Front (France)|National Front]], took a hostile approach toward Muslims in 2003. [[Stasi Commission|A proposal was made]] to ban religious attire in schools, while at the same time the country's first Muslim-run school was opened in [[Lille]].<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=473}}

Controversy erupted in the Hindu world after the reprint of ''Ganesa: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings'' by Paul Courtright and the publication of ''Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India'' by [[James Laine]]. Both of these books were seen as offensive by some Hindu groups, causing the writers and publishers to receive threats and harassment.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=474}}

Judaism was marked with disputes between different sects, both in Israel and the United Kingdom. Israel debated whether [[Haredi Jews]] should be allowed to retain exemptions to certain laws.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=473}} The British [[Masortim|Masorti]] Rabbi [[Louis Jacobs]] was not permitted in an [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] ceremony for his granddaughter's marriage on the orders of the ''[[beth din]]'' in London, reigniting the Jacobs Affair of the 1960s.<ref name=":162" />{{Rp|page=474}}