Australia's riots spread to churches:

1. Now churches are targeted | Four churches in Sydney's southwest have been attacked in 24 hours as the city's riots spread from race to religion (The Australian)
   
   
2. Church fire follows beach riot | A church hall was set ablaze and shots were fired near a primary school in Sydney yesterday, fuelling fears of an escalation in violence between ethnic Arabs and whites (The Times, London)
   
   
3. Religious leaders call for calm | Religious leaders are calling for unity and calm after a spate of attacks on places of worship linked to days of race-fuelled violence in Sydney (The Age, Melbourne, Australia)
   
   
4. More coverage: Anglican Media Sydney
   
   

War & terrorism:

1. U.S. activists rebuffed at Guantanamo | Members of the Christian-oriented Witness Against Torture began a hunger strike at the checkpoint on Monday after a five-day march from the eastern Cuban city of Santiago (Associated Press)
   
   
2. Living non-violence not for the weak | Are those who practise non-violence really prepared to sacrifice their lives? (Nicole Langlois, The London Free Press, Ont.)
   
   

Israel:

1. Presbyterians hold back on divestment | Chicagoans to revisit question in February (Chicago Tribune)
   
   
2. Bethlehem mayor asks pilgrims to visit | The mayor of Jesus' traditional birthplace on Wednesday asked pilgrims to visit in large numbers during Christmas and help pressure Israel to dismantle the barrier that separates the city from Jerusalem (Associated Press)
   
   

Persecution:

1. The Mid-East's beleaguered Christians | Few issues are so sensitive as the position of Christians in the Middle East (BBC)
   
   
2. Also: Guide: Christians in the Middle East | Click on the map to read about Christian populations around the region (BBC)
   
   
3. Chaput says anti-Christian sentiment growing | Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput said the October murder of three Christian girls in Indonesia was an example of growing violence against Christians by Muslims across the world (The Denver Post)