Burned Malaysian church. Image: AFP The court and government of Malaysia are at odds over the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims, specifically the Roman Catholic Church. Four churches have been attacked with varying degrees of success and numerous automobiles bearing Christian symbols have been vandalized. The government had recently banned the Roman Catholic newsletter, The Herald, from using referring to God as Allah, but that ruling was overturned by the country’s high court. The government appealed which has led to a temporary suspension.
Muslims in Malaysia argue that the “Allah” is exclusive to Islam, and its use by Christians would confuse Muslims. But Catholic church officials say that for Christian indigenous tribes in the eastern part of Malaysia, who are the primary readers of the Herald’s Malay-language edition, “Allah” is the only word they have known for God for decades.
A fire attack on the Metro Tabernacle Church damaged an office on the first floor. Separate attacks on the Assumption church and the Life Chapel caused minor damage, according to officials.
I’m Marty Duren, a freelance writer, content creator, podcaster, and publisher in Nashville, TN. I guess that makes me an entrepreneur-of-all-trades. Formerly a social media strategist at a larger publisher, comms director at a religious nonprofit, and a pastor, Marty Duren Freelance Writing is the new business iteration of a decade-long side-hustle.
I host the Uncommontary Podcast which publishes weekly. Guests range from academics to authors to theologians to activists on subjects related to history, current events, and the impact of evangelicalism on American life. My voice is deep-fried giving rise to being labeled “a country Batman.” Find Uncommontary in your favorite podcast app.
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I’m a longtime blogger at Kingdom in the Midst, where, over the course of many years, I’ve written a lot of words.
