istoryworld
Events relating to religion
Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church (or 'Moonies'), is convicted in the USA of tax fraud and imprisoned
Christian militiamen massacre Palestinian refugees in the Sabra and Chatila camps in Lebanon
Hezbollah emerges in Lebanon as an Iranian-sponsored resistance movement against the Israeli occupation of the southern part of the country
Government imposition of Islamic law (sharia) triggers renewed civil war in Sudan between the Muslim north and Christian south
Sikh rebels, demanding an independent Punjab, seize the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Desmond Tutu is the first black African to be archbishop of Cape Town
An Intifada begins against Israeli occupation of Palestinian land
Hamas (acronym in Arabic for 'Movement for Islamic Resistance') is founded in the occupied territories to lead armed resistance against Israel
Ayatollah Khomeini declares a fatwa against Salman Rushdie for his Satanic Verses
A woman is consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts, becoming the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion's historic line of succession from St Peter
Osama bin Laden's involvement in the fight against Soviet forces in Afghanistan leads to his development of al-Qaeda
A new party, the Islamic Salvation Front, seems certain to win the Algerian election – until the army intervenes
Algeria is plunged into a brutal civil war between a military junta and Muslim terrorists
The mujaheddin, after removing from power the Soviet-backed president Najibullah, proclaim an Islamic state
The Branch Dravidians, members of a religious cult, burn to death in their Waco headquarters under siege by the FBI
Mullah Mohammed Omar, in Kandahar, forms a group devoted to fundamentalist Islam and calls it Taliban (meaning students of the Qur'an)
In his apostolic letter Ordinatio sacerdotalis John Paul II forbids even any discussion of the ordination of women
Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam organizes a Million Man March into Washington
Thousands of Shia Muslims are massacred by the Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif, in a brief spell before they are driven from the city
An amnesty is declared for some 8000 Muslim terrorists held in Algeria's gaols
The Russian army returns to Chechnya after Islamic militants commit acts of terrorism
John Paul II, dying after 26 years on the papal throne, is the third longest-serving pope in history
Joseph Ratzinger is elected pope and takes the name Benedict XVI
Controversial cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad are published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten
An excerpt of an anti-Islamic film made in the USA, Innocence of Muslims, is broadcast in Egypt on a Muslim TV channel
