While the Catholic Church adapts to the sudden news that their pontiff will resign at the end of the month after only eight years at the supreme seat of power at the Vatican, predictions and aspirations abound. But has anyone considered demographics? According to a 2004 Boston College Magazine study, fully 50 per cent of the world's Catholics are Latino.

This week, history will revisit the Church of the Nativity as UNESCO's World Heritage Committee convenes in St. Petersburg, Russia, to consider whether the birthplace of Jesus should be recognized as a world heritage site. Palestinians await with anticipation the decision in St. Petersburg this week to share this valuable cultural, religious and historical heritage with all the peoples of the world.

My latest book about Christianity, Heresy, is in the forgiving business. But forgiveness does not mean forgetting the truth. We have to be resolute in what is and what isn't, which is why I've taken on the most frequent arguments used against followers of Christ.

While the Vatican and Western leaders have condemned the attacks on Christians as heinous and cowardly, an unequivocal denunciation must also come from the Islamic world against Nigeria's Boko Haram and other radical Islamic groups terrorizing Christian communities in their midst.