The 2024 Global Religious Recognition Report is a compilation of the most recent available data on recognition and registration impacting conditions of religious freedom throughout the world. Each page of the 259-page report is dedicated to each sovereign state and dependent or disputed territory, including an overview of the constitutional structure, secularity and recognition and registration policies and practices. Detailed explanations of registration policy have been gathered from the Office of International Religious Freedom's International Religious Freedom Report in addition to other credible sources. The RoRB classification for each country and territory has been updated in accordance with the criteria set out in the Spectrum of Religious Recognition (SRR) which was included towards the front of this year's report. This year's report includes an abridged version of Dr Monica Gyimah's article (the full article can be found in Journal of Astronist Studies Volume 1 Issue 1) that highlights recognition and registration issues specifically impacting indigenous religious communities.

The best country-by-country assessment of human rights. In this signature yearly report, Human Rights Watch will document and address human rights abuses in more than 100 countries, plus a keynote essay by executive director Tirana Hassan.

This marks the first issue of the Journal of Astronist Studies and begins what is hoped to be a long tradition of scholarly discourse on space religions and the broader intersection between astronomy, religion and spirituality. This issue begins with a peer-reviewed article by myself that gives a short history and comparison between Astronism, Cosmism and Cosmodeism. This first article of the first issue sets the scene for a scholarly discourse of Astronist studies by providing some insight into the legacy of Astronism’s predecessors in Cosmism and Cosmodeism. This issue continues with an article by Juan Vivanco who is new to the field of scholarly writing but who boasts a long history of entrepreneurship in eco-friendly construction and is based in Dubai. In his piece, Vivanco introduces readers to quantum cosmic theology and reflects on his experiences of cosmic meditation which has close links with the Astronist practice of night sky exposition and meditation. The third article in this issue is another peer-reviewed piece from myself, this time focusing on the concept of astromorphism. This piece draws much inspiration from my master’s dissertation but uniquely focuses on how the theory of an Astronic religious tradition contributes to the debate on the origins of religion. The origins of religion emerged as an academic pursuit in the early nineteenth century but the role of prehistoric astrolatry was never given any prominence in the debate. The second half of the issue begins with a piece by Professor Emeritus of cultural astronomy and astrology Michael York. York gives his perspective on how geocentrism––represented by modern paganism––and cosmocentrism––represented by Astronism––compare and contrast. York uses the sociological measuring tool of the ideal-type to discuss the worldviews of geocentrism and cosmocentrism by analysing the aims of modern paganism and Astronism on whether humanity ought to escape Earth or attempt instead to restore our terrestrial conditions. The final full-length article in this issue comes from Dr Monica Gyimah who discusses issues involving a lack of state recognition and legal personality specifically impacting people who profess indigenous beliefs. Gyimah provides an extensive analysis of the international legal framework geared towards protecting indigenous communities and gives several examples of how indigenous groups professing various forms of nature religion and polytheism remain unrecognised and their access denied to several fundamental rights protected under freedom of religion or belief. This issue ends with my review of Tsvi Bisk’s latest work Cosmodeism: A Worldview for the Space-Age. It was a pleasure to read and review Bisk’s work as many of the topics Bisk discusses in his work are prominent in Astronist philosophy. I reviewed Bisk’s work from my perspective both as an Astronist but also as the founder of Astronism, in particular to emphasise my belief in the need for the greater practical organisation of those movements that affirm the doctrine of transcension in some form.

The final pages of history are being written. Recent global upheavals, exponential technological advances, collapsing morality, and calls for a one-world government are all preparing the way for the Antichrist's reign. Gathering fascinating insights from biblical prophecy, authors Jimmy Evans and Mark Hitchcock encourage readers to: Recognize the "signs of the times" heralding the approach of earth's final days. Withstand coming persecution, deception, and spiritual warfare as global rebellion intensifies. Stand confidently in Christ's victory over the forces of darkness until Jesus returns. We are witnessing an astonishing acceleration of events paving the way for this satanically-empowered dictator. But fear not, because on the horizon is the glorious appearing of our Savior. It's time to embrace Him. Jesus is the only hope who will see us through the coming storm.

During the last twenty years, the theory of recognition has become an established field of philosophy and social studies. Variants of this theory often promise applications to the burning political issues of current society, such as the challenges of multiculturalism, group identity, and conflicts between ideologies and religions. The seminal works of this trend employ Hegelian ideas to tackle the problem of modernity. Although some recent studies also investigate the pre-Hegelian roots of recognition, this concept is normally considered to be a product of the secular modernity of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Recognition and Religion: A Historical and Systematic Study challenges this assumption and claims that important intellectual roots of the concept and conceptions of recognition are found in much earlier religious sources. Risto Saarinen outlines the first intellectual history of religious recognition, stretching from the New Testament to present day. He connects the history of religion with philosophical approaches, arguing that philosophers owe a considerable historical and conceptual debt to the religious processes of recognition. At the same time, religious recognition has a distinctive profile that differs from philosophy in some important respects. Saarinen undertakes a systematic elaboration of the insights provided by the tradition of religious recognition. He proposes that theology and philosophy can make creative use of the long history of religious recognition.

Building on his extensive experience in the U.S. government and as an international human rights lawyer, H. Knox Thames provides fresh, decisive strategies to advance religious freedom for all. Today, a scourge of religious persecution is impacting every faith community around the globe. In Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom, author H. Knox Thames takes readers to some of the world's most repressive countries in the Middle East and Asia, exposing the harsh reality of religious repression. Thames breaks down the devastating litany of human rights abuses faced by religious groups in these countries into four major types of persecution: terrorism in the Middle East, government-sponsored genocides in China and Burma, cultural changes due to extremism in Pakistan, and tyrannical democracy in Nepal and India. Ending Persecution recounts the range of tools and policies that the U.S. government has used to encourage reform in repressive governments, leverage U.S. influence for the oppressed, and to reflect the best of American values of diversity, minority rights, and religious freedom. To help the persecuted in the twenty-first century, Thames argues, the United States must revitalize its approach and recommit to ending oppression by supporting coalition building and interfaith tolerance.