The international ties that characterize the world religions
have given an international as well as a national dimension
to their political voice. Their international links enabled many
churches to resist oppression when they challenged authoritarian
rule, while trends in the character of Islam in poorer countries
have been influenced by the sources of international
support. The Jubilee campaign, inspired by the Old Testament’s
teachings on debt relief, drew many religious traditions
together in its 2000 campaign for debt relief, which contributed
to debt cancellations for many countries. Religious organizations
have collaborated internationally in supporting
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through
their involvement in the Make Poverty Campaign. Such
engagement by religious groups in the public sphere will be
considered further in Section