Malaysian court says Christians cannot use Malay word for "God"

(Vatican Radio) A Malaysian appeals court ruled on Monday that Christians may not use the word "Allah" to refer to God, despite the fact the word has been used for “God” in the Malay language by Christians for centuries. The ruling overturned a 2009 decision by a lower court that allowed the Malay-language version of the Catholic newspaper, The Herald, to use the word Allah.

"The nation must protect and support the rights of the minority," said Father Lawrence Andrew, the founding editor of the Herald. "God is an integral part of every religion."

The nation’s Muslims have said Christians should use the Malay word for “Lord” to refer to God. Father Andrew said the newspaper will appeal the decision.

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Father Andrew: