The Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal continued from 2001; the church adopted rules on how to address sexual abuse allegations on January 8, and Pope John Paul II made his second papal statement on the matter on March 22. The Catholic Church created four new Russian dioceses in February, resulting in protests by members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Belarus made the Belarusian Orthodox Church into the state's legally recognized religion, curtailing practice of other religions. The Church of England determined in July that divorcees could marry in the church. Then in December, the church saw its first leader in centuries from outside its own membership when the Welsh Rowan Williams was confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal continued from 2001; the church adopted rules on how to address sexual abuse allegations on January 8 and Pope John Paul II made his second papal statement on the matter on March 22. The Catholic Church created four new Russian dioceses in February, resulting in protests by members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Belarus made the Belarusian Orthodox Church into the state's legally recognized religion, curtailing practice of other religions. The Chu,rch of England determined in July that divorcees could marry in the church. Then in December, the church saw its first leader in centuries from outside its own membership when the Welsh Rowan Williams was confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury.