In 1647, England’s Witchfinder General published a pamphlet to address criticisms he had received for his methods. He responded to each critique in turn, revealing the secrets of his complicated, misunderstood and undeniably cruel profession.
Read More(REVIEW) Gabe Bullard’s new book “Against Convenience” addresses some of these problems and argues “not against an easier path, but against the idea that the paths in front of us are truly any easier.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Military service is mandatory for most groups in Israel, although Muslim and Christian Arab citizens are exempted. Jewish Israelis see conscription as a unifying experience and a demonstration of commitment to the state. Starting at 18, most women serve two years and men serve almost three. For decades, however, Haredi men received de facto exemptions.
Read More(REVIEW) Manga has always been a medium in which the ordinary and the extraordinary coexist. A playground can become a site of spiritual encounter, a forest can conceal ancient powers and a familiar creature can reveal a universe of supernatural possibilities.
Read MoreChristians make up roughly 1% of Japan’s population, and churches are increasingly multicultural, welcoming immigrants from neighboring countries. However, national politics have taken a decidedly nationalistic turn in recent years — worrying Christians that they will once again be ostracized and even face persecution.
Read MoreWithin a decade of hitting the religion beat, around 1980, it was obvious to me that the demographic collapse of the “seven sisters” of liberal Protestantism was going to create a giant hole in American life. We are talking about these flocks — American Baptists, the Disciples of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The planned execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan sparked renewed debate among Christians over capital punishment. Catholic leaders cited church teaching opposing the death penalty, while some evangelical leaders defended it biblically. Disagreement also centered on whether televising executions promotes justice or glorifies violence.
Read MoreSharia, often called Islamic law, is a system of religious guidelines that inform how Muslims understand their responsibilities to God, themselves, their families and society. The Arabic word — sharia — is commonly translated as “the way” or “the path.” It refers to a way of life rooted in Islamic teachings rather than simply a collection of laws enforced by a government.
Read MoreThe latest grant round drew 466 applicants and includes the program’s first recipient in Arkansas, as historic houses of worship seek funding to preserve their buildings and community services.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Returning to my failed flight to the mountains, my own beloved, a goddess in her own right, reminded me: “You are a student of Hinduism, and you know that the Himalayan peaks are goddesses.” Unlike the Hindus of Nepal, the Buddhists of Bhutan keep a respective distance from the goddess and their kings always banned mountaineering in their own Himalayas.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Political shamelessness threatens democracy by weakening leaders’ respect for ethical principles and the rule of law. Drawing on Plato’s Laws, this article explores reverence as a virtue that encourages humility, self-restraint and recognition of human limitations, arguing that responsible leadership requires accountability and respect for principles beyond personal interests.
Read More(ESSAY) Beliefs and expectations shape our reality. Maybe nothing really spooky happened to either of us. We were just trying to explain the world with what we knew. For both of us, that knowledge was informed by Taiwanese culture, religion and superstition. Our reactions told us something about the world around us — but maybe even more so, they said something about ourselves.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For hundreds of years, people from different religious traditions across South Asia have retold the “Ramayana” through dramas, narrative poems, shadow puppet plays, pageants, folk songs, comics, television shows and many other mediums. Director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming “Ramayana” film is the latest retelling of this epic tradition.
Read MoreLong before scientists began tracking ocean temperatures with satellites, buoys and computer models, fishermen along the Pacific coast as far back as the 1600s were watching the seas for signs of change. They noticed that every few years, waters that were normally cool would become unusually warm.
Read More(REVIEW) Lucio Fontana’s radical slashed canvases sought to transcend the limits of painting, opening onto infinite space and spiritual possibility. Exploring his Spatialist works alongside his religious sculptures and ceramics, this article examines the connections between abstraction, Christian theology and the unknowable nature of God.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In those texts, the conquest and colonization of the Western Hemisphere were inseparable from religious conversion. His actions echoed in subsequent generations, evident in other Europeans’ efforts to spread Christianity in the Americas.
Read MoreThe Houthis are both an armed political movement and a governing authority in parts of Yemen, as well as an organization designated as terrorist by the United States. Understanding these different dimensions is essential to assessing the movement and its impact on the Middle East. This weekend’s attack on Saudi Arabia sheds a spotlight on the militant group terrorizing the region.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two scholars decided to make a pilgrimage along the Kumano Kodō trail — an ancient route in Japan connecting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples — guided by an artificial intelligence assistant. The two — Wayne E. Arnold and John A. Shultz — trained an AI companion to suit their travel needs. They were also curious to see how AI would shape their pilgrimage experience.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A team of researchers from Sivas Cumhuriyet University in Turkey is investigating a long-standing claim: That a boat-shaped geological formation in the country’s east contains the remains of Noah’s Ark. In the Book of Genesis, God decides to destroy the world with a flood. Following God’s instructions, Noah builds an ark to save himself, his family and animals of every kind.
Read MoreThe highest peak in Zimbabwe, standing at 2,592 meters above sea level, has been the source of local intrigue for decades: People have gone missing, strange natural phenomena have created inexplicable mystical experiences, and now, some are even claiming the mountain is home to UFOs. Whatever the case, it has attracted curious travelers from around the world.
Read More
