Why faith inspires people to give
As Americans make decisions about year-end giving, how much of it will be influenced by their faith?
November 28, 2017
703
Ethics
Feeling guilty about drinking? Well, ask the saints
For those wondering whether it is sinful to drink, even moderately, a scholar goes into the history of alcohol and its distillation…
November 17, 2017
645
Did early Christians believe that Mary was a teenager? It's complicated
The Alabama state auditor defended Roy Moore, citing Mary and Joseph. A scholar goes back to early Christian texts texts…
November 14, 2017
598
Why Nevada's new lethal injection is unethical
Nevada plans to use a new drug protocol for executing Scott Dozier, who murdered a 22-year-old. A scholar explains why this…
November 13, 2017
623
When Americans tried – and failed – to reunite Christianity
In the early 1900s, a group of Protestants in the US attempted a reunion of Christianity. They failed, of course, but they…
November 8, 2017
604
Why social media may not be so good for democracy
A scholar asks whether democracy itself is at risk in a world where social media is creating deeply polarized groups of…
November 5, 2017
615
In Brazil, religious gang leaders say they're waging a holy war
As hard-line Pentecostalism spreads across Brazil, some drug traffickers in gang-controlled areas of Rio de Janeiro are…
November 2, 2017
620
What ancient cultures teach us about grief, mourning and continuity of life
Many in the Western world lack the explicit mourning rituals that help people deal with loss. On Day of the Dead, two scholars…
November 1, 2017
597
What Chinese philosophers can teach us about dealing with our own grief
The pain of grief is part of human existence. Daoist and Confucian philosophy can help find meaning in grief.
October 30, 2017
622
How the dead danced with the living in medieval society
For medieval cultures, the dying process and death itself was a 'transition,' not a rupture.
October 29, 2017
605
Little-known facts about how Halloween came to be
This Oct. 31, many in the U.S. will celebrate Halloween. The origins of this tradition go back to Celtic and later Christian…
October 25, 2017
670
Martin Luther's spiritual practice was key to the success of the Reformation
On the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, two scholars explain how Luther's personal and spiritual life…
October 24, 2017
671
Are religious people more moral?
World's major religions are concerned about moral behavior. What is the relationship between religious commitment and…
October 23, 2017
676
Why hazing continues to be a rite of passage for some
Another student has died due to hazing. Research shows that there has been at least one such death in the US since 1954…
October 16, 2017
601
How a growing Christian movement is seeking to change America
A prayer rally recently organized in Washington, DC is part of a growing movement, that scholars call 'Independent Network…
October 11, 2017
1195
How the stoicism of Roman philosophers can help us deal with depression
On World Mental Health Day, a philosopher explains how to learn from the stoicism of Roman philosophers.
October 9, 2017
620
For Native Americans, a river is more than a 'person,' it is also a sacred place
On Indigenous Peoples' Day, a Native American scholar explains why water means more than just sustenance for life and…
October 8, 2017
635
Why the Nobel Peace Prize brings little peace
A scholar analyzes the history of the Nobel Peace Prize to ask: What difference has it made?
October 6, 2017
633
I've spent years looking at what was actually in Playboy, and it wasn't just objectification of wome
Hefner's iconic Playmates, a scholar argues, need to be understood within their historical context, when men and especially…
October 3, 2017
617
What Gandhi can teach today's protesters
For Gandhi, whose birth anniversary is Monday, Oct. 2, nonviolent resistance meant placing one's own body in harm’s…
October 1, 2017
664