Medieval monastics were often discouraged from owning companion animals, which were viewed as a distraction, a religion…
The College of Cardinals is an important part of the church’s governance structure. Its members elect the next pope and…
If you’ve decided to look for coffee that’s better for the earth or the people making it, you might need some help translating…
Catholicism, ‘Frenchness’ and secularism are often conflated in French culture, a scholar writes, while non-Christian…
The government’s use of the Hindi word for ‘India’ revives debates over whether Hindi should be the national language…
In some conservative countries, the abaya is part of expected dress. But in countries where Muslims are in the minority,…
Like many Jewish practices, the harvest festival of Sukkot largely takes place at home − meaning families can incorporate…
The ‘Shepherd of Hermas’ has been accused of being pedantic, even boring. In the first few centuries of Christianity,…
An Indigenous sacred site, Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks has served as a military barracks, a fairground and, more recently,…
Two social scientists analyzed periodicals from US religious leaders in 1935 to determine what factors influenced groups’…
States sometimes choose to pay for the release of their citizens held hostage abroad – but there could be profound, long-term…
There is a long tradition in China of associating monkeys with the mind – symbolism that has helped the novel’s most…
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke of ‘credible allegations’ of Indian involvement in a Sikh leader’s death.
Morocco is grappling not just with the loss of lives from the recent earthquake, but with the destruction of its cultural…
A scholar of digital religion explains why the use of AI isn’t necessarily displacing religious leadership: It is the…
Stories in Greek mythology on the cycle of nature showing youth, death and rejuvenation can have lessons for us today on…
Community is vital in Jewish ritual and tradition, and the High Holidays are no exception, a Judaic studies scholar writes.
People can trust each other because they understand how the human mind works, can predict people’s behavior, and assume…
Many faiths face conflicts over dissent and institutional control. In Latter-day Saints history, the episode around the…
Humility doesn’t get the fanfare of virtues like courage, compassion or generosity. But without humility, those other…