Goddesses have traditionally protected against sickness and cured the ill, according to Hindu belief. More recently they have been coopted to combat AIDS and traffic deaths.
Bishop Mark Seitz and priests from his diocese knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to honor George Floyd, El Paso, June 1, 2020.
Courtesy of Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters
Though often seen as socially conservative, the Catholic church has a strong progressive strain that can be traced back 50 years to Latin America’s liberation struggles.
Even when singing does take place, voices are muffled.
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A choral conductor and scholar of sacred music explains what’s missing from church worship with singing banned due to the pandemic – and why live choir rehearsals are still a ways off
Members of the military wearing U.S. Army Special Forces insignia block protesters near Lafayette Park and the White House on June 3, 2020.
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There is a long line of military heroes who had the moral courage not to follow immoral orders. In the days ahead, some may have to consider what exactly their oath to the Constitution requires.
A pastor leads a prayer at an outdoor Easter service.
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
If worshippers congregate outside amid coronavirus fears, it wouldn’t be unprecedented. Early settlers used outside worship to sanctify colonized land, and slaves relied on it to meet in secret.
Krishna the charioteer guiding Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
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As the COVID-19 pandemic exposes the risks of an interconnected world, Indian thinkers offer timely insights on how to understand our global community and act more wisely.
Donald Trump poses with Bible at a moment of national crisis.
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In appearing with Bible in hand at the time of crisis, Trump is signaling his position as defender of traditional values, while ‘othering’ detractors. Russia’s Putin and India’s Modi have done similar things.
In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Sunshine Cathedral holds a drive-in Easter service in its parking lot. Each car received a Ziploc bag with a prayer card, palm leaf and pre-packaged communion.
Getty Images / Joe Raedle
A careful review of more than 200 letters written by the wealthy people who signed the Giving Pledge over its first decade suggests a big contradiction.
Protesters smash the window of a Chase bank during protests in Oakland.
AP Photo/Philip Pacheco
Understanding how unrest informed both early Christianity and the foundational stories of the United States can serve as a guide in this current period of turmoil.
Churches have to weigh the risk to congregants in opening too soon.
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Justices have lent weight to state officials who want churches to remain closed until the public health crisis is over. But not every place of worship is following the rules.
The late Youssef Cohen moved from New York to Oregon in 2016 because of its aid-in-dying law. During the pandemic, assisted dying for terminal patients has gone online.
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Terminally ill patients in nine states and Washington, DC can use telemedicine to get a doctor’s approval to hasten their end of life. But family members must mix the lethal drug cocktail themselves.
Migrant workers leaving New Delhi to go back to their villages amid the coronavirus lockdown.
AP Photo/Manish Swarup
Dalits have long been ostracized as the ‘untouchables’ in Indian society. Discrimination and the impact of the coronavirus have only reinforced their status.
A funeral director calls relatives of a COVID-19 victim for a virtual viewing before cremation on May 22, 2020 in New York City.
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Religious scholars and faith leaders reflect on the death rites cultures have developed to honor the deceased, comfort the living and share the burden of mourning.
Visiting parents during the pandemic poses new risks.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
A mother with underlying conditions wants to hug her children even if means risking her own life with COVID-19. Should they abide by her wishes or keep their distance?
Grocery workers have been essential during the pandemic. so should we be paying them more?
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After the pandemic is over, grocery workers and nurses will still be essential. But will they be paid any better?
Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before the midday prayer during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that ends May 27, 2020, and is celebrated this year amid pandemic.
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A survey of Muslim women finds many are frustrated by having a Islamic holy month in quarantine. But others say a ‘remote Ramadan’ is nothing new because child care duties often keep them home anyway.
Distant relatives? Visiting mom during the pandemic may be a risk.
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Is it right to visit family members during the pandemic, even if they say they don’t want you to come? Philosophy may hold the answer.
Faithful in many religions, including Islam, may turn to healing amulets like necklaces and other small objects in difficult times.
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From magic bowls to holy shirts, Muslim cultures used various devices to protect the user from harm starting in the 11th century. Many of these objects were beautifully designed, too.
The crisis has forced many businesses to close, prompting a spike in unemployment claims.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer