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Articles on Reformation

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Baron Cobham and family around the dinner table, 1567. Master of the Countess of Warwick

How the Tudors dealt with food waste

During the Tudor period, religious beliefs shaped people’s attitudes towards food and food waste.
Charlton Heston as Moses in the biblical epic The Ten Commandments. Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Who wrote the Bible?

The Bible remains the most important collection of books in Western civilisation. Regardless of our religious beliefs, it has shaped all of us. But who wrote it? The answer is complicated.
Prayer apps can help guide spiritual practices and encourage people to set goals and stay on track. MangoStar_Studio/iStock via Getty Images

Prayer apps are flooding the market, but how well do they work?

A scholar of Christian spirituality argues that prayers are meant to bring together a faith community – something apps aren’t likely to achieve.
A person dressed as Santa Claus waves as part of the festivities, during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

This Christmas tell your children the real Santa Claus story

Behind today’s mythical Santa Claus from the North Pole, is a real saint – St. Nicholas. How he came to be today’s gift-giving jolly figure from the North Pole is a fascinating story by itself.
A Halloween ghost. Werner Reischel/Flickr.com

Why believing in ghosts can make you a better person

Ghost stories are often about the departed seeking justice for an earthly wrong. Their sightings are a reminder that ethics and morality transcend our lives.
New priests being ordained during a ceremony led by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, when they take vows, including to remain celibate. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

How views on priestly celibacy changed in Christian history

Early Christians were open to marriage for priests. It wasn’t until the 12th century that celibacy became mandatory in the Catholic Church.
Worshipers pray during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, on March 6, 2019. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Why do Christians wear ashes on Ash Wednesday?

Churches started to use ashes early as the ninth century as a symbol of repentance. In 1091, Pope Urban II ritualized their use to mark the beginning of Lent. Today, churches provide ‘ashes to go.’
Blood on the streets: the 1572 St Bartholomew’s Day massacre. Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre by Francois Dubois via Wikimedia Commons

Five of the most violent moments of the Reformation

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called for repentence for the divisions caused by the schism between the Protestant and Catholic faiths.
An April 30, 1966 file photo of King Jr. addressing a rally in Birmingham, Alabama, AP Photo/JT, File

What shaped King’s prophetic vision?

Martin Luther King Jr. used a prophetic voice in his preaching – a hopeful voice that addressed human tragedy. But it was the black clerics who came before him, who helped King develop that voice.

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