Amid controversy over US bishops’ plans to deny Communion to pro-abortion rights Catholics, a scholar of sacramental theology explains the importance of the ritual to members of the church.
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Baptists believe that each person can have a personal relationship with God. This theology, a scholar writes, has also contributed to disagreements within the denomination since the 17th century.
Should people be compelled to take the vaccine? Should you feel guilty for skipping the line? And what about parts of the world where vaccines aren’t readably available? Ethicists have it covered.
In both ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, reflected images were thought to hold mysterious powers. Damaging a mirror was believed to invite the wrath of the gods.
Biden is not the first public figure to whom the Catholic Church wants to deny Communion. Over the centuries, the Church has often come under criticism for either denying or giving Communion.
Kentucky lawmakers are trying to make the state the 21st to enact a ban on conversion therapy. In states that are ‘silent’ on the issue, nonprofessionals are allowed to continue the harmful practice.
For Tibetan Buddhists it is important that they are in charge of the selection process for the next dalai lama, but China wants to appoint its own.
Around 100,000 LGBTQ US students study at religious institutions that can legally discriminate against them. A lawsuit seeks to end that religious exemption but faces an uphill struggle.
Mandaeans are followers of ancient Gnostic religion, whose traditional homeland was the region of Iraq and Iran. Today, this small minority lives in many parts of the world, including the US.
In an unanimous decision, the nine justices said the city of Philadelphia was wrong to exclude a Catholic agency from its adoption programs.
Religion affects how people regard qualities like benevolence, kindness, conformity and fairness even after they stop practicing religion.
A debate over whether President Biden’s views on abortion disqualify him from taking Communion serves to expose a rift between US bishops and the pope, and is a threat to the church itself.
On Father’s Day, a scholar of ancient Greek poetry explains how he came to understand the father-son relationship and his journey of loss and yearning through reading the epics.
A recent Title IX lawsuit alleges discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation at religious schools. Two scholars argue that this might be a pivotal moment.
The SBC is meeting amid divisions, controversy and dwindling numbers. But in pushing rhetoric over its theological mission, the denomination is tapping into a history of white supremacy.
The plight of residents in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem highlights a history of Palestinians’ claims to land being ignored, argues a scholar of the Ottoman Empire.
A religion data analyst scraped the texts of all Southern Baptist resolutions over the last 150 years. Here’s what he found.
Wriggling out of paying taxes may be legal, but is it right? Aristotle, Immanuel Kant – and others – have their say.
In a Japanese tree burial, cremated remains are placed in the ground and a tree is planted over the ashes to mark the gravesite. Environmental responsibility is part of Buddhism.
The latest movie to take on this classic story sentimentalizes history in the name of inspiring religious devotion.
Top contributors
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Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Joseph Panzer Chair in Education and Research Professor of Law, University of Dayton
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Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
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Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University
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Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Professor of Public Theology and Director of The Bernardin Center, Catholic Theological Union
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Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Oregon State University
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Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University
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Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies & Jewish Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
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Affliated Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University
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University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University
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Assistant Professor of Political Science, Eastern Illinois University
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Research Fellow, Center for Philosophy and History of Science, Boston University
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Professor of History, University of Dayton
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President, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
