Yule, celebrated by Wiccans and many other Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere on Dec. 21, the day of the winter solstice, is a time for reflection.
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Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains.
Through the power of rituals, inanimate objects can be understood to transform into agents who can see, hear, taste and respond to the concerns of those who worship them.
The keffiyeh’s prominence soared in the 1970s when Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, adopted and popularized the garment.
The diversity of Israel’s Jewish population has been a source of tensions, but also strength, over the decades.
Stoicism isn’t just a set of ideas; it’s meant to be put into practice. The ancient philosophy is finding new fans through online communities.
Stereotypes about religion vs. science are overblown – but those assumptions can create challenges for religious grad students, a sociologist finds.
The idea of Manifest Destiny inspired Americans to push west, leading to the creation of the first national parks. But those beliefs spelled removal for many Native American groups.
A scholar of Native American and Indigenous rhetorics writes about the harm done to Native American nations through colonization and what can be done to reduce it.
Since 2019, fans of the TV series ‘Supernatural’ have flocked to Austin, where their encounters with 1967 Impalas customized to mimic the one used in the show arouse elation, astonishment and tears.
The origins of the Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Sunrise Ceremony, held on the traditional lands of the Ohlone people, go back to 1969, a pivotal moment of Indigenous activism.
A scholar of American religion explains how a new phenomenon of Jesus images on TikTok is tapping into the prosperity gospel, a Christian belief that God will reward faith with this-worldly comforts.
Like all charitable donors, church members – even those who make donations to remain in good standing with their religious institution – give up their legal right to control that money.
An analysis of anti-abortion rights groups in the US shows that while some specifically turn to Christianity to explain their positions, others are looking at broader, human rights arguments.
A scholar who has studied Palestinian refugees for 20 years explains the history of their displacement and the stakes involved for those living in an indefinite exile.
For some people, the decision over how to dispose of their body represents one last adventure – and one last consumer choice, a scholar explains.
Across cultures, death rituals give mourners a chance to grieve. But they also offer one last opportunity to help the deceased as they transition to the next stage of existence.
Halloween’s influence is transforming popular festivities around Día de los Muertos and its ceremonial customs in rural and urban areas of Mexico in some fascinating ways.
Many Christian and Muslim families in Gaza today were displaced following the creation of new Arab and Jewish states. Today, Palestinian Christians occupy a complicated place in this region.
Does Louisiana’s requirement for public schools to post ‘In God We Trust’ in all classrooms violate the doctrine of separation of church and state? A legal scholar weighs in.
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 Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Oregon State University
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Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University
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Professor of Public Theology and Director of The Bernardin Center, Catholic Theological Union
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Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies & Jewish Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
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University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University
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Affliated Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University
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Research Fellow, Center for Philosophy and History of Science, Boston University
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Assistant Professor of Political Science, Eastern Illinois University
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Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Religious Studies, Texas State University
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Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Rhodes College
