A historian of the late Roman world, who visited earthquake-devastated Antakya several times, writes about the city’s rich history and recovery after being devastated in the past.
The idea of virgin birth has been part of Christianity since the start, but its significance has shifted over time.
Infowars founder Alex Jones in court during his Sandy Hook defamation damages trial in Waterbury, Conn., Sept. 22, 2022.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP, Pool, File
Shame and guilt seem equally foreign to many politicians and public figures these days. Rather than cover their bad behavior with a veneer of hypocrisy, they revel in it, a classics scholar says.
Samaritans celebrate Shavuot atop Mount Gerizim, near the West Bank.
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Samaritans still live in Israel, where they are often caught between Israeli and Palestinian identities.
Activist Jason Hershey reads from a Bible as he protests in front of the U.S. Supreme Court with the anti-abortion group Bound for Life in 2005 in Washington, D.C.
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Faith can inform opinions about abortion on both sides of the political debate, but the Bible itself says nothing directly about the topic, a biblical scholar explains.
Many people are using Bible verses to justify their stance against vaccines.
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A historian of the Bible in American life explains how Bible verses are being picked out of context to make a case for the anti-vaxxer movement.
Several celebrities have been seen wearing coats designed by Brenda Equihua, with an image of Mary displayed at the back.
Screen grab from Shelley FKA DRAM - Exposure (Official Music Video)
Mary has acquired popularity among celebrities of late. A religion scholar writes about how for nearly 2,000 years, the mother of Jesus has been viewed as an exemplar by different Christian groups.
Many prominent Christians believe in inerrancy, or that the Bible is without error.
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The doctrine of inerrancy likely took shape during the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States, in response to the rise of liberalism within Christianity.
Like their ancient ancestors, contemporary Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and consider baptism the most important of their religious rituals.
Hadi Mizban/AP
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.
The Bible contains many stories of migration, including that of Joseph, Mary and Jesus.
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Many within the political left and right draw on the Bible to inform their views on immigration, but neglect to take into account how foreigners were treated under the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus.
A doll representing the infant Jesus in St. Catherine’s, the Franciscan church in the town of Bethlehem.
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The differences in the Gospels are hard to reconcile. That’s because, says a scholar, they offer an important insight into the Greco-Roman views of ethnic identity.
Scripture strongly and unequivocally affirms the obligation to treat strangers with dignity and hospitality, says a Christian scholar who turns to the Bible for guidance on Trump’s immigration policy.
A painting showing Saint Francis Borgia, a 16th century saint,, performing an exorcism.
Francisco Goya
Forty-five years ago, ‘The Exorcist’ terrified viewers with its portrayal of a practice that goes back several centuries and continues today in Christianity.
A conservator works with a portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls containing Psalm 145 at The Franklin Institute, in Philadelphia.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Different cultural groups respond with numerous, often conflicting, answers to questions about life after death. An expert explains the Christian idea of heaven.
A mourner reads a sympathy card left for Anthony Bourdain at a makeshift memorial in New York.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer