Why Narendra Modi Presents Himself as a Guru
Drawing on traditions of monastic power, Modi’s party is trying to promote the image of India as a vishwaguru, or teacher to the world.
Julian of Norwich, Anchoress and Mystic
A religious recluse, mystic and author, Julian of Norwich wrote of Jesus Christ as a nurturing mother and teacher to the faithful.
Charity Scams of Yore
Between the 1850s and 1940s, a charity scam worked a collection circuit of Evangelical Christians in least five hundred towns across eighty countries.
What’s in the Box? The Art of Reliquaries
The cult of relics dates back to the second and third centuries, when Christian martyrs were often killed in ways that fragmented the body.
Albert Raboteau on Re-Enchanting the World
The late religion scholar suggested that to regain a sense of wonder, we should look to education.
Venus of the Sewers
The Roman sewer, the Cloaca Maxima, was presided over by a goddess whose shrine stood near the Forum.
A Holy Trinity in Ancient Egypt
The ancient Mediterranean was full of religious expression, and Kemetic culture's concept of a divine family influenced early Christians.
The Changing Meaning of “Mysticism”
People who don't follow organized religion sometimes describe themselves as spiritual. But this idea isn't a recent invention.